Champions League / Top Dog / 07 May 2008 / Leave a Comment

Betfair's top dog sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

In Top Dog's early days it wasn't unknown for reporters to make a 'guestimate' of what a top footballer's new contract was worth. Almost always, the player then got in a huff that his earnings were exaggerated. In more recent years the hacks have tended to find out that the player actually earned far more! Two days after the Sun suggested that Manchester United players would earn £250,000 each for winning the double, the Mail's Neil Ashton has some figures for Chelsea's bonus scheme. Their top players can pocket nearly £600,000 each in total bonuses for collecting the top prize at home and in Europe! Does Roman Abramovich know he can help to fund that with a [9.54] double on Betfair Multiples?!

Crufts:

Daily Mirror - I can't stand another year on the bench - Portsmouth denied yesterday's Mirror story about their move for Peter Crouch, but there's no doubt the Liverpool and England centre forward is a wanted man. He was opening a sports shop in Belfast yesterday and the Mirror's David Anderson took the chance for a really strong interview. Crouch has a year left on his Anfield contract and says he won't sign another one if he doesn't think he'll get more first team football next year.

Daily Star - Weng in fight to keep Fab - All the papers report Real Madrid's opening shots in a Summer war to capture Cesc Fabregas. More worrying for Arsenal after losing Mathieu Flamini is that the PFA Young Player of the Year is concerned about his future. David Woods is often ahead of the game on Arsenal stories, and quotes a close friend of Fabregas expressing concerns that the Gunners have to strengthen the squad to win a trophy next year to persuade him to stay. The disruption could unsettle the team at Sunderland where they are [1.86] to get a last day win.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mirror - United in Saha and cash bid for kid Valencia - Alan Nixon is close to goings on at the JJB stadium and reckons Wigan would want Louis Saha in part exchange if they let Antonio Valencia move to Old Trafford. Top Dog reckons somebody behind the scenes is using Nixon to sound out the possibility

Daily Star - McBride gets new deal - Brian McBride will be offered a new one-year contract at the age of 35 if Fulham complete their amazing survival act by winning at Portsmouth. They are [2.14] to do it

Daily Star - Jamo has calf a chance - David James will have a scan today to see if he will be fit for the FA Cup final in ten days time. He probably won't play against Fulham, and reading between the lines is a serious doubt for Wembley. Pompey are [1.83] to win the final in 90 minutes

Daily Star - Spurs to go on Ram raid - Kevin Keegan might think nobody can break up the big four, but Tottenham's Juande Ramos is more optimistic. He says he'll get boardroom backing to have a go at it. (The Sun, incidentally, names Anton Ferdinand as a Summer target) Tottenham are [2.78] to beat Liverpool at home on Sunday

Daily Express - It's semis or sack - The FA have laid out Fabio Capello's targets and he must reach a semi-final to keep his job. However, that's the semis at the 2012 European Championships rather than at the next World Cup. All they want for South Africa is to qualify. Top Dog hopes that the detailed job description also includes Capello speaking fluent English before too long!

Daily Mail - Thaksin's £3.2m lure for Scolari - Manchester City have made their move for Luiz Felipe Scolari with a huge contract offer, but the offer is conditional on him giving a commitment before he takes Portugal to Euro 2008. Scolari is [4.5] to reach the final with Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.

Daily Mail - £160,000 a game Kewell - The Mail adds up the cost of Harry Kewell's five years at Anfield since he moved from Leeds after the Australian was handed a free transfer yesterday. The words expensive and flop look entirely justified!

Dog' s Dinner:

Daily Mail - Keegan on the brink - Matt Lawton claims Kevin Keegan's outburst on Monday about the chances of anybody breaking into the big four came against the background of a row with owner Mike Ashley about transfer funds. Lawton claims Keegan fears Dennis Wise is being lined up to succeed him. Top Dog wouldn't rush to grab the [80.0] on offer in the managerial market for Keegan to walk out before Sunday!

Daily Express - I feel threatened when I'm at Villa - Birmingham owner David Sullivan says he won't go to Villa Park next season because of the abuse they suffered. The good news for him is they probably won't have to! Blues are [1.15] favourites to be relegated

The Sun - Avram happy to step down - Portsmouth's Richard Hughes has told people he thinks Avram Grant would be happy to return to his old Chelsea job as director of football and let Frank Rijkaard take over at Stamford Bridge. Hughes was close to Grant when he was at Fratton and still speaks to the Chelsea boss, but if Grant had told him that he wouldn't be repeating it to the world

Daily Express - Redknapp forecasts deluge of tycoons - Harry Redknapp reckons the day will come when 20 foreign billionaires will all own a Premier League club. But can you have a deluge of billionaires? Somebody wrote the headline in a hurry!

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Wenger tap-up storm - Just get us to the World Cup - Kev's right, we can't be top four says Newcastle chairman Chris Mort - Forget the sunbeds, my towel is on the trophy says Michael Ballack - O'Neill gives Berger the boot - David Gold dig at Steve Bruce

Daily Express - Time to get behind 'average' Grant - Pressure's on Fergie says Ballack - Redknapp has fingers crossed over James injury - Triesman to the fore in big FA shake-up

Daily Star - Weng in fight to keep Fab - Pressure is all on you Fergie - Kev: Tyne to tell me what's going on - Fab's home for heroes

Daily Mirror - Grab Fab - O'Neill axes silly Berger - £150m bill to battle big four - This will be the longest week of your life, Fergie, says Michael Ballack - Keane to make Carlton Cole a top cat

Daily Mail - Roman's £14.5m Moscow carrot - Crowning of the new Kaiser - Capello goes for Burton - Keegan showdown - D-day for David - Villa axe Berger for urging Barry to go

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