Cardiff get shirty at ‘faulty’ adidas kit
adidas invited all their English and Welsh football clubs to their Munich headquarters last week to present future plans.
But the annual summit that attracted representatives from Manchester United, Leicester, Fulham, Watford, Cardiff and ipswich came at a sensitive time following alleged problems with adidas’s new Cardiff kit this season.
it is claimed that Cardiff revealed to the other clubs at the meeting that they returned as much as 30 per cent of the adidas clothing supplied at the start of the season, allegedly because of a design flaw that led to the fabric tearing.
The manufacturing process means it will be January at the earliest before the kit can be replaced. it’s understood Cardiff claimed they could lose over £1million in lost replica shirt sales.
adidas also told clubs informally that they will pay no more than £30m a season for supplying football club kit. This came despite their longterm contract with Manchester United reportedly being worth £75m a year and arsenal, who have signed a deal starting next season, said to be receiving at least £40m a year. Neither Cardiff nor adidas were prepared to comment.
SPOTTED in Marbella this week were resting manager Harry Redknapp and golden oldie footballers Paul Merson, Chris Waddle, Robbie Fowler, John Barnes and Matt Le Tissier. They were preparing for a match, possibly against a German legends team, as part of an ITV entertainment series about health and fitness. However, this will hardly make up for ITV Sport having no live competitive football until the European Championship qualifiers next March.
THE Premier League may be more relaxed than the Football League about the money from the proposed Wembley sale being distributed to the grassroots via the Football Foundation. Nevertheless, when current PL chairman Peter McCormick was asked directly at the last Fa Council meeting whether the professional game would relinquish their share of the Wembley proceeds, his answer was a categorical ‘No’.
MIDDLESEX’S search for a head coach is expected to end soon, with four candidates remaining on a fluctuating shortlist. The stellar names linked with the job include Andy Flower, Paul Farbrace and Mark Ramprakash (right). Insiders play down talk of a power struggle behind the scenes at Middlesex, saying the selection process is down to chief executive Richard Goatley.
AFTER the success Russia made of staging the World Cup, there will be plenty of international sports federations looking in that direction if global anti-doping body Wada certify Russia as Wada- compliant at today’s meeting in the seychelles. Until Wada accept them back into the fold, Russia cannot host any event involving an Olympic sport, summer or winter.
JUDGING by the many left-field choices for the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year over the past three decades, long-list contender Fear and Loathing on the Oche — gonzo journalist King Adz’s account of the eccentric culture of world championship darts — fits the bill perfectly.
Kop stewards enquiry
THERE was plenty of frustration among pitchside photographers at anfield when they missed Roberto Firmino’s last-gasp Champions League winner against Paris saint- Germain because stewards were blocking their view. a Liverpool spokesman said operational reasons on the night had led to the deployment of extra stewards at the away supporters’ end before the final whistle.
BBC Radio will give priority to the Ryder Cup over the Premier League on Sunday week, with the final-day singles from Paris being broadcast on 5 Live and the commentary match between Cardiff and Burnley shunted on to 5 Live Sports Extra.