September Football gossip 2007

[McFLY]

Saturday 01st September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Ronaldinho has agreed to join Chelsea from Barcelona - next season. (Express)

Rangers' new loan signing Amdy Faye says his former Newcastle boss Graeme Souness persuaded him to move to Ibrox. (Record)

Celtic are furious at Bobo Balde turning down a loan move to Sunderland, despite not having played a first-team game since last December. (Record)

Southend initially rejected Barnsley's second bid for Jamal Campbell-Ryce after it was smaller than their first offer. (Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
Accrington Stanley are in danger of going out of business for a second time. Chairman Eric Whalley says their financial situation is the worst it has been since their Unibond League days. (Mail)

Frank Lampard's thigh injury will keep him out for six weeks. (various)

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been told he is now the fourth-choice striker at Stamford Bridge. (various)

FA Chief executive Brian Barwick says Michel Platini's plan to award a Champions League place to the FA Cup winners is "perfectly reasonable". (Mail)

Arsene Wenger will sign a new three-year deal at Arsenal next week. (Express)

PFA chief Gordon Taylor wants annual heart checks for players to become compulsory after the number of recent health scares. (Express).

Derby boss Billy Davies says the step up from Championship to Premier League is like moving from primary school to secondary school (Guardian).

Sir Alex Ferguson says it was "amazing" no-one was killed in crowd trouble when Manchester United visited Roma last season, and he hopes lessons have been learnt for their return there this season. (Independent)

Thierry Henry will make his Barcelona debut this weekend against Athletic Bilbao as Samuel Eto'o is out for two months with a thigh injury. (Independent)

Bolton boss Sammy Lee has hit out at what he calls "malignant rumours" coming from the dressing room about player selection. (Mirror)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he is "surprised" by the decision of his number two Pako Ayesteran to leave the club, having worked with him for 11 years. (Sun)

Aston Villa's Ashley Young says he thought it was a joke when he was told Steve McClaren had phoned up to say he was in the England squad. (Sun)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson says he offered to pay Blackburn compensation after changing his mind about taking the manager's job in 1997 - but the club said no. (Star)

Veteran Bolton midfielder Gary Speed, 37, says he could carry on playing until he is 40. (Sun)

Aberdeen director of football Willie Miller has urged Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood to snub the chance to take over as Leicester manager. (Record)


AND FINALLY
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley was refused entry to a nightclub after the Carling Cup win over Barnsley because he was wearing a football shirt. But once he was allowed in, he bought drinks for 150 fans and left a £500 tip for the bar staff. (Mail)

 

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Sunday 02nd September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
David Beckham wants a loan move to play in England after the American season has finished to increase his chances of reaching 100 England caps - he currently has 97 (Express).

Everton's Phil Jagielka could be on his way back to Sheffield United on loan (People).

Portsmouth will try and sign Eidur Gudjohnsen from Barcelona in January after a bid to sign him in August was scuppered by injury (Mirror).

Celtic forward Derek Riordan rejected a late bid by West Brom while defender Bobo Balde turned down a chance to join Sunderland. (News of the World)

Celtic were thwarted in late bids for Aston Villa's Shaun Maloney, Tottenham's Wayne Routledge and Trinidadian midfielder Khaleem Hyland. (News of the World)


OTHER GOSSIP
Ronald Koeman is the new favourite to succeed Martin Jol if the Tottenham board lose patience with the manager (Express).

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says Aston Villa loan signing Scott Carson should be England's goalkeeper (Mail).

Manchester City's Kasper Schmeichel is set to land a new three-year contract, tripling his wages, after his impressive start to the season (Mail).

Uefa say they want "professional and gentle" stewarding when Manchester United visit Roma, after last season's baton charges by Italian police (Mail).

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said there were "absolutely no positives" from their 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough and they were "woeful" (Independent).

Former Chelsea coach Ruud Gullit has hinted he would be interested in returning to management in England (Telegraph).

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson says the team will succeed because he "feels semi-English" and understands the culture in a way other overseas owners do not (Observer).

Russia coach Guus Hiddink says foreign teams are not scared of England because too many visitors have won at Wembley (News of the World).

David Dein insists he is not involved in a takeover bid at Arsenal but wants to "bring more financial firepower to the table" (Times).

Peter Reid is favourite to be the new Leicester manager, and Glenn Roeder has been interviewed as a potential director of football (News of the World).

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez fell out with his number two Pako Ayestaran because he was too friendly with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (News of the World).

Leicester's Clive Clarke says he could not sleep after his heart stopped because he was scared he would not wake up (News of the World).

Neil Warnock could replace Peter Taylor as Crystal Palace boss (People).

Arsenal's Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia would be interested in playing for England when he qualifies for a British passport in 2009 on residency grounds (People).

AC Milan goalkeeper Dida says Celtic will qualify along with his side from their Champions League group. (Sunday Mail)

New Derby signing Kenny Miller says he was forced out of Celtic by chief executive Peter Lawwell. (News of the World)


AND FINALLY
Sir Bobby Charlton has revealed he persuaded the Manchester United board to appoint Sir Alex Ferguson rather than Terry Venables as United manager in 1986 after Ron Atkinson was sacked (Express).

Leicester's sports scientist Damien Doyle, who helped save Clive Clarke's life after his heart stopped, has been sacked along with manager Martin Allen (Mail).

The Ministry of Culture, Media and Sport has told the Football Supporters' Federation it is considering its report into the re-introduction of terracing (Observer).

Portsmouth's Gary O'Neil had just paid £5,000 annual membership fee at Wentworth Golf Club before he was sold to Middlesbrough (Mirror).

 

[McFLY]

Monday 03rd September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Birmingham will decide this week whether to sign former Monaco striker Mohammed Kallon. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom are planning a cheeky loan bid for Portsmouth striker David Nugent. (Daily Mirror)

LA Galaxy will block any attempts to bring David Beckham back to Europe on a short-term loan at the end of the MLS season. (Daily Star)

Tottenham winger Wayne Routledge is on his way out of the club - despite turning down a move to Celtic. (Daily Mirror)

Spurs are ready to let Phil Ifil go out on loan after Paul Stalteri did not leave in the transfer window. Bournemouth are interested. (The Sun)

Fitz Hall will be allowed to leave Wigan and find a Championship club - probably Charlton - in the next few weeks. (Daily Mirror)

Leeds midfielder Jonathan Douglas is a shock £400,000 target for League One rivals Walsall. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Injured Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has told England coach Steve McClaren he will be fit to face Russia on 12 September. (Independent)

Spurs boss Martin Jol is back on the brink of the sack after their calamitous 3-3 draw at Fulham on Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich walked out of Villa Park after his side conceded their second goal on Sunday. (Various)

Emile Heskey made an astonishing return to the England fold on Sunday - after a personal plea from his former partner Michael Owen. (Various)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed Cesc Fabregas as "the new Paul Scholes" after the Spaniard's display against Portsmouth. (The Sun)

Everton's Victor Anichebe has turned down England Under-21s to play for Nigeria's Super Eagles. (The Sun)

West Ham could be ordered to pay huge compensation to Sheffield United if the latest inquiry into the Carlos Tevez affair rules in the Blades' favour. (Daily Mail)

Manager Gordon Strachan has denied reports that Kenny Miller was forced out of Celtic. (Daily Record)

Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston has told fans the club could not afford not to sell Steven Naismith to Rangers. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Bayern Munich's Oliver Kahn set a Bundesliga record for goalkeepers by playing his 535th game in the German top division as they drew 1-1 with Hamburg. (The Guardian)

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 04th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Michael Ballack's Chelsea future is uncertain after he was left out of their 25-man squad for the Champions League. (The Sun)

Reading will offer Nicky Shorey the biggest pay deal in the club's history to stop him joining West Ham in the next transfer window. (Daily Mirror)

Celtic and Southampton are tracking Colchester's Cameroon-born defender George Elokobi. (Daily Star)

After completing the signing of Jay-Jay Okocha, Hull will turn their attentions to a loan move for Wigan's Fitz Hall. (The Sun)

Ipswich are planning a loan move for Aston Villa defender Stephen O'Halloran, 19. (Daily Star)

Leeds want to sign Sunderland exile Graham Kavanagh on loan. (Various)

Leeds have signed Portuguese winger Filipe Da Costa from Greek side Lonikos on a free, though he is waiting international clearance. (Daily Star)

Bolton's Ivan Campo has snubbed a loan move to Sheffield United. (The Sun)

Norwich have taken ex-Cameroon international Lucien Mettomo on trial at Carrow Road. (Daily Star)

Wolves keeper Graham Stack has had his loan deal from Reading extended for a further four months. (Independent)


OTHER GOSSIP
Steve McClaren will not quit as England manager, even if they lose their crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. (The Sun)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has pleaded with McClaren not to pump Steven Gerrard with painkillers to try and save England's campaign. (Daily Star)

Russia coach Guus Hiddink claims England are scared to win - and says they massively underachieved at the last two World Cups. (Daily Mirror)

Lithuainia coach Algimantas Luibanskas has revealed he did not know Alex McLeish was Scotland boss ahead of Saturday's crunch Euro 2008 tie. (Daily Record)

Manchester United will extend Ryan Giggs' contract for another year to take him through to the end of next season. (The Sun)

Robbie Savage has branded Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal players "hypocrites" for complaining about Blackburn's physical style of play. (Daily Mirror)

Boss John Toshack has warned Sunderland defender Danny Collins he may never play for Wales again after withdrawing from the squad with a ankle injury. (The Sun)

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will make a shock move for Coventry's Iain Dowie as their new manager. (Various)

Rafa Benitez will not replace his departing assistant manager Paco Ayestaran. (Daily Telegraph)

Peter Schmeichel has failed in his bid to take over Danish club Brondby. (The Sun)

Scunthorpe want to give manager Nigel Adkins an improved contract to keep him at Glanford Park. (Daily Star)

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood has killed off speculation linking him with the vacant Leicester job. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Joleon Lescott thought a load of missed calls on his mobile on Monday were from Everton telling him he had missed training - not telling him he was in the England squad. (The Sun)

Middlesbrough estimate that at least 60 pubs on Teesside show their home matches live, and illegally, on Saturday afternoons. They claim this affects attendances more than tickets prices. (Times)

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 05th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS

Sheffield United lead the chase to sign Tottenham winger Wayne Routledge on loan. (Various)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has made a bid for two of Millwall's promising academy players in Tom Kilbey, 17, and keeper Sam Walker, 15. (Various)

Former Wales striker John Hartson is close to quitting West Bromwich Albion to move to home city club Swansea. (The Mirror)

Fulham outcast Ahmad Elrich will quit the Londoners to return to Australia. (Various)


OTHER GOSSIP
England boss Steve McClaren says he will do whatever is needed to ensure Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is fit to start Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel, even if it means going against Reds boss Rafael Benitez's wishes and giving the midfielder a pain-killing injection. (Various)

And either side of Gerrard is likely to be Chelsea wide boys Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who will start together for England for only the third time. (The Mirror)

England new-boy Joleon Lescott claims he is still unsure of his place in the Everton side, despite being called up into the national squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. (The Sun)

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff has described Michael Ballack's omission from Chelsea's Champions League squad as "stunning". (The Daily Mail)

Tottenham insists skipper Ledley King has not suffered a setback in his recovery from knee surgery, claiming the 26-year-old is "is making steady progress". (The Sun, Express)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the quality of the youngsters in his squad is the main reason behind his decision to sign a new contract with the Londoners. (The Sun)

And that contract will be signed on Friday, with Wenger committing himself to the club until 2011. (The Daily Star)

Bolton striker Heidar Helguson could be out for seven weeks after an ankle operation. (The Sun).

Newcastle keeper Shay Given will have 'showdown' talks with manager Sam Allardyce when he returns from international duty after being replaced by Steve Harper in goal against Wigan at the weekend. (The Daily Mail)

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will approach Coventry in a bid to gain permission to talk to Iain Dowie about the vacant manager's role at the Walkers Stadium. (The Mirror)

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has promised manager Peter Taylor his job is safe - for now. (The Daily Star)


AND FINALLY
Israel midfielder Idan Tal has hit out at Euro 2008 qualifying opponents England, claiming they are little more than long-ball merchants. (The Sun)

England and Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has been identified as a marked man by referees across Europe, according to former official Graham Poll. (Various)

Wales striker Freddy Eastwood says he will be targeting Jens Lehmann when his side meet Germany on Saturday, adding: "When you look at the form I'm in and the form he's in, I definitely fancy my chances against him." (Various)

 

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Thursday 06th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are chasing Barcelona's latest prodigy - in the shape of 18-year-old Mexican sensation Giovani Dos Santos. (Daily Mirror)

Stoke want to sign Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Glenn Whelan on loan after failing with a permanent offer. (Daily Star)

Tottenham are ready to sign Ghana starlet Ransford Osei - the top scorer at the Under-17 World Cup. (Daily Mirror)

QPR have tried to bring Lee Cook back on loan from Fulham. (Daily Express)

Manchester City reject Hatem Trabelsi is set to sign for French side Le Mans after turning up for a trial. (Daily Mirror)

Nottingham Forest are lining up a loan move for Leicester striker Matty Fryatt after their horror start to the new season. (Daily Mirror)

Cameroon World Cup star Patrick Suffo has gone on trial at Dundee United. (Daily Record)

Dundee trialists Nathan Koo-Boothe and Marc Elston have been told they are not being offered deals. (Daily Record)

Released Hibernian striker Gerard Rossi has snubbed Dundee and moved to Slovakian third division side FC Neded. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Owen Hargreaves has emerged as a doubt for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers after being sent for a scan on a damaged thigh. (The Sun)

Actually, Hargreaves has suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem and has no chance of being fit for Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa's Gareth Barry has been put on standby to start his first competitive England game for seven years. (Various)

Israel midfielder Gal Alberman believes his side can win at Wembley. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko claims he is fit - but boss Jose Mourinho will not play him. (Various)

Wigan boss Chris Hutchings will ask refs' chief Keith Hackett to help overturn the red card Kevin Kilbane picked up at Newcastle. (The Sun)

Martin O'Neill is ready to offer injury-plagued defender Martin Laursen a new deal at Aston Villa. (The Sun)

Patrick Vieira has claimed clubs like Arsenal are damaging the future of the English game by not bringing local talent through. (Daily Star)

Sir Alex Ferguson has finally admitted he was wrong to drive Jaap Stam out of Man Utd because of a personal vendetta. (Daily Mirror)

Meanwhile, Ferguson reckons David Beckham has no chance of making soccer a major sport in the US. (Daily Star)

Sheffield United are poised to buy Hungarian club Ferencvaros in a £20m deal. (Various)

Falkirk chiefs hope manager John Hughes will find time over the international break to sign a two-year contract extension. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Sir Alex Ferguson says David Beckham was never the same after he got married to Victoria. (Various)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 07th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is plotting an £80,000-a-week loan deal for Juan Riquelme. (The Sun)

Eriksson plans a fresh bid to sign Mark Bresciano in January. (Daily Mirror)

Thomas Sorensen is ready to quit Aston Villa after falling out with manager Martin O'Neill. (The Sun)

Chelsea are set to incur the wrath of Barcelona by trying to snatch boy wonder Giovani Dos Santos. (The Sun)

Ex-Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos came close to joining Middlesbrough this summer. (The Sun)

Nicky Shorey has hinted he wants to quit Reading for West Ham. (Daily Mirror)

Stoke have not given up hope of signing former Liverpool midfielder Salif Diao. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP
Arsene Wenger's new deal at Arsenal is worth £4.5m a year - the same as Sir Alex Ferguson's but £2m a year less than Jose Mourinho. (Daily Mail)

US billionaire Stan Kroenke is to reassure the Arsenal board he has no intention of mounting a takeover bid for the club at present. (The Independent)

Paul Jewell has turned down the chance to manage Derby because he did not want to stab Rams boss Billy Davies in the back. (The Sun)

George Burley is poised to quit Southampton after growing tired of the internal politics at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Peter Reid has had secret talks with Leicester owner Milan Mandaric, who is also interested in Iain Dowie. (Daily Mirror)

Former England skipper Tony Adams says the current coach Steve McClaren reminds him of Graham Taylor. (The Sun)

McClaren may wait until the last minute to decide whether to risk injured midfielder Steven Gerrard against Israel. (The Sun)

But Gerrard has already declared himself fit to play, possibly even without painkillers. (Daily Mail)

The FA will play Luciano Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma before the England-Israel game in tribute to the opera singer, who died on Thursday. (Daily Mail)

Sir Alex Ferguson has jokingly told Man Utd's defender Patrice Evra not to bother coming back to Old Trafford if he helps France beat Scotland next week. (Daily Record)

Sir Bobby Charlton says England need to win Euro 2008 in order to get computer-obsessed kids interested in football again. (Various)

But Charlton has piled the pressure on McClaren by claiming the players lack the self-belief to win the tournament. (Various)

Leeds have been kicked out of the FA for not paying their debts. (The Sun)

Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston will give Pars manager Stephen Kenny time to improve the club's league position before discussing a new contract. (Daily Mail)

Livingston winger Joe Hamill has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. (Daily Express)

Leicester City owner Milan Mandaric says Paul Sturrock is not in the running to become the Midlands club's new boss. (Daily Record)

AND FINALLY
Wayne Rooney's brother Graham will represent Everton when he stars on a celebrity football show. (The Sun)

Ryan Babel says reading The Bible has helped him cope with his move to Liverpool. (The Sun)

 

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Saturday 08th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Valencia will make a £10m bid for Arsenal's Gilberto Silva in the January transfer window. (The Sun)

Derby County have started the search for a new manager even though Billy Davies is still in charge at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Central defender Steven Taylor has shocked Newcastle by refusing a new five-year deal with the club. (The Sun)

Portsmouth striker David Nugent has vowed to win back his place in the senior England squad. (The Star)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson failed with a triple swoop for Chelsea's Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Wayne Bridge in the summer - but will try once again to sign Cole in January. (The Sun)

Sheffield Wednesday want to sign Everton goalkeeper Iain Turner for £250,000. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
England coach Steve McClaren has delivered his version of the 10 Commandments ahead of England's game with Israel. (The Sun)

Germany coach Joachim Loew wants Chelsea to explain why Michael Ballack has not been included in the club's 23-man squad for their Champions League group games. (Various)

Former England striker Alan Shearer says Emile Heskey can be the perfect foil for Michael Owen if he uses his strength and power effectively. (The Sun)

Jose Mourinho will be sacked as manager of Chelsea if the club fail to progress from the group stage of the Champions League. (Daily Express)

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres says that opponents who try to verbally abuse him are wasting their time. (Daily Mirror)

Gretna and former manager boss Rowan Alexander are locked in a dispute over his severance package. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Sven-Goran Eriksson has been looking at a house in Hale near Manchester but wants to rent rather than buy. (Daily Mail)

Diego Maradona will play in a replay of the 1986 World Cup quarter-final between England and Argentina at Villa Park in October. (The Sun)

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 09th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack will join Real Madrid for £8m in January. (The People)

Manchester City and Manchester United are competing to sign Ajax's £18m-rated striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the January transfer window. (News of the World)

Liverpool are preparing a £5m bid for Newcastle's Steven Taylor in January after the defender snubbed the Magpies' offer of a new contract. (The People)

Tottenham are tracking Livorno keeper Marco Amelia. (Sunday Mirror)

Liverpool are to swoop for Cagliari playmaker Pasquale Foggia in January. (News of the World)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is chasing Hull City's highly-rated goalkeeper Boaz Myhill. (The People)

Portsmouth are plotting a New Year raid for Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman. (News of the World)

Striker Henri Camara says he could sign a permanent deal with West Ham after joining the Hammers on loan from Wigan. (News of the World)


OTHER GOSSIP
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd is to launch a takeover bid for struggling Leeds after holding talks with Ken Bates. (Mail on Sunday)

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is interested in managing England after Euro 2008. (The Observer)

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is ready to sell the club for £250m. (The People)

The Independent Manchester United Supporters Trust allege the club's annual interest payments have risen to £100m. (News of the World)

Arsenal will allow David Beckham to train with their first-team squad over the winter. (Sunday Mirror)

World Cup winner Marcello Lippi has emerged as a candidate to replace Spurs boss Martin Jol. (News of the World)

West Ham winger Nolberto Solano wants to come out of international retirement and play for Peru after being asked to be their captain. (News of the World)

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood wants boss Arsene Wenger to stay at the club after 2011 following his decision to sign a new deal. (Sunday Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Barcelona have sold 70,000 Thierry Henry replica shirts - worth £4m - following his signing. (Sunday Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 10th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Birmingham are set to make a £1m bid for Manchester City striker Darius Vassell in January. (The Sun)

West Ham will move for Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner when the transfer window opens. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield United are set to lose out to Lazio in the race to land Italian striker Fabio Vignaroli, who is a free agent after leaving Bari at the end of last season. (Daily Mirror)

Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen's failure to sign a new deal at Bolton has alerted clubs at home and abroad. (The Sun)

Chelsea have agreed to pay Millwall £175,000 for their 6ft 5in academy keeper Sam Walker, 15. (The Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
David Bentley says making his England debut on Saturday was "the best day of my life" despite getting booed. (Daily Mirror)

Steve McClaren is ready to drop Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey for Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia. (Daily Mirror)

McClaren has told Michael Owen he does not get to choose his strike partner. (Daily Express)

Russia will be forced to name their third-choice keeper, with Igor Akinfeyev and Vladimir Gabulov both ruled out. (Daily Mail)

Keith Gillespie admits the 1-0 defeat in Latvia was like a return to the dark ages of Northern Ireland football. (The Sun)

Wales boss John Toshack slaughtered his players after the disappointing 2-0 defeat by Germany. (Daily Star)

France coach Raymond Domenech says Scotland have been boosted ahead of Wednesday's Euro 2008 tie after the World Cup rugby on Saturday cut the pitch up. (Various)

Lithuania boss Algimantas Liubinskas believes Scotland can finish second in their Euro 2008 qualifying group, ahead of either Italy or France. (Daily Express)

The Man Utd Supporters Trust has challenged the Glazer family to "open up the books to independent scrutiny" amid claims the club's debts are spiralling out of control. (Various)

Derby manager Billy Davies is set for showdown talks with his bosses this week - but could join Leicester if he decides to leave the Rams following reports that they have been lining up a replacement. (Daily Mirror)

Business tycoon Richard Downes is poised to invest in Chester - or take over the club. (The Sun)


AND FINALLY
Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is struggling to find a home in Cheshire big enough for his line up of 150 suits. (The Sun)

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 11th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Turkish midfielder Emre wants to quit Newcastle for Galatasaray but the Magpies want £3.5m for him. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland manager Roy Keane is weighing up a £2m move for QPR's Dexter Blackstock. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom boss Tony Mowbray is ready to battle Sheffield United for Spurs winger Wayne Routledge. (Daily Mirror)

Hull City boss Phil Brown is giving a trial to Middlesbrough striker Malcolm Christie. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been warned he will have to wait until next summer if he wants to replace manager Martin Jol with Ronald Koeman. (Daily Express)

Russia boss Guus Hiddink was never in the running to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager last year. (Daily Express)

Russia skipper Andrei Arshavin has taunted England goalkeeper Paul Robinson by saying he is the side's weakest link. (The Sun)

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is itching to make a shock return on Saturday against former club Everton. (Daily Mirror)

But Everton keeper Tim Howard is a major doubt after dislocating a finger. (Daily Mail)

Sheffield United's legal bill for fighting West Ham has hit £1m, but they will continue to press with their claims. (Daily Mail)

Derby County are at the centre of a £30m takeover bid from a mystery consortium. (The Sun)

Axed Leicester boss Martin Allen is set to be offered a return to management with Gillingham. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Megson is working for free at Stoke in an attempt to get back into management. (Daily Mail)

Emmanuel Adebayor could miss six games for Arsenal after declaring he wants to play for Togo again. (The Sun)

Lucas Neill has vowed not to let West Ham stop him playing for Australia. (Daily Star)

Chris Coleman is in danger of the sack after just four games at Real Sociedad. (The Sun)

AFC Wimbledon are looking at moving to a site next to their old Plough Lane ground. (Daily Express)

Former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has turned down the Leicester manager's job. (The Sun)

Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd could join forces with Ken Bates at Leeds. (The Guardian)

France striker Nicolas Anelka says his side will panic if they do not get off to a good start against Scotland. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Proud Scot Sir Alex Ferguson has warned national keeper Craig Gordon he will get Roy Keane to dock his wages at Sunderland if he does not keep out the French. (Daily Record)

The 10,000 Scottish fans who have tickets in the home end for the game have been told they can wear their kilts at the Parc des Princes. (Daily Record)

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 12th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Aston Villa goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and midfielder Shaun Maloney want to leave the club when the transfer window opens in January. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea have been given permission to speak to Millwall's academy keeper Sam Walker, 15, after having a £500,000 bid accepted. (The Sun)

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce hopes Carson Yeung's imminent takeover of the Premier League club will mean he can go on a January spending spree. (Daily Mirror)

Middlesbrough and Reading are interested in Wolves' Seyi Olofinjana. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson hopes to lure ex-Brazil right-back Jose Ze Maria. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Emile Heskey has held off the challenge of Peter Crouch and will start against Russia on Wednesday. (Various)

Scotland will give James McFadden the chance to fire them to Euro 2008 glory against France. (Daily Record)

French coach Raymond Domenech fears his side will not take the Scots seriously when they meet in Paris. (Daily Record)

Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane says keeper Shay Given is the best in the world. (The Independent)

Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich is offering each player of his national team a £40,000 bonus to beat England in the Euro 2008 qualifier at Wembley. (Various)

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen has ended his three-year international exile by agreeing to become New Zealand skipper. (The Sun)

Tottenham manager Martin Jol is ready to take a gamble on Aaron Lennon by playing the winger, who had knee surgery this summer, in Saturday's London derby against Arsenal. (The Sun)

Brazilian midfielder Juninho, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury at Sydney FC, hopes to return to former club Middlesbrough as a coach. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool and Manchester United opposed Uefa president Michel Platini's plans for cup winners to qualify for the Champions League when 102 members of the European Club Forum met in Nyon, Switzerland. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio returned to action in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Crewe on Tuesday after damaging his Achilles tendon in April. (The Times)

Arsenal's majority shareholder Danny Fiszman has insisted he will not sell his stake in the club to billionaire Alisher Usmanov. (Daily Mail)

Police investigating football corruption have arrested a man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. (Daily Mail)

Micky Adams has emerged as a leading candidate for the vacant managerial role at Gillingham. (Daily Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Newcastle midfielder Geremi has been dubbed Nelson Mandela by his team-mates because of his statesman-like presence in the dressing room. (The Sun)

Actor Max Beesley, who stars in BBC programme Hotel Babylon, was seen at England's training session on Tuesday - wearing a team tracksuit. However, he was not taking part in the work-out but was given special access after becoming friendly with the squad when staying at their Grove Hotel base while filming. (Daily Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Thursday 13th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea are set to sign Portuguese wonderkid Kaby after agreeing a secret £5m deal with Boavista. (Daily Mirror)

Mark Schwarzer has postponed contract talks at Middlesbrough until January - when he could sign for free with another club. (Daily Star)

Justin Hoyte faces being frozen out at Arsenal despite wanting to stay for life. (The Sun)

Birmingham have pulled the plug on a deal to sign Sierra Leone forward Mohamed Kallon. (Various)

Norwich boss Peter Grant wants to sign Wigan reject Fitz Hall on loan. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner may be loaned out in January after having showdown talks with manager Arsene Wenger. (Daily Mirror)

Ahmed Fathi has returned to Egypt just eight months after joining Sheffield United. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield Wednesday want to hijack Graham Kavanagh's proposed switch to Leeds. (Daily Mirror)

English non-league side Dereham Town are trying to tempt Chris Sutton out of retirement. (Daily Record)

Former Dundee United midfielder Karim Kerkar, whose wife stopped him joining St Johnstone in the summer, is training with St Mirren. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
The FA has been so impressed with Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce that he has been earmarked as a future England coach. (Daily Express)

QPR want Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta as their new manager. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Megson was last night appointed as the new manager at Leicester. (Various)

Billy Davies insists he will not crack despite persistent rumours he will be given the sack by Derby. (The Sun)

Tottenham's £16.5m striker Darren Bent has taunted Arsenal by saying they let Thierry Henry go on the cheap. (The Sun)

Florent Malouda admits he is struggling to settle in to life at Chelsea after his £13.5m move from Lyon. (Various)

Gary Neville says Louis Saha can be the king of Old Trafford if he can avoid injury. (Daily Star)

Neville also says Man Utd can only afford two more losses if they are to retain their Premier League title this season. (Daily Express)

Leicester's on loan defender Clive Clarke hopes to get the all-clear later this month to resume training after he collapsed in a game last month. (Daily Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has agreed to sing at a charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall. (Daily Star)

The 11-year-old son of former England striker Gary Lineker is training with Chelsea's Academy. (Daily Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 14th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Bolton boss Sammy Lee will fight Newcastle's Sam Allardyce for Norwegian defender Brede Hangeland. (Daily Mirror)

Leeds boss Dennis Wise wants to sign Wigan's Polish midfielder Thomas Cywka on loan. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom defender Neil Clement is wanted on loan by QPR. (Daily Mirror)

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate hopes he can persuade Mark Schwarzer to stay for another year. (Daily Mail)

Bolton are set to offer contract rebel Jussi Jaaskelainen a bumper new deal. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea star Michael Ballack may need a third operation on his ankle injury. (Daily Telegraph)

Germany coach Joachim Low is seeking showdown talks with Chelsea over their treatment of Ballack. (The Times)

England assistant Terry Venables has told their injured stars they face a fight to get their shirts back. (The Sun)

Wayne Rooney is sweating on a quick return to the England line-up after Steve McClaren admitted he doesn't know what to do about him. (Daily Star)

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will hand a dossier to the Premier League that he claims proves they are the victims of a fixtures conspiracy. (Daily Mirror)

Reading manager Steve Coppell is convinced the fixture list is loaded in favour of the big clubs. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has pledged the rest of his career to the club. (Various)

US tycoon Daniel Williams insists his plans to takeover Blackburn are still on track. (Daily Express)

Chelsea, Rangers and Celtic are set to be invited to join the G14. (Daily Mail)

France boss Raymond Domenech believes they shot themselves in the foot by encouraging thousands of Scots to come to the Parc des Princes. (Daily Record)

The brawl between Northern Ireland pair Keith Gillespie and George McCartney broke out over another player's passport. (The Times)

Leicester installed Gerry Taggart as Gary Megson's number two to appease disgruntled fans. (Daily Mail)


AND FINALLY
Football fans have voted Manchester United as Britain's luckiest team, while Sheffield United were said to be the unluckiest. (Daily Star)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 15th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists he will not sell Michael Ballack to Real Madrid in the January transfer window. (Sun)

But Andriy Shevchenko will get a last chance to save his Chelsea career as he makes his first appearance of the season against Blackburn on Saturday. (Sun)

In-demand Plymouth teenager Dan Gosling, 17, will commit himself to Argyle rather than move to West Ham or Everton. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth are to monitor Peter Crouch's position at Liverpool if the England striker turns down a new five-year contract at Anfield. (Daily Mail)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has warned defender Steven Taylor his future at the club is in doubt if he does not accept the club's offer of a contract extension (Various)

West Brom are trying to convince Hungary captain Zoltan Gera and midfielder Martin Albrechtsen to sign new contracts. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Arsenal boss Arsene Winger has accused his former assistant Damien Comolli of trying to hijack his contacts in a bid to lure top players to Tottenham where he is now director of football. (Daily Star)

Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez admits he would love to sign Wigan's England striker Emile Heskey. (Sun)

Fernando Torres urged Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez to hand him the No.9 shirt in a bid to make himself a Kop legend like Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler. (The Sun)

Tottenham boss Martin Jol headed into the London derby with Arsenal insisting he can be as a good a manager as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. (Daily Express)


AND FINALLY
Former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has revealed he helped out a pal who runs a gift shop next door to Hillsborough and surprised a few startled Wednesday fans as he served them at the counter. (Independent)

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 16th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Juventus are ready to make a move for out-of-favour Liverpool striker Peter Crouch in January. Manchester City are also interested. (Sunday Express)

Galatasaray will make a £4m bid for Emre after he admitted he wants to quit Newcastle. (News of the World)

AC Milan could be preparing a bid for Chelsea's Michael Ballack. (People)

West Ham expect to sign Derby midfielder Giles Barnes for £7.5m in January. (People)

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann is being chased by a host of German clubs, including Stuttgart. (Sunday Mirror)

Southampton manager George Burley may make a bid for Slovakia striker Marek Mintal in January. (Sunday Express)

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is pondering a move for Celtic midfielder Scott Brown. (People)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is targeting Brazilian international Afonso Alves, who plays for SC Heerenveen. (News of the World)

Michael Owen's £9m escape clause from Newcastle does not apply again until the end of the season. (Daily Mail)

Leeds are pondering a loan deal for out-of-favour Leicester striker Matty Fryatt. (People)

New Leicester boss Gary Megson wants to make Sheffield Wednesday's Glenn Whelan his first signing. (People)

West Brom, Sheffield United and Coventry are among eight clubs to have expressed an interest in taking Aston Villa's Gary Cahill on loan. (People)

Watford are poised to sign ex-Everton defender Alessandro Pistone. (People)

Man City could swoop for Chelsea's Wayne Bridge in January. (NOTW)


OTHER GOSSIP
Russion billionaire Alisher Usmanov has struck an £80m deal to buy American Stan Kroenke's Arsenal shares, putting him closer to a takeover. (People)

Joe Royle is the favourite to take over as Preston boss if Paul Simpson is sacked. (Sunday Express)

Newcastle keeper Shay Given will seek talks with boss Sam Allardyce if he is does not play against Derby on Monday. (People)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will be handed a £150m transfer fund to get the club into the Champions League. (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will refuse to play against Manchester United on Sunday unless his knee injury is completely healed. (Observer)

Manchester United have written to the Premier League accusing Liverpool of tapping up Gabriel Heinze. (NOTW)

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has put pressure on boss Peter Taylor by speaking of his admiration for Neil Warnock. (Observer)

Struggling Nottingham Forest and Doncaster could swoop for Swindon boss Paul Sturrock. (NOTW)

Striker John Hartson might quit the game after being frozen out at West Brom. (NOTW)

Derby are the latest target for foreign investment, with a US consortium set to bid £55m for a 40% stake. (NOTW)


AND FINALLY
Ex-Manchester United midfielder David Beckham will meet Manchester City fan Ricky Hatton at Los Angeles Airport as the boxer begins a five-city tour of the US to promote his fight against Floyd Mayweather. (Sunday Mirror)

An Italian adult channel has paid £58,000 to screen the Uefa Cup game between Fiorentina and Groningen. The channel's star Lollipop, a Fiorentina fan, has been involved in advertising for the game. (Sunday Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 17th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manager Martin Jol has told Jermain Defoe he will be left to rot in the reserves if he doesn't sign a new contract at Tottenham. (Sun)

Everton are trying to lure Barcelona's Mexican wonder kid Efrain Juarez Valdez. (Daily Mirror)

Peter Crouch has been assured he has a future at Liverpool, despite finding himself a regular fixture on the subs' bench. (Various)

Andriy Shevchenko's days at Chelsea could be numbered after he failed to impress boss Jose Mourinho in the 0-0 draw against Blackburn. (Sun)

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce admits the return to fitness of Michael Owen casts fresh doubt over the future of striker Obafemi Martins. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Spurs boss Martin Jol has six games to save his job after Saturday's 3-1 defeat to arch rivals Arsenal. (Various)

Sevilla manager Juande Ramos is still the man the Tottenham board want to replace Jol. (Sunday Express)

Among the other big name bosses in line to succeed Jol are former White Hart Lane idol Jurgen Klinsmann, Ronald Koeman, Harry Redknapp and Fabio Capello. (Sun)

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre's season is probably over because of a cruciate knee ligament injury. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has told boss Jose Mourinho he doesn't want to play until he is fully fit. (Times)


AND FINALLY
Derby manager Billy Davies has hit back at the snipers who have labelled his team the worst ever to play in the Premier League, insisting: "judge us by where we are at the end of the season". (Daily Star)

A new DVD showing life at Stamford Bridge over the last three years features Didier Drogba limbo dancing with Michael Essien after winning the FA Cup. (Times)

Stephen Clemence has revealed that his two-year-old son Jack loves dressing up in his Leicester kit. (Times)

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 18th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Jurgen Klinsmann says he is not interested in managing Tottenham because they are too small and he wants to take charge at a Champions League club. (Daily Express)

Meanwhile, Sevilla coach Juande Ramos has cranked up the pressure on Spurs boss Martin Jol by saying he would like to work in England. (Daily Mirror)

And Sevilla defender Daniel Alves thinks this season might be Ramos's last at the club. (Daily Telegraph)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is keen on signing out-of-favour Liverpool striker Peter Crouch in January's transfer window. (Daily Express)

Nicky Butt will be offered a new contract in the summer to keep him at Newcastle. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham have bid £1.5m for Nigerian Macauley Chrisantus, 17. He was the top scorer at the Under-17 World Cup and can move from Nigeria outside the transfer window as he is not under contract. (The Sun)

Mike Newell is on the list of potential managers to take over at Gillingham. (Various)

Sunderland's Graham Kavanagh is a loan target for Sheffield United. (The Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce reckons Rafael Benitez is lucky to be in his managerial job at Liverpool after some poor finishes in the Premier League. He says the Spaniard's exploits in the Champions League have saved him but he doesn't understand that in England it is the top flight, which is considered more important. (Daily Mirror)

Wayne Rooney says he should have been playing weeks ago after his latest broken metatarsal but manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been cautious to bring back the Manchester United striker. (Various)

Chelsea will have up to 4,000 empty seats at Stamford Bridge for their Champions League tie against Rosenberg, despite reducing the cost of adult tickets to £36. (Various)

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has questioned why Pascal Chimbonda needed a loan from his agent after a new deal when at Wigan and a big-money move to Spurs. (Daily Express)

Brian Laws has been given four weeks to save his job at Sheffield Wednesday. Laws is under pressure after his side have lost their first five games of the season. (Various)

Also under the cosh is Bolton manager Sammy Lee, who has six games to save his job after losing five of their six Premier League matches. (Daily Mirror)

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov says he will buy a club shirt for every seven-year-old in east Scotland to boost support for the club. The Russian has also promised to buy them two tickets to a Hearts' match this season. (Daily Record)

Dean Ashton has been sent a suit by the Football Association and is waiting in the wings for a recall to the England team after Emile Heskey's injury. (Daily Mirror)

Northern Rock advanced a third of the £25m, five-year deal they are paying Newcastle to sponsor their shirts, in the first year. (The Guardian)


AND FINALLY
Gabriel Heinze was so confident of his move to Liverpool from Manchester United that he celebrated by buying a brand new £74,000 Porsche. But when the move went pear-shaped, Heinze, who eventually joined Real Madrid, was forced to sell it back for a £7,000 loss. (Daily Mail)

Sam Allardyce is the Premier League boss Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho would least like to pick a fight with. (Daily Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 19th September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants to sign 19-year-old midfielder Diego Capel from Sevilla for £8m. (Daily Mirror)

Talented 17-year-old Nigerian Macauley Chrisantus is set to snub Tottenham for Premier League rivals Arsenal. (The Sun)

West Ham will sign Giles Barnes from Derby for £5m in January - but the midfielder will then be loaned back to the Rams for the remainder of the season. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland midfielder Graham Kavanagh is a target for Sheffield Wednesday, although Leeds and Sheffield United are monitoring the situation. (The Independent)

Championship side QPR are hoping to sign Brazilian defender Ze Maria after a delay in his move to Sheffield United. (Daily Mail)

Aston Villa want to reward defender Wilfred Bouma for his good form with a new contract at the club. (Daily Express)

Aston Villa are considering a number of loan offers for England Under-21 international Gary Cahill. (The Independent)

Paul Ritchie is training with Dundee after leaving Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia. (Daily Record)

Hamilton have taken Albanian midfielder Anastas Kristo on trial. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Striker Michael Owen will be fit for England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers in October, despite fears over his niggling groin strain. (Various)

Tottenham will review the position of manager Martin Jol during the next international break in October. (Daily Express)

Derby boss Billy Davies believes his team's win over Newcastle on Monday will help to ensure he is not the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill wants Shaun Maloney, who has made only five Premier League starts since arriving in January, to keep his head down and fight for a place in the team. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace could become the new owner of the club after increasing his investment in the Baggies to more than 50%. (Daily Mail)

Coventry managing director Paul Fletcher says that two investment offers have been made for the club, rubbishing claims the Sky Blues are in danger of going into administration. (The Independent)

Portsmouth have assured Pedro Mendes that he has a future at the club. (Daily Express)


AND FINALLY
Birmingham chairman David Gold claims Premier League fans are being treated like "mushrooms" by greedy chairmen. He believes they are "kept in the dark and fed manure". (The Sun)

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has had a sizeable tattoo drawn on his arm, with the words 'English and proud' underneath a George Cross. (The Sun)

The Miami Dolphins wanted to use Arsenal's London Colney training ground to prepare for their NFL game against the New York Giants on 28 October but were quoted too high a figure and will use rugby union side Wasps' base in Acton instead. (Daily Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 22nd September gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester City are to reward goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel for his excellent start to the season with a new four-year contract. (Sun)

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina wants to quit Anfield for Spanish side Atletico Madrid for whom his father Miguel played in the '70s. (Sun)

Sami Hyypia could be offered a new Liverpool contract if he continues to impress Rafael Benitez while deputising for Daniel Agger. (Daily Star)

Liverpool are waiting for international clearance to complete the signing of Canadian midfielder Michael D'Agostino, 25. (Sun).


OTHER GOSSIP
Avram Grant's long-term future as Chelsea boss is in jeopardy because of his lack of the correct Uefa coaching licence. (Various)

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy phoned Jose Mourinho to offer him the Spurs manager's job FIVE times while the ex-Chelsea boss was negotiating his severance deal with the club. (The Times, Daily Mail)

Tottenham offered to match Mourinho's £5.2m-a-year salary to get him to cross London and take over at White Hart Lane. (Various)

But Mourinho has authorised his agent Jorge Mendes to tell Spurs he was not opposed to returning to London next summer. (Daily Mirror)

Avram Grant began preparing to be installed as Jose Mourinho's successor a week ago. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea players are in open revolt after Avram Grant was named manager in place of Jose Mourinho. (Sun)

But Blues skipper John Terry called the squad together after training on Friday to urge the players to keep calm in the wake of Mourinho's departure. (Daily Star)

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov will be stepping up his bid to buy Arsenal after increasing his stake to 21%. (Various)

Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor is facing the sack in the next 48 hours even if his side beat Sheffield United this weekend. (Daily Express)

Lithuania want Scotland striker Garry O'Connor banned for diving after their own Saulius Mikoliunas was suspended. (Daily Record)

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor had denied he deliberately clattered Hearts striker Calum Elliot last weekend. (Various)

Gretna have hit back at Allan McGregor after the Rangers goalkeeper's comments about a previous clash with striker Colin McMenamin. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Daniel Agger has found something to do while he is out injured - the Liverpool defender has bought a Spanish restaurant called Que Pasa. (The Times)

Morton were locked out the dressing-room toilet by their own female fans at half-time during their Challenge Cup tie away to East Stirlingshire. (Daily Record)