Martin Volkmar: Will the Bundesliga take the next step?
Could this be as good as it gets for the Bundesliga as it challenges its European ‘partners’on the field and off it for European and commercial dominance?
Russians allocate $83m to rebuild Crimean sports
December 12 – Last week UEFA announced it was banning clubs in the annexed Crimea region of Ukraine playing in any Russian-organised football competitions. This week the Russians have announced a 4.5 billion ruble ($83 million) aid package to rebuild Crimean sports infrastructure.
Bulgarian FA president receives text threats as match-fixing probe deepens
By Alexander Krassimirov
December 12 – The President of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) Borislav Mihaylov (pictured) has said he has received threatening text messages, possibly from criminal groups linked to match-fixing gangs.
Dutch open up pro-leagues to promotion and relegation
By Samindra Kunti
December 12 – The KNVB, the Dutch FA, has approved a structural reform of its domestic club football. From the 2016/17 season onwards professional and amateur football in the Netherlands will be integrated through a mandatory system of promotion and relegation.
Women turf campaigners add ‘reprisal allegations’ to claim as war gets uglier
December 11 – The elite group of players campaigning against the use of artificial turf at next year’s Women’s World Cup in Canada appear to have won a partial victory after the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario cleared the way for them to amend their case to include allegations of reprisal threats against some of them.
Mexicans may invite MLS teams into Copa MX from 2016
By Mark Baber
December 11 – As the final game of Los Angeles Galaxy legend Landon Donovan highlighted the trans-border interests of soccer fans in Mexico and the US, the football ties between the two countries look like deepening with Liga MX officials saying that they are evaluating the possibility of incorporating Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs into the biannual knock-out Copa MX.
Asprilla forced to leave town after gangsters threaten family at gunpoint
December 12 – Memories of the cold-bloodied murder 20 years ago of Colombian World Cup star Andres Escobar have come flooding back following the latest harrowing tale of intimidation, this time involving Faustino Asprilla, who won 57 caps for the country.
Have-a-go heroes Hereford plummet from FA Cup glory to financial ruin
December 11 – Far away from the riches of the Champions League, 42 years after achieving one of the great iconic upsets in English football history, Hereford United have been suspended “from all football activity” by the Football Association.
Champions League giants cash into next round, Europa League offers salvation
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – While most of the big guns of Europe as expected qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League, the draw for which is Monday, Liverpool were left to rue the price of failure.
Bulgarian police swoop to arrest 9 players in match-fixing probe
By Alexander Krassimirov
December 11 – In a co-ordinated strike Bulgarian police have moved in on players, coaches and referees over the past two days, arresting nine players and detaining them for 24 hours for questioning, according to the country’s Ministry of the Interior. The unprecedented scale of the action was conducted in conjunction with the Bulgarian Football Union who were working closely with UEFA.
Russian kefala? Capello goes unpaid for 6 months
By Paul Nicholson
December 10 – Russia is progressing with its 2018 infrastructure build and it is an impressive organisational machine to observe in this respect; Brazil could do well to take notes as it now prepares for the Rio 2016 Olympics. But where Russia and Brazil do appear to have commonalities is when it comes to not paying those working in the game.
FIFA throws weight behind Pinnick in Nigerian election saga
By Mark Baber
December 10 – FIFA, in an email signed by secretary general, Jerome Valcke, has come down on the side of the “majority” of the members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Electoral Appeals’ Committee who rebelled against their chairman to uphold the disputed September 30 election of Amaju Pinnick (pictured).
Euro fan group says crackdown on Spain’s ultras is not the solution
December 10 – Spanish football’s crackdown on misbehaving fans has been criticised by Europe’s main supporters group for being far too strict and indiscriminate.
After four heart ops and a defribrillator, Engelbrecht returns to goalscoring
By Florian Pertsch
December 10 – After four heart operations and 16 months of recovery for most athletes sport would be a thing of the past. Not so for third division Stuttgart Kickers forward Daniel Engelbrecht.
Parma hit with fine and point loss after falling foul of money rules
December 10 – Italian Serie A strugglers Parma have been handed a one-point deduction for financial irregularities last season.