By Andrew Warshaw
December 1 – Twenty-four hours after FIFA unveiled their new reform chief, their plans immediately hit the buffers today when the anti-corruption watchdog that has been advising them for weeks said they wanted no part of the new operation and were cutting all links with world football’s governing body.
By David Gold
December 2 – A year after Russia was awarded the right to host the 2018 World Cup, FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke has praised the progress made by the country in the first year of its preparations to stage the event.
By David Gold
December 1 – England’s decision to base themselves in Kraków during the 2012 European Championships, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, was “a superb choice”, according to the managing director of PROSKE | sports, Lindsay Gomer.
By David Gold
December 1 – Football Federation Australia (FFA) has set the national team the target of qualifying for and reaching the second round of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
By Duncan Mackay at the Sheraton San Conrado in Rio de Janeiro
December 1 – Ronaldo was officially unveiled here today as the new face of the Organising Committee of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
By David Gold
December 1 – Arsenal and England left back Kieran Gibbs has said that he wants to play in the London 2012 Olympic Games for the Team GB football team, despite his club manager Arsene Wenger being vehemently opposed to the involvement of his players in the football tournament.
By David Gold
December 1 – Didier Drogba has been awarded the Humanitarian in Sport award by Beyond Sport, supported by Virgin Atlantic, recognising the work the Chelsea striker has done with The Didier Drogba Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme.
By Duncan Mackay in Rio de Janeiro
December 1 – Ronaldo, the highest goalscorer in the history of the World Cup, will be cofirmed as the the new face of the 2014 World Cup here later today, insideworldfootball can reveal.
By David Gold
November 30 – Poland’s Football Association (PZPN) has sacked secretary general Zdzislaw Krecina over a corruption scandal that could still bring down the organisation’s head, Grzegorz Lato.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – Ian Tompkins (pictured), the man who spearheaded West Ham United’s aborted move to the Olympic Stadium after London 2012 is back in work four months after being suspended, insideworldfootball can reveal.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – The Swiss academic charged with cleaning up FIFA has recommended limited terms for the organisation’s inner sanctum – including the President (pictured left) – and far more scrutiny when it comes to screening key decision makers.
By David Gold
November 30 – Morocco have made a superb start in their bid to reach London 2012 after winning the first two games of the African football qualifying tournament they are hosting.
By David Gold
November 30 – London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe (pictured) has said that Manchester United and other teams could benefit from their players participating in the Olympic Games football tournament next summer.
By Andrew Warshaw
November 30 – Crisis-torn English club Portsmouth could be docked points after its parent company, controlled by Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov (pictured), entered administration.
Bill Shankly, the legendary former Liverpool manager, is remembered for many things, not least his famous remark – paraphrased by all and sundry since – that football isn’t life and death, it’s far more important.
If ever that observation, made in good faith at the time by a passionate man who lived and breathed the game, was shown up to be somewhat of an exaggeration, it is right now as the football world continues to take stock of Gary Speed’s untimely death.