The Weekly 10

Get the lowdown of the week's top ten sports stories.
 Herman Juffri gives you a fresh take every seven days.

1. Transfer business was officially closed on 1 September, but for those who were expecting a shock signing of ‘last-ditch' in nature, were surely left disappointed.

If the ‘big' transfer on closing day was Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar to Tottenham Hotspur, then you know it was a slow day at the office.

2. Luciano Spalletti ended his tenure as coach of AS Roma after a four-year stint.
Spalletti who was on contract with i Giallorossi until June 2011, resigned after just two games of the 2009/10 Serie A season.

He joins a list of coaches with unsuccessful spells at the club.

Claudio Ranieri, who has taken over the reins at Stadio Olimpico, will look to forge ahead with his new club.

And if he fails?

Do as the Romans do.

3. Chelsea were hit with a shocking transfer ban by FIFA for allegedly inducing French teenager Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with previous side Lens.

The English giants are set to appeal the ban that would rule out any transfer activity for them until January 2011.

The verdict of the case will no doubt send reverberations throughout the top-flight league, for Chelsea were not the only one taken in by the lure of French youngsters.

That's right, I'm looking at you Manchester United.

4. The ‘Bloodgate' scandal seems to have brought the reputation of the rugby world to its knees, more so for the once-decorated Dean Richards.

Richards' fall from grace had reached its final chapter, when the European Rugby Cup (ERC) published their written judgment of the appeal hearing.

The former Harlequins coach was described as the ‘directing mind' and having ‘central control' in the affair.

For all his contributions for club and country as player and coach, Richards' swan song was certainly marred by sour notes (to say the least).

5. Giancarlo Fisichella made a shock move to Ferrari from Force India's Formula One team.

Fischella's second-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix bagged the first World Championship points for Force India, and impressed the big boys over at Ferrari.

With the Italian team shy one Felipe Massa and sporting one lacklustre stand-in (also known as Luca Badoer), Fischella was a shoe-in.

Credit should go out to Force India chairman Vijay Mallya though, for allowing their star to pursue his dream move, all in ‘good faith'.

But with rumours abuzz of a Ferrari debt, maybe he already did.

6. The famed actor from the hit North London show ‘Arsenal 3-1 Celtic' Eduardo, will face a two-match European ban for ‘deceiving the referee'.

UEFA had imposed the ban on the Croatia international for his infamous dive that won Arsenal a penalty.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was left fuming over the decision made by the European football governing body.

Wenger believes that his player was a victim of a ‘witch-hunt', and will appeal the disciplinary action, which he believes has ‘obvious errors'.

With such a riveting plot, Arsenal look to have another hit on their hands.

7. Renault have come under FIA investigation for the events that transpired in last season's Singapore Grand Prix.

The team are set to face a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris to answer charges of potential race-fixing.

The FIA have reason to believe that the crash by Nelson Piquet Jr was deliberate, so as to deploy the safety car and create an advantage for teammate Fernando Alonso, who would later claim pole.

Renault could face an expulsion from the Formula One world championship, if they are found guilty.

8. Austalian captain Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from international Tweny20 cricket.

The 34-year-old opts out from the international Twenty20 format in a bid to prolong his playing career.

Ponting will still remain as captain of the Australian Test and one-day sides.

It looks like Simon Katich will just have to wait.

9. An eagerly awaited showdown between the two South American giants who have seven World Cup wins between them.

Argentina put the pressure on Brazil from the get-go but the samba boys prevailed as the match ended 1-3 in their favour.

Brazil coach Dunga had commended his side for their ability to keep their composure under pressure, and believed that "technical quality prevailed".

10. Former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke announced his retirement from football.

The 37-year-old, who was released by Sunderland at the end of last season, never regained the luminary status of his days at Old Trafford.

It is only apt then that Yorke walks out of the Stadium of Light a faded star.