Job of the week
Fifa’s ethics team: asked to rate the ethics behind Sepp Blatter, Jérôme Valcke and former finance director Markus Kattner sharing £55.7m in hidden bonuses. Lawyers called it a “coordinated effort at enrichment”; all three deny wrongdoing.
• Included in the £55.7m total: a £17.8m three-way payout after 2010’s South Africa World Cup – a tournament Sepp pledged would end “old world” exploitation of the continent. “For 100 years colonialists have only gone to Africa to exploit it, to take out all the best things, with no respect. Fifa is giving back.”
Meanwhile: fresh faces
a) Slovenia FA head Aleksander Ceferin – favourite to win Uefa’s presidency this week, thanks to the support of backers including Russia’s sports minister Vitaly Mutko. Mutko says voters should reject Ceferin’s rival, Michael van Praag, because “he caused splits in world football last year by speaking out against Blatter”.
b) And Qatar’s FA vice-chairman Saoud Al Mohannadi – aiming to win a seat on Fifa’s reform council despite Fifa opening ethics proceedings against him last week. He denies wrongdoing. “I am more convinced than ever of the value I have to offer.”
News cycle: moving on
2015: Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says they could drop Qatar as shirt sponsors due to the risk of reputational brand damage, citing “social and political issues”. 2016: Barça open talks over a new four-year deal.
Elsewhere: row of the week
Potential new Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis – reacting after an Athens prosecutor said he should be remanded in custody on disputed charges of fraud, extortion, bribery, running a match-fixing gang and having a referee’s bakery blown up. The Olympiakos owner says he’ll sue the prosecutor “for this brutal attack upon my person”.
Last week’s manager news
• Belgium, 9 Aug: Standard Liège executive Bob Claes rejects calls to sack coach Yannick Ferrera: “We don’t bother with what’s said and written, it’s just panic. Sacking a coach after two or three games would be totally over-emotional.” 6 Sep: Sacks him after five.
• Italy: Palermo president Maurizio “Coach Eater” Zamparini, denying he forced out manager Davide Ballardini two games into the new season. “He walked out. He’s an unsatisfactory person. He texted to say: ‘I don’t agree with you, so I’m off.’ I’ll sue him for damages.” Zamparini says new coach Roberto De Zerbi is a “much better” long-term fit. “He has a winning mentality”.
• Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: “The speculation [over Arsenal] is meaningless. I don’t want to hear it, I don’t need to hear it. I’m loyal. I love this town”. (2011 – 11 Jan: Howe turns down Palace: “It’d be very difficult to leave these players and fantastic supporters. I’m delighted to stay: there’s a good feeling in this town – it’s a joy to be around.” 14 Jan: Joins Burnley.)
• England’s Sam Allardyce, two months into his £6m two-year FA contract: “It’s not for me to say where Wayne’s going to play.”
• And South Africa coach Shakes Mashaba, still feeling got at: “Criticism is everywhere. You’re criticised even if you are eating, people say you eat too much.” Last year he pledged to rise above it “like Jesus Christ himself. He went through it and just kept on preaching.”
PR news: big week for
Manchester United sponsors Apollo: upgraded from Official Tyre Partner to Official Global Tyre Partner – alongside United’s Official Global Paint Partner, Official Global Noodle Partner, and Yanmar, makers of the Official Tractor of Manchester United.
Modern football 🙈 #DerbyDay #Tractor pic.twitter.com/8kTK2h6Ia6
— Craig Nicoll (@NicoYork) September 10, 2016
Respect campaign news
Argentina: Fourth-tier game Tiro Federal versus Atenas de Río Cuarto ending early after referee Marcos Romera sent off eight Atenas players for “mauling me … When I got back in the changing room, their president came in and asked me to apologise to them. I can’t get my head round it.”
Saddest exit
Italy: Striker Dani Osvaldo, quitting football aged 30 to “focus on music”, four months after Boca Juniors released him for “indiscipline” and smoking in the toilets. His vision when he joined Boca last year: “I’m here to lend a hand, with humility. I just hope it all goes well.”
Most picky
Ronaldinho: weighing up playing for one more year before he finishes. “Whatever I choose this year must be compatible with all my interests.” (Jan 2015: Mexican club Querétaro’s fitness coach reveals he gave Ronaldinho a tailored regime because “as a rule he does not do physical exercise - I cannot make him run because he doesn’t like it. There are many things he doesn’t like.”)
Coolest revenge
Italy: Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero – reacting after Antonio Cassano ignored his advice to “get lost” in the transfer window. “He is not an intelligent person. I spoke to him twice, then just gave up, so now it’s over. He’ll spend a year under a duvet and train in his socks.”
Plus: cameo of the week
Brazil: Stray dog Zulu - achieving meme status after chasing Goiás left-back Juninho during a Serie B game in Pelotas. Juninho said he panicked because “you can’t tell with dogs”; locals told RBS TV that Zulu is “just soppy … If he sees a ball, he goes chasing.”
O cachorro que entrou ontem para trollar a comemoração do Goias. #futebol #goias #cachorro #cão #invasao pic.twitter.com/L5554qINnd
— Esportudo (@Esportudo) September 3, 2016
