Showing posts with label 1986 FIFA World Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1986 FIFA World Cup. Show all posts

Tuesday, 13 October 2015

FIFA Poses President Platini Problems


Michel Platini produced no documentary evidence for the 2m Swiss francs (£1.35m) payment made to him by Fifa, according to reports.

Fifa's ethics committee is looking into the "disloyal payment", made nine years after Platini carried out consultation work for Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

Platini, a Fifa vice-president, and Blatter are serving 90-day bans while corruption claims are investigated.

In September, criminal proceedings against Blatter began in Switzerland.

BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway says a written contract did exist for Platini's work for Fifa between 1998 and 2002, according to sources. A total of SFr 1.05m (£710,000) is believed to have been paid to the Frenchman.

It is an additional SFr 2m (£1.35m) that was paid in February 2011 that is under scrutiny - and for which no written contract is said to exist.

Both Platini and Blatter are believed to have told investigators the additional payment was an oral agreement for SFr 0.5m to be paid for each of the four years (January 1999 to June 2002) the Uefa president was employed by Fifa. In a statement this month, Platini said "the remuneration was agreed at the time".

It is understood the men claimed an agreement to delay payment was reached at the time due to Fifa's then financial position.

Under Swiss law, an employee cannot seek to have a contract paid up after five years have elapsed irrespective of whether it was written or oral.

Both men have denied any wrongdoing, have appealed against their bans and believe they will be exonerated.

Uefa, which meets in Nyon on Thursday to discuss the issue, has said it has "full confidence" in its president and "stands fully behind him".

However, one Uefa executive committee member, Allan Hansen, has been quoted by Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet as saying "we can no longer support him" - if no contract exists.

Meanwhile, Fifa has banned Thai football chief and former executive member Worawi Makudi for 90 days for an ethics breach and indicated he could face further punishment.


Thursday, 8 October 2015

Northern Ireland v Greece - Preview


Jonny Evans is out of Northern Ireland's potentially decisive Euro 2016 qualifier against Greece because of a hamstring injury.

Michael O'Neill's men, who need two points from two games to qualify, will reach the finals in France with victory in Belfast on Thursday.

West Brom's Evans limped out of the 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The 27-year-old could feature in the final qualifier away to Finland on Sunday.

He has remained with West Brom for treatment and will join up with the Northern Ireland squad on Thursday.

"West Brom have been excellent in terms of co-operation on that," said O'Neill.

"We always felt Thursday would be too soon but he hasn't ruled out Sunday, neither have we and neither have the club."

Evans' absence is a further blow to O'Neill, who also has three key men suspended.

Norwich forward Kyle Lafferty, whose seven goals have helped put NI on the verge of next summer's tournament, Derby defender Chris Baird and Fleetwood right-back Conor McLaughlin are all banned.

Kilmarnock's Josh Magennis could make his first competitive start for his country as Lafferty's replacement, with Watford's Craig Cathcart and Manchester United's Paddy McNair also in line to make the XI.

"I genuinely believe that we have the players to step in and deal with this game," said O'Neill.

"Obviously the injury to Jonny at the weekend was a blow but one thing I have noticed in those three days, maybe more so than in the past, is that the squad is stronger now than at any time I've been in charge."

Northern Ireland have never qualified for the European Championship finals and have not featured in any major tournament since the 1986 World Cup.

However, they have a one point lead over Romania at the of qualifying Group F and will be through to the finals regardless of their own results if Hungary fail to beat both the Faroe Islands and Greece.

Bottom-of-the-table Greece are still without a permanent manager after a deal to bring in German Bernd Schuster fell through last week.

Under-21 coach Kostas Tsanas continues to act as interim boss following the sacking of Uruguayan Sergio Markarian in August.

Greece will be without Roma defender Kostas Manolas, who is suspended, and injured Bayer Leverkusen defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos.


Tuesday, 11 August 2015

Happy But Not Decided - Odegaard


Martin Odegaard says he will assess his Real Madrid future at the end of pre-season, but insists he is happy at the club.

The 16-year-old moved to the Bernabeu in a high-profile transfer from Stromsgodset in January, and has made one appearance for the seniors while playing most of his football for Zinedine Zidane's Castilla side.

There had been suggestions in the Spanish press that Madrid would let him leave on loan this summer to allow him to continue his development at another top-flight club, but the Norwegian midfielder insists he is settled, bar a gripe about the state of the playing surfaces.

When asked about his future on Sunday, Odegaard said: "We'll look at it when the pre-season is over. I'm happy at Real Madrid.

"I think I can show even more than what I have done so far. I've learnt a lot both in training and in matches. 

"I've been training well and I feel good. I have no specific targets for the season; all I want is to improve my game.

"I'm 16, I'm handling things as best I can and I have a long road ahead of me. I'm in no hurry and there's no reason for me to get stressed.

"Segunda B is a difficult division because there are lots of tough opponents and the pitches are often very bad."