By David Gold
January 4 – Eli Guttman (pictured) has been announced as the new Israeli national team coach, replacing Frenchman Luis Fernández, who left after a disappointing Euro 2012 qualifying campaign.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 30 – The escalating dispute between the rebel Swiss club FC Sion and FIFA reached another pivotal milestone today when the Swiss Football Association (SFV) sensationally docked the club 36 points for fielding ineligible players, thereby seemingly avoiding a ban from international competition.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 30 – The English Football Association, often criticised for being ultra-conservative and behind the times, has broken new ground by appointing Heather Rabbatts as its first female Board member.
By David Gold
December 29 – FC Sion are continuing their ongoing battle with FIFA after world football’s governing body threatened to expel the Swiss Football Association and all its teams from international competition unless the club are punished for breaching a transfer ban.
By David Gold
December 29 – UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino (pictured) has refused to rule out the possibility that Turkish clubs could be banned from European competition if found guilty of involvement in the match fixing scandal that has rocked the country.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 28 – UEFA President Michel Platini has made a veiled attack on his critics in a mixed New Year message to European football’s various stakeholders.
By David Gold
December 28 – Three Serie A games were targeted by a betting ring which sought to manipulate the results of football matches according to former Piacenza defender Carlo Gervasoni (pictured).
By David Gold
December 28 – Michael O’Neill has been confirmed as the new Northern Ireland manager following his heroics with Shamrock Rovers this season.
By David Gold
December 28 – Barcelona President Sandro Rosell wants UEFA to reform agents’ fees and says that players should themselves cover such costs.
By David Gold
December27 – The Football League has announced The Prostate Cancer Charity as its official charity partner for 2012-2013.
By David Gold
December 23 – AS Monaco were given a timely boost when Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev acquired a controlling stake in the struggling Principality club.
By David Gold
December 22 – It may have been with a phone call rather than a handshake, but Auxerre midfielder Kamel Chafni and French assistant referee Johann Perruaux have done as FIFA President Sepp Blatter advised, and settled a race row between themselves after a league game.
By David Gold
December 20 – The Sevilla President, Jose Maria del Nido, has been sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of involvement in the embezzlement of public funds.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – European clubs have called off a potentially ground-breaking peace deal with FIFA and UEFA that would have paved the way for easing the club-versus-country war after years of acrimony between the various parties.
By David Gold
December 19 – Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are hoping to come to agreement with Scotland over their fees for the Carling Nations Cup tournament, which took place earlier this year, and avoid bringing FIFA into the dispute.