Quote of the week
Harry Redknapp – managing three games for free (“I told Birmingham I don’t want nothing, I’m not interested in the money”) – asked about his “nice” £250,000 survival bonus: “It’s not that nice, not that nice. It wasn’t a money deal for me.”
• Harry’s motivation for his last job, two games in charge of Jordan in 2016: “When I met Prince Ali I just liked him very much. He’s football crazy. I didn’t ask about money, or anything like that. I was excited. It was something different.”
Runner-up
Sepp Blatter – helping the US Department of Justice with their inquiries, but “never as a person of interest or under scrutiny. Never. I have been investigated in two or three matters, but it’s no wrongdoing. I am only a person for information.”
Also back in the news
a) Trinidad’s indicted Jack Warner – facing a federal fraud complaint in the US from Concacaf, who aim to recoup “not less than $20m” from him and his former Trump Tower neighbour Chuck Blazer. Warner denies wrongdoing.
b) Former Costa Rica FA head Eduardo Li – banned last week for bribes and embezzling $90k from the 2014 U17s Women’s World Cup. Li told Fifa.com in 2014 what he’d gained from hosting the event: “Great pride and satisfaction.”
c) Ghana FA head Kwesi Nyantakyi – taking time out to inaugurate “The Kwesi Nyantakyi Fan Club” and tipping himself for high office: “I deserve to be vice-president at CAF. It’s a path chosen for me by God.”
And d) Brazil’s FA – run by the indicted Marco Polo Del Nero, successor to the indicted Ricardo Teixeira and the extradited José Maria Marin – announcing a $14.16m profit at their general meeting: “During a crisis you grow, and find answers.” All deny wrongdoing. Folha de S.Paulo: “At the end of the meeting, each FA executive left the building with a suitcase of gifts from sponsors.”
Plus: stat of the week
6: The number of Brazil’s 12 World Cup stadium construction projects now under investigation over irregularities and bribes. Fifa’s view: it had “no influence or control” over deals. “Fifa expects all parties hosting Fifa competitions to follow local laws and regulations.”
Other news: swings and roundabouts
New last week: a) The #FootballWelcomes campaign - 20 clubs backing Amnesty’s pro-refugee initiative to send a message on “breaking down barriers”. And b) US Federal Election Commission documents revealing donors to the Trump inauguration fund: $1m from Arsenal’s Stan Kroenke, $1m from Fulham’s Shahid Khan, and $250k from Man United’s Ed Glazer.
Clarification of the week
The Sun, 22 April 2017: “On April 14 we published a piece in the Kelvin MacKenzie column about footballer Ross Barkley which made unfavourable comparisons between Mr Barkley and a gorilla. At the time of publication the paper was unaware of Ross Barkley’s heritage and there was never any slur intended.” (The Sun, 12 May 2014: “Roy Hodgson has put his faith in youth to try to win next month’s World Cup. Rising star Ross Barkley had the option to play for Nigeria through a grandfather, but picked the Three Lions instead ...”)
Most reflective
Ex-Leyton Orient owner Barry Hearn, reflecting on relegation, debt and unpaid staff under Francesco Becchetti: “Sadly, I sold to the wrong person.” (Hearn’s view when he did the deal in 2014: “Remember Willy Wonka and the golden ticket? That’s what Orient have now. We’re going to be the envy of every small club.”)
Manager news: moving on this month
• Argentina, 7 Apr: New FA president Claudio Tapia reflects on his first meeting with coach Edgardo Bauza: “I left the meeting with a good impression of Bauza, whom I didn’t know before this. We will continue to get to know each other.”
11 Apr: Sacks him.
• Italy, 19 Feb: Genoa president Enrico Preziosi sacks Ivan Juric and hires Andrea Mandorlini because: “We couldn’t go on like that, I should have done this sooner. We need experience, we need Mandorlini.”
10 Apr: Sacks Mandorlini, rehires Juric.
• Italy, 20 Mar: New Palermo owner Paul Baccaglini pledges a “serious” culture shift: “I reaffirm my confidence in Diego Lopez: we stick with Diego Lopez. Mr Zamparini is not the president here now, I am the president, and I’ve decided.”
11 Apr: Sacks him.
Most misunderstood
Tunisia: CS Sfaxien president Moncef Khemakhem, appealing against his life ban for kissing, biting and pinching an assistant referee in what he called an effort “to cheer him up” and “secure our rights with teeth and fingers”. Khemakhem says his post-match comments were “misinterpreted”.
Most easily distracted
Colombia: Santa Fe’s PA announcer, misreading his intro to a minute’s silence for 1960s Santos player Kaneko, instead asking fans to honour “Santos player Ricardo Oliveira”, who was standing in the centre circle. Oliveira: “There’s no need for him to say sorry. It’s alright.”
Previo a Santa Fe- Santos por Libertadores se hizo 1 minuto de silencio por la muerte de Ricardo Oliveira, el jugador estaba en cancha 😳😂 pic.twitter.com/89UPJRYiN7
— Diego Gard (@diepanda_13) April 21, 2017
Employer of the month
Romania: Botoșani owner Valeriu Iftime, reacting to his players dropping points after he saved money by having them travel to an away game on a sleeper train. “They are stupid, weak, impotent. Vasvari played like he was 150 years old, waiting for his pension to buy a place in the world’s biggest cemetery. They’re tired because they sleep in bunks? Come on. What am I supposed to do? Hire a stewardess for each player? Should I tickle their feet?”
And most generous
Mexico: Celebrity witch Zulema, visiting struggling Cruz Azul to cleanse their aura with her “Ritual Satánico”, featuring a cow’s head, a pig’s head, coconuts, sulphur and four candles. “No one paid me, I came for me. I just wanted to show people - witchcraft exists for good, not just bad.”
#limpiaenelazul la bruja Zulema quiere quitarle la maldición al @Cruz_Azul_FC , hace ritual, promete que le ganará a @Chivas !! pic.twitter.com/TfKM5Qi22w
— Christian (@Christian82Vila) April 20, 2017
