By Duncan Mackay
December 23 - Worawi Makudi (pictured), the President of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) and a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee, has threatened to step down from his post after the country’s disastrous campaign in the 25th Southeast Asian Games (SEA) tournament.
December 21 – Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc (pictured) has called for a new stadium to be built for the French champions as part of France’s bid to host the 2016 European Championships.
By Duncan Mackay
December 21 – England will launch their World Cup preparations on March 3 when they take on Egypt at Wembley, a match that will also give the country’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup an opportunity to promote their campaign to to Hany Abou Rida, a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee.
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December 21 – Stan Kroenke (pictured) has bought a further 25 Arsenal shares and the American businessman is now only 17 shares from being required to make a full takeover bid.
December 21 – Opponents of Nottingham’s new 45,000-capacity stadium earmarked to host World Cup matches if England’s bid to host stage the 2018 World Cup is successful have promised that they will not stop their campaign.
By Duncan Mackay
December 21 – Sergei Kapkov, a close friend of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who had been expected to run to become the new President of the Russian Football Association has ruled himself out of the job which could alert clubs chasing the country’s coach Guus Hiddink (pictured).
By Duncan Mackay
December 20 – Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane (pictured) is to send some of his training staff to work with Britain’s leading Olympic coaches in the hope of picking up some tips that will help the club return to the Premier League.
By Duncan Mackay
December 19 – England’s 2018 World Cup bid received a massive boost tonight as Gordon Brown’s Government confirmed it is backing the campaign with a £2.5 million loan.
December 19 – Manchester City’s billionaire Middle East owners tonight sacked manager Mark Hughes (pictured) and replaced him with former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini to try to justify their investment in the Premier League club.
December 19 – Australia’s rival football codes are scared of the country staging the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 because it could sideline them, one of the ambassadors for England’s bid has claimed.
By Duncan Mackay
December 19 – Tottenham Hotspur have promised to support manager Harry Redknapp (pictured) after it was revealed that the taxman is to start proceedings against him next month.
By Duncan Mackay
December 19 – A major doubt has been cast over Bristol City’s planned new £92 million 44,000 stadium at Ashton Vale only two days after it was chosen to be part of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
December 18 - Sheffield United and Everton, overlooked to be part of England’s 2018 World Cup bid, have complained about being snubbed.
By Duncan Mackay
December 18 – Hollywood actor Anthony LaPaglia (pictured right), a former goalkeeper with Adelaide City, has urged the Australian Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) not to act like “twits” and scupper Australia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
December 17 – Hull City’s future as a Premier League club could be threatened by the decision not to include the KC Stadium in England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, the club’s chairman has claimed.