What motivates footballers? Playing or their bank balance?
It’s easy for critics to say footballers are mercenary.
But it’s also easy to trot out the old adage: ‘players just want to play’.
I think we’d agree that for most young players, the chance to earn fortunes while doing what they love is a winning combination. But if one of these pivotal factors is removed, where does that leave a footballer?
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – Three months after being well beaten in his campaign to become the new leader of Asian football, FIFA vice-president Worawi Makudi insists he was promised support which never materialised.
By Mark Baber
August 1 – Manchester United and PepsiCo yesterday announced a multi-year regional sponsorship agreement in Asia-Pacific which will see PepsiCo will become the Official Soft Drinks Partner of Manchester United in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who quit football over the infamous 2011 cash-for-votes scandal during Sepp Blatter’s re-election campaign, has staged a political comeback after winning back his parliamentary seat in his native Trinidad and Tobago.
By Mark Baber
August 1 – Hashem Haidar was elected to his fourth term as head of the Lebanese Football Federation on Wednesday, winning votes from 49 of the 50 clubs attending. Haiddar’s electoral list, which included 10 other members was elected unopposed so Raymond Semaan will retain his position as first deputy president and Ahmad Qameradine as second deputy.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – The Korean Football Association (KFA) has defended its supporters for unfurling a politically charged banner in last Sunday’s East Asian Cup final against Japan which prompted a diplomatic spat between the two nations – and says Japan should shoulder some of the blame.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 1 – Tahiti, the smallest nation ever to compete in a senior football tournament and composed almost entirely of amateurs, has been hit by a drugs scandal after FIFA announced one of its players tested positive at the recent Confederations Cup in Brazil.
On the face of there is nothing in common with sagas of Papiss Cisse and Gareth Bale. The Newcastle player did not want to wear a shirt carrying the logo of Wonga claiming that this was against his Islamic faith which prohibits profiting from money lending. Gareth Bale, by all accounts, merely wants to exercise his right to play for another club. And who can deny this right given how ideal this move must seem to a player at the top of his game?
By David Owen
July 31 – The company that promotes the Tour de France bicycle race has been appointed an authorised sales agent for official 2014 FIFA World Cup hospitality packages in Belgium and Luxemburg.
By Mark Baber
July 31 – Dinamo Zagreb have been fined €25,000 and ordered to close the east section of their stadium for their European home game against FC Sheriff for their fans’ racist chanting during a recent qualifier against Luxembourg’s CS Fola Esch.
By Mark Baber
July 31 – Gordon Taylor, of the Professional Footballers’ Association, speaking at an event to celebrate the first goal in the Football League scored by Kenny Davenport 125 years ago, argued football is in danger of “losing its soul” due to an overemphasis on money.
By Andrew Warshaw, chief correspondent
July 31 – After weeks of negative publicity about his role as head of Thai football and his international image, embattled FIFA vice-president Worawi Makudi has come out fighting to defend his conduct and counter what he claims are untruths circulated by his opponents.
July 31 – Kirsten Nematandani, the incumbent South African Football Association (SAFA) president, has dismissed suggestions that his position is under threat following the decision by two of his deputies to challenge him in September elections.
The season has yet to kick off, but this is a big week for the Barclays Premier League.
On August 1, the seed sown in spectacular fashion just over a year ago by BT, a traditional telephone company, is scheduled to bear its first fruit with the launch of its BT Sport channels.
Two days later, BT Sport will begin its live football coverage with Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard’s testimonial match against Olympiacos of Greece.
July 30 – Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been formally charged with tax evasion by German prosecutors today. The high profile tax evasion case that has become a political football in Germany in election year, is refusing to be settled quietly. A statement by the Superior Court in Munich said that the decision on whether to go to trial will take place at the end of September. Hoeness’ legal advisors had asked for a month to respond to the charges.