Matt Scott: What is good for PSG is good for France, and the Qataris

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“Plus tard, je serai président du PSG!” Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy became France’s most unpopular president in history at the end of his tenure but his nose for a political wind remains pretty keen. It was inevitable that, with French joblessness at record levels, the incumbent Socialists would lose out to his UMP party in municipal elections on Saturday. Cue a clamour for his return to the Elysée palace,

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Exclusive: Warner to return to world football

Captain Jack

April 1 – Port of Spain – In an unexpected turn of events, formerly disgraced Austin “Jack” Warner, the ex-president of CONCACAF, CFU, ex-VP of FIFA and several other football organisations around the world, has announced his comeback into international football.

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Greek minister drives AEK’s planned €65m new stadium

AEK Athens fans

By Jaroslaw Adamowski
March 31 – AEK’s plan to build a new €65 million stadium has obtained the backing of Greece’s Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Yiannis Maniatis who signed a project proposal intended for the Greek parliament. The document needs a total of four ministerial signatures to be submitted, and the country’s interior minister, culture minister and finance minister have already promised to ink the proposal.

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Saints made to pay the price for their sinners

St Marys

By Paul Nicholson
March 30 – English Premier League club Southampton, continually reported to be selling its top players and for sale itself, has reported a financial loss of £7.1 million for 2012/13. Before taking into account transfer spending the club made an operational profit of £8.7 million in the period which bridged the club’s first and second seasons back in the Premier League.

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Conference disasters Hyde are a social media knockout

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By Tom Parsons
March 28 – Hyde FC playing in the Skrill Conference Premier haven’t exactly had a season to remember on the pitch but their presence on Social Media has been  entertaining to follow. One tongue-in-cheek tweet read: “Hearing reports that Floyd Mayweather has made a $38 million bet on Hyde tonight. Come on The Tigers! #WinItForFloyd”.

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Nations League greeted with caution, but the money looks good

uefa flag

By Paul Nicholson
March 28 – The planned UEFA Nations League, scheduled to start in 2018, has been met with caution by the world footballers association FIFpro, and the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL). Both bodies have issued statements indicating they have reservations over the potential impact of the new format.

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Osasu Obayiuwana: No love for the home boys

Since Mexico ’86, when Morocco’s Atlas Lions became the first African side to reach the second round at the World Cup finals, the continent has managed, in the six tournaments that have followed, to maintain an unbroken presence in the knockout stages.

But on the seven occasions that an African team has reached the second round or the quarter-finals, the managers at the helm have come from every other part of the world except –

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