By Andrew Warshaw
August 5 – FIFA’s supposed new era of credibility and respectability under Gianni Infantino took a decisive and controversial twist today when he was cleared of any misconduct despite a string of serious and persistent allegations over ethics breaches.
August 5 – West Bromwich Albion are the latest English side to fall into the hands of ambitious Chinese owners following the acquisitions of neighbouring Midlands clubs Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
August 5 – The new English season has not yet started but Jose Mourinho, back in the Premier League with Manchester United, is already causing controversy, hurting feelings and facing accusations of disrespect.
By Paul Nicholson
August 5 –David Beckham’s Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise option of $25 million looks very cheap with league officials indicating earlier this week that they were preparing to double franchise fees to $200 million.
August 5 – Two days after the mass resignations of Turkey’s leading football executives, ostensibly to assist the government investigation into US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who the authorities accuse of being behind the coup that left more than 200 people dead, almost 100 other staff, many of them referees, have now been suspended, boosting the autocratic regime of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
August 5 – UEFA have unveiled their final three nominations for the Gareth Bale, Antoine Griezmann and Cristiano Ronaldo – all three play for Madrid clubs and had outstanding European Championship performances for their countries this summer.
August 5 – William Hill have scored a Premier League hat-trick this week announcing a three-year deal with Chelsea to become the club’s new official betting partner. The deal is a global partnership.
August 4 – The federal judge overseeing the US-led corruption probe into FIFA and a raft of its former senior officials says the trial of the first eight defendants will probably now not start before September or October next year.
August 4 – With the European season set to start over the next three weeks across the Big Five markets, a raft of new managers will be looking to bring early success to their new clubs and avoid the mid-season managerial change threat.
August 4 – Premier League clubs have spent £475 million in the month since the summer transfer window opened on 1 July, according to business analysts Deloitte, slightly down on the £515 million outlay at the same stage last year.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 4 – A gaping hole in FIFA’s day-to-day administration has finally been filled with Fabrice Jouhaud taking on the role of Chief Communications Officer “following a thorough recruitment process”.
August 4 – He’s managed several Belgian internationals at club level and now he’s in charge of the entire national team.
August 4 – Setting the pace digitally and in the way they use their media assets, Premier League club Manchester City have also boosted their physical touchpoints with the club for fans with the launch of what they are calling their ‘Ultimate Football Day Out’.
August 4 – Under the new Chinese ownership of Tony Xia, England’s once great Aston Villa are expecting to be challengers for an immediate return to the Premier League. They will be hoping that success in achieving that will also transmit to their new challenger brand betting partner EnergyBet.
August 4 – Not for the first time, Nigeria’s footballers have been locked in a payment dispute, this time as they head for the Olympics in Brazil.