AVB takes over from Sven at Shanghai SIPG
November 4 – Andre Villas-Boas has been named manager of Chinese Super League team Shanghai SIPG in succession to former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson who has left after two years in charge.
Christmas jumpers come early at Manchester City
November 3 – For many Manchester City fans Christmas came early with their 3-1 Champions League win over Barcelona earlier this week. Now the club is kicking off its festive season with a number of promos and initiatives designed to engage their growing global fanbase.
The club is asking fans to vote for their favourite side and taking part in a range of festive competitions both online and at the Etihad Stadium on matchdays.
Saints lure Lander to south coast revolution but Chinese deal hard on price
By Paul Nicholson
November 3 – Saints could soon be marching in to a Chinese tune. The Premier League club are in exclusive negotiation with Lander Sports Development Co. of China though there seems to be some readjustment over valuation of the club.
English and Scots set to ignore poppy ban as fury at FIFA’s lack of respect mounts
By Andrew Warshaw
November 3 – England and Scotland look set to defy a FIFA ban on players wearing poppy symbols on their shirts when the teams meet for a World Cup qualifier on Armistice Day on November 11 after British Prime Minister Teresa May waded into the dispute.
Twitter: West Ham get vocal and top tweet chart, as Spurs look a little left behind
November 3 – It was a strong week for twitter activity last week with a total of 4,739 tweets from the Premier League teams, the second highest week this season after the 5,085 tweets in week ending Sunday September 18.
More empty desks at FIFA as Dvorak joins the queue for the exit
November 3 – The revolving door at FIFA under Gianni Infantino’s presidency has claimed yet another member of the old guard with the news that the organisation’s highly respected chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak has stepped down from his post after 22 years in the job.
Mystery UK investors offer $1.5bn for takeover of Nigerian league
November 3 – Forever cash-strapped Nigerian football could have a solution to its problems if rumours that a group of UK investors are ready to invest $1.5 billion into the Nigeria Professional Football League are true.
Mercurial Mourinho shows no regret as he receives one-match ban
November 3 – Many would argue he has got off lightly given past misdemeanours but Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been banned for one match and fined £58,000 after being charged for two separate offences.
FIFA ethics prosecutors call for life ban for Chirakal over bribery allegations
November 3 – FIFA prosecutors have recommended a life ban be imposed on a former aide to disgraced ex-Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam for seven alleged breaches of the ethics code.
Hull City sale still open but GCPSL have current lead with £130m bid
November 2 – The Hull City takeover saga continues with front-runner Greater China Professional Services Limited (GCPSL)holding a press conference in Hong Kong outlining their plans for the club, but saying that although they are currently undertaking due diligence they do not have an exclusivity agreement with the club but a memorandum of understanding.
Man City top Champions League payments table as big four leagues scoop 64% of the cash
By Paul Nicholson
November 2 – UEFA shared an eye-opening €1.345 billion between 42 clubs last season, an increase of €315 million on the previous season. Top of the table of high earning clubs were semi-final losers Manchester City (€83.8 million), Real Madrid CF (€80 million), Juventus (€76.2 million) and Paris Saint-Germain (€70.8 million).
Liverpool and Spurs top table of Europa League payments
November 2 – Being the poor relation doesn’t necessarily mean poverty. UEFA’s 56 Europa League clubs shared €411.1 million in payments for the last season of competition. Although a far cry from the €1.345 billion shared by the 42 Champions League clubs, it was a whopping €240 million increase on the 2014/15 season.
Poppy protest as FIFA tells Britain’s footballers to forget their dead
November 2 – In what will be construed in some quarters as a move totally lacking in compassion, FIFA has rejected a request from England and Scotland for their players to wear Armistice Day armbands featuring poppy symbols during next week’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley.
Israeli-Palestine talks fail as Rajoub puts faith in FIFA Council but prepares for CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
November 2 – The festering, simmering dispute in Middle East football has taken another twist with the head of the Palestinian FA warning he will attempt to have Israel punished by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if FIFA fails to find a solution over the delicate issue of Israeli clubs based in the West Bank.
Spurs are the hottest ticket in the Premier League as they wait for new stadium
November 2 – Premier League attendances across the league dipped slightly last weekend as a percentage of total seats available, however, eight teams still filled more than 90% of their capacity and Spurs again showed how urgently they need their new stadium with just 265 unfilled seats in the reduced capacity White Hart Lane.