Germany sign Barbie for World Cup
February 3 – The German Football Federation (DFB) is planning to cash in on hosting the Women’s World Cup in June with a football version of the children’s doll Barbie wearing the national team’s colours.
LMA agrees online media partnership with Yahoo!
February 3 – The League Managers Association (LMA) and Yahoo! have announced the launch of an online media partnership that will see video and print content from some of the biggest names in football management published across Yahoo!’s UK media platforms and social media channels.
FIFA Executive Committee members begin appeals against bans
By Andrew Warshaw
February 2 – Five of the six FIFA officials suspended after allegations of corruption over the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids formally began their appeal hearings today with no decision likely until Friday (February 4).
UEFA warn Premier League clubs will be banned if they break fair play rules
By Andrew Warshaw
February 2 – UEFA has issued a fresh reminder about overspending following the record-breaking January transfer window in the Premier League, including Fernando Torres’ £50 million ($81 million) move from Liverpool to Chelsea.
England Athletics attack “self appointed group” who want Tottenham to get Olympic Stadium
By Mike Rowbottom
February 2 – England Athletics, the official representative body for all English athletics clubs, has attacked the endorsement of Tottenham Hotspur’s bid for the Olympic Stadium by the Association of British Athletics Clubs (ABAC), claiming the body has “no legitimacy”.
Clubs with muscle make loud noise to shatter sound of silence
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – The staggering £225 million spent by Premier League clubs in the January transfer window, including the £35 million Liverpool paid to buy Andy Carroll (pictured) from Newcastle United, beat the previous record in 2008 by £50 million, according to report by accountants Deloitte.
Adamu: FIFA “will clear me” over Sunday Times allegations at appeal
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
February 1 – Amos Adamu claims that he is confident of being cleared when he appears before the FIFA Appeals Committee in Zurich tomorrow over corruption claims.
Andrew Warshaw: English spending spree leaves Platini in no doubt who is bottom of Financial Fair Play league
Ever since UEFA announced its financial fair play regulations designed to stop clubs over-spending, Michel Platini has been at pains not to single out the Premier League as the prime culprits. Penny for the UEFA President’s thoughts now.
Any of us who thought – and there are a good many – that the age of mind-boggling transfer fees had been swallowed up by the credit crunch were brought right back to reality when the mid-season window reached its frenzied dramatic conclusion.
Exclusive: Tottenham and West Ham should both play at London 2012 Stadium claims Olympic architect
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – The architect who wrote the original Olympic Park study over a decade ago insists that ground-sharing is the only solution after next year’s London Games and that the Government must step in to resolve the ongoing dispute over the future of the site.
Mihir Bose: If English football had more women in power then Keys-Gray sexism would not have happened
Andy Gray and Richard Keys are the only people who appear to be surprised by the storm their comments have caused.
But what really intrigues me are the two issues the whole affair raises. Neither have received much attention. One relates to Sky Sports. The other is best summed up in the following question: where is England’s Karen Espelund?
Tickets for Euro 2012 to go on sale March 1
February 1 – The cost of tickets for Euro 2012 matches in Ukraine and Poland will cost from €30 (£26/$41) to €600 (£513/$828), UEFA revealed today as they launched the details of how fans could buy them.
Scrap January transfer window say English managers
By Andrew Warshaw
January 31 – English football wants to scrap the mid-season January transfer window so that clubs can compete more fairly.
Orient claim that they are being “steamrollered out of existence” in Olympic Stadium row
By Duncan Mackay
January 30 – Leyton Orient today pleaded not to be “steamrollered out of existence” and blasted the Premier League and Football League for refusing to listen to their appeals about West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur being allowed to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012.
Bin Hammam wants to limit term of FIFA President
By Andrew Warshaw
January 30 – Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Mohamed Bin Hammam has given yet another strong hint that he may try to unseat Sepp Blatter (pictured) as head of FIFA.
Exclusive: Spurs need Olympic Stadium to compete in Champions League, warns Mabbutt
By Andrew Warshaw
January 30 – Tottenham Hotspur icon Gary Mabbutt (pictured) has entered the increasingly bitter Olympic Stadium debate by warning the North London club would struggle to play Champions League football if they do not move to a bigger ground.