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The start of the Euro 2012 campaign also means the re-igniting of the endless inquests on Fabio Capello, the England manager.
Despite his start to the campaign suggesting a similarly easy passage for England to the finals in Poland and Ukraine as with the 2010 World Cup, the eventual disaster in South Africa makes such inquests inevitable.
September 3 – Ghana’s President John Evans Atta Mills (pictured) has sought permission from Sepp Blatter to set-up a special enquiry to investigate how the Ghana Football Association (GFA) uses funds given it by the Government.
September 3 – Syria, currently 92nd in the FIFA world rankings, have turned to Sheffield United, who are 17th in the Npower Championship, to help them develop the sport there and to qualify for the World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
September 4 – Nigeria are to actively campaign against Russia’s bid to be awarded the 2018 World Cup following the alleged racial abuse suffered by its striker Peter Odemwingie when he played in the country for Lokomotiv Moscow.
September 3 – A campaign has been launched by officials in Pasadena to ensure that the Rose Bowl, the venue for the 1994 World Cup final, is included in the list of stadiums if the United States is awarded the 2018 or 2022 tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw
September 3 – The head of the United States’ bid to stage the World Cup has hinted the country may be prepared to leave the field in 2018 to Europe and concentrate only on the 2022 tournament.
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By Andrew Warshaw
September 3 – The Japan 2022 Bid Committee has appointed Alberto Zaccheroni, the country’s new national coach, as its latest ambassador.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
September 3 – Trinidad and Tobago’s football officials, including FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, will refuse to accept a court judgement that they must pay the country’s 2006 World Cup squad multi-million dollar bonuses they were promised, goalkeeper Kelvin Jack has predicted.
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Since returning from South Africa, I have been wondering whether anyone was going to take a bath as a result of empty hospitality seats at the World Cup.
Actually, I’m still wondering, but at least now I have more information to go on following a conversation with Peter Csanadi, Head of Marketing at Match Hospitality AG.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
September 2 – Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to host the 2018 World Cup received the expected high marks from the FIFA inspection team, led by Harold Mayne-Nicholls, as they wrapped up their evaluation of the European candidates today.
September 1 - Sports kit company Umbro has signed a deal with the Football Association that will see it make the England kit for the next two World Cups.
September 2 – Manchester United have failed to reach their target of season ticket sales this summer, after last season was disrupted by the recurring Green and Gold protests against the club’s American owners.
September 2 – Trinidad and Tobago is ready to host the second FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, despite a last minute rush to complete preparations, the Organising Committee’s deputy chief executive Nataki Kerr (pictured left) has promised.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
September 2 – Racism is not endemic in Russian football and should not stop the country being awarded the 2018 World Cup, the bid’s chief executive Alexei Sorokin claimed today – but was contradicted by Peter Odemwingie, the Nigerian player whose treatment has sparked the latest controversy.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
September 2 – Milton Keynes’s stadium has the most potential among the 17 short-listed by England 2018 if their campaign is successful, it has been claimed by the MK Dons manager Karl Robinson.