“When his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.” Daniel 5:20, the King James Bible
“Working hard all your life is a talent.” Ryan Giggs
Greg Dyke last week issued the second instalment of his Football Association Chairman’s Commission report and there were a number of welcome developments contained within.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 14 – Michael Garcia, whose report into possible corruption surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids is dominating the football politics landscape, is back on the offensive, declaring that FIFA’s way of conducting its business is not open enough and needs a culture change.
October 14 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has condemned the latest attack against referees in Cyprus, one of the less publicised by most worrying trends in European football.
October 14 – UEFA’s improving relationship with Europe’s major clubs has taken another turn for the better after “constructive” talks over financial fair play.
By Ben Nicholson
October 14 – Just a fortnight after Sacramento Republic FC won the USL Pro Championship, the second tier of US professional football, the club has added an impressive list of local investors to its shareholder roster. The capital of California is chasing the final MLS expansion spot and the new stakeholders boost the club’s financial credentials in terms of local support for their venture.
October 14 – This weekend the Homeless World Cup kicks off in Santiago, Chile, in a week-long tournament with 43 nations competing in the men’s competition and 13 in the women’s. The Chile event will be the 12th edition of the competition.
October 14 – Portuguese national coach Fernando Santos has had his eight match ban suspended while his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is considered.
It was in the Fishmongers Hall, yes the Fishmongers Hall, chasing investigator Michael Garcia through tables of lunching American lawyers, that the World Cup bid story reached the level of high farce.
Consider the scene. A lawyer who, perhaps advantageously, knew little of football when he took on the independent investigation into the 2018/2022 bid process. Hired, to its credit, by FIFA. Telling his dining peers endearingly that the only live football he had watched was his daughter’s year 12 games.
By Mark Baber
October 13 – A Manchester United proposal to discuss the introduction of sponsorship on the back of replica shirts has been rejected by all the other Premier League clubs, according to reports.
October 13 – The march towards the 2018 World Cup is relentless, despite the calls (generally hysterical) off-stage from various US senators for the event to be moved. FIFA and the local Russian organisers have announced the venue and date for the Preliminary Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – A second Greek Cypriot player is reported to have transferred to the Turkish-controlled north of the divided island in another success for supporters of re-unification.
By David Owen
October 12 – Mia Hamm has added her voice to calls for FIFA to take steps to enable next year’s women’s World Cup in Canada to be played on a natural surface.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – The head of the European Club Association, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (pictured), representing some 200 clubs across the continent has added his voice to the growing concern over Third Party Ownership but says phasing it out of the transfer market will take years and may ultimately prove nigh-on impossible.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 13 – Asian football has chosen the first week of May next year for its eagerly anticipated presidential election, ending months of uncertainty about a firm date.
I have just returned from Monaco and an absorbing few days at the Sportel convention cum media rights bazaar. Boiling it down, I can recollect three moments worth recording for future reference.