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sábado, 2 de novembro de 2013

Said & Done – the week in football: Rangers, Fifa and PSG


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Said & Done – the week in football: Rangers, Fifa and PSG

The week in football: Rangers' fresh start; PSG's 'partner in dreams'; Vampeta's new job; plus model news

Man of the week

Ex-Rangers director Dave King: bidding to return and lead the club's recovery from last year's collapse over unpaid tax. King says press questions over his fitness for the job – two months after his conviction for unpaid tax in South Africa – are "speculative and misinformed".

• Among the difficult moments from King's tax case in South Africa – which ended in August with him repaying £44m to avoid an 82-year prison sentence: a 2010 tribute from judge Mr Justice Southwood: "[Mr King] is extremely arrogant and obviously thinks that whatever he says is so … As his evidence progressed it became clear that he has no respect for the truth and does not hesitate to lie … We are unanimous in finding he is a mendacious witness … [who] showed no sign of embarrassment or any emotion … In our assessment, he is a glib and shameless liar."

Meanwhile: FIfa's week

Sepp, urging the press not to be one‑eyed over the Qatar slave state evidence, ahead of his fact-finding mission there this week. "It's like a bell that goes ding dong. You have only one end: we have to look at the other side too."

Award of the week: African confederation head Issa Hayatou, warned by the IOC in 2011 for his part in Fifa's ISL bribery scandal, receiving an Olympic Order of Merit from Algeria's Olympic Committee for "services to football".

• Plus, investment of the week: Fifa revealing their total spending on putting 32 teams into eight groups at December's World Cup draw ceremony in Brazil: £5.6m.

PR news: quote of the week

Paris Saint-Germain CEO Jean-Claude Blanc, confirming their new €150m a year sponsorship deal with Qatar's tourism authority – a deal that makes PSG and Qatar "partners in dreams": "It clearly benefits the image, as well as the results, of the club."

Qatar's verdict on what it gets for its money: "By partnering with Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar associates itself with Paris, a destination of choice with which we share a sense of prestige, ambition and excellence."

Best generosity

Manchester United sponsors Chevrolet: putting a car worth £15,500 up for auction, signed by United players, to "support the club's community work" – eight months after handing the players a free car each, tailored to suit "their needs and lifestyles". (Michael Carrick on his Corvette GS: "I used to have a Dodge Viper but haven't had a sports car for a while, so this is a great opportunity for me.")

The week in racism

Last week's assessments:

1) CSKA president Evgeny Giner on what lies behind the focus on racist abuse in Russia. "It's nonsense. The British are always making stuff up because they lost their World Cup bid." His wider verdict: "How can there be racism in Russia? Half our country is non-white."

2) Michel Platini, weighing up criticism: "No one is tougher on racism than Uefa."

Most disciplined

Romania: Steaua's Gabriel Iancu – frozen out of the side following last month's €100,000 fine for "unsportsmanlike behaviour" – both punishments "directly ordered by owner Gigi Becali, by phone from prison".

Manager news

Portugal, 25 Oct: Paços de Ferreira owner Carlos Barbosa on fan abuse of coach Costinha. "These fans are nothing. I'm not worried about them threatening me, it's just half a dozen people. We have faith in Costinha." 28 Oct: Sacks him. "That's football."

Mozambique: Chibuto coach Vitor Pontes, reinstated a week after being sacked following "pressure from club sponsors and local government" responding to public opinion. "I was surprised to be fired. I am surprised to return. My journey continues."

Owner to watch

Ex-Brazil player Vampeta: unveiled as Grêmio Osasco's new club president. Vampeta – famous for rolling off the stage while being presented with the national order of merit at Brazil's presidential palace in 2002 "due to drink" – says his approach in the job will be clear. "Juvêncio [president of São Paulo] talks a lot of shit, so I'm going to talk it too."

Best performance

Italy: ex-Parma keeper Lamberto "Bongo" Boranga, 71, on how he pulled off a flying mid-air save from Faustino Asprilla in an exhibition match last month. "It's my instinct – it never leaves you. Growing old brings changes, for better or for worse. But inside, I'll always be a keeper."

Row of the week

Romania: Rapid Suceava executive Florin Prunea, weighing up a criminal complaint brought by the club's fans alleging "a fraudulently bad performance, causing moral injury to over 2,000 spectators". Prunea: "They will pay for their slander. It's the dumbest crap I ever heard."

Plus: Strongest ambition

Brazil: Model Andressa Urach – looking to build on the publicity that followed her alleged "love romp" with Cristiano Ronaldo, which he denied. Urach, posing in a witch outfit, says she's eyeing increased appearance fees in 2014. "Men like evil women. I bewitch them with my essence."


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