Amaju Pinnick gets FIFA appointment

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have confirmed the appointment of their President, Amaju Pinnick  into the Federation of International Football Federation (FIFA) Organizing Committee for Competitions.
According to thenff.com, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, who signed Pinnick’s letter of appointment dated 18th January 2017, wrote: “We are very pleased to inform you that you have been appointed member of the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions. We wish you our sincere congratulations on this appointment.
“The FIFA administration is at your disposal through the following Administration Officer, who will be in contact with you regarding the upcoming meetings and any further aspects relating to your office as member of this committee: Colin Smith, Chief Competitions Officer.
“We wish you great success and enjoyment in this role at FIFA and look forward to welcoming you soon to Zurich.”

he world body had different committees for organization of its several competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup, FIFA U20 World Cup, FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, FIFA U17 World Cup, FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Pinnick was a member of the Organising Committee for the FIFA U20 World Cup.

However, at its 66th Congress in Mexico City on 12th – 13th May 2016, and in accordance with the revised FIFA Statutes that came into force on 27th April 2016, the model of the standing committees was reviewed, cutting the number from 26 to 9.

The new model has only the following committees: Governance, Finance, Development, Member Associations, Referees, Players’ Status, Football Stakeholders, Medical, Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions.

In line with the new FIFA reforms, each proposed member of any of the committees was made to go through a comprehensive integrity check conducted by several organisations of global relevance and stature.

As a member of the CAF Organising Committee for the Africa Cup of Nations, Pinnick is presently at the 31st Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, and will be match commissioner for Saturday’s clash between Mali and Ghana.
Meanwhile Pinnick is a candidate for election into the Executive Committee of CAF.
The CAF elections will take place at the 39th Ordinary General Assembly of the organization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 16th March.
 
Source: thenff.com

Manchester United tops richest clubs in the world list.

Manchester United have been named world’s richest club according to the money list compiled by Deloitte Football Money League. The English club displaced Real Madrid, who had topped the list for 11 consecutive seasons. Manchester United has also become the first football team to earn more than £500 million in a season.
Their total revenue has been put at £515, almost £50 million more than Barcelona and Real Madrid, thanks to their whooping kit deal and sponsorship with Adidas and Chevrolet as well as the Premier League TV earnings.
Top 10 richest teams in 2016. 
1. Manchester United
2. Barcelona
3. Real Madrid
4. Bayern Munich
5. Manchester City
6. PSG
7. Arsenal
8. Chelsea
9. Liverpool
10. Juventus
 

Gabriel Jesus joins Manchester City

 
Manchester City player have completed the £27m transfer of  Palmeiras forward Gabriel Jesus. According to the club’s website, he has spent a few weeks in training and exploring the city since his arrival early this month and is eager to join the match-day squad.
Photo published for Gabriel Jesus to wear No. 33 shirt
The 19 year-old has featured for his country, scoring 4 goals in 6 games. He also scored or assisted a league goal every 136 mins for Palmeiras last term as they won the Brazilian top-flight title. He will be eligible to play for Man City against Spurs. He will wear the no 33 shirt.

No offside rule, no extra time &other football rule changes Marco Van Basten is proposing.

Marco Van Basten, FIFA Chief Technical Development Officer has sent the football world into a frenzy with some utterly absurd football rules he is proposing. The Dutch who was appointed last September wants offside rule, extra time abolished. He also wants time limit for penalty shoot-outs, 90 limits split into 4 quarters and the introduction of sin-bins and orange cards.
“We must keep looking for ways to improve the game.  To make it more honest, more dynamic, more interesting, so that what we offer is attractive enough. There are lots of variations which need to be tested in the coming years.” The ex FIFA World Player of the Year told German newspaper Sport Bild

Van Basten’s ideas

  • Introduction of ice-hockey style shootouts instead of extra-time and go straight to penalties in cup games
  • Introduction of sin bins and orange card replacing yellow card
  • Give players eight seconds to run at the goal from 25 metres instead of the traditional penalty
  • Abolish the offside rule
  • Play four quarters, rather than two halves
  • More substitutions
  • Clamp down on timewasting
  • Limit players to five fouls
  • Limit the number of games a player can play each year
  • Only captain can speak to the referee

Who agrees with him?

Bacary Sagna fined £40,000 for social media comment

Manchester City’s Bacary Sagna has been fined £40,000 by the FA for misconduct in relation to a comment he posted on his Instagram page few days ago. “10 against 12.. but still fighting and winning as a team″ was posted shortly after City’s 2-1 victory against Burnley. and that had gotten the French player into a huge trouble
Before this punishment was meted out to him, Sagna said he had made the posting in the heat of the moment and took it down when he realized the implications. However, Manchester City are set to appeal the hefty fine .

Xabi Alonso confirms he will retire at the end of the season

Bayern Munich midfielder, Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will retire at the end of this season.
He made his international debut for Spain in April 2003 in a 4–0 victory against Ecuador. While playing for Spain, Alonso has won Euro 2008, Euro 2012 and the 2010 World Cup, and he has also represented his country at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup. On 23 June 2012, Alonso won his 100th cap for Spain in the quarter-final of Euro 2012 against France

The Spaniard has won 16 trophies in his 18 year career. The 35 year-old’s honours include a World Cup, two European Championships and two Champions Leagues, as well as domestic league and cup titles in Germany and Spain. He was named in the Fifa Fifpro World XI in 2011 and 2012 during his spell at Real Madrid.
 
Additional report from Wikepedia.

Photos: Juventus unveil new logo

Italian giants, Juventus have unveiled a new logo. Featuring a black and white letter J in the shape of a shield, the new logo which was unveiled yesterday in Milan, is a symbol of the Juventus way of living.
“We spent a year trying to find out what the new markets want, but also to show a sense of belonging and looking to the future,” Club president, Andrea Agnelli revealed.


The evolution of Juventus‘ badge following the unveiling of their new logo

Alexis Sanchez admits to tax fraud

Arsenal striker, Alexis Sanchez has admitted to evading payment of tax of almost €1m from his image rights via a company based in Malta between 2012 and 2013, during his spell at Barcelona. He declared in a court in the Catalan city on Monday via a video link, and confessed to two counts of tax fraud and defrauding the Treasury to a total value of 983,443 euros.
The Chilean international has reportedly returned the money and he is not likely to face a trial. His defence team and the Treasury will however come to an agreement regarding how much he will be fined for the delay in paying the taxes and possibly on the length of a prison sentence, which would be short and therefore suspended.
 

Former Man Utd coach, Louis Van Gaal retires from coaching

 

After a successful career, spanning 2 decades, ex-Manchester United manager, Louis Van Gaal has  retired from coaching. The 65 year-old who was fired at the Old Trafford winning the FA Cup in May 2016 after turned down a £45million Asian offer and cited ‘family reasons’ for his decision. Making the announcement  on Monday after receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Dutch government for his contribution to football.

The ex Netherlands boss was quoted in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf thus,  “I thought maybe I would stop, then I thought it would be a sabbatical, but now I do not think I will return to coaching. So much has happened in my family, you become a human being again with your nose pressed to the facts.” 

He also managed Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AZ.

 

Van Gaal’s selected major honours
National titles: Ajax (1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96), Barcelona (1997-98, 1998-99), AZ Alkmaar (2008-09), Bayern Munich (2009-10)
Champions League: Ajax (1994-95)
Uefa Cup: Ajax (1991-92)
FA Cup: Manchester United (2015-16)

 

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