And while we’re at it...
GREG DYKE, the Football Association chairman, wants an 18-team Premier League. There are at least four good reasons why that will not happen any time soon, or at all. 1: The Premier League has lucrative broadcasting contracts that run until 2019, and are not about to break or reduce them. 2: Dyke (right) must step down as FA chairman at the age of 70, in 2017, and the only people who could extend his tenure are the FA Council. As he has spent most of the last year trying to abolish them, they won’t. 3: The league’s format can only be changed if 14 clubs support any proposal — and there is little chance of finding 14 owners to vote for reduced broadcast fees and a four-match cut in revenue. 4: The way to win the support of the Premier League executive is not to blindside them with a leaked proposal. Even the FA were running from that idea yesterday. Still, Dyke can dream. No doubt John McDonnell is full of good ideas for his first Budget as Labour Chancellor, too.
DANIEL STURRIDGE has missed 68 Liverpool games through injury. He has played just 70 times since arriving in 2013. Jurgen Klopp sounded as if he was losing patience with the player last week, but this is more a matter of logistics. If he can never rely on him to be fit, he cannot rely on him at all, so he plans for life without him. Jack Wilshere has exactly the same problem at Arsenal.
After a meeting between rafa Benitez and his real Madrid players, it emerged that Cristiano ronaldo has promised to work harder on his defensive duties, following the 4-0 defeat by Barcelona. Yes, that’s exactly what a manager would want from the player who has scored at a rate of more than a goal a game for the club — plenty of tracking back.
GARY CAHILL turns 30 on December 19. This means that he could be affected by Chelsea’s policy of only offering one-year contract extensions to players beyond their twenties. Cahill’s contract expires at the end of next season and he has been in talks over a new deal for more than a year. Chelsea insist that if no agreement can be reached before December 19, the over-30 rule will apply. Some feel this could force Cahill out. Should Chelsea be worried? Not on the evidence of this season. Cahill looks magnificent when John Terry is also at his best. Since Chelsea’s captain has struggled for form his partner hasn’t exactly picked up the slack. Cahill (right) is a good player, but worthy of breaking the wage structure? No.
If YOU can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all, is the adage. tyson fury is the new heavyweight champion of the world. I’m going to leave it there.