Hertha bus shot, no-one hurt
August 10 – Police in Germany are investigating an unprovoked attack on a Bundesliga team bus which was on its way to pick up players travelling to an away game.
World Football
Makudi said to be preparing challenge for AFF post
By David Owen
August 8 – Worawi Makudi, the former FIFA Executive Committee member, is to challenge for the Presidency of the Asean Football Federation (AFF), according to local press. Malaysia’s New Sunday Times reported that the 63-year-old President of the Football Association of Thailand would challenge Sultan Ahmad Shah, the incumbent, at elections in Burma this month.
Carrard takes time to consider taking FIFA reform lead
By Andrew Warshaw
August 7 – Former International Olympic Committee director general Francois Carrard (pictured) has emerged as a possible chairman of FIFA’s reform taskforce set up in the light of the unprecedented corruption scandal that has enveloped the organisation.
PSG kick off Ligue 1 but expectancy already turning to European competition
By Samindra Kunti
August 7 – Today Paris Saint Germain kick off Ligue 1 with an away game to Lille. The question is not if the Parisians will dominate domestic French football, but how far they can progress in the UEFA Champions League?
Dutch arrest 53 as local rivalry turns ‘friendly’ Europa qualifier ugly
August 7 – Police made 53 arrests, though only three of them supporters of visiting Southampton, before the English club’s Europa League tie against Vitesse Arnhem on Thursday.
Games called off as Dutch season start disrupted by police strike
By Mark Baber
August 7 – Industrial action by the Dutch police has led to the postponement of five Eredivisie matches at the start of the new season, the Dutch football association KNVB announced on Thursday.
Hawilla and Teixeira at war as lid lifts further on South America’s murky world
By Ricardo Setyon
August 7 – They were best of friends but they have become the worst of enemies. Known in Brazil as ‘O Gordo e o Magro’, (the fat and the slim), former FIFA vice president and CBF chief Ricardo Teixeira (pictured left), and Traffic principal José Hawilla (right) have fallen out, and spectacularly so.
Bility failure to win CAF backing renews Sexwale rumours
By Andrew Warshaw
August 7 – The early race to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president has taken a potentially significant twist with the African Football Confederation (AFC) refusing to endorse the candidacy of Liberia’s Musa Bility (pictured) who says he wants to stand along with UEFA boss Michel Platini.
Koeman’s Saints march on, but Bilic’s Hammers hit sour note
By Andrew Warshaw
August 6 – The Europa League may be the poorer sister of the Champions League but before it is has even got into its stride this season, UEFA’s number two club competition is splitting opinion about whether it worth prioritising – and not just among fans.
Qatar acquires a WADA-accredited anti-doping lab
By David Owen
August 6 – 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar has acquired another of the trappings of a top sporting nation, with news that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has this week approved the accreditation of the Doha laboratory for anti-doping analysis.
Barca build towards €1bn pa revenue bonanza by 2021
By Paul Nicholson
August 6 – Barcelona published their 2014/15 financial statement showing revenue of €608 million, the largest ever by any sporting club. But this is peanuts as by 2021 the club says it will grow revenue to more than €1 billion annually. Football Benchmark, the data and analysis arm of KPMG’s sports practice, says this isn’t just idle talk.
Brazilian proposes a 7-1 ‘Goal to Germany’ pain day
August 5 – A Brazilian council official is proposing creating a ‘Goal to Germany’ day every July to make the national team remember their humiliating 7-1 World Cup defeat last year.
Gulf Cup of Nations postponed as bombing continues
By Mark Baber
August 5 – The Gulf Cup of Nations (also known controversially as the ‘Arabian Gulf Cup’) has been postponed for a year, officially due to the host Kuwait needing time to complete their infrastructural preparations, but perhaps also due to the fact that five of the usual participants have been bombing one of the others since March of this year.
President Dilma may veto new Brazilian club debt proposals
By Samindra Kunti
August 5 – Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff (pictured) may veto medida provisoria 671 that will allow for the refinancing of Brazilians clubs’s debts, but implements new rules for better management and more transparency.
Legia awarded 3-0 win, Fred alright said UEFA
August 5 – UEFA have awarded Legia Warsaw a 3-0 victory in their Europa League match away to FK Kukesi that was abandoned after one of their players was hit by a stone thrown from the crowd.