Canada 2-0 El Salvador
June 24 – Fresh from emerging from a Concacaf-imposed timeout, Canadian head coach Jesse Marsch returned to the technical area at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, knowing any more misbehaviour would send him back to the naughty room. He needn’t have worried as their opponents El Salvador simply imploded in a red mist.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 18 – The head of the Swiss Football Association (SFV) has implied that FIFA bullied his federation into an impossible position by threatening a suspension from all international football over the Sion affair.
By David Gold
December 18 – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has indicated that he will not prevent his players from competing at the London 2012 Olympic Games next year, despite having previously stated his opposition to their participation.
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 18 – A plan to lift a controversial ban on women wearing a hijab, he Islamic headscarf, is set to be put before the International Football Association Board (IFAB) next year.
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 17 – Switzerland face the prospect of being banned from world football unless they take action against FC Sion, who have conducted a high-profile legal campaign to oveturn a ban from the Europa League.
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 17 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter has thrown his full support behind Issa Hayatou, the head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), who earlier this month was reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 17 – Britain’s former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith (pictured) has joined FIFA’s new Independent Governance Committee, it was revealed here today.
By David Gold
December 19 – Romário has praised fellow Brazilian great Ronaldo’s involvement in the Organising Committee for the 2014 World Cup, saying that his face means they have “everything to make the competition a success”.
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 17 – FIFA has cleared Executive Committee member Worawi Makudi over a controversial land deal where saw the head of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) accused of benefitting from development funds, Sepp Blatter announced here today.
By Duncan Mackay
December 16 – Wayne Rooney seems set to miss out on the opportunity of playing in next year’s Olympics after Stuart Pearce confirmed he will not select any player for Team GB at London 2012 if they have been part of the England squad for the European Championships.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 16 – Danny Jordaan, the organiser of last year’s World Cup in South Africa, has hit back at what he claims was a personal attack on him following his withdrawal from the race to take over football in Southern Africa.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 16 – Ted Howard (pictured) is to become the new general secretary of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) replacing the outgoing Chuck Blazer, insideworldfootball has learned.
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 16 – Issa Hayatou is “incorruptible”, a top African football official who worked on England’s bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup has claimed, despite a stain being placed on his character after he was given a reprimand by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
By Duncan Mackay at the Ritz Carlton in Tokyo
December 16 – There is no reason to investigate Dinamo Zagreb’s controversial 7-1 defeat against Lyon in the Champions League despite 15 players and referees in Croatia being found guilty for their role in match-fixing, UEFA President Michel Platini claimed here today.
In the last few weeks, readers of the sports pages of British newspapers may have been forgiven for thinking we are facing another American revolution. Having given the distinct impression that they had joined a new order of sporting Trappist monks on crossing the pond, American owners of English clubs have suddenly become as voluble as teenagers let out of school. Or at least two very prominent owners have.
Yet what they have said shows that there is still a vast gulf between the old world and the new when it comes to sport.
By David Gold
December 15 – With a host of Celtic and Rangers players expressing their desire to play in the Great Britain football team at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the managers of the two teams, respectively Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist, are in disagreement over their involvement next summer.