By Nick Harris 29 March 2010 Sven Goran Eriksson has said this morning that he is “relishing” the prospect of managing the Ivory Coast at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, telling sportingintelligence: “I’m absolutely delighted to have this opportunity, and I’m very much relishing the chance to go to my third World Cup […]

By Pete Wilson 28 March 2010 Sven Goran Eriksson landed his fifth job in four years this evening when he signed a contract to manage the Ivory Coast, aka Les Elephants, at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, where the West African nation could face England in the semi-finals or final. Eriksson was the […]

By Nick Harris 28 March 2010 The New York Yankees are the best-paid team in global sport measured by average first-team wages, ahead of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and basketball’s Dallas Mavericks, according to the inaugural Annual Review of Global Sports Salaries (ARGSS), to be published this week by sportingintelligence. The average first-team pay at […]

By Nick Harris 26 March 2010 (NB: Story update on 27 March at the bottom). Anti-corruption investigators will be paying close attention to four particular matches in Italy’s Serie B this weekend after betting was suspended by most bookmakers earlier today on two games amid rumours of fixed draws, while betting on two further games […]

By Nick Harris 26 March 2010 The Red Knights group that has ambitions to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family has this morning issued a statement saying it does not expect to finalise its proposal for any bid for the club this season. The aim of group, led by the United fan and Goldman […]

By Nick Harris 25 March 2010 EXCLUSIVE Uefa is studying “unusual” betting patterns and outcomes in four recent matches in Italian football as part of a new probe into match-fixing that investigators believe has roots in Italy but could have links to Asia, sportingintelligence can reveal. The governing body is already deeply involved in the […]

By Nick Harris 25 March 2010 EXCLUSIVE The administrator at financially stricken Portsmouth has told sportingintelligence today that the ailing club’s total debt stands at £100m, much higher than the £60m widely reported or the £85m cited in a few places. “The club has got £85m of unsecured creditors, and then [former owner] Balram Chainrai’s  […]

By Nick Harris 25 March 2010 West Ham’s co-owner and chairman, David Sullivan, has today made a public apology on the club’s website for the “shambolic” defeat to Wolves on Tuesday, for the “disorganised” way the team played and for the “pathetic” showing against their relegation rivals. In an open letter first sent to individual […]

By Nick Harris 24 March 2010 The Glazer family have frozen ticket prices at Old Trafford for next season, and it is understood that the aim of this strategic move is to ensure renewal levels are as healthy as possible.  Manchester United’s owners are known to harbour private concerns that renewals could have dipped drastically […]

By Nick Harris 22 March 2010 The Premier League’s sale of its overseas broadcasting rights for 2010-13 is just two countries away from being a “global sellout” worth £1.4bn. Only the rights deals for Albania and Russia have yet to be concluded. Intense bidding wars in key areas, mainly between pay-TV rivals in Asia, have […]