Move of the week
Joe Hart – joining Torino for their “humility… I like that. That’s how I want to be”, two months after his new Nike Pro Genius Self-Talk ft Joe Hart
ad debuted at full-time of England 1 Iceland 2. His message in the ad: “I can stop anything, I will dominate my area. The only person who can beat me is me.”
Other window highlights
1) Valencia’s Paco Alcácer, July: “A few years ago I never dreamed I’d be at Valencia, let alone be captain. Now I want trophies for this club, that would be the bomb. When I put this shirt on I feel the tingle, the pride.” August: Joins Barça.
2) Aug 2015: Islam Slimani signs a new Sporting Lisbon five-year deal. “It’s the best decision I ever made. When I hear thousands of Sporting fans call my name I feel it, for me, and for my family. This is the club that made me.” Aug 2016: Requests transfer, joins Leicester.
3) Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuaín, May: “I just feel so loved at Napoli. I feel it more than at any other club.” July: Joins Juve.
• Also following his heart – Moussa Sissoko, 2013: “When I was a kid Arsenal made me dream.” 2014: “Arsenal were always my favourites. I always loved that club, I still love that club. There are a lot of rumours, but I have an agent who takes care of such matters.” June 2016: “As I often said, when I was young Arsenal was the club of my heart. The beautiful Arsenal. We will see.” August: Joins Spurs.
• Most subtle plea: Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez, 16 August, committing his future. Although: “Now, there are two or three clubs in the world, that if they come for me, it definitely makes you think, if you understand what I am trying to say...”
• Plus: best timing - A Football Foundation press release, issued with seven hours left on deadline day as spending passed £1bn, revealing £28.3m went to grassroots in the last six months. “Premier League clubs are investing in the heart of local communities.”
Other news: reformer of the week
Gianni Infantino – calling his new Fifa pay deal proof of his emerging anti-greed culture. Infantino said his reduced £1.15m basic plus bonuses, car, house and £1,542 a month expenses “reflects more than any word can reflect my strong will to end the behaviour that has, in the recent past, led to abuses”.
• Also last month: Infantino says thanks to “all those who cooperated with the investigation to ensure truth prevailed” after Fifa’s ethics committee cleared him over alleged misuse of private jets and expenses. Fifa said two employees alleged to have been whistleblowers in the case “have now left us, due to restructuring”.
Manager news: tough week for
Bulgaria: New Botev Plovdiv coach Nikolay Mitov, resigning two hours into the job after 30 fans abused him at the training ground. Botev owner Rumen Chandarov: “Generally in life I respect the views of others, even the greatest morons. But I cannot respect this.”
Most flighty
Italy, 1 Aug: Gennaro Gattuso resigns as Pisa manager due to “serious and relentless issues. This decision is irrevocable.” 1 Sep: Revokes it.
(Gattuso’s previous best rethink: Sept 2014 at an OFI Crete press conference, shouting at Greek journalists in English: “No leave. Leave what? Leave what? It’s too easy for me leave. No, me stay here.” 26 Oct: Leaves. 27 Oct: Comes back. “I’m loved here. How can I leave?” 30 Dec: Leaves again.)
Best newcomer
New Villa owner @Dr_TonyXia’s top two pre‑season messages: 1) “It was because of impatience that they were expelled from Paradise; it is because of indolence that they do not return – Kafka.” And 2) a pledge to listen to fans: “Quotation from Mao: We must have faith in the masses.”
Best metaphor
Romania: Botosani manager Leo Grozavu, bringing a jar of pickles to a press conference last month to make a point. “Look at my pickles. This is how I describe the state of Romanian football. We are smaller pickles, others are bigger pickles. It’s time to be realistic.”
Most contrite
Universidad de Chile coach Sebastián Beccacece – facing a ban for kicking over a pitch-side fridge during a tantrum. Officials condemned “an explosive act against an electronic device”. Beccacece: “I want to apologise for this massive error on my part. I’ve been really bad.”
Sebastián Beccacece se enojó con la derrota de la U de Chile en el clásico y se descargó a las patadas pic.twitter.com/oStaMmHpyW
— Matias Navarro (@Mati_navarro) August 27, 2016
Most graphic
Brazil: Corinthians director Eduardo Ferreira, asked why the club cleared out 20 squad players in eight months. “Consider it like this. When one has a belly ache, often the answer is rapid diarrhoea, high volume, rather than letting it linger for days, for weeks, for years. We feel better for it.”
Feeling content
Sweden: Third-tier Norrby IF defender Medi Dresevic, reflecting on being shown a second yellow for celebrating his hat-trick by taking a seat in the stands and applauding himself. “It’s been positive all in all. The coach was dissatisfied and fined me, but I knew I’d go viral.”
And: most misunderstood
Brazil: Miss Bumbum 2015 winner Suzy Cortez – appealing to Lionel Messi to unblock her on Instagram after she reportedly “inundated him with selfies”. “I think blocking me was just his wife exaggerating these things. What an over-reaction.”
