Saturday's World Cup round-up

Former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus says his country have almost no chance of winning the World Cup in South Africa.
Matthaus, who won won an incredible 150 caps in a long international career, is unimpressed with the standard of coach Joachim Loew's squad.
"The problem with Germany is that they have no stars, no-one with any individual brilliance, now that Ballack is out," said Matthaus. "And their preparations have hardly been optimal."

Australia forward Harry Kewell concedes that facing Germany on the first weekend will be an uphill battle for the Socceroos.
"Let's face it, we've probably hit the hardest team in the World Cup to come up against, especially first off the bat," said Kewell. 

Winning the World Cup would still not be enough for United States forward DaMarcus Beasley to make a real name for himself in his home state of Indiana.
Michael Jackson and the Jackson family are the Hoosier state's most famous sons and former Rangers player Beasley admitted that realistically not even lifting the World Cup trophy would see him make a similar name for himself.
"Even if we won the World Cup I still wouldn't be that big a thing," said Beasley.
"But maybe I would be in the top 10. I might even get a statue."

England captain Steven Gerrard has surprisingly picked out sprint star Usain Bolt as a big inspiration.
Olympic 100 and 200m champion Bolt is a huge football fan and has asked Gerrard for a signed shirt for his growing collection. 
"Usain Bolt is an athlete I really look up to," Gerrard said. "As a sprinter he's the man isn't he? He's there to be shot at but keeps on winning. It takes some doing to be at the top of your game like he is. 
"It's a pity he's a Man United fan though. I was going to ask him to one of our training sessions when he's in England but I might not bother now." 

Paraguay have laughed off reports that Oscar Cardozo could be out of the World Cup and declared the striker could yet make next week's opening match against Italy.
Cardozo, who scored 36 goals for Benfica last season, has been struggling with an ankle injury and has been training separately from the rest of the Paraguay squad.
"I must clarify that Oscar Cardozo is not out of the World Cup, as has been implied in some media," said Paraguay team doctor Manuel Aguilar.
"What's more, neither has he been ruled out of the first game."

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Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United will be under pressure to sell off up to 15 players at the end of the season to help clear their rising debt, reported to be about £716m. Striker Michael Owen and keeper Ben Foster are likely to be top of the list for the axe.(Daily Star) 
Veteran former Scotland striker Paul Dickov, a free agent after leaving Leicester in January, will join League One title hopefuls Leeds on Monday.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Five Chelsea players have pledged their support to former team-mate Wayne Bridge in the wake of their captain John Terry's alleged affair with the Manchester City defender's former partner.(Daily Mail) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane sympathises with Bridge's decision to quit England, claiming "getting the big contract, the Bentley and the blonde" has replaced playing the international game as "the pinnacle" for players. (Daily Mail) 
Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt is desperate for Manchester United to beat Aston Villa in Sunday's Carling Cup final. He will be watching in his Kingston home and said: "I want to be celebrating at the end."(The Sun) 
Milton Keynes Dons manager Paul Ince is facing the axe, with former Watford and Reading boss Brendan Rodgers being lined up to replace him. (Daily Mail) 
Reading have decided not to appeal against Jobi McAnuff's red card in the FA Cup fifth-round replay victory over West Brom, ruling the winger out of the Royals' quarter-final clash against Aston Villa.(Daily Mail) 
The Premier League could introduce fines if members fail to stick to an agreement made at the start of the season on giving interviews to rights holders. It could lead to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson speaking to the BBC once again. Ferguson fell out with the corporation after a 2004 documentary about his son Jason. (The Independent) 
Rangers manager Walter Smith has told goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who this week claimed he was attacked at a city centre taxi rank, he is on his last chance over his off-the-field antics. (The Sun)
Rangers' Walter Smith says it is understandable that striker Kris Boyd has called off contract talks because of the uncertainty over the club's finances and the manager's future. (Various) 
Scotland's under-fire referees will be wined and dined by the Scottish Football Association before next week's friendly with Czech Republic as a defiant show of support to officials. (The Sun)
Rangers striker Kenny Miller has hit back at Celtic's claims that they get a raw deal from referees, saying he suffered a harsh red card against Dundee United that ruled him out of the last Old Firm derby. (Various) 

AND FINALLY

Former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke is in reflective mood ahead of the Carling Cup final. When asked about a premature end to a four-year Old Trafford career in 2002, he said: "Would I give up the women and nights out for another year at United? Would that make me happy? Would that make me the person I am today? I'm not so sure."(Daily Express)
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea and Manchester City are in the hunt for Liverpool's Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso after his proposed £35m move to Real Madrid stalled.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will move for Roma's Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani - if Alonso moves to Real Madrid. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham and Fulham want Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch after his £12m move to Sunderland fell through. (Daily Telegraph)

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will now turn his attention to Tottenham forward Darren Bent.(Daily Telegraph) 
Another option for Bruce may be Bordeaux's Morocco international forward Marouane Chamakh. (The Guardian) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti anticipates Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, who was on loan at AC Milan last season, will leave the club before the start of the 2009-2010 campaign, with Dynamo Kiev and Fenerbache interested. (The Guardian) 
The line of suitors eyeing a move for former England captain David Beckham is growing, with Chelsea, Tottenham and Fulham all ready to offer the Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder a deal. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham have tabled a £17m bid for Real Madrid's 23-year-old Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo.(Daily Mirror) 
And Spurs are weighing up a move for Manchester City winger Martin Petrov, 30, and could prize him away from Eastlands for £5m.(Daily Mail)
And Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will beat Everton to the signature of Sheffield United defender Kyle Naughton. (The Guardian) 
South African midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi is hoping to earn a deal at Fulham where he has been on a trial. The 24-year-old plays in his homeland for Golden Arrows. (The Guardian)
Fulham are set to make a £9m offer for Hull City defender Michael Turner, which includes striker Bobby Zamora going in the other direction. (Daily Mirror) 
Burnley boss Owen Coyle is tracking £500,000-rated Norwich midfielder Darel Russell. (Daily Mail)
Wolves are considering a move for Celtic defender Stephen McManus. (Daily Mail) 
Egypt striker Mido has returned to Middlesbrough after being fined for missing the start of pre-season training but the 26-year-old will be sold as soon as possible. (Daily Mail)
Middlesbrough are in talks with striker Leroy Lita, who was released by Reading at the end of last season. (Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United are set to sign Manchester City striker Ched Evans for £1.5m, rising to £3m on appearances. (Daily Mail) 
However, Ipswich boss Roy Keane hopes to hijack the deal for Evans and take the striker to Suffolk. (Daily Star) 
Reading want Tottenham midfielder Adel Taarabt on a season-long loan deal. (Daily Mirror)
Cardiff boss Dave Jones wants to offload midfielder Paul Parry, 28, with Doncaster interested in a £500,000 deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane wants defender Danny Simpson from Manchester United and midfielder Dean Whitehead from Sunderland in a £2m deal. (Daily Mirror)
Celtic boss Tony Mowbray is keen to sign left-back Marek Cech from West Bromwich Albion. (The Guardian) 
Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee wants 21-year-old defender Reda Johnson on loan. The Benin international plays for French third division side Amiens. (Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed "irreplaceable" striker Didier Drogba, 31, will sign a new three-year deal at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Telegraph)
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle was on Notts County's shortlist to become director of football at Meadow Lane before the club opted to recruit Sven Goran-Eriksson. (Daily Mail) 
Eriksson is considering taking former Nottingham Forest boss David Platt to Notts County as part of his revolution. (The Sun)

AND FINALLY

Despite having the advantage of being the fastest man in the world over 100m and 200m Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt says he is not particularly good at football: "I used to play but I'm no striker, I'm more of a defender or midfielder. I can't score goals." (Daily Star)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Everton manager David Moyes is preparing a summer bid for Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa are also interested in Jenas - if they lose Gareth Barry to Liverpool in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Newcastle have made a £6m inquiry about Wigan striker Amr Zaki. (Daily Mail) 
Stoke City are set to launch a new bid for Blackburn Rovers midfielder Aaron Mokoena. (Daily Mirror) 
Swindon striker Simon Cox is a £2m target for West Brom and Leicester. (Daily Mirror) 
Coventry keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos is being chased by former club Hartlepool. (Daily Mirror) 
Wolves captain Jody Craddock has rejected an approach from Australian side Perth Glory. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Mach of the Day, Mach the Knife, Teenage Kicks, Boy Wonder and Kiko the Kid are just some of the headlines in today's papers referring to Federico Macheda's late goal for Manchester United on Sunday. (Various) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has shelved contract talks with his players until the end of the season. (Daily Express) 
Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale has vowed to ban for life the supporter who threw a coin at referee Mike Dean in Sunday's south Wales derby against Swansea. (The Times) 
Former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness is ready to save his old club Southampton from going out of business. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool striker Nathan Eccleston has signed a new two-year contract at the club. (Daily Mirror) 
Rangers manager Walter Smith has called for an end to the reporting on Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor's drinking session and offensive gestures. (Various) 
Meanwhile, the Rangers manager insists his side are at full-stretch as they try to close the gap on Celtic at the top of the SPL table. (Scotsman) 
Worried Livingston fans have heard a radical rescue plan on for the cash-strapped club if it goes into administration. (Scotsman) 
Clyde could go bust in less than three weeks after being evicted from Broadwood stadium by North Lanarkshire Council. (Daily Record) 
Celtic are closing in on a player-exchange partnership with Hungarian league leaders Ujpest FC. (The Herald) 

AND FINALLY 

Triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt is to give Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo running tips at a specially arranged training session at the club. (The Sun)