As questions are asked about where the cash-strapped South African Football Association (Safa) is going to get more than R30-million to pay bonuses to its three top executives, it has emerged that the organisation’s books will show a R50-million deficit when they are tabled at Safa’s annual general meeting scheduled for September.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s position as national coach would be untenable if he were the Italy manager. Though it is off-the-field matters that threaten Eriksson’s position as England manager, defeat in the quarterfinals in two successive international tournaments would already have cost him his job in more demanding footballing environments.
The English Football Association unveiled a new disciplinary code this week designed to punish players quicker and allow faster appeals procedures to ensure greater transparency in the way footballers are punished. The idea was initiated by the FA’s chief executive, Mark Palios.
The penalty shootout is a cruel way to settle a great championship. Several Euro 2004 matches were decided by penalties, so where did the spot-kick come from? The Observer‘s literary editor, Robert McCrum, has the answer.
After all, penalties were his great-grandfather’s idea …
Patrick Kluivert’s move to Newcastle has created a good deal of excited talk, and not just among those with shares in Tyneside nightclubs. Some critics have wondered if the Dutchman is an over-egged pudding. Many more doubting voices might be raised were the brains behind the move not those of Newcastle’s Freddy Shepherd.
It’s been a tough few days for Wayne Rooney, who is learning the harsh lessons of life rather too quickly for an 18-year-old. He started the week as a happily engaged lad-made-good, the most wanted teenager in football. Last Sunday, the Sunday Mirror revealed England’s Euro 2004 top-scorer had been scoring with an escort.
The United States Senate report on Riggs bank details a path of corruption, cover-ups and unscrupulous collusion between the respected bank and the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Single-party rule was officially ended in Equatorial Guinea in 1991, but free and fair elections have not followed.
Roman Abramovich’s transfer spending since he bought the Stamford Bridge club just more than a year ago now exceeds £200-million. But there are still a few decent players for Europe’s footballing money men to chase. Get the lowdown on Fernando Torres, Pablo, David Trezeguet and the rest of the bunch.
Organisers of the Athens Olympics admitted on Thursday that fewer than half of the 5,3-million tickets for the event have been sold, raising the prospect that athletes will perform before sparsely filled stadiums. At this stage, ticket sales for the Sydney games had surpassed 75%.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard fuelled diplomatic tensions with Greece on Friday by again warning of the possibility of a terrorist attack at the Athens Olympics that start on August 13. Howard appealed to the Greek government and the Greek ambassador to Australia not to take offence at his comments.