The talk in football
The rumours of Rio Ferdinand and Chelsea will just not go away. And they are linked to the old favourite of Sven-Goran Eriksson and the manager's job at Stamford Bridge. Despite his very public defence of the £30million defender, Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to be totally fed up with his forgetful player after the missed drugs test. Rio is represented by Pini Zahavi, pictured with Eriksson entering Roman Abramovich's flat last July. The Israeli is football adviser to the Chelsea owner.
Dowie's kit deal is pants
Poor Iain Dowie must surely have been wondering what was in store for him money-wise at Crystal Palace because until last Saturday the Eagles' new manager was wearing Steve Kember's old training kit leggings. Thankfully chairman Simon Jordan splashed out on some new "ID" initialled stuff for the FA Cup tie against Tottenham. Up to his second game in charge, at Ipswich, Dowie was still wearing Kember's cast-offs.
Pleat's real ambition
In the opposite dug-out to Dowie was Spurs caretaker boss David Pleat, whose real ambitions now appear to be clear. Despite Pleat's denials that he wants the Spurs job full-time, according to the annual return signed on 1 November of Pleat Promotions Limited - the company which handles his lucrative radio, television and "advertising" work for the year ending 31 July, 2003 - his occupation is listed as "football manager". But, of course his real job is as Spurs' "director of football" and Glenn Hoddle was the manager until September 2003, when he was fired.
Stars provide tasty mix
Was former Spurs, and now Wolves, goal machine Steffen Iversen giving Thierry Henry some tips on New Year's Eve? The two players, and friends, shared a table at the top-class Knightsbridge Italian restaurant, Signor Sassi, for the festivities. Nearby were Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp, Edu, Gilberto Silva and friends.
Freddie's feeding frenzy
And finally ... although fellow diners were full of praise for the Arsenal players' friendliness and willingness to sign autographs, let's hope they watched their diets. Freddie Ljungberg reveals in the latest GQ magazine that Arsene Wenger is eagle-eyed when it comes to food. "The first time I stayed in the team hotel we had dinner and were told not to eat again. But by 10pm I was starving so I ordered a room service spaghetti bolognese. The next morning I got a terrible b******ing from the boss. He checks all your bills." But the question we want answered is whether he comes across any £6.95 hotel pay-per-view movies!
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