AZ Alkmaar hire Moneyball guru Billy Beane
By Samindra Kunti
March 23 – Dutch club AZ Alkmaar have hired Moneyball baseball guru Billy Beane (pictured) in an advisory role to try and close the gap on big-spending clubs in the Eredivisie.
Man Utd march on as Twitter gap opens over Liverpool and Man City
By Paul Nicholson
March 23 – Premier League Twitter stats for the week ending Friday March 20 show no change in the top five positions of clubs ranked by new followers. Manchester United continue top the table, 7,000 new followers ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea, with Liverpool fourth and Manchester City trailing in fifith.
Bumper World Cup ticket and hospitality income boosts FIFA as legal costs rise
By David Owen
March 23 – World Cup ticketing income combined with a bonus from a well-subscribed hospitality programme to enable FIFA to shoulder a number of additional costs in 2014 without slipping into deficit or dipping into its rainy day reserve.
Exclusive: European clubs mop up 98% of Club Protection Programme cash
By David Owen
March 23 – Europe is virtually monopolising payments to clubs under FIFA’s Club Protection Programme (CPP). The scheme, which compensates clubs when their players are injured on international duty, made €39.4 million of payments in its first two years and four months of operation. Of this, no less than €38.6 million – 98% – went to clubs in the UEFA region.
Blatter speaks to his record as FIFA ups World Cup compensation for clubs
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
March 20 – A defiant Sepp Blatter laid down the gauntlet to his critics today by insisting his record at the head of FIFA spoke for itself and refusing to say whether or not he will issue a manifesto ahead of the presidential election in May.
Marin warns of no quick fix for Brazilian football’s fall from power
By Samindra Kunti
March 20 – Jose Maria Marin, the president of the Brazilian FA, has said that “Brazilian football is going to pass through a very difficult time.”
Amadu quits Nigerian federation over rumours of money row with Pinnick
By Mark Baber
March 20 – The General Secretary of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Musa Amadu (pictured), tendered his resignation on Wednesday after, according to unconfirmed reports in local media, a row with NFF President Amaju Pinnick over money, specifically FIFA grants and a $3.6 million loan from the Federal Government.
Drone pilot flies into trouble for filming PL matches…and spying on the Queen
By Mark Baber
March 20 – Nigel Wilson, 42, from Nottingham has been summoned to appear before Westminster Magistrates Court on April 16 over allegations he flew a drone over several football grounds during matches, breaching an Air Navigation Order, according to Scotland Yard.
Crippling €197m debt forces Parma into bankruptcy and uncertain future
March 20 – Italian crisis club Parma have hit rock bottom after being declared bankrupt by a court in Italy but should be allowed to see out the current season.
France win hosting of 2019 Women’s World Cup
March 20 – France has been awarded hosting rights for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, beating off a challenge from South Korea, the only other candidate.
Martin Volkmar: Only Dortmund has disappointed
The Bundesliga has experienced a hard landing in reality over the past week. After the march of the German quartet into the knockout stages of the Champions League, only FC Bayern reached the last eight, while Schalke, Leverkusen and Dortmund have crashed out early.
UEFA bans: Ibra’s bad tackle is less of a sin than Aurier’s bad mouth
March 20 – UEFA has slapped a mandatory one-match ban on PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic following his sending off in the Champions league victory over Chelsea. But his team mate Serge Aurier was less fortunate, receiving a three-match suspension for his abusive tweets.
CONCACAF refs gather in Florida for training camp
March 20 – CONCACAF is holding referee development symposium for its international referees drawn from across the confederation. The four-day Florida event, presented by Comex/Futline, is hosting 50 officials from the FIFA international list.
Cobra Energy Drink thirsts on Liverpool brand for Myanmar launch
March 20 – Premier League Liverpool, which earlier this week announced it had added a Malaysian fixture to its 2015 pre-season tour schedule, has announced a further expansion in the south-east Asia region with the launch of a regional partnership with Cobra Energy Drink, which sees the brand become the Official Energy Drink of Liverpool FC in Myanmar.
It’s official, officially: Qatar’s 2022 Winter World Cup will be played in Nov-Dec
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
March 19 – After more than four years of often heated and fractious debate, FIFA finally confirmed today that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played in November and December with the final on Sunday, December 18.