The Offside Daily: Eight-Year Bans for Football Chiefs as Managerial Merry-go-round is in Full Swing.

Only the news you need – bringing you five mainstream and five off-the-wall news stories each day!

1. Sepp Blatter’s 17-year reign as FIFA President has come to an end, as he and UEFA President Michel Platini have been slapped with eight-year bans from all football activities – however both are set to appeal those bans.

2. Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek has suffered a cardiac arrest and is reported to be in a critical condition.

3. In an interview conducted before Jose Mourinho was sacked as Chelsea boss, Diego Simeone has confessed it would be very difficult to leave Atletico Madrid – might that resolve be tested soon?

4. Mesut Ozil has backed his former Real Madrid boss though to respond positively to his sacking and be a big success at his new club, adding that he was surprised by what happened to the Portuguese coach at Chelsea.

5. Barcelona star Lionel Messi was spat at by River Plate fans when making his way home from the Club World Cup Final, as Luis Suarez, Javier Mascherano and Luis Enrique had to intervene to help the Argentine.

6. Manchester United fans have had a vote in one British tabloid to decide the fate of their club’s manager, Louis van Gaal (The Daily Mirror).

7. David Beckham has revealed the one player he’s desperate to sign for his new MLS franchise (The Guardian).

8. Merry Christmas from Neymar – the Brazilian star left four defenders scratching their heads in the Club World Cup Final on the weekend (CBS Sports).

9. Scoring four goals in a 10-goal rout results in some rather interesting Christmas tree decorations, or at least it does if you’re Gareth Bale anyway (ESPN).

10. We love to see this in football – the most passionate of fans – a Leicester City supporter gave this stirring account of Leicester’s success on the radio over the weekend, as it was confirmed the club would be top of the table going into Christmas (BBC Radio 5 Live).