Webb had ‘hard task’ admits chief Blatter July 12, 2010 FIFA president Sepp Blatter yesterday leapt to the defence of under-fire referee Howard Webb for his handling of Sunday’s ill-tempered World Cup final in Johannesburg. Englishman Webb brandished 14 yellow cards and one red to Holland’s John Heitinga in an incident-packed game, which saw Spain lift the trophy for the first time, courtesy of 1-0 [...]
Sports broadcaster Setanta collapsed with £550m debts July 11, 2010 SPORTS broadcaster Setanta’s British arm collapsed owing £550m to creditors including the Football Association and the Scottish Premier League, according to the final report from administrator Deloitte. Setanta imploded last summer with outstanding bank loans of £261m and unsecured debts of £288m. Unsecured lenders will receive 2p for every pound claimed. Setanta tried to muscle [...]
Webb just about got it right July 11, 2010 WITH Jabulani in hand, Howard Webb walked out into the Soccer City stadium a mighty proud man last night – but boy was he made to work for his place in history. The Dutch tactics to snuff out the Spanish in any way possible made for a difficult game for the Premier League official and [...]
We won’t run out of oil any time soon July 8, 2010 THERE is only one rule when it comes to the availability of oil: experts are always convinced it will run out – but it never seems to. Brent crude is now at close to $75 a barrel, which is high but hardly excessively so by historical standards. There will be upwards price pressure in the [...]
GOLDMAN CASE STRIKES FEAR INTO HEARTS OF PRUDENT COMPETITORS July 8, 2010 THE SEC’S fraud case against Goldman might have proved an almighty headache for the bank’s own staff, but at least it’s spawned a valuable lesson for rivals. Citi took the opportunity to send employees a missive in the wake of the accusations, imperiously titled “Think Before You Write: Avoiding Improper Electronic Communication”. The 11-page illustrated [...]
Spain’s diet of success July 8, 2010 HOLLAND vs SPAIN WHEN Holland take on Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final in Johannesburg they will come up against not just a highly accomplished team, but a whole culture of success. The Dutch are not short of players who have plied their trade across Europe, while the national team boast a 25-match unbeaten run. [...]
Spurs net £20m sponsor in league and cup split deal July 8, 2010 TOTTENHAM last night announced an innovative sponsorship proposal which will see them wear different branded shirts for league and cup matches. The move came after software infrastructure firm Autonomy announced a £20m deal over two years to become title sponsors for Premier League games only. Now, Spurs are looking to agree a deal with a [...]
Tottenham ready to mount a league title challenge – Bale July 8, 2010 TOTTENHAM flyer Gareth Bale believes Spurs are ready to take another step up and mount a challenge for the Premier League title next season. Harry Redknapp ended years of frustration in May when he led the White Hart Lane outfit to fourth place and a first ever shot at the Champions League. And Wales star [...]
Koscielny seals £10m Arsenal deal July 7, 2010 ARSENAL new boy Laurent Koscielny set his sights on the Premier League title after completing his £10m move to Emirates Stadium last night. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has tracked the 24-year-old centre back for some time after he impressed for French Ligue 1 side Lorient. And Koscielny, who can play for either France or Poland, [...]
Like football, financial services is truly global July 4, 2010 THE ENGLISH team may be out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, but there is no question that, when it comes to finance, we are in the premier league. However we cannot ignore the fact that our rapidly developing counterparts are becoming more important on the global stage and challenging Europe’s competitiveness. That [...]