Ahead of TheGame: Bruce hails Heskey revival

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BRUCE HAILS HESKEY REVIVAL
The Wigan manager says the England forward has rejuvenated his career by working intensively on his fitness. "It's quite staggering what has happened to him over the past few weeks," he said. "A lot of it is down to the condition that Emile's in. He's possibly in the best condition he's been in all his life."

Bruce is not surprised that the player has been linked with a move to a club in the Champions League. "Of course, the paper speculation is that he's leaving - that's the downside - but everybody involved with the club is delighted for him."

FERGUSON CRITICISES ENGLAND WAGS
The Manchester United manager has backed Rio Ferdinand's decision to speak out against the media "circus" that followed the England team at the 2006 World Cup. "If Rio felt that was an encumbrance on the team," he said. "I am sure Fabio Capello is aware of it."

FA CHASED FERGUSON
The United manager was offered the England job on three occasions, according to David Davies, the former FA executive director. "I was absolutely clear he was the best person for the job, " Davies said. "But he is a very, very proud Scot."

VIDEO PREVIEWS: WENGER FACES INJURY DILEMMA
Arsenal are missing four players for their match at home to Everton tomorrow, with William Gallas, Bacary Sagna, Nicklas Bendtner and Johan Djourou all out. Liverpool must cope without Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel at home to Wigan after both were injured on international duty. Plus, all the news on the weekend's Premier League fixtures.

PULIS BACKS SENEGAL PLAYERS
The Stoke manager is confident that the rioting that followed the 1-1 draw against Gambia will not prevent his Senegalese players from being in the right frame of mind to face Spurs on Sunday. Salif Diao, Abdoulaye Faye and Ibrahima Sonko had to be smuggled out of the stadium in Dakar after a result that ended Senegal's hopes of qualifying for the World Cup.

ROEDER DISMISSES MATCH-FIXING RUMOURS
The Norwich manager has rejected reports that the club may have been implicated in suspicious betting patterns spotted during their match against Derby. "I would be 100 per cent certain there is no one at Norwich involved," he said.

HUGHES UNHAPPY WITH HART CALL-UP
The Manchester City manager has questioned Fabio Capello's decision to draft his goalkeeper into the senior squad in Minsk after playing for the under-21 side. "It was a long way to go to sit in the stand," he said. "He had played two games in a short space of time."

STOKES' BLADES SWITCH
The Sunderland forward has joined Sheffield United on a three-month loan. "He will give us more options on the left-hand side, especially as we have got a few injury niggles," Kevin Blackwell, their manager, said.

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If you've got another couple of minutes

WIRELESS IS MORE
A little entertainment to start the weekend. For those who missed this priceless performance on Danny Baker's 5 Live radio show, here is video footage of Alex Constantinou - we're guessing that's how to spell the guest's surname - reworking Bohemian Rhapsody so that every lyric is the name of a footballer.

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>>>>>THE TABLOID TALE<<<<<
David bake 'em - Daily Star
What you need to know: 1) Beckham launched a range of healthy food for children at Wembley yesterday. 2) It comprises noodles, chicken wraps and fish fingers. 3) Cooking instructions suggest you get somebody else to do the work, then turn up to add the finishing touches a few minutes from the end.

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In TheGame

What is Beckham's legacy?
Writing in today's Times , Matt Dickinson notes that the LA Galaxy midfielder continues to attract "extremes of love and loathing" while he adds to his tally of England caps with fleeting substitute appearances. How, then, will fans remember him once he departs the international stage?

Will he divide opinion in perpetuity, with detractors pointing to his lack of pace and the paucity of competition he has faced at right midfield? Will they refuse to herald a player whose celebrity and spouse - the queen WAG - surely helped to create an England camp that Rio Ferdinand said resembled a "circus"?

Or will the critics soften their stance and cherish him for his right foot and unswerving loyalty to the country? Will they recognise him as one of its great talents who deserved to become - as he surely will - its most capped outfield player? Have your say.

Cascarino: Beckham driven by ego
Our columnist cannot understand where you-know-who finds the motivation to continue an international career that comprises only brief cameos off the bench. "There must be some ulterior motive," he writes. "Is it an ego thing, trying to break cap records and cement his place in history?"

United Fanzone: What happened to Rooney?
Our Old Trafford loyalist has posited reasons for why the forward has struggled to fulfill his teenage potential, suggesting he has become too intent on playing for the team, has suffered under the weight of media expectation and has been held back by the emergence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

"In playing second fiddle to Ronaldo," he writes. "Rooney no longer inspires fear." He admits, though, that his performances for England over the past week suggest the player's second coming is upon us.

Fiendish Friday Quiz
Stay stimulated over the weekend with another ten of Bill Edgar's toughest trivia questions. You'll also find the answer to the poser he set yesterday.

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4
Players who have appeared in every Premier League season since its inception in 1992. They are Nicky Butt, Sol Campbell, Ryan Giggs and David James.

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Joe Bloggs' Soapbox

Paw Burgandy sent articulate praise for English football's most famous son:
"I like Beckham. The lad has been the ultimate professional since he broke on to the scene and scored what, for me, is still the best goal the Premiership has seen.

"His career in the English shirt has had its good and bad moments but show me a professional who hasn't made mistakes. He has never given less than 100 per cent and has enthused millions of young people through his work on and off the field. Show the lad a bit of respect and stop trying to tear him down.

"Perhaps the competition he faced for the right-sided position with England hasn't been the best but, lest ye forget, he was also part of the greatest English club side of the past 20 years.

"The legacy of David Beckham should be one of a true legend who, like all greats, had his flaws but made the best use of his talents and, on top of that, was a genuinely good lad."

Trevor Dee is less enthused:
"Beckham was an above-average player who was pretty good with a dead ball. Thanks to a number of late 'come-ons', when he is well past his prime, he surpasses the great Bobby Charlton in the appearance stakes.

"Yet he doesn't hold a candle to Charlton's achievements or his outstanding ability. Charlton played his heart out over the whole of every game."

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And expect...

Beckham to be remembered as the man who sank Captain Birds Eye.