Strength of Premier League brand drives shirt sponsorship revenue across Europe March 23, 2016 The value of Premier League clubs' shirt sponsorships has risen by nearly £70m this season, more than any other league in Europe. Premier League shirt sponsorship revenues have grown by 35 per cent from £193m (€244m) to £260m (€330m) in the past year, according to a new report from sports industry adviser Repucom. The Premier League [...]
Euro 2016: Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge can be Roy Hodgson’s answer to Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham March 22, 2016 As Roy Hodgson’s plans solidify in the coming days over who will make his Euro 2016 squad, I hope he stays open-minded about the ‘right’ number of forwards to take to France for this summer’s tournament. The England coach might be expected to limit his allocation to five in the final 23, as others have [...]
Forget World Cup in 2022, England can win the European Championships in four years, insists Trevor Brooking March 22, 2016 Scepticism abounded when Greg Dyke began his chairmanship of the Football Association by claiming England could win the 2022 World Cup, but Sir Trevor Brooking insists the Three Lions are on course to lift silverware two years earlier. England have only fleetingly threatened to end a seemingly interminable wait for success, last tasted at the 1966 World [...]
International Champions Cup: Leicester City to join Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid in prestigous pre-season tournament March 22, 2016 Leicester City may still have seven games left in which to win the Premier League title, but they have already hit the big time after being invited to join Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in a pre-season tournament this summer. The unlikely league leaders will join the European elite in the 2016 International Champions [...]
Franz Beckenbauer to be investigated by Fifa over possible bribery to win 2006 World Cup votes March 22, 2016 Franz Beckenbauer will be the subject of a Fifa probe into possible wrongdoing in the bidding process for the 2006 World Cup to Germany. The legendary player is one of six former and current German football officials who served on the tournament's organising committee now being investigated by football's governing body. Fifa decided to open [...]
Jonas Gutierrez suing Mike Ashley’s Newcastle United for £2m March 22, 2016 Footballer Jonas Gutierrez is suing former club Newcastle United for £2m over the way he was treated following his battle with testicular cancer. The Argentine winger, 32, has made a claim for disability discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 after he was released by the Premier League club last summer. He claims that his illness [...]
Rasmus Ankersen interview: Brentford co-director of football denies it’s all data and robots as club continues to utilise mathematical modelling March 21, 2016 When the debate surrounding analytics in football rages, the glare from the number-crunching spotlight inevitably comes to rest on Brentford, the club viewed as the English game’s principal pioneers of mathematical modelling. Much head-scratching ensued when the club announced in February 2015 that then-manager Mark Warburton would leave Griffin Park at the end of the campaign. [...]
Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in the world says Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino March 21, 2016 Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino praised Harry Kane as one of the world’s best strikers after his brace helped Spurs beat Bournemouth and keep the heat on Premier League leaders Leicester yesterday. Top-flight leading scorer Kane hit two first-half goals and set up another for midfielder Christian Eriksen in a commanding victory to leave Spurs five [...]
Chinese investment in football continues as Freestyle Football receives £180,000 March 18, 2016 China's growing interest in football has extended beyond even traditional forms of the beautiful game. Freestyle Football Limited, the commercial arm of freestyle football's governing body, has received a £180,000 investment from the Shanghai XiaoYuan Culture Communication Corporation for a 10 per cent stake. The firm owns schools in China, Australia and Cambodia and has an agreement [...]
Tottenham Hotspur 1, Borussia Dortmund 2 (Agg: 1-5): Pochettino urges Spurs to achieve “big things” in Premier League after European exit March 17, 2016 Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino brushed off a predictable European exit and urged his side to achieve “big things” in the Premier League after being outclassed by Borussia Dortmund. Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang chalked up his 35th goal of the season with a clinical double before a well-beaten Spurs replied [...]