Whole country behind West Ham Olympic Stadium bid
By Mike Rowbottom
February 4 – Support for West Ham United and Newham Council’s joint proposal for the Olympic Stadium and its legacy has spread across the nation.
Disgraced FIFA Executive Committee duo lose appeals
By Andrew Warshaw
February 4 – The two disgraced members of FIFA’s all-powerful Executive Committee today lost their respective appeals against being suspended as part of the infamous cash-for-votes World Cup scandal.
Long-term legacy paramount for stadium’s future, says AEG President
By Andrew Warshaw
February 6 – The President of AEG Europe, Tottenham Hotspur’s partners in their proposed move to the Olympic Stadium after next year’s London Games, has warned yet again the venue will become a white elephant funded by taxpayers if rivals West Ham are chosen as the preferred bidder.
Calls for Ukraine federation President to resign are dropped
By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – Ukraine has heeded UEFA’s threat to strip of them of Euro 2012 co-hosting rights by dropping calls for the departure of their federation’s long-time President, Hrigory Surkis (pictured).
It’s all Greek in broadcast battle for pub landlady
By Andrew Warshaw
February 3 – A surburban English publican has won a crucial stage in her claim to screen unauthorised live Premiership football in a landmark case described as potentially the Bosman of broadcasting.
Germany sign Barbie for World Cup
February 3 – The German Football Federation (DFB) is planning to cash in on hosting the Women’s World Cup in June with a football version of the children’s doll Barbie wearing the national team’s colours.
LMA agrees online media partnership with Yahoo!
February 3 – The League Managers Association (LMA) and Yahoo! have announced the launch of an online media partnership that will see video and print content from some of the biggest names in football management published across Yahoo!’s UK media platforms and social media channels.
FIFA Executive Committee members begin appeals against bans
By Andrew Warshaw
February 2 – Five of the six FIFA officials suspended after allegations of corruption over the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids formally began their appeal hearings today with no decision likely until Friday (February 4).
UEFA warn Premier League clubs will be banned if they break fair play rules
By Andrew Warshaw
February 2 – UEFA has issued a fresh reminder about overspending following the record-breaking January transfer window in the Premier League, including Fernando Torres’ £50 million ($81 million) move from Liverpool to Chelsea.
England Athletics attack “self appointed group” who want Tottenham to get Olympic Stadium
By Mike Rowbottom
February 2 – England Athletics, the official representative body for all English athletics clubs, has attacked the endorsement of Tottenham Hotspur’s bid for the Olympic Stadium by the Association of British Athletics Clubs (ABAC), claiming the body has “no legitimacy”.
Clubs with muscle make loud noise to shatter sound of silence
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – The staggering £225 million spent by Premier League clubs in the January transfer window, including the £35 million Liverpool paid to buy Andy Carroll (pictured) from Newcastle United, beat the previous record in 2008 by £50 million, according to report by accountants Deloitte.
Adamu: FIFA “will clear me” over Sunday Times allegations at appeal
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
February 1 – Amos Adamu claims that he is confident of being cleared when he appears before the FIFA Appeals Committee in Zurich tomorrow over corruption claims.
Andrew Warshaw: English spending spree leaves Platini in no doubt who is bottom of Financial Fair Play league
Ever since UEFA announced its financial fair play regulations designed to stop clubs over-spending, Michel Platini has been at pains not to single out the Premier League as the prime culprits. Penny for the UEFA President’s thoughts now.
Any of us who thought – and there are a good many – that the age of mind-boggling transfer fees had been swallowed up by the credit crunch were brought right back to reality when the mid-season window reached its frenzied dramatic conclusion.
Exclusive: Tottenham and West Ham should both play at London 2012 Stadium claims Olympic architect
By Andrew Warshaw
February 1 – The architect who wrote the original Olympic Park study over a decade ago insists that ground-sharing is the only solution after next year’s London Games and that the Government must step in to resolve the ongoing dispute over the future of the site.
Mihir Bose: If English football had more women in power then Keys-Gray sexism would not have happened
Andy Gray and Richard Keys are the only people who appear to be surprised by the storm their comments have caused.
But what really intrigues me are the two issues the whole affair raises. Neither have received much attention. One relates to Sky Sports. The other is best summed up in the following question: where is England’s Karen Espelund?