FA Chair Greg Dyke is considering a "tell-all book about his turbulent three years at the helm of the FA" after he leaves the organization in the summer. The fall of Sepp Blatter’s FIFA is "likely to be the main subject covered," along with his attempts to modernize the FA and setting up a template for England to win the 2022 World Cup. He has already written his autobiography, Inside Story, published in '04. And if his description in that book of former PM Tony Blair's "odious spin doctor Alastair Campbell" as a "deranged vindictive b*****d" is anything to go by, Dyke’s football memoirs "won’t sit on the fence either" (London DAILY MAIL, 3/6).
FOOTBALL BRIEFS ...
Barcelona players including Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez, "may visit Vietnam for a friendly match next year, local media reported." The club’s officials and a player will arrive in Hanoi next week to sign a contract with the Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint-stock Bank (SHB), according to Do Quang Hien, the bank chair. Hien is also chair of V.League club Hanoi T&T. Hien said that he "could not negotiate for Barcelona to visit Vietnam this year due to the club’s busy schedule" as many team members will play in Euro 2016 and the Copa América (THANH NIEN NEWS, 3/4).
The Dutch FA (KNVB) is "further fine-tuning a structural reform of its domestic club football." From the '16-17 season, professional and amateur football in the Netherlands "will be integrated through a mandatory system of promotion and relegation." In the latest reform the "Topklasse" has been rebranded as "Derde Divisie" (Third Division). The new reform "aims to streamline and unify the pyramid of Dutch football." Currently Dutch professional football consists of two top divisions, the Eredivisie and the Eerste divisie. Below these leagues Dutch football "turns amateur with the Tweede divisie, two rebranded Derde divisies and four Hoofdklassen" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/7).
Luka Modric's Real Madrid contract is the "latest high profile deal" to be exposed by the Football Leaks website. The midfielder joined the club for a £30M fee, "but the latest contract leak reveals he is valued more highly these days." Details of the 30-year-old's new contract reveal a €500M ($550M) release clause. Modric's £4.4M ($6.3M)-a-year salary pales in comparison to the £15M ($21.4M) Gareth Bale is paid as a part of the "world record transfer deal which brought him to the club" (London TELEGRAPH, 3/7).
Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas said on Monday that he believes the claim filed by Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Ángel María Villar against Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) President Miguel Cardenal is "blackmail" to try to delay Spain’s Administrative Tribunal for Sport's (TAD) decision about Villar's "possible suspension" (EP, 3/7).
