Europe's big guns are pushing for reimbursement for releasing players for internationals. Steve D Wilson assesses their chances for success

Meaningful internationals are back this month with the resumption of World Cup qualifying. Each round brings murmurs from Europe’s leading clubs about reimbursement for releasing players. The G-14 group have been leaning heavily on FIFA, saying that as compensation national FAs should pay the players salaries for the duration of major international events and have threatened to take legal action if the ruling bodies refuse to negotiate. Their argument is that they make huge expenditures turning players into recognisable names, then see them use that status to create huge revenue for someone else.

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A decade after their defeat in the Bosman case, UEFA are back with regulations they claim will promote home-grown players rather than restrict foreigners. Matthew Taylor outlines the rules and the clubs’ likely response

UEFA president Lennart Johansson clearly relishes a fight. His plans to try to restrict the number of foreign players included in squads for his club competitions from the 2006-07 season was always bound to provoke the wrath of the continent’s premier clubs. Lined up against him are most of the big hitters of the European game: the G-14 clubs and representatives of the more influential national leagues and federations. Behind them stand the financial backers, sponsors, corporate interests and media groups who have helped to make top-level European football such a lucrative business. Among the potential adversaries are those clubs who would have broken away from UEFA a few years ago had the governing body not agreed to expand the Champions League.

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For Mike Whalley, Northwich avoidinng relegation would be one of the most remarkable escapes of all time

The result attracted little attention as the final scores came through on Saturday, February 19. Yet Northwich Victoria’s 2-0 win over Farnborough was a significant moment in one of the most remarkable relegation escape attempts in living memory.

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Even if League Two strugglers Cambridge United are saved by a supporters’ trust they could be in the Conference next season, to Graham Dunbar 's chagrin

In his working life, as director of the prime minister’s media strategy, Godric Smith can sleep easy, all but sure that he will be on the winning side at the expected general election on May 5. His sporting life offers less certainty. As a supporter of Cambridge United, he cannot be sure he will have a club to watch after the League Two season ends two days later.

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While Japan was considering imposing sanctions on North Korea, they found time to have a game of football, writes Justin McCurry

Naive idealists who believe sport and politics shouldn’t mix had best ignore the Asian qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup – that is if they weren’t already. When North Korea played Japan last month in their opening group qualifier, it wasn’t just the prospect of upsetting the best side in Asia on home turf that motivated them. It was also the thought of putting one over a bitter historical enemy.

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