Ahead of TheGame: Euro pay-day for English clubs

The news in 60 seconds

EURO PAY-DAY FOR ENGLISH CLUBS
The top four clubs in England are set to enjoy a new Champions League pay-day that could enable them to move even farther ahead of their domestic rivals. The current ITV and Sky deals are understood to be worth just under £90 million a year, and it is thought that the successful bidders will have to pay about £125m to clinch the next deal, which is to run from 2009 to 2012.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/arsenal/article3539787.ece

JAMES EXTENDS CONTRACT
The England goalkeeper has signed a deal keeping him at Portsmouth until the end of the 2009-10 season. "It's been a tremendous week and I'm delighted to get the opportunity to sign a new contract," he said. "I'm enjoying being at Pompey, it's a fantastic environment. I never envisaged the club being in this position when I joined."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/portsmouth/article3537664.ece

BARDSLEY SORRY FOR PIENAAR FOUL
The Sunderland defender insists there was no malice in his challenge on the Everton midfielder, which was compared to Martin Taylor's challenge on Eduardo da Silva. "Looking back, it was a bad tackle," Bardsley said. "But when the TV slows down, it looks a lot worse. I know it wasn't the greatest of tackles and I am glad the lad is OK."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/sunderland/article3538618.ece

STEELE TO STAY AT OAKWELL
West Bromwich Albion have paved the way for Luke Steele to fulfil his FA Cup dream with Barnsley after offering to extend the goalkeeper's initial one-month deal with Barnsley. However, the Baggies will expect Barnsley to pay his wages in full after their recent FA Cup run and to sign Steele permanently at the end of the deal. I think this is what is called a "no-brainer".
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3539713.ece

FORSSELL WANTS DEAL
The Birmingham striker's contract expires in the summer and the Fin, who scored a hat-trick against Tottenham, is keen to extend it. "There is a two-year option on the contract," he said. "It is quite straightforward."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/birmingham/article3538838.ece

SIMPSON NAMED SHREWSBURY MANAGER
The former Preston North End and Carlisle United manager has signed a three-year deal at New Meadow. "I am very excited with the challenge," Simpson said. "I'm looking forward to getting started and helping to realise the chairman's ambitions."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article3538980.ece

UEFA CUP AND PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEWS
Gary Megson has decided top-flight status is more important than European glory after leaving 12 players behind for the trip to Sporting Lisbon tomorrow. Bolton could leapfrog Wigan and climb out of the relegation zone with a victory at the JJB Stadium on Sunday.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3528834.ece

LIVE MATCHTRACKER
Everton and Tottenham have got it all to do tonight if their hopes of lifting the Uefa Cup are to be fulfilled. The Toffees host Fiorentina at Goodison Park and need to overturn a two goal deficit. Spurs have a tough task against PSV in Eindhoven - they trail the Dutch league leaders 1-0. You can also follow the action in the Premier League and Football League.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/live_match_tracker/

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If you've got another couple of minutes

For the first time in Champions League history four English teams - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United - have made the quarter-finals of the competition. Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, hailed the Premier League as the best in the world after his team's victory in the San Siro.

So we want you to complete the following sentence: "The Premier League is the best in the world because ..."

E-mail sport@timesonline.co.uk and try to behave yourselves.

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11
England's position in the latest Fifa world rankings. Euro 2008 qualifiers Croatia and Russia are 12th and 21st respectively. The system somehow seems to lack credibility.

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A quickie before you go, sir?

A Nicolas Cage impersonator was treated like a star as he watched Real Madrid play AS Roma last week in the Champions League. Paolo Calabresi, an Italian TV presenter, watched the match with Ramon Calderon, the Madrid president. He also received a Madrid shirt with Nicholas Cage and the No 1 printed on the back. Look closely, does Calabresi look anything like Cage?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSoxJqgsTQk

Michael Petkovic had quite an impact when he returned to the Sivasspor team after injury for their match against Ankaragucu in Turkey's Super Lig. The Australian goalkeeper not only saved a penalty in a 3-2 victory, he also scored a goal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J5C05WBEik&feature=related

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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
Sir Gallic Ferguson - The Sun
What you need to know: 1) Sir Alex Ferguson is becoming fluent in French thanks to Patrice Evra, Louis Saha and Mikael Silvestre. 2) The Manchester United manager enjoys tackling the language with his players and a source said: "Fergie is quite fluent now. But the lads can sometimes struggle with his Scottish accent." 3) Ferguson is also picking up Portuguese from his Brazilian and Portuguese players. 4) French, Portuguese, what next? English?

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>>>>>THE RIVALS<<<<<
Lamps out, Diego in. Chelsea shock plot to dump Frank - The Sun
Four aces - Daily Mirror
Torres fires Liverpool through to seal England's clean sweep - The Guardian
Torres is the San Siro hero - Daily Express
Liverpool join the march on Moscow - The Daily Telegraph
Fab Four - Daily Mail
Torres finishes the English job - The Independent

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In TheGame

Martin Samuel has responded to your comments on his debate asking what the future holds for Avram Grant at Chelsea? Our Chief Football Correspondent agrees with one reader that all great football clubs are built on the philosophy and vision of one man, but disagrees with another who claims that Grant should be sacked immediately.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/martin-samuel-1.html
John Higgins is the current king of our football smugshots gallery. Not only has he been snapped with Pele (what's worse - John's tie or Pele's t-shirt?), John also comes close to a different kind of exposure posing with Graeme Souness (Thank heavens for that cagoule). Have you been photographed with a legend - Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Crooks? Send them in for serious respect.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/football-smug-s.html
Walter Gammie reports on the end of Coventry Sphinx's FA Vase run in Non-league Central, where the programmes are photocopied and the free post-match sandwiches last two seconds.
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/long-faces-give.html
Bill Edgar has posted his daily trivia question: which is the only club to have been relegated the season after gaining promotion to the top flight on five occasions?
http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2008/03/bill-edgars-w-1.html

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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

"Dear AOTG, I hope you could shed some light on a difficult situation concerning Premiership Clubs qualifying for Europe next season. A very paranoid and bitter Evertonian has suggested that there is a scenario where Everton cannot qualify for Europe (hence their application for the Intertoto Cup). There are four places available for the European Cup and he suggests, if Everton finish in 4th place and Liverpool win the European Cup, then Everton would drop into the Uefa cup.

There are three places available in the Uefa Cup and Tottenham have already qualified after winning the League cup, so, there are only two places left. One of those places will go to the FA Cup winners, leaving only one available place. Therefore, if Bolton win the Uefa Cup, there will be no place in Europe for Everton. Can AOTG confirm if this is true, and if it is, how bitter does an Evertonian have to be to work THAT out?!"
Frank Durnion (a Liverpool fan if you hadn't guessed) expects AOTG to crunch the numbers for his pessimistic pal. Relax, have a Cadbury's Caramel. If Bolton can win the Uefa Cup then Cardiff can win the FA Cup, leaving Everton filling the last European place. Maybe.

"So not only does my team, Queensland Roar, have one of the most stupid names in football History, our particularly nasty orange kit has now been proven to be the most unsuccessful colour."
Wurzel in Brisbane takes the findings of a scientific study into club success and kit colour quite badly. He should be more concerned that the Roar's marquee player is Craig Moore.

"I long for the resurgence of the successful teams of my childhood, the gold-clad Wolves and tangerine-hued Blackpool, to disprove the theory. It could be a long wait."
Barry J from Abergele in Wales has also been stunned by the recent research. I am afraid the only fairy-tales he will be seeing for a while are the ones just witnessed in the FA Cup.

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Tomorrow's news today

- Stuart Pierce backs Sepp Blatter on ugly tackles
- Steven Gerrard: Rio Ferdinand was wrong about Liverpool

And expect...

Rafael Benitez to correct himself and recognise the Championship as the world's greatest league.

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