By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 11 – Simon Greenberg, chief of staff during England’s disastrous bid to host the 2018 World Cup, has taken up a new role as the first director of corporate affairs at Rupert Murdoch’s News International.
January 11 – One of the world’s leading full-service hospitality agencies has been appointed by Coca-Cola to support its hospitality and ticketing programmes at Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 10 – He is young, he is dedicated and he insists he will not be influenced by politics or petty feuds.
January 9 – Three candidates are standing to replace suspended FIFA vice president Reynald Temarii as leader of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), it has been announced.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 8 – Spurs’ plan to sign former England captain David Beckham on loan from Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy is to try to help them win their bid to take over the Olympic Stadium after London 2012, it has been claimed by Karren Brady, the chair of rivals West Ham United.
By Andrew Warshaw at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha
January 7 – If a jaw-dropping opening ceremony and a dazzling firework display (pictured) high into the night sky are a barometer of a country’s ability to host a World Cup, then Qatar should have no worries about staging theirs in little under 12 years from now.
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 7 – The prospect of a winter World Cup in 2022 moved a giant step closer today when FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) gave the concept his personal backing.
By David Owen
January 7 – FIFA has announced details of how a $40 million (£25.9 million) pot it earmarked for clubs whose players took part in last year’s World Cup in South Africa is being distributed.
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 6 – Back in October, at the Leaders in Football conference in London, Chung Mong-joon, South Korea’s distinguished and highly respected FIFA veteran, made a deliberate and calculated stand against his boss, Sepp Blatter (pictured right).
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 6 – Against all the odds, FIFA gained a new vice-president today when Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Al Hussein ousted long-standing incumbent Chung Mong-joon of South Korea for one of the most powerful positions in world football.
By Andrew Warshaw in Doha
January 5 – The head of Asian football has fuelled speculation that he may stand against Sepp Blatter when the FIFA Presidency comes up for renewal next summer.
January 5 – There was some consolation today for Australia’s World Cup disappointment when they were awarded the 2015 Asian Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 5 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter wants professional referees to be an established part of the game by the time of the next World Cup in Brazil.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
January 5 – Tottenham Hotspur have appointed former London 2012 communications director and West Ham United director Mike Lee to spearhead their campaign to take over the Olympic Stadium.
By David Owen
January 4 – The first of many prospective personnel changes on FIFA’s ruling 24-member Executive Committee is set to come this week with elections due in Asia.