Today's Papers / Top Dog / 25 January 2008 / 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

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:

There's a sense of déjà vu growing about Fabio Capello. Remember how Sven Goran Eriksson was supposed to be the studious Swede and then we found out he was carrying on with an FA secretary? A few weeks after Capello took charge it seems his involvement in an Italian tax investigation won't go away. Harry Harris in the Express reports that a senior FA Board member raised questions about the issue at a Board meeting yesterday. Expect to hear more as England's first game approaches. Incidentally, Harris also reports that the same Italian taxmen are checking on a famous clairvoyant, and found Eriksson had been paying her for advice during the World Cup in 2002.

Cruft's:

Daily Star - Lawrie linked - The Daily Star's Danny Fullbrook is a Fulham fan and if he reckons Lawrie Sanchez is still in the running for the Republic of Ireland job, the story could well be right. Amazingly Gerard Houllier is still second favourite at [4.7] - if he hasn't got the job by now he never will do and maybe it's time to believe the French Federation spokesman who has so categorically said that Houllier is staying with them.

Daily Mirror - Robbo: I fear axe - Darren Lewis gets a good sit down interview with Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson who admits he won't be picked for England while he's not in Tottenham's first team. But he says he HASN'T handed in a transfer request and plans to fight for his place.

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Mail - Off the hook - The Mail asks just how Emmanuel Adebayor has got away with the head butt on Nicklas Bendtner that left his Arsenal team mate's nose bleeding. The answer is that TV footage is inconclusive and with no other evidence the FA can't bring charges. Arsene Wenger has cancelled his normal Friday press conference to avoid talking about the question before the FA Cup tie with Newcastle.

Daily Mail - Benitez in £17m race to keep Javier - More Anfield politics. Javier Mascherano has told Argentina's Radio La Red that he wants to stay at Liverpool. Friends of the midfielder say he has other options elsewhere if the £17million deal to make his loan transfer permanent isn't concluded. The murky hand of Kia Joorabchian is in the background and putting more pressure on Liverpool to get the deal done.

Daily Mail - Chelsea bad blood over FA sackings - While Frank Lampard is telling The Sun in a big sponsored interview how wonderful Fabio Capello will be for England, the Mail's Charlie Sale reports that the new manager's arrival has already caused some friction. Two members of the backroom staff, both masseurs who also work for Chelsea, have been sacked by the FA and it hasn't gone down well with the players

Daily Express - Hoddle KO for Saints return - Harry Harris completes a hat-trick of exclusives with word from Glenn Hoddle that he doesn't want the Southampton job. He's concentrating on his venture to launch a kids' Academy in Spain.

Daily Star - Up 4 the lot - Chelsea's Petr Cech reckons the Blues could still win an incredible quadruple because they'll get stronger once John Terry and Frank Lampard are fit again and their big players return from the African Cup. Top Dog has been saying for weeks that Chelsea are the value bet in the Premier League and they are still [6.2] just four points behind the top. They are [1.64] to win the Carling Cup, [5.4] the FA Cup and [8.8] the Champions League

Daily Star - Boro fears grow over stars - Middlesbrough look like losing both Jonathan Woodgate and Stewart Downing before the window shuts, doing serious damage to Gareth Southgate's squad. Boro are currently [8] to go down

Daily Star - Fergie: The 100th cap fits Becks - More pressure on Fabio Capello to give David Beckham his century of England appearances. This time it's Sir Alex Ferguson who says it would be unfair to deny Goldenballs his bit of glory. If he's picked he's sure to be captain for the friendly - and you can still get [2] for Becks to be Capello's first skipper.

Dog' s dinner:

The Sun - Chim Gone da - There seems little doubt that Pascal Chimbonda is not wanted by Spurs or that Newcastle fancy buying him. But for The Sun to lead it's back page on the defender supposedly telling pals in a night club that he was definitely on his way is a tad risky. Last week the Mirror reported Sam Allardyce telling punters in a club that Steve Bruce had got the Newcastle job and look how that ended up.

Today's other stories:

The Sun - Fergie says Capello should give Becks 100th cap - Frank Lampard on Capello, and Steven Gerrard on Capello too! - Scholes will be my glory boy - Woody will cost Kev £8m - Kop Jav £17m to splash - It's Pacquette v on a packet - Mansfield and the Spice Girls

Daily Express - Grant looking special now - Carroll saga angers Derby - New dad Cech says it's child's play - Neville tries to rally the troops - Fergie hails vintage reds - Gerrard's England warning - Havant and Mansfield Cup features

Daily Star - Let Rio captain England says Fergie - Aaron Lennon interview - Phil Neville says Everton will bounce back - Gerrard on Capello - Fergie says Scholes will hold key - Burley for Scotland - Steven Taylor to get new Toon contract

Daily Mirror - Fergie: The 100th cap fits Becks - No Butts, Ade is in the clear - the haves and Havants - Petr of tiny feet - Burley's got World Cup buzz

Daily Mail - Feature on Havant strike Richard Pacquette - Mansfield Cup feature - McCabe hands Robson a reprieve - Grant is the new Special One - The Ramos recipe for success

Tags: Capello tax scandal, FA Cup draw, Paul Robinson