Anti-corruption guru Mark Pieth to lead FIFA reforms
By Andrew Warshaw
November 24 – A Swiss anti-corruption expert has emerged as the key player in FIFA President Sepp Blatter’s quest to rid the organisation of sleaze and scandal.
David Owen: Could financial fair play be ruled offside by an all-out eurozone crisis?
Here’s a thought for these turbulent financial times in Europe: Could UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations (FFP) survive a collapse of the Euro?
These are the rules through which the governing body’s boss Michel Platini hopes to save European football from itself by, to oversimplify outrageously, obliging clubs to operate on a break-even basis.
Warrant issued for arrest of Portsmouth’s Russian owners
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – A European arrest warrant has been issued by Lithuanian prosecutors for the Russian owner of troubled English Championship club Portsmouth.
FIFA vice-president Al Hussein to review hijab rule at Executive Committee meeting
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – FIFA’s youngest Executive Committee member, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan, has been mandated by his Confederation to press for women footballers being allowed to wear the hijab, the Islamic headscarf.
Jordaan eyes up top role at COSAFA
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – Danny Jordaan, organiser of last year’s World Cup in South Africa, is targeting the Presidency of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) as he bids to re-enter football administration after a year out of the limelight.
Malaysia to host London 2012 qualifying tournament
By David Gold
November 23 – Malaysia will host the final stage of the Asian men’s football qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in March next year, following a decision made at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Executive Committee.
Blatter calls for changes to MLS calendar
By David Gold
November 22 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) believes that the American Major League Soccer (MLS) calendar should be aligned with the main European leagues, so that the domestic season is played from autumn to spring.
“This matter is over,” says Blatter as he draws line under racism row
By Andrew Warshaw
November 23 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today attempted to close the book on the recent racism in football row, insisting he was not a racist and was determined to move forward with his oft-stated policy of zero tolerance.
Johan Cruyff and Edgar Davids play down race row
By David Gold
November 22 – Former Ajax legends Johan Cruyff (pictured) and Edgar Davids, now both members of the club’s Supervisory Board, have played down a race row which emerged this week, but doubts persist over the former’s future at the Dutch champions.
Bin Hammam formally launches battle to clear his name at CAS
By Andrew Warshaw
November 22 – Mohamed Bin Hammam’s appeal to the highest sports authority against his lifetime ban is now official, with the former Asian football chief determined to clear his name.
“I’d love to play in the Olympics,” says Joe Cole
By David Gold
November 18 – Lille midfielder Joe Cole has said that he would “love to play in the Olympics” if selected by Team GB manager Stuart Pearce.
Sarkozy’s secret meetings to encourage Qatari investment in PSG
By David Gold
November 22 – French President Nicolas Sarkozy (pictured left) held a secret meeting with Qatar’s Crown Prince Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani (right) in which he encouraged the gulf state to invest in French football and purchase the then financially troubled Paris St Germain, it has been claimed.
David Gold: Is Beckham’s success in the US yet to come?
David Beckham’s American adventure had the fitting end it was meant to have, as LA Galaxy beat Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the MLS Cup final on Sunday – but then in showbiz, things always seem to go to plan.
So where next for Posh and Becks? So far Beckham’s career has gone from Manchester to Madrid, to Los Angeles to Milan and back (twice), and so Paris would seem a logical next step.
Indian League has made progress since AFC stepped in, says Zhang Jilong
By David Gold
November 21 – Zhang Jilong (pictured), the acting President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has claimed that Indian football is making progress, at a meeting of an Ad Hoc Committee created to improve the state of the game in the country.
Ukraine to develop high speed travels links for Euro 2012
By David Gold
November 21 – Ukraine will focus on introducing high speed travel links between host cities of the 2012 European Championships in the months remaining before the tournament begins, the country’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Borys Kolesnikov (pictured) has said.