By Mark Baber
January 7 – The first five days of the January transfer window have already seen more than 50 transfers and loans involving clubs in the Football League (FL) and Premier League (PL). The trend of English clubs scouring the world for talent continues, whilst no English players are travelling to play abroad.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 7 – Eradicating the worrying resurgence of racism would doubtless be number one on most people’s footballing wish list for 2013. Dealing with diving – or simulation to give it its official terminology – would probably rank second.
January 7 – German TV viewers will now be able to follow Bundesliga and UEFA club competitions via IPTV for the first time.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 7 – The president of Qatar’s Football Association has responded to the growing debate over whether to switch the 2022 World Cup to winter.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 7 – After being targeted by racist chanting in a winter break domestic friendly against lower-league Pro Patria, Milan’s German-born Ghanian Kevin-Prince Boateng reacted by storming off the pitch followed by the entire Milan team.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 7 – The five South African administrators suspended last month over the matchfixing scandal that has rocked the nation have been re-instated by their own federation (SAFA) – at least temporarily.
I hate to be a wet blanket, but I have the tiniest sliver of sympathy for football administrators in the predicament they face following the actions of Kevin-Prince Boateng and his Milan team-mates.
The powers-that-be now have to decide how they are going to respond when a similar walk-off happens in a competitive match – as assuredly it will.
January 4 – This weekend the English FA Cup, the world’s oldest cup competition, enters its third round and sees the entry of the Premier League teams – matched-up against the minnows of England’s lower leagues all looking to create dramatic upsets.
Consider this question. In the next few years Britain may decide to leave the European Union. At no time since this country joined what was then the Common Market 40 years ago has there been such a strong anti-European feeling. And this is a mood that seems to be going beyond the traditional ‘fed up with Brussels’ to ‘get out of Europe’ clamour.
But even should a referendum see the people of Britain vote to leave,
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 4 – AC Milan’s collective stance against racism, when the whole team walked off the pitch in protest, has produced widespread support from across the game.
By Mark Baber
January 4 – The French Football League (LFP) has welcomed France’s Constitutional Council’s ruling that a proposed 75% upper income tax rate would be unconstitutional.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 4 – The Gulf Cup kicks off this Saturday with the latest edition having considerable significance both for those taking part and a region that is increasingly catching the attention of international observers from football politics, commerce, and fans.
By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 4 – The head of Major League Soccer has responded to criticism of the league from FIFA president Sepp Blatter by saying the best way of winning Blatter over is to for him to actually attend a game and see the progress that has been made.
January 3 – Research using the social media tracker tool Flightdeck, puts Chelsea ahead of ‘big club’ rivals Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid in India in the race to dominate the social space.
By Mark Baber
January 3 – Ali Kafashian, head of the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) has confirmed Iran’s bid to hold the 2019 Asian Cup whilst hitting out at critics he claims are undermining the work of the federation in developing football in Iran.