Second-tier football clubs plan a European shake-up with competition all of their own

The Football League are involved in preliminary talks about a new European competition for Championship clubs despite the fixture calendar already approaching gridlock.

A meeting took place in Milan last week between representatives of second-tier football in England, Russia, Holland and Italy who have occasional summits to discuss common causes.

And the proposal for yet more European football involving clubs who don’t compete in the Champions League or Europa League was tabled by the Italians, though no potential formats were discussed. A previous model, the Anglo-Italian Cup, was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 before it was abandoned because of fixture congestion.

A league of their own: The proposed competition would involve clubs not featuring in the Europa or Champions League competitions

The Football League, aware there will be interest in any money-making initiative and the chance to play in Europe, were happy to take the idea back to the clubs for feedback before the next Euro summit.

For some England cricket fans returning from the Ashes debacle, the final straw was seeing the beaten players, plus WAGs and children, flying back from Australia in the luxury of flat-bed Emirates business class, while they were cramped in economy.



No one begrudged the side getting the best possible deal out of the ECB, including family travel during designated periods. But supporters wanted more from the pampered, underperforming players than that abject surrender in Sydney.



At least the WAGs who follow the England football team to Brazil will do so at their own expense.

Arsenal's record goalscorer Thierry Henry, who will be part of the BBC’s team of pundits at the World Cup, already has Sky and BT fighting for his future services after his final season in Major League Soccer, which starts in March.



The competition for Henry, which includes interest from foreign networks, means he will be able to command well in excess of the £5,000 a show that Graeme Souness is understood to receive from Sky or even the £8,000 Match of the Day pays Alan Shearer for each programme.

Wanted: Thierry Henry is in-demand when it comes to his television career after retirement

BT’s interest in Henry is understandable with the station covering the Champions League from 2015, while Sky will want a big-name replacement if Gary Neville decides his future lies in full-time coaching or management.



Ian Watmore, former FA chief executive who walked out after nine months because his reforming agenda was being blocked, still has enough appetite for football to be match commentator on Conference North side Altrincham’s radio station. However, Watmore may be missing from the booth if striker son Duncan, who made his Sunderland debut in the FA Cup third round, receives further first-team opportunities at the Stadium of Light.

KP set for IPL cash jolt

Kevin Pietersen, whose differences with England team director Andy Flower look beyond repair according to dressing-room talk, may be disappointed with the bid he attracts in the Indian Premier League auction on February 12.

Delhi, who opted not to retain Pietersen in advance of the auction, can still do so for far less than the $2million a year (£1.22m) paid in his previous contract. Delhi have three right-to-match cards — a new IPL feature — which allows them to keep any of their 2013 playing roster, including KP and David Warner, for whatever price another franchise is prepared to pay.



Jolt: Kevin Pietersen may be disappointed with the bids received for his services

Channel 4’s troubled racing preview programme The Morning Line, whose audience figures have gone through the floor, has totally lost its way.



Amazingly, jockey Sam Twiston-Davies wasn’t even asked last Saturday about gaining the marquee ride on Big Buck’s — the major racing story that morning.



The cash-strapped Amateur Boxing Association of England are at risk of losing their Sport England funding after months of in-fighting and dysfunctional governance.

