The Times retracts its Dream League nightmare story
By Paul Nicholson
March 18 – The Times has today published a retraction of the Dream League story it ran over its three back pages last Wednesday morning (March 13).
Greeks move swiftly to ban Katidis after Nazi salute
March 18 – A top-flight Greek footballer has been handed a life ban from the national team for making a Nazi salute to fans. AEK Athens midfielder Giorgos Katidis (pictured), former captain of Greece’s under-19 team, conceded the “stupidity” of his actions after making the gesture in celebrating his winning goal in a 2-1 win over lowly Veria on Saturday.
Indonesia’s rival factions agree to unite under a single banner
By Andrew Warshaw
March 18 – Under pressure from FIFA to resolve their differences or face severe sanctions, Indonesia’s two rival football associations have struck an 11th hour agreement to merge, ending a long and bitter feud that could have resulted in the country being suspended from international competition.
Sports leaders gather in Doha for Securing Sport 2013
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
March 17 – High-ranking decision makers from across the globe converge on Qatar on Monday and Tuesday for another prestige summit organised by the Gulf state, keeping itself firmly in the sporting spotlight.
Jean Francois Tanda: Hard to say I’m sorry
What a story! Loads of Money. Qatar! One tournament every two years. A project including big names such as Barcelona, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool and the best football players worldwide. What a dream of a football league!
The story run by The Times of London has all the ingredients of a fairy tale for adults. And like the lovely stories for kids, it was freely invented. At least, all available information so far suggests it.
FIFA concern at Guatemala overturning match-fixing bans
By Mark Baber
March 15 – FIFA has written to the Guatemala FA expressing concern over the decision by Guatemala’s national sport tribunal to overturn the lifetime ban imposed for match-fixing on three national team players.
Change of FIFA exco election rules may take longer than 2015
Exclusive: By Osasu Obayiuwana
March 15 – A recommendation that the new FIFA president and his executive committee members are both elected by its congress, an important part of the proposed reforms for world football’s governing body, may not be achieved by 2015, when the next presidential election is due, says Sepp Blatter.
Infantino demands global ban on third party player ownership
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
March 15 – Third party ownership, the process by which professional footballers’ ‘rights’ and careers are controlled by outside parties, is one of the most serious issues facing the European game, according to UEFA, and could be banned from all its competitions.
Mihir Bose: English football should not turn defeat into disaster
It is always tempting in sport to draw huge global lessons from one defeat or victory. That is a temptation that should be avoided for the simple reason that sporting victories or defeats on their own do not signify vast changes. That only emerges if they are part of a consistent pattern over several seasons.
The most potent example of this was provided by Barcelona. Before their match against A.C. Milan many were prepared to write their obituary.
More Milan racism at Europa League tie vs Spurs
March 15 – UEFA seem likely to investigate yet another instance of racism following complaints by Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas that the club’s Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor suffered abuse during last night’s Europa League game at Inter Milan.
Sharing of major championships lacks ‘heart and soul’, says Blatter
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
March 15 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has once again criticised the decision by his UEFA opposite number Michel Platini to spread the 2020 European Championship finals across the entire continent.
Webb sits on fence over Gulati or Compeán for FIFA ExCo
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
March 15 – CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb is steering a diplomatic path when it comes to favouring either of the two candidates running for north America’s vacant FIFA executive committee seat.
Tim Leiweke out as president and CEO of AEG
By Mark Baber
March 15 – Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), the multinational corporate behemoth which owns the Los Angeles Galaxy, is no longer for sale and CEO Tim Leiweke has stepped down by “mutual agreement”.
Lee Wellings: Women’s football gets its day
Question; which international defender with over 100 caps had to start their career washing the underwear of Denis Bergkamp and his Arsenal team mates?
Surprise surprise it wasn’t a man. England’s Casey Stoney was a senior player for Arsenal when she had to do laundry to supplement her income.
That was in 1999 so how far have women in football come since then? Well let’s say there’s still work to do on the field –