Time to take a hint: A weak currency means a weak country October 11, 2016 As the global elite (the “dirty” word du jour) descended on Washington on Friday, working the corridors of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, there was one thing they couldn’t ignore. It wasn’t weak growth, it wasn’t negative rates. It wasn’t even Donald Trump. It was Brexit and the pound’s dramatic flash crash. In [...]
How gambling and betting companies have taken over the Premier League’s shirts October 8, 2016 Football fans might have noticed a recurring theme on this year's Premier League shirts — gambling. More Premier League teams are sponsored by gambling companies than ever before this season, with exactly half of the division's teams displaying logos for online casinos or bookmakers on their shirts. England's top tier was 10 years old before Fulham became the [...]
Premier League shirt sponsors quiz: Do you know what these Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Sunderland sponsors do? October 7, 2016 Shirt sponsorships generate Premier League clubs millions in commercial revenue every season. According to industry estimates, last season the Premier League's clubs made a massive £260m from splaying corporate brand names and logos across their sacred sporting tapestries. Read more: Why Chelsea parting ways with Adidas makes financial sense After enough hours in front of Sky [...]
Real Madrid fail to reclaim football’s richest crown from Barcelona despite posting club record breaking revenue October 7, 2016 Real Madrid posted the highest revenue figures in the club's history last season, with income breaking the €600m mark for the first time and reaching €620.1m (£560m). Yet the 7.4 per cent rise in income from €577.7m in the 2013/2014 campaign, the Spanish giants were unable to match the record €679m enjoyed by Barcelona last season. It [...]
Rugby lessons for succession planning October 7, 2016 Business, like rugby, is a team game that keeps evolving. When Clive Woodward won the Rugby World Cup in 2003, rugby was a kicking game. Now it is a power game and it has taken a new style of leader in Eddie Jones to make England competitive again. To win on the global stage demands [...]
Malta fact file: Everything you need to know about England’s opponents at Wembley on Saturday October 6, 2016 As far as easy starts go, England caretaker boss Gareth Southgate couldn't have hoped for a better opponent than Malta for his first game in charge. The Three Lions' opponents are 50/1 outsiders to cause an upset at Wembley this weekend. Read more: Southgate has chance to stake claim for England manager's job on permanent basis, insists [...]
FIFA 17 review: For the first time in years EA’s annual footy title feels fresh October 5, 2016 For years, the FIFA series has been coasting. A new player on the box, a shiny new sponsor on the ball, a gameplay tweak here and there. Just enough to keep fans playing for another year. FIFA 17 is a more significant update, adding more than a handful of tackling animations. While you won’t find [...]
European leagues threaten to rebel against Uefa over “totally crazy” changes to European club competition October 5, 2016 The chairman of Europe's football leagues insists they are ready to defy Uefa over the governing body's "totally crazy" plans for changes to the Champions League and Europa League. Lars-Christer Olsson said the leagues might break their agreement not to schedule domestic fixtures on the same night as Uefa competitions unless changes set to take effect from 2018 were scrapped. [...]
Bob Bradley admits he could not turn down Swansea job and chance to manage in the Premier League October 4, 2016 Swansea's incoming manager Bob Bradley insists he would have liked to have seen out the season with Le Havre but felt unable to turn down a belated chance to work in the Premier League. The former United States coach had long been tipped to become the first American to manage in England’s top flight before [...]
MPs summon Football Association chiefs following allegations of corruption in English game October 4, 2016 Football Association chiefs have been summoned to appear before the Culture, Media and Sport select committee later this month over the latest allegations of corruption in the game. Sam Allardyce’s abrupt departure as England manager last week was the most high-profile consequence of an undercover newspaper investigation into the football industry. Allardyce was not accused of [...]