French Ligue 2 games were manipulated, finds report
March 10 – A report into a swathe of alleged rigged Ligue 2 games in France last season has concluded that one match was subject to “an understanding” between the two clubs concerned.
Europe
Saints lead academy sales, Real and Barca in top 10, Bayern and Man Utd trail
March 10 – New data from the CIES, the Swiss-based Centre for Sports Studies, finds that €1.072 billion has been generated from sales of academy players by clubs in Europe’s Big 5 leagues. Topping the chart is Premier League club Southampton earning €90.2 million from sales since July 2012.
Capello’s long wait is over as Russians stump up $6m back pay
March 9 – Russian national team manager Fabio Capello and his compatriot Oreste Cinquini, the team’s general manager, have at last been paid the outstanding salaries owed to them going back to June of last year. Reports are that the Russian Football Union (RFU) has now paid the outstanding $5.96 million up to February.
New Rangers board call for fans to return now Ashley has been sidelined
By Paul Nicholson
March 9 – Rangers’ new board had a slow start to their tenancy with a lifeless 0-0 draw away to Cowdenbeath on Saturday. Now the directors are hoping their promised revolution will get a kick start with a packed Ibrox this Tuesday in their first home Championship match under the new regime against Queen of the South.
Messi’s missing millions: doubts cloud charity games
By Rafael Buschmann and Michael Wulzinger
March 6 – Where did the money go from six benefit football matches played by Lionel Messi and friends? The world famous football player says they went to charity. Tax investigators believe they went to the players. Documents have emerged that are fueling those suspicions.
Celtic swap Nike for New Balance in record kit deal
By Paul Nicholson
March 5 – Scottish giants Celtic have traded Nike in for another US firm, New Balance, in a new kit deal estimated to worth $5.8 million per year, the biggest ever for the club and easily the largest sponsorship in club football in Scotland.
Greek Super League suspension lifted – anti-violence measures to be implemented
By Mark Baber
March 5 – Greece’s deputy sports minister Stavros Kontonis confirmed Wednesday that the Super League will resume this weekend, with matches initially being played behind closed doors. The decision came after day long talks with Super League president Giorgos Borovilos and Hellenic Football Federation chief Giorgos Girtzikis on plans to tackle violence.
Scotland joins Wales in saying ‘no’ to British Olympic team
Scotland have followed Wales in voicing their opposition to a combined British football team for the 2016 Rio Olympics as the dispute between the individual British associations intensifies.
Fulham and Arsenal fans top poll of Londoners’ attitudes
By David Owen
March 5 – A new YouGov poll suggests that football fans have a better reputation than is sometimes suggested – in London at least. The poll indicated that Londoners had a broadly positive impression of fans of all but three of the UK capital’s top teams – West Ham, Chelsea and Millwall.
Ashley faces gallows as King set to return to Rangers throne
By Paul Nicholson
March 5 – The bitter battle for control of Scottish giant Rangers took another twist today as shares in the company were suspended on the AIM stock exchange when Rangers’ nominated advisor WH Ireland resigned the account.
Welsh unleash dragon’s fury on duplicitous English manoeuvring
March 4 – England’s demand for a combined British team at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio has prompted a furious reaction from the head of Welsh football who says his country has been taken completely for granted.
Debt crisis raises threat of relegation for Red Star Belgrade
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
March 4 – Red Star Belgrade is being threatened with automatic relegation to the Serbian second tier as a result to its continuing financial woes. Sources close to the club’s management say that such a decision could be taken by the country’s football federation which is monitoring the situation at the club.
BBC and Sky pitch FIFA presidential debate…Dyke offers to host
By Andrew Warshaw
March 3 – The BBC and Sky have officially invited all four candidates for the FIFA presidential election, including Sepp Blatter, to take part in a political-style live TV debate.
German football legends, including Löw, caught in crosshairs of doping probe
By Denis de Haas, Sport1
March 3 – As the Bundesliga currently stands both VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg need to stay focused on the relegation battle. But now the clubs are haunted by their past.
Transfers: Suárez, Fabregas, Sigurdsson, Alonso and Lovren are the big wins
By Paul Nicholson
March 3 – Buying the wrong player at the wrong price is the biggest mistake a club can make financially. CIES statistics show that the clubs who traded best in the transfer window for the start of the season (in terms of number of best performing players) are Real Madrid and Hoffenheim, followed by Barcelona, Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, Southampton, Leverkusen and Napoli.