The Sun-Herald

Managers in mutual admiration society

JOSE Mourinho is not quite best pals with Roman Abramovich, his Russian boss, but the Chelsea manager can claim Man United rival Alex Ferguson as a friend.

If the idea of the two top coaches busily sending text messages to each other seems alien, well, look out for UFOs. The coaches sent each other congratulatory messages after Man U and Chelsea both qualified for the Champs League semi-finals. "I like Jose, we get on fine," Ferguson said, admitting their media biffs are just fun and games.

Julio wants sun action
JULIO Baptista, on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid, has explained just why he might be an occasional Arse player rather than a fully fledged Highbury (the Gunners do still play at Highbury) superstar. Here, in full, his review of life in England: "The weather over here is killing me. We'll get one day of sunshine for every 30 days of rain and it is driving me to despair. My girlfriend and my mother are frightened about not seeing the sun in England. Premiership football is very hard. I am Brazilian and I enjoy playing the ball, making clever touches, and taking bicycle kicks. Arsene Wenger does not forbid me from doing them but the game is so fast I don't even have time to think about them. The moment you stop to think, someone has taken the ball off you and knocked you to the ground. Over here they value a corner kick more than a fancy flick."

Elton in, Inverness out
INVERNESS Caledonian Thistle's campaign for the Intertoto Cup next season has ended before it began. The Scottish side decided not to enter the Euro summer kickaround (which gives semi-finalists access to the UEFA Cup) because an Elton John concert is booked for their ground on one of the proposed match days.

Sexism strikes in '07
COMMENTATOR Jacqui Oatley made history, of sorts, when she got behind the microphone for the BBC's legendary Match Of The Day program to call Blackburn's game at Fulham on Saturday. She also ruffled a few feathers. "I am totally against it and everybody I know in football is totally against it," raged former Wimbledon manager Dave Bassett, who might need to get out more. Others from the 1800s were similarly outraged. Steve Curry from the Daily Mail punched into his clanking typewriter (or was he using a quill pen?): "I am from the old school when football press boxes and commentary positions were men-only locations. The thought of a female commenting on football was abhorrent." Oatley, a former amateur player, is not alone. Julie Foudy, a former US international, is a commentator for US network ESPN's World Cup and Major League Soccer coverage. Fox Sports and SBS - over to you.

See it to believe it
YOUR schedule today, after you finish reading the paper: 1. Briskly walk to your computer. 2. Type in this address on an internet web browser: www.tn.com.ar/mm.aspx?id=691567. 3. Watch mighty midget Lionel Messi's Maradona-esque goal for Barcelona during the week (and, yes, that's Terry Butcher getting the run-around by Maradona). 4. Breathe in. 5. Type in www.youtube.com and search for Enzo Zidane, Zizou's son. 6. Watch clip and shake head in disbelief. 7. Enjoy the rest of the day.

Evra in awe of Ronaldo
MANCHESTER United defender Patrice Evra is a lucky man. He gets to face wizard-like teammate Cristiano Ronaldo every day in training but is on the same side in matches. "Nobody can stop him," Evra said. "Probably the only way to do it is to kill him. Even when he's sitting on a bike, Cristiano is doing tricks. He eats with the ball, he watches TV with the ball. He probably even sleeps with the ball." Kids, try that at home.

The great escape
FORGOTTEN Brazilian legend (unless you watch Olympiakos on Greek satellite TV every week) Rivaldo was given a red card for punching the goalkeeper of opponents Larissa in their 0-0 draw last weekend. The former Barcelona star escaped a suspension, claiming he had punched the ball, held in the goalkeeper's arms, rather than the face of the Larissa keeper. "Many players have tried to engage me into a fight but I never fell for it," Rivaldo, who FIFA fined for play-acting at the 2002 World Cup, told the Greek FA in his defence.

BRICKS AND HAMMERS
LET'S all give thanks to Reverend Frank Lampard (pictured) for offering perspective and forgiveness in times of crisis. Sort of. Chelsea's team bus had a brick thrown through its window on the way to West Ham's ground on Wednesday night but Reverend Lamps bore no grudge. "It's football - it happens," said Lampard, a former Hammer. "There are emotions. West Ham are fighting for their lives." Well, not really. Unless relegation equals death.