McClaren's toilet break was his big break

Today's Papers / Top Dog / 19 November 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:

Great minds think alike as the Mirror and Sun have the same back page headline on the story that Steve McClaren locked himself in the bathroom because he couldn't bear to watch the last minutes of Israel and Russia. Loo-ser to winner! Before Israel's win McClaren was odds on to be out of work in January, now he's [1.15] to remain in place, and England are [9.8] to go all the way and win Euro 2008. The Star's Brian Woolnough recalls Sir Alex Ferguson's quote from after that 1999 Champions League final: "Football . . . bloody hell!"

Cruft's:

Daily Star - Bruce wil cost Wigan £11m - Chairman Dave Whelan confirms that Steve Bruce's move to the JJB will be rubber stamped today or tomorrow. The price was down to [1.02] first thing this morning. More relevant is the effect it could have on Birmingham - they are [2.92] for relegation.

Daily Star - Hampden raw - Ian Murtagh has a solution for Birmingham's problems. They can take Scotland boss Alex McLeish because he fancies a crack at being a Premier League boss.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mail - Ireland target England's El Tel - The Mail's Colin Young has been ahead of the game on what the Republic will do to replace Steve Staunton, and claims Terry Venables is the next target. But don't put money on El Tel, especially as short as [6]. Even Young admits he wants to stay as Steve McClaren's number two for the Euro 2008 finals. Paul Jewell is [2.72] favourite - and Young names Gerard Houllier as a good outsider [6.2].

Daily Mail - On tour with the Geek army - The Mail's Mark Alford is one of the 20,000 Ebbsfleet United owners and reports on his first game 'in charge' at Oxford. Coach Liam Daish raises an interesting point: 'Is it better to work for one Tyrannical chairman who acts on a whim or 20,000 knowledgeable football fanatics?' Ebbsfleet are [60] to win the Conference, and [20] for promotion

The Sun - You'll have nothing to Cro about - Portsmouth's Niko Krankjar has a warning to England that the Group F programme could still have another shock in store. "We have an obligation to give the same effort and heart that Israel did." Croatia are [10.5] to win at Wembley.

Dog' s dinner:

Daily Star - Becks 'n Robbo in a sweat - Danny Fullbrook reckons Shaun Wright-Phillips will return against Croatia and that Scott Carson will keep his place. His only evidence is Steve McClaren not wanting to discuss his Wednesday night team. He could be right, of course - but McClaren's track record suggests he'll stick with the Spurs man.

Daily Mirror - Koumas can be the new Giggs - You know John Toshack has got problems if he thinks Jason Koumas can be half the player for his country that Ryan Giggs was.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Looser to winner - Becks faces Croatia axe - Mac's all for won - We're always at our best when it matters says Lampard - Bruce's £2m Wigan deal - Crouchy to lead line - Tal boys boosted by conspiracy theories

Daily Express - No hiding place - Croatia deliver Wembley warning - Terry goes text mad - Hargreaves is back in - No go for Theo and Co - McLeish warns he may quit Scotland - Wales look for a leader - Bruce closes on Wigan move

Daily Star - Don't make us all suffer again - Niko's Wembley warning - I couldn't bear to watch - Lampard: We'll Cro afer them - Don't blow it now warns Gerro - Tal's England mates go text mad - Hero Golan in Omer-drive - Wales and Northern Ireland reports

Daily Mirror - Loo-ser to winner - Don't put country through agony again - Becks not sure to start - A point to prove - Bilic won't play for a draw - Brucie bonus - Owed by England - Don't leave us boss plead Scots - Stan Collymore column

Daily Mail - Gerrard's rallying cry - Mac can't hide his relief - spotlight on Wednesday selection choices - Last post for Guus - Croatians full of fighting talk - Brokenhearts - Record for Healy will keep Irish dreaming

Tags: Betfair's Top Dog, England qualification, Euro 2008, football betting