Turf war hostilities ease as players propose compromise
By Andrew Warshaw
Jnauary 13 – Players at this year’s women’s World Cup in Canada appear close to conceding that they will lose their battle to compete on natural grass.
Ronaldo’s landslide vote wins hat-trick of Ballon D’Or titles
By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – As usual there were a few bizarre voting patterns but in the end the favourite won hands down as Christiano Ronaldo was crowned world player of the year for the second straight time and the third time in his career on Monday night.
Mutko hammers RFU saying it must fix its own financial issues
January 12 – Russia’s sports minister Vitaliy Mutko has slammed his national football federation over their financial difficulties, their failure to pay coach Fabio Capello for six months and their attitude of waiting for the government to come and bail them out and fix their problems.
Fan group says end to Lokomotiv Provdiv crisis is coming with new owners
By Alexander Krassimirov
January 13 – Bulgaria’s Lokomotiv Plovdiv will come under new ownership in the next few days according to a representative of the group running the club, ‘Alliance for Lokomotiv’s Future’. Dian Kolev (pictured with club legend Hristo Bonev) made the announcement before the start of winter training camp of the team.
Belgians invest in women’s game from grassroots up, targeting EURO2017
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – The Belgian FA, the KBVB, has presented a roadmap to stimulate the growth of its women’s football. The KBVB wants 35,000 active members by 2016 and qualification for EURO2017.
Howard Wells: Why the Brussels summit flails in the face of FIFA basics
Last week a group led by British politicians announced a one-day forum to be hosted at the European Parliament in Brussels, titled ‘A New FIFA Now’, and promising uncompromising talk of effecting change. In a guest column, Howard Wells, a former national federation CEO and former FIFA insider, argues the meeting is a political vanity project that clouds the debate rather than contributes to it. In the real politik of international football the talk-shop falls at the very first hurdle of failing to understand the basic structure of how football is governed worldwide.
2015 Asian Cup kicks off, with Iran enjoying home levels of support
By Mark Baber
January 12 – The 2015 AFC Asian Cup, being held outside Asia for the first time, is well underway with teams from radically different cultures competing on Australian soil in the 16th edition of the world’s second oldest continental competition.
FIFA backs Sierra Leone’s Johansen and outlaws rebels ahead of June elections
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – The woman who runs football in Sierra Leone has denounced the “deceit, lack of integrity and indiscipline” plaguing the game in her country as she attempts to fight off an unofficial group of rebel administrators who claim they have unseated her and are now in control.
Matthäus says it is between Cristiano and Neuer for Ballon d’Or
January 12 – Lothar Matthäus was the last German to win the World Player of the Year award -in 1991 title in front of Jean-Pierre Papin and Gary Lineker. Tonight Manuel Neuer, Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo will be crowned. Matthäus spoke to SPORT1. By Reinhard Franke
Aguirre shakes off match-fixing furore with 4-0 Asian Cup win
January 12 – Despite at last managing to concentrate on matters on the pitch – a 4-0 win over newcomers Palestine at the Asian Cup – Japan coach Javier Aguirre continues to face questions about his alleged role in a bribery scandal from his time in Spanish football.
Who runs Barca? Not me, claims Messi, saying rumours of a split are lies
January 12 – Lionel Messi has hit back at reports that he is unhappy at Barcelona and that he disagrees with coach Luis Enrique’s methods.
Champagne loses fizz as he searches for nominations to enter FIFA race
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – Are the cracks beginning to show in Jerome Champagne’s bid for the FIFA presidency? Champagne, the former FIFA deputy general secretary regarded as an outsider even before Prince Ali bin al-Hussein announced his bid to enter the fray – even though he is the only candidate to have issued a firm election manifesto – has admitted for the first time that he may not be able to fulfil the criteria for standing.
Prince Ali promises 10-year plan but first he will listen
By Andrew Warshaw
January 12 – FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein says he will launch a 10-year programme of reform and change if he manages to unseat Sepp Blatter in May.
Rangers board rejects £20m buyout from US investor
By Paul Nicholson
January 12 – Rangers have turned down a revised bid of £20 million for a majority stake in the Scottish club from American Robert Sarver. The announcement was made to the London Stock Exchange this morning. Sarver had also offered the club an emergency £6.5 million loan as part of the deal.
US cities chase a piece of the 2016 Copa Centenario hosting rights
January 12 – The US appetite for big tournament soccer is growing with 24 cities in 18 states having indicated an interest in hosting matches in the 2016 Centennial Cup America (Copa America Centenario).