Coleman thinks Bolton job is mustard

Today's Papers / Top Dog / 22 October 2007 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Betfair's Top Dog 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:

Pages and pages of unlucky heroes this morning as Lewis Hamilton and the Rugby boys completed a hat-trick of England misery. Flat Earth? It certainly was come Sunday night. But Top Dog senses some double standards for different sports. If an England footballer had given away a stupid, indisciplined penalty like Lewis Moody early in a World Cup final we'd have been hanging effigies of him this morning. Only the Mail highlights the three penalty giveaways which were so costly and Matt Dawson's column correctly blames fluffing line-outs as more crucial than the try that never was. As for Hamilton, his gearbox might have gone but he cracked under the pressure too with a dreadful first bend.

Cruft's:

Daily Mail - Postcard from San Sebastian - Read between the lines to get the real meaning of Chris Coleman's weekly column from Spain. "I know about Bolton's interest but they seem to have approached other managers too. Real haven't told me I can go. It's bloody difficult to be away from my family but the kids are in good schools so I don't want them to move out here." Roughly translated: "Come and get me Bolton and as soon as possible, please". Coleman on offer at 5.2 to be next boss at The Reebok.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mirror - Stan Collymore column - Forget about the dodgy ref, former Liverpool star Stan gets to the heart of the real Merseyside issue on Saturday - Rafa Benitez deciding to haul off Steven Gerrard. If Liverpool's manager falls out with his captain there will be only one winner for the fans and it won't be the Spaniard. Liverpool were as short as 3 for the title a few weeks back, they are now longest price of the big four at 7.4

The Sun - Blues don't need him any Mour - Top Dog has been suggesting for a few weeks to get on Chelsea at 6.2 for the title while you can. Two tough away wins running and Didier Drogba fit again suggests the big blue machine is beginning to rumble forward. Steve Brenner's report of Saturday's 2-0 win at Boro sums it up best.

The Sun - Eagle will fly upstairs - Graham Nickless is the country's best reporter for both Coca Cola League and Blue Square Premier gossip. If he says Jim Smith is about to call time on being Oxford's boss and become director of football it's almost certainly right. Could be too late to change Oxford's fortunes - they are now 27 to finish top.

Dog' s dinner:

All the papers - our brave unlucky heroes - In the great tradition of loving a gallant loser Lewis Hamilton is now 1.29 favourite to be Sports Personality of the Year. But whenever poor old Tim Henman just missed out he was always hammered as a serial loser. Too many double standards this morning.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Foot of Gord - Allardyce to go for jugular - 24 page football pull-out - Tired? Roo must be joking

Daily Express - Curbishley wins boos battle - Wenger boys ready for a fight - Cruz and Roque the new SAS -

Daily Star - Curbs: I told you so - Clottenburg - Wayne's in the G-roo-ve - No Mour talk of past - 20 page football pull -out - 11 pages of Rugby and Grand Prix

Daily Mirror - I don't care if stars hate me says Sam - Must have run over a Black Cat - Moyes Red Rage - These two Can tango - 20 page football pull-out - Seven pages of Rugby and Grand Prix

Daily Mail - Mersey mahem - Ruthless United hit top gear - Avram winning over his stars - Killer for Keane - Sanchez needs new glasses says Billy - Roque on a roll

Tags: Betfair's Top Dog, Chris Coleman, football betting, next Bolton manager