Paul Nicholson, Author at Inside World Football - Page 1692 of 1890

David Owen: Brazil’s year of living dangerously and the death of jogo bonito

Brazil eye

July 8 – The last few weeks, with the tournament in full swing, have been a lot better. But I don’t think anyone could justifiably argue that Brazil’s first of three years in the global sporting spotlight has gone entirely to plan. Today in Belo Horizonte Brazilians must face up to the distinct possibility of more bad news: can their yellow-shirted warriors, shorn of their two best players, feasibly get the better of a typically well-drilled,

Massimo Cecchini

Massimo Cecchini: In Italy, time has stopped

Tempo fermo. L’orologio del calcio italiano non si è mosso da quel triste ultimo 24 giugno, quando l’uruguaiano Godin ha rispedito subito a casa la Nazionale azzurra, togliendola di scena dal Mondiale in Brasile. In realtà sembrava che tutto dovesse cambiare in fretta. Pochi minuti dopo il fischio finale il commissario tecnico Cesare Prandelli rassegnava le sue dimissioni “irrevocabili”, seguito nel giro di una manciata di secondi da quelle del presidente della Federcalcio, Giancarlo Abete.

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Net tightens in ticket sale scandal as Brazilian police swoop for further arrest

Match Hospitality

By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – Brazilian police have arrested a British director of a FIFA partner company as the ongoing investigation into the illegal sale of World Cup tickets intensifies. Ray Whelan from Match Hospitality, a familiar face at recent World Cups, was detained at a Rio de Janeiro hotel where officials from the world’s football governing body were also staying.

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Money makes the boardrooms go round at English clubs

Boardroom cash

By Paul Nicholson
July 8 – English club ownership continues to attract investors though the anticipated sale of Premier League Aston Villa by its American owner Randy Lerner has faltered. Neighbouring Premier League club West Bromwich Albion has seen ownership control shift further to chairman Jeremy Peace, while mercurial sports entrepreneur Barry Hearn has sold his League 2 club Leyton Orient to Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti.

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9.15 Fair Play spray now poised to make its mark globally

vanishing spray

By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – The man who devised the revolutionary vanishing spray that been used at the World Cup to keep defensive walls 10 yards (9.15 metres) from the ball at freekicks says he has no immediate interest in making money and just wants his invention to be taken up globally.

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Brazil v Germany: World Cup semi-final preview and match stats

July 8 – The first of two Europe vs South America giant clashes. In 20 meetings Brazil have won 12 times and Germany just four times. But Germany may not come across a better time to meet a Brazil team without their inspirational goalscorer Neymar out, and with their dominant captain Thaigo Silva suspended. Bring it on!

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Tributes pour in for football legend Alfredo Di Stefano, died aged 88

Alfred0 di Stefano

July 8 – Tributes are pouring in for Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano, who died on Monday after suffering a heart attack at the weekend 24 hours after his 88th birthday.

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Card conspiracy scotched as FIFA shows firm hand

Red card

By Andrew Warshaw
July 8 – FIFA have forcefully denied suggestions that referees have been deliberately ordered not to hand out red and yellow cards at the World Cup in order to provide a more entertaining spectacle.

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Battle of the Brands pits Adidas against Nike in both World Cup semi-finals

world cup and ball image

By David Owen
July 7 – And so, with just four of the 64 matches remaining, Brazil 2014 has come down, as one always suspected it might, to a duel between the two biggest brands and the two confederations whose top teams have monopolised the World Cup trophy for 84 years.

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Man Utd treads a new path in Taipei with football camps

Man utd soccer schools

July 8 – Manchester United FC are extending their reach into Taiwan, China by launching their first ever football camp in the Taipei Municipal Stadium. Their Official tyre partner of China and Russia, Federal Tyres is sponsoring 32 children aged 6-14 to take part in one of two 3-day camps.

Osasu Obayiuwana

Osasu Obayiuwana: Africa must find an edge to smash the ‘glorious loser’ tag

With two African teams making the knockout rounds in Brazil, the continent has obviously written a new chapter in tournament history.

Ever since Morocco became the first African team, at the 1986 finals in Mexico, to reach the Round of 16, the continent has maintained a solitary presence there.

Considering that I had, in a previous piece, seriously considered the possibility that its five teams were at risk of being knocked out in the first round,

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Etihad add Melbourne FC to sponsor portfolio in 5-year deal

melbourne city and etihad logos

July 7 – Etihad Airways has expanded its Australian football presence, sponsoring Hyundai A-League side Melbourne City FC in a five-year deal that will see the airline branding on the club’s shirts.

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Belo grief tinged with relief as city welcomes Seleçaõ for semi-final

Belo Horizonte

By Andrew Warshaw
July 7 – As the investigation continues into last week’s tragic accident in the World Cup host city of Belo Horizonte, when part of a flyover collapsed killing two people and injuring many others, no-one will have been more devastated than the city’s top tournament official.

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Ukraine drops Crimean teams From Premier League

Ukraine flag

By Mark Baber
July 7 – The Ukraine Football Federation (UFF) has bowed to the inevitable and cut Crimea-based PFC Sevastopol and FC Tavriya from the 2014-15 season of the Ukrainian Premier League. The move follows the reunification of the Crimea with Russia following a disputed referendum in March.

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Mind games and homework give Krul the penalty advantage

Krul penalty save

July 7 – Tim Krul, the Netherlands goalkeeper who entered footballing folklore by coming off the bench to preserve his country’s World Cup hopes in Saturday’s quarterfinal with Costa Rica, has defended his behaviour in the buildup to the dramatic penalty shootout.