In September it was reported that Javier Tebas, showman President of La Liga, had given conditional support to the notion of a breakaway European Super league. Well, to judge by his bravura performance at Sportel Monaco last week, the newly-re-elected Spaniard has undergone an evolution in his thinking.
October 31 – The Asian Football Confederation has rescheduled its Extraordinary Congress to elect candidates for the FIFA Council, postponed in equally extraordinary circumstances in protest at FIFA’s late decision to bar Saoud Al Mohannadi, vice-president of the Qatar Football Association, from standing as a result of an on-going ethics investigation and recommendation of a minimum two-year ban, for February 28 at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
By Samindra Kunti
October 31 – The Dutch FA, the KNVB, has reported a profit of €6.8 million for the 2015/16 season. The KNVB also revealed that registered members of the governing body had jumped to 1,227157, the highest level in its history.
October 31 – Gabon, hosts of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, has been threatened by its players who say they are prepared to go on strike in a row over non-payment of salaries. Chief among four main demands is the back payment of salaries dating from present day back to 2013.
October 31 – Premier League Bournemouth have launched a new app with takeaway food delivery service Deliveroo and incorporating a fantasy football and predictor game. The app has been developed by Irish fan engagement company Sportego.
October 31 – Saudi authorities say they foiled a terrorist bomb plot due to have been carried out earlier this month at a World Cup qualifying match.
By Samindra Kunti
October 31 – It has been a busy week for Belgian George Leekens (pictured) who is returning to Algeria as national team coach just days after being sacked by his club Lokeren.
October 28 – Barcelona have reported La Liga president Javier Tebas to Spain’s highest sports court, the Administrative Court of Sport (TAS), after he questioned their players’ conduct in last weekend’s 3-2 win at Valencia when Lionel Messi scored a stoppage-time penalty.
October 28 – England’s Football Association has launched an official inquiry into the fan violence that marred Wednesday’s League Cup tie between West Ham United and Chelsea at the former’s new London Stadium.
By Paul Nicholson
October 28 – The accepted football wisdom is that if you throw big money at buying your playing squad then you will win. The reality of this rule of thumb is different and as a rule is challenged by a Football Benchmark analysis that examines the average net player trading activity, between the 2011-12 and 2014-15 seasons, of top European football clubs.
October 28 – Marseille have named Andoni Zubizarreta as their new sporting director as American owner Frank McCourt starts a revamp of the club.
By Paul Nicholson
October 28 – It has been a strong week for growth in Twitter numbers with nearly 270,000 new followers across the Premier League clubs who were seemingly unaffected by the hackers who broke into the US based Dyn servers that brought the social media platform down.
October 28 – He’s only been back in English football for less than half a season but the self-styled Special One has already fallen foul of the officials.
October 28 – FIFA has confirmed reports in the Swiss media by admitting the CEO of its much-touted €128 million museum is leaving, a clear cost-cutting move amid reports of poor visitor numbers since it opened in February.
By Paul Nicholson
August 28 – The United Soccer League (USL) the third tier of the US professional game has won over two teams from the second tier of US soccer, the NASL, for the 2017 season. Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Ottawa Fury will join Reno 1868 as expansion sides.