Top Dog: The Ronaldo/Real Madrid flirting continues

Champions League / Top Dog / 16 May 2008 / Leave a Comment

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

Top Dog

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:

Bleary eyed Top Dog spent last night watching Cristiano Ronaldo collect his second successive Footballer of the Year award, but will he be around to make it a hat-trick next season? All the papers get excited this morning about the Portugal star's comments to a South American TV station that he won't discuss his future until after the Champions League final, complete with dark hints that Real Madrid like him and one day he'd love to play in Spain. Don't count on a move happening this year or for the next few. If Sir Alex could steer his star player through the storm that followed the last World Cup then even Real Madrid's promise to pay £200,000 a week won't prise away the brilliant young winger.

Cruft's:

The Sun - Retire? The missus won't want me cluttering up the house - Chief Sports Writer Steven Howard got lucky yesterday - going to meet Harry Redknapp at home for an interview on the day of speculation that he might quit after the FA Cup final. He's got a great interview from both Harry and his wife Sandra about his plans to stay in the game. Pompey are [2.98] to be leading at half time and full time to give Redknapp some cheer to take on holiday with him before he comes back to work again.

Daily Mail - Sacha Gaydamak interview - Sports Editor Lee Clayton gives a deep insight into the workings of Portsmouth's multi-millionaire owner. Fascinating stuff.

Daily Express - Firing squad - Manchester City's owner Thaksin Shinawatra is looking increasingly barmy - as well as getting ready to sack Sven Goran Eriksson he's put the entire Manchester City squad up for sale because he's so angry about their performances in the second half of the season. The Express's Manchester man Richard Tanner has got the full story - it seems Shinawatra has written to all the players telling them what he plans to do. Other papers have a hint of the same thing.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Star - Redknapp's on a £750k winner - Something to cheer up Harry Redknapp. His bonus for winning the FA Cup will be a cool three quarters of a million according to the Star's Danny Fullbrook.

Daily Star - We're simply the best, Avram - Sir Alex was in sparkling form at the Footballer of the Year dinner, and had already hit back at Avram Grant for suggesting referees had helped him win the Premier League title. He says United were the best team, several of Chelsea's players said so, and Grant is just trying to stir things up before the Champions League final. Chelsea are [3.2] to win in 90 minutes in Moscow, United are [2.6] favourites

Daily Mail - High roller Distin is out to leave his Marque on Wembley - The Mail's FA Cup coverage has done well to get away from the bland press conference material. Simon Cass has a good piece with Sylvain Distin about why he chose Portsmouth when he left Manchester City last summer.

Daily Mail - Aaron Ramsey interview - This is the exception to the Mail's coverage, a shared interview with Cardiff's 17-year-old starlet. But the Mail have treated it differently to the others, pointing out that Ramsey looks like Arctic Monkey's star Jamie Cook. Bet he looks good on the dance floor!

Daily Mirror - Carvalho predicts player exits - Just to stir the Champions League pot further, Ricardo Carvalho is forecasting that Chelsea's squad could be broken up in the summer.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Mirror - Sol Campbell interview - The Mirror's John Cross got to sit down with Sol Campbell before the FA Cup final by agreeing to publicise his work for the Kick Racism Out of Football campaign. Campbell's much more interesting talking about his Pompey career and how Steve McClaren mucked up Engalnd's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign

Daily Mail - Coppell to stay for one more season - The Mail reckon Steve Coppell has decided to see out his contract at Reading. Top Dog thinks he's not so certain. Some friends of the Madejski Stadium boss have heard he's staying, others that he's going. It won't become crystal clear for a few more days.

Today's other headlines:

The Sun - Ronalgo -Leeds head to Wembley - Ref-rant Av faces FA rap - Joe's out to paint City blue - Fergie's blast at Av's ref jibe - Carved apart - Howitzer - Theo and Tom are just Fab

Daily Express - Real Ron blow - Ronaldo sparks Real worry - Ballack has had to be ruthless to get on - Carvalho warns of exodus - Howson the hero as Leeds leave it late - Wembley dream for Hull old boys - Young Rambo hungry for first blood

Daily Star - I could be Ron my way - Real move to Carv up Grant boys - City stars ALL up for sale - I've made race yobs think again claims Sol Campbell - Wembley is a blank for kid Aaron - Theo stakes England claim - We want revenge says Ashley Cole - Jonno brings Hows down - Just watch Tigers roar says Folan

Daily Mirror - Really tempted - Sol Campbell interview - Fergie's sitting pretty - Anelka: We can Nic it in the final - We're off to Wemb-Leeds - Boro in for £6m Sidwell - Tommy Burns tribute

Daily Mail - Ronaldo's bombshell - Strachan devastated by Burns loss - Carvalho's fears for Chelsea future - Howson the Leeds hero - Tom and Theo lay on a show for Capello