Today's Papers / Top Dog / 23 November 2007 / Leave a comment " class="free-bet-btn" rel="external" onclick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/G4/inline-freebet');" target="_blank">Free Bet

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:

Roy Keane has hit the nail on the head - as ever - by setting out the problem for anybody taking the England job: dealing with big players with big bank accounts and even bigger egos. Steve McClaren wasn't up to handling them. Martin O'Neill might be but seems set to rule himself out. The one name buried in this morning's coverage who has got the right track record of bringing the best from awkward superstars is Harry Redknapp and, interestingly, he's ruling himself in. Could make him a great outside bet at odds of [15]

Cruft's:

Daily Mirror - Count me out - Chief Sports Writer Oliver Holt claims Martin O'Neill will rule himself out of the England job race at his lunchtime press conference today. Villa owner Randy Lerner has been clever. Telling his boss he could go if he wanted was the best way to keep the loyalty of the mercurial Irishman. Lay O'Neill at [5.6] while you can.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mirror -- Capello: I've been tapped up - John Cross reveals that Fabio Capello had a meeting last Saturday with an agent claiming to be sounding out candidates on behalf of the FA, and will go public today that he'd like the England job. Doesn't necessarily mean he'll get it. He's [4.3] favourite though.

Daily Mirror - I'm ready to walk alone - David Maddock's one of Merseyside's most informed writers (he ghosted Robbie Fowler's excellent autobiography) and he says the bizarre press conference given by Rafa Benitez yesterday was part of a battle with American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks. Benitez is hinting he's ready to walk away and even put himself up as a candidate for the England job. Could the backstage troubles damage the Reds at Newcastle tomorrow? They are an inviting [2.08] to lay.

Daily Mail - crisis club Luton go into administration - Top Dog loves chewing on old hats and recommended backing Luton for relegation a few weeks ago when the financial charges laid against them meant a points deduction was likely. Those who followed the advice are cashing in as ten points for going into administration could yet be followed by another penalty for the charges they face. They are [1.55] for the drop this morning and will fall further as the news that's been buried by the England crisis starts to filter through.

The Sun - Shearer stunned - The Sun has columnist Alan Shearer under contract and while as usual he's said the right things, that he's stunned to find himself being mentioned, he's not ruled out the prospect of following the Marco Van Basten and Jurgen Klinsmann model of a great player becoming an international boss with no club experience, and points out he's done his A and B coaching licences. He's at odds of [19].

Daily Star - Bruce seals Wigan deal - The JJB management saga is moving forward again now Steve Bruce has agreed a package to get away from Birmingham. You can still back him to be next boss at [1.02] though.

Daily Star - Carlos: I'm knackered - ten pages of football coverage starts with news to worry Manchester United fans. Carlos Tevez and Nemanja Vidic are both doubts for the game at Bolton after returning late from international duty. United are [1.49] to beat the relegation strugglers regardless.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - S-Mart move - Danny Fullbrook's exclusive that Martin O'Neill is the FA's preferred choice is not new. It's what the Sunday papers said at the weekend. And it looks to have been by-passed already.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Who knows best? - Shearer's verdict on embarrassing England - McClaren is Mr McGoo - Get S-Mart - Capello: yes, I'm up for it - I'd love the job says Harry - Nobody wants British bosses says Toshack - Who are these old f***s and why are they picking our next boss? - Rafa: the big breakdown - Silva to be sold off

Daily Express - FA want Jose - End of an error - O'Neill's burning question - A quick breakfast and axe was wielded - Keane on the ego trip - People abroad don't rate us says Toshack - FA must go to school - Benitez sees red

Daily Star - Big heads huge egos - We got it so wrong - Blame me not the players says Mac - Fans right to give us Beck lash - Crouch: blame us all - Three Lions and eight bigheads

Daily Mirror - Count me out - Barwick told get the right man or else - 22 ways to make us proud again - Mark Lawrenson says send for Shearer - I've let down the nation and paid with my job - Beckham defends flops - Keane labels England big heads

Daily Mail - Golden fools - Thanks, Steve but no thanks - Jamie Redknapp's views - Why McClaren's an easy fall guy - Where are the new kids? - Euro flop will cost FA £15m - How Tel was sidestepped - Irate Rafa heads for American showdown