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December 12 – New Zealand have opened discussions with international officials about retaining the present system of World Cup qualification for the 2014 tournament that would see them trying to reach Brazil via the Asian route.
December 12 – Hull City’s future could depend on the KC Stadium being chosen to be one of the venues for the 2018 World Cup if England’s bid is successful, the club’s chairman Adam Pearson has claimed.
December 11 – The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has officially unveiled former Coca-Cola marketing guru Jonathan Ford (pictured) as its new chief executive, as first revealed by insideworldfootball last month.
By Duncan Mackay
December 11 – Franz Beckenbauer (pictured) has again praised Australia’s bid to host the World Cup but warned, that with the 2018 tournament set to come back to Europe, then 2022 is a more realistic opportunity.
By Duncan Mackay
December 11 – UEFA President Michel Platini (pictured) today ratified the four Ukrainian cities chosen to host the 2012 European championships with the final to take place in Kiev.
December 11 – England coach Fabio Capello (pictured) is paid more than any other manager at next summer’s World Cup, according to a report published today.
December 11 – West Midlands Police have ruled out a criminal investigation into allegations of “financial irregularities” in the accounts of Premier League Birmingham City, they announced today.
By Duncan Mackay
December 11 – Liverpool’s problems, already serious following their elimination from the Champions League and struggling in the Premiership, could become even worse, former Manchester City and England star Rodney Marsh has warned today.
Liverpool are one of the greatest football clubs in world football. But let’s make no mistake, the legends of Anfield are watching solemnly over what is now a distant shadow of the supreme history of this once proud football titan. The names of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley hang like a concrete millstone around the neck of Rafa Benitez.
December 11 – The battle for control of Arsenal has begun to heat up Uzbekistan’s Alisher Usmanov (pictured) increased his stake in the club.
By Tom Degun
December 10 – England is perfectly placed to stage the 2018 World Cup, former West Ham United and Charlton Athletic manager Alan Curbishley (pictured) has claimed.
By Duncan Mackay
December 10 – Sweden and Norway are set to drop plans to submit a joint bid to host the 2016 European Championships after the two countries Governments refused to support it financially.
By Duncan Mackay
December 9 – Baroness Valerie Amos (pictured), Britain’s High Commissioner to Australia, has risked upsetting her hosts by publicly claiming that England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup is much stronger than any of its rivals, including Australia’s.
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By Mike Rowbottom
December 9 – When, a little more than a year after he had managed Derby County to the 1974-75 First Division title, Dave Mackay read a national newspaper story claiming he was to be replaced, his reaction was characteristically defiant. As he admits in his autobiography The Real Mackay (Mainstream, £15.99), he stormed into the boardroom and challenged the club’s directors to deny that they had been behind the article.
By Duncan Mackay
December 9 – ESPN signed a four-year deal £60 million deal today to broadcast live FA Cup matches in Britain to fill the void left by collapsed network Setanta.