Source: Daily_Mail
Charles Sale: Cook to keep his job at City despite Kaka fiasco
Garry Cook, the Manchester City chief executive ridiculed since claiming AC Milan 'bottled it' over the proposed Kaka transfer, is expected to stay in charge at Eastlands next season.
The signs also point to Chelsea boss Peter Kenyon remaining at Stamford Bridge despite him being on holiday when owner Roman Abramovich sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.
A disenchanted Kenyon, a boyhood City fan, has since been strongly linked with replacing Cook.
But the Abu Dhabi owners of City, rather than pushing Cook towards the exit door, have allowed him the added security of bringing in his own executive team, which includes football administrator Brian Marwood, finance director Graham Wallace and head of marketing David Pullan.
A casualty of the Cook changes is highly rated commercial boss Matt Lowery, whose City junior membership scheme attracted 24,000 youngsters.
Kenyon, despite the discomfort of being marginalised over Scolari's exit, is again playing a full CEO role in Chelsea's planning for next season, including the negotiations over the next permanent manager.
Chelsea and Manchester United, the two Premier League giants carrying the biggest debt, are facing contrasting shirt sponsorship negotiations over the most valuable kit deals in the top flight.
Korean electronic giants Samsung, who have a £50million five-year contract with Chelsea that has one season to run, are involved in renewal talks which are going well, with indications Samsung will sign again for a similar price.
Disgraced American insurers AIG still need the exposure from United next season - the last in a terminated contract.
But there are concerns within the Glazer family, who have saddled Manchester United with £511m of debt after taking over ownership of the club, whether AIG will be in a position to pay the £14m remaining on the deal due in August.
Former FA executive director David Davies, who is the Government choice to chair thepanel looking into the future of listed sports events on TV, hasn't exactly enhanced his independent status by hosting BBC's influential Sportsweek programme on Radio 5 Live for the last two Sundays just as the review gets going.
It's in the BBC's interests for events to remain on, or be added to, the protected list.
Luxury watch firm Rolex, who pay such attention to their detailed timekeeping, will be seriously unimpressed in their role as international sponsor of the Masters golf by the European Tour website.
Their Masters coverage had the Rolex clock displaying the wrong Augusta time by one hour during the tournament.
The rogue Rolex had Augusta National six hours behind the UK rather than the correct five until Sports Agenda notified Rolex of the blunder.
Heads will roll for this.
Reg Dickason, esteemed Australian security adviser to the England Cricket Board, is already one of the biggest winners of the Ashes series.
Dickason will continue to guard the England side, as he has since the last tour Down Under in 2006-7, while his security firm Eastern Star will be looking after the Aussies over here.
The Australians have wanted Dickason back ever since he was employed by ECB. Dickason warned the ICC, who were saying it was safe to play cricket in Pakistan, about the imminent dangers before the terrorists struck in Lahore, and the England players took Dickason's advice over returning to last winter's tour of India rather than the ICC's official firm.
A rare Saturday Premier League programme featuring all the big four and plenty of goals attracted a peak audience of 4.7million on Match of the Day, demonstrating highlights can still pull in decent viewing figures.
In contrast, the competing Masters golf was watched by 1.8m at its height on Saturday night.
