English-born Premier League managers have been in the minority for 10 years
December 14 – In the top five European leagues, the Premier League has the lowest representation of domestic managers at 27%, a report by RunRepeat highlights.
Author: Paul Nicholson
Brazil stays top of football’s drug violations table
By David Owen
December 14 – Footballers in Brazil were again more likely to pick up anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) than those in any other country, according to statistics relating to samples collected in 2018 made public this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Birch swaps Spurs for EFL chief exec role
December 14 – The English Football League has appointed one of the country’s most sought-after and widely-travelled administrators, Trevor Birch (pictured), as its new chief executive.
Kenyan media blackout of FKF Premier League after reporters banned
December 14 – Kenyan media are boycotting the country’s top flight in response to authorities there selectively banning individual journalists from selected games.
FIFA and Infantino fury at Swiss prosecutor’s referral of private jet flight for criminal probe
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – Gianni Infantino’s increasingly bitter war with the Swiss justice authorities over whether he is guilty of corruption has taken another significant twist with a special prosecutor recommending a criminal investigation against the FIFA President for using a private jet in 2017.
Concacaf boosts women’s calendar with two major event launches and ‘guest’ invites
By Paul Nicholson
December 11 – Concacaf, whose member associations have so often trailblazed in the women’s game, has restructured its senior women’s national teams calendar “with the aim of transforming women’s national team football across the entire confederation”.
Euro Leagues body calls on UEFA for more ‘solidarity’ over Champions League payouts
By Andrew Warshaw
December 11 – The umbrella body representing all of Europe’s major leagues has re-iterated its concern over the Continent’s financial haves and have-nots and has urged UEFA to hand more of its Champions League cash to those not participating in its elite competition.
Infantino bangs the drum for Africa saying it must be ‘central’ to global football
By Paul Nicholson
December 11 – Addressing the CAF General Assembly today, FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke of a priority within global football to “project” Africa on the world stage. It was his second Congress address, having spoken to the AFC earlier in the week.
CAF forecasting $13m losses for covid challenged 2020-21 season
December 11 – The much-maligned and financially challenged Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said it is projecting a loss of $13 million for the 2020-21 season.
LaLiga secures €67m loan for 11 clubs in landmark financing deal
December 11 – A loan of €67 million has been agreed with 11 clubs, most in LaLiga’s second tier, to help them financially manage their way through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Greizmann cuts ties with Huawei over tech giant’s ‘Uighur alert’ face recognition weapon
December 11 – Barcelona’s French international forward and World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann, who has been an ambassador for tech giant Huawei, has cut commercial ties with the company citing China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims.
Robinho loses appeal against rape conviction in Italy
December 11 – Robinho’s appeal over a nine-year prison sentence for rape has been thrown out by a court in Milan.
Blatter gives witness evidence in Infantino investigation
December 10 – Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was interviewed yesterday by the Swiss Special Prosecutor Stefan Keller who is investigating the criminal charges against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
New day, new officials: PSG and Basaksehir show solidarity as game gets played
December 10 – Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir players took a knee and wore ‘No to racism’ t-shirts before their rescheduled Champions League game on Wednesday, 24 hours after the original fixture was abandoned after 14 minutes when both teams walked off in protest after the Turkish club accused a match official of racism.
Cayman government backs CIFA for first time since Webb’s 2015 arrest
December 10 – The Cayman Islands Government has restored its financial support of the Cayman Islands FA for the first time since the arrest of former Concacaf and CIFA president Jeff Webb in the FIFAgate raids of 2015 in Zurich.