Jailed Vietnamese match-fixers banned for life from playing
December 29 – Vietnamese football authorities have imposed their latest crackdown on match-fixing, banning nine players for life for rigging an Asian club game.
Houston change manager and USL partner for a different dynamic
December 29 – Houston Dynamo, of the MLS, has changed its game face with two big announcements in the run in to Christmas. Firstly, they secured Owen Coyle’s services as Head Coach. Secondly, they have switched USL affiliates.
Omani Sultan poised to take over Belgian top tier club
By Samindra Kunti
December 29 – The Sultanate of Oman is set to become a majority shareholder in Belgian Jupiler Pro League club Mouscron-Peruwelz. As a result, French club Lille OSC will end its partnership with the Belgian club.
Dr Laila Mintas: National legislation needed in the fight against match manipulation
In the first of a regular series of columns on sports law and sports integrity, Dr Laila Mintas, CONCACAF Director of Integrity, examines the scale and threat of match manipulation to football globally, the difficulties encountered in effectively fighting it, and the urgent need for countries to bring in national legislation to battle the organised crime syndicates.
Matt Scott: TPO ban is welcome, but now the hard work begins
“There’s not any other profession in the world where investors can buy stakes in a human being.” Theo van Seggelen, FIFPro
Football, said the former England striker Jimmy Greaves, is a funny old game. But so too is the business of it. In no other sector than the sports industry do men willingly agree to become the tradable chattels of others. It is true that the football transfer market has come a long way from the time decades ago when players were instructed to move to a specific club with no input at all into the trade.
Niersbach outlines 10-year plan for German football
By Mark Baber
December 23 – Nothing succeeds like success and German Football Association (DFB) president, Wolfgang Niersbach has channeled the sense of triumph following his countries World Cup triumph, laying out an “ambitious” 10-year plan to keep Germany at the centre of world football.
Czech Hradec Kralove earmarks €9m for stadium revamp
By Jaroslaw Adamowski
December 23 – FC Hradec Kralove has unveiled plans to spend CZK 246 million (€9m) on modernising its stadium. The Czech club aims to launch the upgrade of the sports facility in 2016.
Exclusive: CAF chiefs snub Morocco at Club World Cup final
By Andrew Warshaw
December 23 – Morocco’s refusal to stage next month’s Africa Cup of Nations is understood to have been behind Africa’s most prominent FIFA officials embarrassingly snubbing last Saturday’s Club World Cup final in Marrakesh. Several African members of FIFA’s executive committee were conspicuous by their absence at FIFA’s showpiece climax between Real Madrid and San Lorenzo.
Johansen battles to retain Sierra Leone control as ‘betting’ group attempts coup
By Andrew Warshaw
December 23 – The president of Sierra Leone’s football association has come out fighting against those she says are unlawfully plotting to force her out of office with an attempted coup.
Egypt to re-open stadia for league matches after 3-year fan ban
December 23 – For the first time since the Port Said massacre in February 2012, when 74 Al Ahly fans were killed at a league match, the gates to club stadiums will be opened again to supporters for the second part of the Egyptian Premier League.
Japanese seek more information as pressure on Aguirre mounts pre-Asian Cup
December 23 – Japan’s Football Association has sent a delegation to Spain to get more information about the match-fixing scandal that has embroiled national team coach Javier Aguirre.
World Cup dates set as Russia releases budgets and cash for new stadia
December 23 – FIFA has set the dates for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia and the 2018 World Cup. The governing body has agreed that some World cup qualification matches can begin as early as next March.
FIFA drops age limits for whistleblowers (the ones on the pitch)
December 23 – FIFA has announced that it is abolishing age limits for international referees. The previous rule forced match officials to leave its international list before the turn of their 46th birthday.
Martin Volkmar: 2014, the year of German football. And 2015?
As we settle back over the holidays and watch the pictures of the numerous annual reviews, memories of a grandiose summer come sweeping back.
For six weeks the country trembled, hoped and feared, until the final whistle on the wonderful evening of July 13 in Rio de Janeiro.
MLS newcomers sign local TV deals for 2015 debuts
December 23 – MLS expansion team newcomers, New York City FC and Orlando City SC, have secured official local television partners to showcase their inaugural seasons in the league.