By David Owen in Johannesburg
June 14 – Franz Beckenbauer (pictured), the FIFA Executive Committee member and former German captain, has entered the growing debate over vuvuzelas at the 2010 World Cup.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 14 – Chung Mong-joon has resigned as chairman of South Korea’s Grand National Party (GNP), allowing him more time to lobby on behalf of his country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
June 14 – England’s away games in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports, it has been announced.
June 14 – Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler (pictured) has launched a legal action against North Queensland Fury and Football Federation Australia (FFA).
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June 14 – FIFA has signed a deal with Asia’s broadcasters so that North Korean television can air its first match in the World Cup finals for 44 years tomorrow.
By David Owen at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
June 13 – Tonight at a little before 6pm in Pretoria, one-time citadel of Boer power, the 2010 World Cup came alive.
June 13 – Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of South Africa 2010, has admitted that he would rather fans sung than blew the vuvuzela at World Cup matches after international broadcasters complained.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 11 – Nottingham is hoping that the shirt Argentina’s Diego Maradona wore when he scored his famous “Hand of God” goal will help the city’s bid to be a host city if England wins its bid to host the 2018 World Cup.
June 13 – Prince William and Prince Harry are due to begin a joint tour of Southern Africa tomorrow that will see them combine promoting their charity interests with cheering on England’s World Cup bid.
June 13 - About 13 million people tuned in to watch the United States draw with England in the World Cup on ABC last night - making it the fifth most-watched game ever in the US, the network announced.
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By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 13 – The United States have tried to take advantage of Australia’s problems with the rival codes by insisting that they have no problem with gaining control of the stadiums that they want to use for the World Cup.
By David Owen at Ellis Park, Johannesburg
June 12 – “We don’t know what is going to happen today”. This comment by Sergio Gustavo Segovia, a journalist with Diario Crónica, the Buenos Aires daily, epitomises the ambivalence many Argentinians feel about the man at the helm of their 2010 World Cup challenge: Diego Armando Maradona, possessor of the notorious Hand of God, quite possibly the greatest footballer seen on this planet.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 12 – The United States does not have any plans at the moment to withdraw its bid for the 2018 World Cup, even though they are the only non-European bidders left following the decision of Australia earlier this week to concentrate on winning the right to host the 2022 tournament.
As I start to write this piece, England’s footballers are about to engage in their latest bid to end 30 years of hurt - sorry, make that 44 years, forgot to add the 14 since the European Championships ended with that penalty shoot-out at Wembley against let’s move on - and their prospects are as boundless as a blank page. Southgate. Why couldn’t he just blast it?
So we’re all at it again. Hoping.
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 11 – A panel of legal experts have been appointed by the Trinidad and Tobago Government to advise them on whether FIFA vice-president Jack Warner (pictured) should be allowed to combine his football roles with his position as the country’s Minister of Works and Transport.