La Liga makeweights try to reform Spanish TV deal
By David Gold
September 8 – A dozen La Liga sides have decided to press ahead with plans to reform Spanish televison rights after a meeting at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium today.
Andrew Warshaw: Sion’s case has potential to be as far reaching as Bosman
Messy, sloppy, awkward, embarrassing. Just four of the adjectives that could be applied to the ongoing spat between Swiss club FC Sion and UEFA. Let’s add a fifth: dangerous.
Football fans at large may not be too interested in an argument involving a middle-ranked football club that has little or no international relevance outside its own country. But didn’t they say a similar thing about journeyman Belgian footballer Jean-Marc Bosman all those years ago?
SportsMark appointed exclusive US agent of 2014 World Cup hospitality programmes
By David Gold
September 7 – SportsMark, who are involved in the London 2012 Olympic Games on behalf of British Airways, has been appointed the exclusive agent in the United States for the sale of Official Hospitality Programmes for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Zanzibar and South Sudan seeking fast track to international recognition
By David Gold
September 7 – Zanzibar and South Sudan have applied to join FIFA, with the Council of East and Central Africa’s Football Association (CECAFA) helping to fast track their applications.
Disgraced Cook avoids Wigan match as probe continues
By David Gold
September 7 – Under fire Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook will not attend the club’s match with Wigan Athletic on Saturday (September 9) as an investigation is carried out into his conduct for allegedly sending an email mocking the mother of defender Nedum Onuoha’s cancer condition.
Blatter is an impetuous child, sneers honorary FIFA vice-president
By Andrew Warshaw
September 7 – One of FIFA’s former powerbrokers is the latest figure to pour scorn over the way the organisation is handled under Sepp Blatter’s Presidency.
Exclusive: The next ten months are critical for Italian football, admits Milan’s Gandini
By David Gold at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva
September 7 – AC Milan director Umberto Gandini says that the upcoming season is crucial as Italian football looks to avoid a renewal of the Serie A players’ strike which was called off earlier this week.
Persistent buying of new players in not rational, warns Rummenigge
By David Gold at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva
September 6 – Continually buying new players is not “rational”, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge warned today as the European Clubs Association (ECA) endorsed UEFA’s financial fair play rules after its annual Congress here.
Chelsea, Barça, Inter, Bayern and PSG likely to be league champions in 2011/12
By Tom Degun
September 6 – The most likely teams to be crowned as the national champions in Europe’s top five leagues in 2012 will be Chelsea, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain, according to new data.
European Club Association back Blatter to carry out FIFA reforms but want less internationals
By David Gold at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva
September 6 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said today that clubs could no longer continue to release players for “nonsense” internationals after the European Club Association (ECA) called for a reduction in the number of international fixtures at their annual congress here.
Sion fight Europa League expulsion at Swiss court
By David Gold in Geneva
September 6 – FC Sion have confirmed that they have appealed to UEFA against their expulsion from the Europa League, with both players and the club itself set to launch legal proceedings against football’s European governing body at Swiss civil court level.
Visa renews partnership deal with SUM
By David Gold
September 6 – Visa is extending its partnership with Soccer United Marketing (SUM) in a deal which will see them continue as the official payment services company of Major League Soccer (MLS), US Soccer and the Mexican national team’s US tour until 2014.
Bin Hammam claims he is a victim of racism
By Duncan Mackay
September 6 – Mohamed Bin Hammam has claimed FIFA would never have dared to take action against him if he were European.
Serie A strike comes to temporary halt
By David Gold
September 6 – The players’ strike, which has held up the start to the new Serie A season, has been ended temporarily after the Italian Players’ Union and Lega Serie A reached an agreement that will see the season start this Friday (September 9) when AC Milan host Lazio.
ECA seeks to ease burden on players by reducing international calendar
By David Gold in Geneva
September 6 – The European Club Association (ECA) is today set to propose changes to the congested international football calendar as they seek to reduce the burden on players, at the conclusion of their annual congress here.