Top Five Record
Peter Ridsdale has again been recounting his spell at Leeds United. In The Sun this morning, he tells us: "Whatever people say happened, my track record on the pitch was good.
"I was chairman at Leeds for 5½ years and we were not outside the top five in the Premier League. We got to a UEFA Cup semi-final and a Champions League semi-final."
We'll ignore for the moment Leeds' 15th place finish in Ridsdale's final season at Elland Road, and instead ponder the definitions of success he places on his tenure at Leeds.
Never out of the top five you say? That's all very well and good, but when the club's finances decreed they needed to make the Champions League every season (which, as you'll remember, is how the walls came tumbling down with their fifth-place finish in 2001/2), top-five finishes are very nice, but they don't exactly constitute success.
And he goes on: "The biggest mistake was allowing myself to go along with decisions knowing they were wrong. Be it paying too much for a player or appointing the wrong manager."
'Going along with decisions'? Surely, as the chairman, one might expect Ridsdale made those decisions.
Ridsdale spends much of the rest of the interview talking about his current stint at Cardiff. Their avoidance of a winding-up order on Wednesday (they agreed a last minute schedule for payments of outstanding dues to the Inland Revenue) is a 'spat' that 'has been resolved'.
Through Night Vision Goggles
Forget about asylum seekers, single mothers, and Britain's benefit culture. It seems as if The Daily Mail has developed a new obsession.
Having first brought news of Frank Lampard's association with Christine Bleakley - the lass who sits next to Adrian Chiles on BBC's One show - exactly a month ago, the newspaper is now apparently intent on providing a daily update on developments in what we are assured is a growing relationship.
But at the very least, the Mail's relationship with the Lampard-Bleakley tryst looks to have come very serious very quicky. At first, it was just a bit coy. 'Is this the smile that says Christine Bleakley is Frank Lampard's new WAG?' it asked on November 10. 'Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles turns frosty over Frank Lampard' was the follow-up story five days later, before the announcement 'Christine Bleakley finally admits she IS dating Frank Lampard... but will he be the One?' a day later.
So far, so normal.
But have things become a little obsessive this week?
On Tuesday came the news that 'Christine Bleakley earns the seal of approval from Frank Lampard's protective sisters'. On Wednesday that 'Frank Lampard's new WAG Christine Bleakley fits in a training session of her own'. Yes, they really did report her visiting a gym. And now for today's coup de grace: 'Frank Lampard's new love Christine Bleakley emerges from hair salon with bouncy new 'do'.
How long before the Mail is reported for stalking?
This Sounds Familiar
Writes Charles Sale in The Daily Mail:
'Liverpool, one of the great citadels of world football, will totally rely on its former glories in the England 2018 host cities tender for which bids were lodged yesterday.'
No change there then.
A Long Walk
Vikki Orvice earns her money in The Sun this morning for her excellent guide to potential World Cup venues.
A plus point for Leicester's Walkers Stadium is 'it is in the centre of the country with good rail and motorway links', whereas a negative for Derby's Pride Park is that it is 'another out-of-town stadium making it harder for fans to get there by rail or bus.'
The Walkers Stadium is 1.5 miles from Leicester station, or a 29 minute walk.
Pride Park is 0.7 miles from Derby station, or a 14 minute walk.
Eeeeeyyyyyyy
While we've got that feature open, we were massively depressed to read that, like in many other papers, The Sun made a great big deal over the 'celebrity' backers of each city's bid, like the say-so of Ken Barlow from Coronation Street (seriously) is going to sway things for Pride Park.
However, Mediawatch was somewhat baffled to read that among the celebrity backers for MK Dons' bid is Henry Winkler. Yes, that Henry Winkler, of Fonz fame.
We have absolutely no idea.
Doubts
'Fulham defender Brede Hangeland has rejected an offer by the club to double his wages and his future at Craven Cottage is now in serious doubt' - The Daily Mail, July 6.
'Brede Hangeland's Fulham future is in doubt after the Norway centre-back rejected an offer to double his wages' - The Daily Mirror, July 6.
"I am delighted to have just signed a new deal and hope that this will now end months of speculation about my future" - Brede Hangeland after signing a new contract to 2013, November 27.
That Didn't Last Long
'Newcastle are lining up a move for Sheffield United centre-half Matt Kilgallon in January' - The Sun.
'Newcastle boss Chris Hughton failed in a deadline-beating bid for Matthew Kilgallon yesterday - after Sheffield United asked for £3million' - The Daily Mirror.
Not In This Business
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers is not in the business of talking about other clubs' players. Look, he even told The Reading Chronicle as much yesterday:
"I'm not in the business of talking about other clubs' players."
One can only hope therefore, that the chaps at Doncaster only tuned in at that point, and didn't hear the previous minute or so of the conversation about their midfielder Brian Stock, which went a little something like this:
"He's a very good player, he's an outstanding talent. He's done very well for Sean O'Driscoll at Doncaster and become a Welsh international.
"If you're asking me is he our type of player then yes, he's a footballer who understands the game."
Day The Of Quote
"Avram's knowledge is immense. He's like Yoda" - The image of Grant on David James's back, running around a swamp saying 'Let the force flooooooow through you' is going to be difficult to shake.
Potty Mouth Of The Day
"People were talking bulls**t" - Emmanuel Petit causes a few heart attacks on BBC Radio 5Live's breakfast show this morning.
Non-Football Story Of The Day
'The reality of "boozed up Britain" was on full show when a semi-naked young woman clambered over a car - in Colchester High Street. The drunken girl stripped off in the middle of town whilst it was packed with late-night drinkers but she has escaped police action - because no-one complained about her behaviour. She had already been thrown out of one bar before getting onto a new BMW and flashing her breasts, lifting her skirt and allegedly inviting passers-by to perform a sex act on her. Now police have admitted that unless someone complained about the girl's actions there was little they could have done - despite the fact she had earlier been warned about her behaviour by two PCSOs.
'The scenes in the middle of town were missed by CCTV, police and Army patrols, street pastors and first aid teams - but captured on a camera phone by a shocked passer-by, although they are not appropriate for a family newspaper. He said: "It was appalling - the girl was clearly very drunk and just pulled up her skirt and clambered onto the roof of the car and began dancing about. When she was persuaded by her friends to get down she just pulled down her top so everyone could see her breasts and offered herself to a bloke who was watching" - The East Anglian Daily Times.
Thanks to today's Mediawatch spotters David Milligan and James Randall. If you spot anything that belongs on this page, mail us at theeditor@football365.com, putting 'Mediawatch' in the subject field.
