Vincent Tan Offered Cardiff Players Illegal Bonus Before Spurs Game: Nightly Soccer Report

As if Cardiff City’s first and perhaps only season in the Premier League couldn’t have gotten any worse, but now the league is investigating claims that club owner Vincent Tan offered his players an illegal bonus of £3.7million to avoid relegation.

The Guardian newspaper reports that Tan met with the players before last weekend’s game against Tottenham and offered the bonus, which would be split among the footballers as a reward for keeping the club in the top flight this season. However, Premier League clubs have to report bonus schemes to the league at the beginning of the season. Tan allegedly was so confident that the club would stay up that he decided not to offer bonuses for his players.

The paper reports that “A spokesman for Tan told the Mail: ‘We didn’t realize it was against regulations. Vincent Tan has now rescinded the offer.’ Cardiff could in theory face a fine or even a points deduction should the league deem the matter sufficiently serious.”

Here are today’s world soccer news headlines:

Premier League

• Vincent Tan offered Cardiff City players ‘illegal’ bonus before Spurs game — The Guardian
• Manuel Pellegrini warns Manchester City one trophy is not enough — The Guardian
• Tim Sherwood feeling the pressure at Tottenham amid talk of summer appointment — Evening Standard
• Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal lose bite again when it comes to the crunch — The Guardian
• Sir Alex Ferguson ran Manchester United like a Sunday league team. Now they’re 20 years behind the times — The Mail
• Pulis will fine Crystal Palace duo for diving, calls it “disease” — Pro Soccer Talk
• José Mourinho gave Chelsea players silent treatment at Fulham half-time — The Guardian
• FA may try to increase Nicolas Anelka’s five-match ban for his ‘quenelle’ gesture, says Greg Dyke — The Independent
• Arsène Wenger admits Arsenal defeat a ‘massive setback’ to title hopes — The Guardian
• Luis Suarez had release clause reveals John W. Henry — The Mirror
• Secret filming shows abuse at football grounds — The Guardian
• Mark Hughes perplexed by Stoke inconsistency — Goal
• Sir Alex Ferguson: David Moyes just needs time at Manchester United — The Guardian
• Brendan Rodgers proving doubters wrong and inspiring new breed of British bosses — Liverpool Echo
• Antoine Griezmann touted for £25million switch to Arsenal — The Mirror
• Joleon Lescott is wanted by Turkish club Besiktas — Metro
• What brings you to the Oscars Sir Alex? “I’ve retired, got nothing to do!” — 101GG
• Newcastle United coach John Carver asked to step up to more influential role — Newcastle Chronicle
• Tom Ince: I was right all along about Swansea City — Evening Post
• Newcastle supporter wears Sunderland jersey to Wembley to honor late father — Pro Soccer Talk
• Why this Premier League season shows that managers do matter — Forbes
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals he has been taking managerial tips from Roy Keane — The Independent
• Manchester City’s Wembley win over Sunderland oozed old-school magic — The Guardian
• FA charge Newcastle boss Alan Pardew for headbutt on Hull’s David Meyler — Daily Star

Football League

• US international Stuart Holden suffers knee injury just 22 minutes into his latest comeback for Bolton U21s — 101GG
• Derby still in race for top two says Steve McClaren — The Observer
• Birmingham City Football Club owner Carson Yeung guilty of money laundering — BBC Sport
• Terminally-ill supporter gives Bristol City a heck of a pregame speech — Pro Soccer Talk

International soccer

• Guus Hiddink confirms Netherlands return — ESPN FC
• Fifa allows wearing of head covers for religious reasons — BBC Sport
• Sunil Gulati unanimously re-elected as president of U.S. Soccer — US Soccer
• Michael Bradley, Mix Diskerud, Tim Ream withdrawn from United States’ squad for Wednesday vs. Ukraine — Pro Soccer Talk
• Northern Ireland’s Cyprus friendly due to go ahead despite bombing — The Guardian
• Another alert sounded on stadium readiness for opening game of Brazil 2014 — Pro Soccer Talk
• Socceroos midfielder Chris Herd pulls out of squad for ‘personal reasons’ — The Guardian
• Kyle Walker to miss England friendly against Denmark — BBC Sport
• Paul Ince: I was England’s first black captain, no one cared about the colour of my skin — The Mail
• It wasn’t FA racism that prevented Sol Campbell captaining England… it was a twist of fate — The Mail
• Drunk groundskeeper in Romania lays out the lines — FOX Soccer
• Diego Maradona hears his name called… in an Oscar acceptance speech — Pro Soccer Talk

MLS

• A look at MLS Supporters Section season ticket prices — Empire of Soccer
• David Beckham buys Versace mansion in Miami — Original Winger

Serie A

• Milan 0-2 Juventus: Milan play well, but Juventus show ruthlessness upfront — Zonal Marking

The Nightly Soccer Report is tomorrow’s news today. It’s often tomorrow morning’s worldwide newspaper headlines that are published the night before. We do all the work for you, combing the Internet and aggregating the news for you. Read The Nightly Soccer Report on World Soccer Talk every night before bed, so you can stay on top of all the news that matters.