Tag Archives: FA

BREAKING: Ibrahimovich to serve three-match ban after accepting FA’s charges

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Manchester United has been dealt a severe blow as Zlatan Ibrahimovich is set to serve a three-match ban after accepting the English FA’s charge of violent conduct in an EPL match in which Zlatan was seen pulling an elbow action on Bournemouth defender Tyrone Mings.

As well as the FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea, Mourinho’s former club, at Stamford Bridge on Monday, Ibrahimovic will miss the Premier League games away to Middlesbrough and at home to West Bromwich Albion on April 1, after the international break.

The Swedish striker had until 6pm on a Tuesday to respond to the FA and opted not to contest the charge, despite claiming in the wake of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford that Mings had “jumped” into his right elbow. The incident was missed by referee Kevin Friend at the time but it was determined that the incident merited a retrospective red card when the footage was reviewed on Monday.

Amaju Pinnick leads campaign against Issa Hayatou’s re-election.

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The Nigeria’s Football Federation (NFF) is backing a challenge to the long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou.

Mr. Hayatou is standing for an eighth successive term of office, but faces opposition from Ahmad Ahmad, the head of Madagascar’s FA.

Amaju Pinnick, president of the NFF, told the BBC the election would be “a defining moment for African football.”

Pinnick said CAF needs a “new generation” of leadership, following the change at the top of the world governing body FIFA.

He cited “post election differences between Gianni [Infantino, the new Fifa president] and Issa Hayatou, which are irreconcilable.”

Infantino was in Johannesburg yesterday for a gathering of football federation leaders from across the continent.

He is then due to visit Zimbabwe at the invitation of the head of the southern African confederation, Cosafa – which also backs Ahmad.

Pinnick acknowledged that Hayatou could still win – but said if he did, the veteran Camerounian would need to be open to different influences.

“You have to listen to a larger audience instead of just a tiny cabal, you have to know it goes beyond you,” Pinnick said.

“I will definitely work with him if he wins but my prayer is we need a bridge builder and that person is Ahmad.”

FA back away from Wenger with preference for English manager

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The FA have distanced themselves from Arsene Wenger becoming the next England manager after confirming their preference is for an Englishman.

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke, while answering questions from MPs on alleged corruption in football, said the governing body “would like an English manager if we can get one”.

He said: “But if we can’t, we’d like someone who has managed extensively in the Premier League so he understands the English football system, its development, the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) etc.

“And I think we’d be crazy to appoint anyone who has never worked in English football. So it’s a taxonomy.”

Arsenal boss Wenger recently stated he was open to managing England “one day” but backed interim boss Gareth Southgate to take on the job full-time.

Southgate fits the criteria having managed Middlesbrough in the Premier League for three years between 2006 and 2009, when they were relegated.

Current Englishmen managing in the Premier League are Eddie Howe, Alan Pardew, Sean Dyce and Mike Phelan.

Steve Bruce, who recently took over at Aston Villa, was interviewed before the job was given to Sam Allardyce in the summer and is one of just five English managers outside the top flight that have Premier League experience.

Leeds United boss Garry Monk is another, as well as Neil Warnock, Steve McClaren, who failed to take England to Euro 2008 as boss, and Southend manager Phil Brown.

Facing a grilling from the Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Monday, FA chairman Clarke defended their handling of Allardyce’s departure after he was filmed by a newspaper discussing how to “get around” FA transfer rules.

Clarke said Allardyce “gave 100 per cent to FA commitments as manager” and “significant enquiries” on the ex-West Ham boss “raised no significant issues” before his appointment.

Clarke confirmed a financial settlement was made with Allardyce to terminate his contract by mutual consent, but he did not disclose the amount because of a confidentiality agreement.

Asked to justify the pay-off in light of grassroots issues, including a lack of funding, Clarke said: “I obeyed the law of the land and took the advice of a QC. Any right thinking person would rather spend money on facilities. But we will always obey the law. We took external advice.”

Sam Allardyce: England Manager Allegations Investigated By FA

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The Football Association is investigating allegations England manager Sam Allardyce used his role to negotiate a £400,000 deal and offer advice on how to “get around” rules on player transfers.

The Telegraph has footage it says is from August of Allardyce meeting men claiming to represent a Far East firm where he appears to say third-party ownership rules can be avoided.

The 61-year-old has yet to respond to the allegations, while the FA has asked to see the paper’s filmed recordings.

It will meet on Tuesday morning when new chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn must decide whether the issue is one of poor judgement or something more serious.

“I want all the facts, to hear everything from everyone and make a judgement about what to do,” Clarke told the Daily Mail.

“Natural justice requires us to get to the bottom of the issues before we make any decision. It is not appropriate to pre-judge the issue. With things like this you have to take a deep breath.”

Third-party ownership of players was banned by the FA in 2008.

During the meeting with the businessmen, who were undercover reporters, it is alleged Allardyce – who was only named England boss in July – said it was “not a problem” to bypass the rules and he knew of agents who were “doing it all the time”.

It is alleged by the paper that a deal was struck with the England boss worth £400,000 for him to represent the company to Far East investors, and to be a keynote speaker at events.

Allardyce tells the undercover reporters any arrangement would have to be cleared by the FA.

Third-party ownership, in which investment companies take a stake in the economic rights of players, was described as a form of “slavery” by Michel Platini, the former president of European football’s governing body Uefa.

World football’s governing body Fifa banned the practice in May last year.

Allardyce attended the meeting with the fictitious businessmen in London along with his agent, Mark Curtis, and his financial adviser, Shane Moloney.

During the meeting he said Enner Valencia had been under a third-party ownership agreement when he signed the Ecuador forward for £12m for West Ham from Mexican club Pachuca in 2014, but that the third-party ownership ended on the transfer and the Hammers acquired the player “whole”.

Curtis and Moloney have not yet responded to the allegations.

In the Telegraph recording, Allardyce also refers to predecessor Roy Hodgson, as “Woy”, referencing his speech impediment.

He also criticises former assistant coach Gary Neville – saying Hodgson should have told him to “sit down and shut up” – as well as the FA’s decision to “stupidly” rebuild Wembley Stadium at a cost of £870m.

Former Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham and Sunderland manager Allardyce succeeded Hodgson, who quit after England were knocked out of Euro 2016 in the last 16 by Iceland.

He has had just one game in charge of the national side – a 1-0 win over Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier earlier this month. 

He is due to name his squad on Sunday for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, including his first Wembley match in charge against Malta on 8 October (17:00 BST kick-off).

Read More : BBC.COM

Bale’s Agent Slams ‘Disgraceful’ Transfer Leak And Demands Investigation

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Details of the Welshman’s transfer from Tottenham have been revealed, detailing that he cost more than Cristiano Ronaldo

Gareth Bale‘s agent Jonathan Barnett has described the leaked details of the Welshman’s transfer to Real Madrid as “disgraceful” and demanded an investigation.

Website Football Leaks published documents detailing the star’s transfer in 2013 which state the world-record figure paid by Madrid to Tottenham.

It is claimed the Santiago Bernabeu club parted with €100,759,418 for Bale – more than the €94m fee paid for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009 – despite their previous insistence that Bale’s deal cost closer to €91.59m.

Reports in Spain also suggest Tottenham were forbidden from disclosing details of the transfer fee, which is understood to have been paid in four installments.

Barnett is furious at the leak and has called for apologies from the Football Association, telling Telegraph Sport: “There should be an inquiry and an independent investigation because it’s outrageous.

“There also needs to be an apology from the Football Association to the clubs and the player.

“I think it’s disgraceful that people can get hold of this sort of stuff. It shows complete disregard for both clubs and the player.”

A British journalist claimed this month that Madrid had instructed him not to mention Bale’s world-record fee during an interview with the 26-year-old.

“Real Madrid are a club so worried about image that when I interviewed Bale it was requested to me, ‘don’t put in the article how much Gareth Bale cost’,” Jonathan Norcroft of The Sunday Times told the BBC.

“The reason for that is because it was a world-record transfer fee, but Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t like to see that someone else cost more than him.”

News Alert!!! Platini’s FIFA Presidency Bid Suffers Blow As English FA Back Down From Support

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The body had supported the ex-France international’s bid to take over the world governing body, but will now wait on the results of a probe into the Uefa president’s conduct

The English Football Association (FA) has announced it will no longer support Michel Platini’s candidacy to succeed Sepp Blatter as Fifa president.

The former France international had been tipped as one of the front-runners to succeed Blatter, who was forced to call elections in the world body following the corruption scandal which broke in May.

Following revelations that the Uefa president faces his own charges, however, and a subsequent provisional suspension, the FA has withdrawn its backing.

“The FA supports the statement issued by UEFA on Thursday 15 October concerning the ethics case against Michel Platini,” the association said.

“This statement expressed respect for the significant work performed by Mr Platini at UEFA, requested that he be afforded due process in contesting the charges, and encouraged the relevant bodies involved to reach a final decision on the merits of the case by mid-November.

“The FA wishes Mr Platini every success in fighting these charges and clearing his name, and has no interest in taking any action that jeopardises this process.

“However, notwithstanding the above, at the UEFA meeting on Thursday, The FA learnt more information relating to the issues at the centre of this case from Mr Platini’s lawyers.

“We have been instructed that the information must be kept confidential and therefore we cannot go into specifics.

“As a result of learning this information, The FA Board has on Friday morning concluded that it must suspend its support for Mr Platini’s candidature for the FIFA Presidency until the legal process has been concluded and the position is clear.”

Beating Arsenal & Wenger Is Nothing Special – Mourinho

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The Frenchman is yet to beat his Chelsea counterpart in 13 attempts, with the two set to face off in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday

 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says beating Arsenal and Arsene Wenger is “nothing special” as he prepares to take on the Gunners in Sunday’s Community Shield at Wembley.

Mourinho and Wenger have a long-standing rivalry, with the Frenchman yet to beat his counterpart in 13 attempts, while the Blues manager described the 65-year-old as a “specialist in failure” 18 months ago.

The pair come face to face this weekend as Arsenal look to win the Community Shield for the second consecutive year, but Mourinho is unconcerned by the make up of his opponents with silverware on the line.

When asked if he takes pride in his record against Wenger, Mourinho replied: ”No. It doesn’t matter, Arsenal, the manager, whoever.

“I think [the Community Shield is] in between. It’s more than a friendly, like with Barcelona and PSG [friendlies], but it’s less than a league game. Different motivation.

“Who knows?” he said when questioned on Wenger’s ability to win. “I’ve never made a special thing about wins over Arsenal. I don’t explode with happiness when I beat them, and I won’t make drama when I lose.”

Mourinho has confirmed that Gary Cahill and Diego Costa will be fit to play on Sunday after picking up knocks against Barcelona.

Credit – goal.com

Wayne Rooney Apologized After He Won The Penalty – Preston Goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann

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Preston goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann has told The Sun that Wayne Rooney apologised for the way he won a penalty against him in Monday’s fifth round FA Cup tie.

Manchester United and England skipper Rooney went down in the box to win the spot kick after Stuckmann rushed off his line to challenge him towards the end of the game.

The incident, which led to Rooney scoring from the spot to wrap up a 3-1 winfor the Red Devils at Deepdale, was met by controversy as the 29-year-old was defended following accusations of diving after replays showed there was no contact.

“After the game Rooney told me: ‘Sorry, it was my chance to get a penalty. I had to use that,'” Stuckmann said.

The 33-year-old Stuckmann also had his say on the debate and clarified that in his eyes it was not a foul.

“I say it clear: That was no penalty,” he added. “I also believe that if the situation had happened the other way around, one of our strikers against the United keeper, the ref wouldn’t have given the penalty. I have no doubt about that.”

When asked in the BBC studio after the match if Rooney had dived, England manager Hodgson said: “Not for me. I just think he was taking evasive action.

”If you are a referee in the run of play without replays I don’t think any of us would have said it is not a penalty.

”The goalkeeper has gone with both feet. Wayne has touched it past him.”