USA 1 Saudi Arabia 0
June 19 – American comedian Rodney Dangerfield used to say, “I don’t get no respect.” The same could be said for the United States Men’s Soccer Team as barely 10,000 fans showed up for a supporter friendly 8.15 pm kickoff versus Concacaf Gold Cup, Group D opponents, Saudi Arabia in a 1-0 win that again raised more questions than answers.
August 26 – Barcelona have been quick to dispel any suggestion of Neymar leaving for Manchester United for a world-record €190 million as the summer transfer window approaches its usual frenetic final week of business.
August 26 – Almost two years after releasing Zahir Belounis, the French footballer who was trapped in the country for 19 months because of its antiquated kafala employment system, Qatar is stepping up is its efforts to set up a judicial body to resolve legal disputes.
August 26 – The English Premier League may generate the most income of Europe’s domestic leagues but tomorrow’s Champions League draw features no fewer than five Spanish clubs, the first time one country has had that many representatives in the competition.
By Ben Nicholson
August 26 – As befitting their Forbes ranking of second spot in MLS clubs’ value, LA Galaxy has pushed on to add new partnerships to their business roster, and not just foreign imports to their playing roster.
“Nil satis nisi optimum” Everton Football Club motto
How Everton’s owners must lament that history has bequeathed them as a motto a Latin phrase meaning “Nothing but the best will do” because, since their 1995 FA Cup win, Everton really haven’t been the best at anything. But it is a stick with which to beat an underperforming club, and so it was with the acronym NSNO that disaffected Everton fans appended their banner of dissent as it flew by St Mary’s Stadium last week.
By Matt Scott
August 25 – Olympiacos have been cleared to play in this season’s Champions League group phase after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Monday that UEFA had been right to admit the serial Greek champions.
August 25 – What happens in the dressing room stays in the dressing room, so the saying goes. But sometimes it spills over into the tunnel. Now Manchester City will bring all the tunnel action to fans via a user-controlled 360˚ Tunnel Cam that will broadcast via the club’s official YouTube channel.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 25 – Comments made to a weekend newspaper in Switzerland by former Olympics guru Francois Carrard and head of FIFA’s newly formed Reform Committee have questioned the role and motivation of the US, but other statements will not have endeared him to the growing US soccer community.
By Mark Baber
August 25 – A spokesperson for the Swiss Justice Ministry has confirmed a ruling will be made next month on the extradition requests filed by the US against the FIFA officials accused of corruption currently in Switzerland, whilst the lawyer for Nicolas Leoz, the former head of CONMEBOL, has applied to a Paraguayan judge for the extradition request filed against him to be rejected.
August 25 – Italian authorities say they are working hard to ensure clubs balance the books to avoid any repetition of what happened to Parma, a once illustrious name now declared bankrupt and playing in an amateur league this season after finishing bottom of Serie A.
August 25 – The Asean Football Federation (AFF) are taking the threat of match-fixers seriously and have brought Sportradar in to monitor their U19 championships in Laos that kicked off August 22 and runs through to September 4.
August 25 – The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has adjourned an appeal by New Zealand over their under-23 men’s team’s expulsion from the Olympic qualifying tournament final last month in Papua New Guinea.
August 25 – Premier League club West Ham United have announced Royal London as its Official Timing Partner in a two year deal that will cover the club’s final season at the Boleyn Ground and its first at the reconfigured Olympic Stadium.
By Paul Nicholson
August 25 – Three weeks into the Premier League season and the attendance figures have dipped below 95% average capacity for the first time, to 94.82%. Average capacity in week 1 was 97.36%, dropping to 95.82% last week.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 24 – As he enters the final phase of what will be almost 18 years as FIFA president, Sepp Blatter insists he cannot be held morally responsible for the dishonest activities of his inner circle and that he himself has been “clean” throughout his long and often tempestuous tenure.