David Owen: Angolan attack highlights South African security concerns

David Owen small(1)

It has been a dreadful start to the year for African football.

I was just settling down to write a column arguing that African governing body CAF’s decision to sign an exclusive sponsorship deal with Qatar 2022 demonstrated that FIFA needed to take a firmer grip on the World Cup bidding process - either that or simply auction the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to the highest bidders - when word of the attack on the Togo team came through.

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Manchester City record losses of £92.6 million

By Duncan Mackay

January 6 – Manchester City have reported a loss of £92.6 million up until May 31, 2009, the biggest annual loss in English football history and emphasises the vast amounts of money invested by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan since he bought the Eastlands outfit from Thaksin Shinawatra in September 2008.

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Donovan attacks MLS owners over contract negotiations

By Duncan Mackay

January 5 – Landon Donovan (pictured), the United States best known player and a club-mate of David Beckham’s at Los Angeles Galaxy, tonight warned that Major League Soccer is heading for a lockout when the organisation’s five-year labour contract expires at the end of this month.

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