Malaga hit with transfer ban over Osasuna debt
By David Gold
January 24 – La Liga outfit Malaga, one of the richest teams in Spain, have been banned from transfer activity until they have paid back a debt to rivals Osasuna.
World Football
Putin attempts Tom Tomsk rescue plan
By David Gold
January 20 – The Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, is attempting to save the Russian Premier League outfit Tom Tomsk from bankruptcy.
African footballers join Oxfam famine appeal
By David Gold
January 23 – Top African stars competing in this month’s African Cup of Nations, including Barcelona’s Seydou Keita (pictured) and Newcastle’s Demba Ba, have joined forces with Oxfam to call for an end to hunger across the continent.
Exclusive: FIFA veteran Gagg slams Chagaev as Xamax are on the brink of extinction
By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – FIFA veteran Walter Gagg (pictured), the man leading a consortium to save two-time Swiss champions Neuchâtel Xamax from extinction, has hit out at the “crazy” behaviour of the club’s Chechen owner Bulat Chagaev and has promised to re-launch Xamax in the lower leagues.
Putin and Blatter join forces to celebrate Russian Football Union centenary
By David Gold
January 20 – Dignitaries from the world of football and politics, including the FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, and Russia’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, have gathered in St Petersburg to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Russian Football Union (RFU).
Bin Hammam fights to save Asian position
By Andrew Warshaw
January 20 – Former Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam’s (pictured) attempt to clear his name after being banned for life for bribery by FIFA’s Ethics Committee reaches the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday (January 23) in a related case against his own Confederation.
Coleman named as Welsh manager despite Greek club claiming he still belongs to them
By David Gold
January 19 – Chris Coleman has been unveiled as the successor to the late Gary Speed as Wales manager at what he described as “the most difficult press conference I am ever likely to do,” though Greek club Larissa claim he is still under contract to them.
Jamaica’s Burrell won’t come clean about facts behind his FIFA suspension
By Andrew Warshaw
January 19 – Horace Burrell (pictured), the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) President suspended by FIFA’s Ethics Committee over the cash-for-votes scandal, has refused to explain exactly why he was sanctioned.
Exclusive: “Gaps are bridged” as Caribbean official comes to London to meet FA chair Bernstein
By Andrew Warshaw in London
January 18 – Jeff Webb (pictured), the man charged with putting Caribbean football back on the map for the right reasons, flew into London today for talks with English Football Association chairman David Bernstein aimed at kick-starting a relationship soured by England’s failed 2018 World Cup bid.
CSKA director Babaev fined one rouble over Welliton threat
By David Gold
January 18 – CSKA Moscow general director Roman Babaev (pictured) has been ordered to pay one rouble in compensation after telling Spartak Moscow forward Welliton to “walk the streets with care” after a game between the sides last year.
Blatter’s club lose licence after financial irregularities
By Andrew Warshaw
January 18 – Swiss football, already tarnished by the FC Sion affair, has been plunged into yet more disarray after Neuchatel Xamax, a club whose honorary President is Sepp Blatter, were thrown out of the league and stripped of their licence less than a year after being taken over by the Chechen businessman Bulat Chagaev.
Equatorial Guinea and South Africa clash over unpaid hotel bill
By David Gold
January 18 – African Cup of Nations co-hosts Equatorial Guinea are embroiled in a dispute with South Africa over a hotel bill arising from a friendly between the two countries to open the Estadio de Bata earlier this month.
FIFA and ECA open talks on club versus country issues
By Andrew Warshaw
January 18 – Europe’s top clubs have finally opened talks with FIFA aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over World Cup revenues and other club-versus-country issues.
David Beckham signs two-year contract extension at LA Galaxy
By Andrew Warshaw
January 18 – David Beckham has finally ended speculation about him returning to Europe by signing a new two-year deal to remain at LA Galaxy in the United States.
FIFA President Blatter confirms he will step down in 2015
By Andrew Warshaw
January 18 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) has reaffirmed that he will definitely step down for good when his fourth and final spell in charge expires in three years’ time.