Webster ends waiting game
Wigan Athletic have finally received the go-ahead from Fifa to play Andrew Webster, who used a loophole in a European Union employment law to free himself from his contract with Heart of Midlothian.
The 24-year-old centre back invoked a ruling that allows players in the third year of a four-year contract to quit their club for one in another country, if they give 15 days’ notice before the end of the season. The transfer was registered a month ago, but Fifa ratified the move only yesterday. A compensation figure will be decided at a forthcoming hearing.
Scandal is costly
The Italian match-fixing scandal will have a severely detrimental effect on Serie A as a whole and reinforce the FA Premier League’s fiscal dominance in Europe, according to a new study by the StageUp sports business research firm.
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Serie A’s revenue will drop by one quarter this season, dropping it from the second-richest to the third-richest European division with expected receipts of £810 million. The Bundesliga will rise to second-richest with revenue of £900 million expected.
Robson recovers
Sir Bobby Robson, the former England manager, is making progress after a setback in the wake of surgery to remove a brain tumour. Swelling on the brain had led to temporary loss of movement in part of his left leg and arm, for which he is receiving physiotherapy. “I feel in great form,” Robson, 73, who is international consultant with the Football Association of Ireland, said. “I can’t wait to get back to football with Steve [Staunton, the Ireland manager] and the boys as soon as I can.”
Sour for Sweden
Olof Mellberg, the Aston Villa defender, is one of three players to have been sent home from the Sweden squad to face Liechtenstein in a European Championship qualifier in Gothenburg tomorrow after they broke a curfew during a night out on Sunday. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the forward, Mellberg and Christian Wilhelmsson, the midfield player, have been asked to leave the training camp. A statement from the Swedish FA confirmed the trio had broken the rules.
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Taylor demand
Peter Taylor, the England Under-21 coach, believes his side must learn quickly from their disappointing start to the European Championship qualifying campaign if they are to win away to Switzerland tomorrow. England must win in Lucerne to progress from the group stage and qualify for a play-off to reach next year’s finals.