Said & Done – the week in football: Wonga, Qatar and croissants

The week in football: Awards season; Qatar's dong; Tubby Walter's empty threat; plus why this is the end of love

Awards season: best newcomers

Newcastle sponsors Wonga – accused on Tuesday of "grooming children" with cynical PR, but embraced on Thursday at the Football Business Awards. Judges praised the online lender's "various community programmes in the wider Tyneside area," including Wonga Codemakers – a computer skills course for 14-year-olds.

• Wonga's early return on their investment, according to their citation: "In research carried out in August before a ball had been kicked, Wonga was the most recognised financial shirt sponsor, and second highest associated football brand in the Premier League."

• Also making PR news: 1) Manchester United signing Unilever as Official Personal Care and Laundry Partner; 2) PSG appointing McDonald's to produce PSG-themed burgers - helping fans "experience strong emotions, and share moments of pleasure".

Quote of the week

Sepp: still uneasy with the liberal one-eyed press coverage of Qatar's slave problem. "My grandmother always said a clock rings ding and dong, not ding-ding-ding. You have to listen to ding and to dong, and for now I only hear ding." His plan to redress the balance: meeting the Emir. "I've heard the ding from lots of journalists, so now I will go there, and listen to the dong."

• Also not buying the ding: ex-Fifa executive Franz Beckenbauer: "I have not seen a single slave in Qatar. I don't know where these reports come from. I've been to Qatar and have a completely different picture of it. I think mine is more realistic."

Elsewhere

Last week's other football family news:

• Greece: FA offices raided over 22 allegations of fraud, forgery, tax crime, vote rigging and the embezzlement of €28m. Reports say officials have complained to Uefa over "yet more government interference".

• Thailand: Fifa's Worawi Makudi, who won re-election as Thai FA president after changing the list of voters, facing legal action from Buriram United over alleged electoral fraud. Makudi says his win was "transparent".

War on racism latest

Taking the lead: Bulgaria's FA, fining Levski Sofia €1,500 after fans who marked Hitler's birthday with a swastika display in April produced a new banner reading "death to refugees". Also fined €1,500 last week: Botev Plovdiv player Boban Grncarov, for "briefly showing his middle finger".

Also disciplined

Peru: Union Fuerza Minera's Martin Dall'Orso, stoned and beaten with the butt of a gun after he missed his kick in a penalty shootout. Dall'Orso says the attack was ordered by club officials: "I don't feel safe here." The club deny involvement.

Manager news

• Mexico: Guadalajara Chivas coach Juan Carlos Ortega, unmoved by banners reading "leave or you die". "I didn't look. I'm too busy to read threats on sheets." Owner Jorge Vergara: "They're vandals, monkeys, pseudo-fans."

• France, 30 Oct: Ajaccio president Alain Orsoni, playing down public pressure to sack coach Fabrizio Ravanelli: "First, the players trust him; Second, never act in haste. If I have to act, I will - but it's not on the agenda." 3 Nov: It is.

Best nostalgia

Gennaro Gattuso, reflecting on life under two of his former chairmen: a) Sion's Christian Constantin, who sacked him after three months. "He couldn't stop interfering … He once made me so angry I had to lead him away by the testicles." b) Palermo's Maurizio Zamparini, who sacked him after six games. "An idiot who knew nothing. Absolutely nothing."

Best rebuttal

Romania: Rapidului co-owner Nicolae Cristescu, attacking "malicious lies" from players who alleged the club was saving money by rationing slices of bread. Cristescu said players actually have "a full buffet" of options, including "croissants with Nutella".

Regret of the week

Germany: Werder Bremen PA announcer Christian Stoll, sorry for describing a goal by Japan's Hiroki Sakai as "a bit like Fukushima". "I wanted to express that the shot was a real thunderbolt. The comment slipped out."

Best warning

Brazil: "Out-sized" Goias striker "Tubby" Walter, warning Flamengo he would "lie down and roll over them" in the Brazilian Cup. The result: Walter missed the game injured, Flamengo won and celebrated by lying down and rolling around the pitch. Flamengo's Hernane: "Walter talks too much."

Setback of the week

Dubai: Greek model Vicky Xipolitakis – flying to Dubai in an attempt to reach Diego Maradona's 53rd birthday party, but stopped and fined at the airport for "inappropriate attire". "They say next time I'll be arrested."

Plus: saddest exit

Argentina: Model Wanda Nara, former partner of Maradona, denying links with Inter's Mauro Icardi after leaving Catania's Maxi López. "I've had enough. This is the end of my love."

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