FIFA faces backlash over Qatar world Cup location

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FIFA faces backlash over Qatar world Cup location Football’s governing body FIFA is in danger of coming into dispute with top clubs in Europe over its handling of the decision to give World Cup 2022 to Qatar and the expansion of the international footballing calendar, with many of the European leagues, in particular the Premiership, stretched as things currently stand.

FIFA apparently did not consult clubs over its suggestions that the World Cup might be played in the winter months in Qatar – which would have huge ramifications for Europe’s premier league fixtures – instead of playing in the hot summer, as proposed by the Qatar bid. The Qatar soccer organisation has continued to insist that the World Cup will be played in their summer, as originally planned.

The heads of both Barcelona and Manchester, President Sandro Rosell and Chief Executive David Gill, respectively, have both expressed their surprise over FIFA’s handling of the affair.

With UEFA Champions League coming up in the next week, many competing clubs have also expressed concerns at the wisdom of having 4 games plus travelling in the space of only 10 days.

Umberto Gandini of AC Milan also expressed his displeasure at FIFA’s treatment of the international calendar. An alternative has been proposed by the European Club Association, including a limit of one international tournament annually and, instead of having individual games, to have entire periods for the national teams. Commenting, Michele Centaro of the association said that there must be greater transparency in FIFA decision-making, particularly where those decisions impact on club football.

All of this couldn’t have come at a worse time for controversial FIFA President Sepp Blatter, with elections imminent.

Bobby Charlton aims for British football team

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Bobby Charlton aims for British football team The London Olympics in 2012 could see an all British football team for the first time ever if Sir Bobby Charlton and Lord Coe have their way. All of the home countries compete together at the Olympic Games as Great Britain in every other sport except football.

Sir Bobby, 1966 England World Cup hero and one of Manchester United’s famous ‘Busby Babes’, speaking at the Laureus World Sport Awards, dropped very strong hints that this is a possibility, saying that Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Olympics, had asked him to help turn the dream into a reality. He added that, although, competing as a unified team might mean the home countries lose their individual passion and pride, he thought that they might be able to pull it off.

Previous efforts to create a unified team have met with resistance from all of the other home nations except England, because their national football federations have been worried that a joint team would weaken their position as individual nations, at least in the eyes of the governing body, FIFA. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said in the past that it would welcome a Great Britain football team.

The home nations used to compete in a series called the Home International Championship until 1983-4. This has been revived as a one-off for 2011, the Carling Nations Cup, with all home countries except England represented.

The great football pub TV war ignites again

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The great football pub TV war ignites again Karen Murphy is a determined woman, and even though she was fined £8,000 about four years ago for breach of the Premier League’s copyright, she’s still fighting, and she may win.  If she does it will mean a major upheaval for the League’s broadcasting strategy.  Murphy is the proprietor of Red, White & Blue, a street-corner pub in Portsmouth, and her crime was bypassing the Premier League’s exclusive broadcaster, BSkyB and using a much less expensive Greek broadcaster to screen matches in her pub.

The Premier League said that Murphy had no right to go with the cheaper decoder, and sued her for copyright infringement.  They won at that level, but Murphy has taken the case to a higher court.  This week the Advocate General at the European Court of Justice, Juliane Kokott, ruled that Murphy did have the right.  Since the opinion of the Advocate General is followed in about 80% of cases before the EU high court, it looks like a good possibility that the decision will be passed to the High Court in London after the EU panel meets in three months.

BSkyB and ESPN are the only two networks authorized to broadcast Premier League football matches in the UK at this time, and that is a very lucrative operation for them, and for the League.  The current 3-year deal with BSkyB will make the League about £1.6 billion.  BSkyB makes about £200 million every year from sales of subscriptions to commercial customers such as pubs.  Both the Premier League and Sky are expected to fight the anticipated decision, on the basis that such a change in the structure of broadcast rights in the UK should be done through “proper legislative processes” and not through the courts.

All change at Wrexham Football Club

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All change at Wrexham Football Club Following the step down of Chairman Ian Roberts and owner Geoff Moss from the board of the Wrexham Football Club the team is set to be sold. Stepping up as the new chairman of the board will be Robert Bickerton who has served in the past on the board of Macclesfield and Shrewsbury.

At one point it was thought that the club would be sold off by its parent club Wrexham Village Ltd but decide to keep the Racecourse Ground stadium.  However, now Van Morton Investments is now slated to purchase the facilities and grounds at a coming date.

There is still no word of how the sale of the grounds will have a permanent impact on the Blues Square Premier partners or what the Crusaders rugby league club will do now that it is sold given the fact that the rugby team practices at the grounds as well.

The North Wales club released a statement that announced the sale of the team and then later the ability to purchase the grounds and the training area at a later date.  The announcement also said that as a result of the decision to sell the team Robert Bickerton was chosen to take on the task of chairman of the board and that the board will also have a new director in Tony Allen who is responsible for running the football club as its chief executive.

Tony Allen originally went into administration working with Notts County and in the past has also been the secretary of Chester City, Wigan Athletic, and Port Vale. Van Morton Investments on the other hand is a new firm that is hoping to help attract funding to the team.

MP’s ask Germans how to run football

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MP's ask Germans how to run football MP’s are going to Germany to find better ways to run the game of English football. The members of the Culture, Media, and Sport select committee are due in a couple of weeks to arrive in Munich and Frankfurt on a duty to discover facts,

The straw that broke the camel’s back for England was the loss of the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa to the German footballers. Since that loss the English are checking their motivation and technique. Following the bid to host the World Cup in 2018 and its subsequent loss at a very low vote of only two last month, the introspection has become severe.

The Germans have long been seen as the leader in developing youth into great footballers. They have set severe restrictions against foreign footballers in the Bundesliga. They forbid foreign ownership above 49% in the club’s shares, as well.

The best factor that allows the Germans to retain control of their football club is the  Deutscher Fussball Bund is constantly managing the entire game throughout their country, particularly the Bundesliga.

The Football Association in England has given way more and more over the past 20 years to the Premier League.

Hugh Robertson, Sports Minister, made statements last week that of all sports in Britain, football was the worst run. This has mounted pressure as well.

This temporary measure of a trip is now a nationally significant soul search.

Written evidence has the deadline of Wednesday, while verbal evidence will open in February.

Lord Terry Burns, who penned a special report regarding the management of football, that was cast aside without reading by the FA, is due to be a key witness.