In only its’ second year at the London Golf Club, The European Open is probably not the best tournament to use course history as a guide to picking your winner, but that said last years winner Ross Fisher might just be an exception to this rule.  Second last week to another man in great from, Paul Casey, Fisher has the game and the head to repeat last years victory (maybe not so emphatically as 7 shots again) and will no doubt be many pundits fancy this week and looks certain to start as a strong favourite.  That said, he is well worth a punt at anywhere near the 10/1 mark as if he were more renowned you would probably be looking at him going off around the 5/1 mark.

With the obvious pick now out of the way we can have a look at trying to find a bigger priced winner.  With three second places already this year and an eleventh place last week (which included a second round 77), talented Spaniard Gonzalo Fdez-Castano is well worth an e/w bet at anywhere around the 40/1 mark.  Despite a T59 finish here last year, his first round 4-under par 68 shows that he can score on this course if he puts his mind to it, and his 4 previous wins on the European Tour show that he can also handle the pressure associated with going well in a tournament.  With so many of the big names over in the US this week (including man of the moment Paul Casey) and so few of the ‘big names’ currently playing well I think he offers a great each-way bet and if he gets off to a good start I expect him to be there or thereabouts.

In the spirit of all good things coming in 3’s I am going to throw in Soren Hansen around the 40/1 mark again.  Although I usually like to throw in a big-priced player as my final selection, no-one really jumps out at me, so I shall so with the stats, and a T21 last week and T5 here last year is good enough for Hansen to get the nod over the rest.  That said I may still have something small on Paul McGinley at bigger odds as he can play here and it’s always nice to have the added interest of backing a home player.

For those of you interested, the starting 15 have just been announced.  The are as follows:

Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Chris Whitaker, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Malcolm O’Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Stan Wright, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 John Fogarty, 17 Ronan McCormack, 18 Devin Toner, 19 Sean O’Brien, 20 Simon Keogh, 21 Rob Kearney, 22 Girvan Dempsey.

Leicester: 15 Geordan Murphy (capt), 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Ayoola Erinle, 12 Dan Hipkiss, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Sam Vesty, 9 Julien Dupuy, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Ben Woods, 6 Craig Newby, 5 Ben Kay, 4 Tom Croft, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 George Chuter, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Julian White, 18 Louis Deacon, 19 Lewis Moody, 20 Harry Ellis, 21 Matt Smith, 22 Johne Murphy.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).

This years final promises to be an absolute corker of a match, with the teams so evenly matched that we are offering a scratch handicap for the game.  It is the classic consistent performers versus an in-form team scinario, meaning that it really is too hard to call with any great vigor.  One thing is certain though, if Leinster re-produce the form they showed in their semi-final victory over Munster, Leicester will have to come up with a season-best performance if they are to have any chance of taking the title.

Despite their recent victory in the Premiership, all Leicester have shown is that they can beat mediocre teams, and not even beat them well (their performance in the final is a good example of this).  Having said this, Leinster too have displayed similar qualities (their 6-5 victory in the quarter final is a good example) and it is clear that their good performances have been in conjunction with Brian O’Driscoll’s good performances.  However, O’Driscoll has already shown that he is a big-game player and at this moment in time is probably the best player in the world and it is this reason why I will be giving Leinster the nod over their rivals from across the water.

Leinster showed in the semi-final that their pack can match the best in the world but it is their great ball-carrying skills going forward that will help clinch it if O’Driscoll’s one-man-show is not enough to propel them to victory.  In Heaslip and Helson, Leinster have two monster threats and they will also look to this pair to guide them towards victory.  Leicester will probably look to Vesty and Dupuy to inspire their team, both of whom would probably make most people’s team of the season.

All of this said, from a betting perspective, I still think Leinster will do the business, but if their odds-on price is a bit off-putting, then why not have a look at our winning margins, where you can get Leinster to win between 1-5 points at 4/1, and this is probably the soundest bet in the game.  Personally, I feel that Leinster will give Leicester a good thonking as they are out to show that their win over Munster was no fluke and they are also the only Irish team to yet taste European glory, two factors which mean that they will be the hungrier of the two, a trait which I like in teams I back.

My bet:  Leinster to win 11-15 points @ 10/1. Easy money…

This year’s Masters promises to be an absolute cracker, with Woods returning to form and so many of the top ten showing signs of form in recent weeks.  My only regret writing this is that I have been on holidays and had every intention of talking up Paul Casey’s chance before he won last week, but with his price now demolished and the chances of back-to-back wins so small I am going to overlook Casey as I try and repeat last year’s winning selection of Trevor Immelman.

Obviously Woods is the first name that jumps out at you but I still find it hard to ‘tip’ a golfer that is such a strong favourite (even if he does win).  Other obvious picks are Phil Mickelson, who has a great record at Augusta, and Padraig Harrington who is looking for his third major in a row and showed good form last week.  However, it is these three that top the market and for this reason I am going to look elsewhere.

On the back of a good week last time out in Houston, world number 13, Lee Westwood at 50/1 shall be my bet of the week.  Tied 11th here last time along with this tied third in the US Open last year, Westwood has shown that he has the mental capability to perform at a high level in major competitions.  If any further proof is needed then a look at his Ryder Cup record will show that he can beat the best.  His stroke average for 2009 so far is 70.04, the lowest of his career so far, and although the year is only 4 months old, a repeat of this average should see him sneak into a place (especially here as we are going 6 places) and a repeat of last week’s form (excluding his final round) should see him battling for the top spot, even if Tiger is on form.  For a small e/w bet I am also going to have a look at Louis Oosthuizen, whose form this season has been incredible and simply cannot be overlooked, especially at a whopping 150/1.

As always in the majors, there are plenty of extra markets to get the juices flowing and they have often come as a saviour to many a discerned punter.  For those who can’t see past a Woods victory but still fancy a winner at a big price, there is the W/O Woods market to have a look at.  The market that jumps out at me is Top Us player W/O Woods, with Mickelson heading the market at 2/1.  Although he is clearly a valid favourite on his course form, recent efforts have not been so great and with the market offering 4 places, there is still hope in making some profit even if he does show up.  One player who jumps out at me in this market is Pat Perez.  Currently  8th in the FedEx Cup standings, Perez is a player at the top of his game and when you look at some of the names ahead of him in the market (Couples and Perry spring to mind), in my opinion he is far too big a price and I would be truely surprised if he did not give you a decent run for your money.  With 1/4 the odds for the first four places, Perez at 40/1 represents a great opportunity to pick up some profit for the week.

After some success in recent weeks, the hunt for a decent Masters bankroll continues with the Madeira Island Open in Europe and the Transitions Championship in the US.  With many of the big names playing in the Tavistock Cup, both tournaments are wide open and this notion is mirrored in the betting with 14/1 and 12/1 favourites respectively (as I type), so we again find ourselves with a great opportunity of finding a big priced winner.  Unfortunately, some of the previous posts were mysteriously erased over Cheltenham, but I have been assured that this will not happen again, so here’s hoping that these words are not in vain again…

We shall start by taking a look at the Madeira Open in Spain, being played on the Seve Ballesteros designed Porto Santo course.  The fact that the event was moved from Santo De Serra renders the tournaments previous results pretty much useful and paves the way for those players in good form or from the surrounding area when making your selection.  That said, the two names that jump out at me are Rafael Cabrera Bello and Ignacio Garrido.  At 25/1 and 28/1 they find themselves firmly at the top of the market but you would be unlucky if you did not get a decent run for your money from at least one of them.  Both have been performing consistently all season and their top ten finishes in recent weeks should stand them well as they compete on familiar soil for the first time this year.  If 28/1 is still too short for you and you fancy having a cheeky go on an outsider then I suggest you take a look at Jean van de Velde at 100/1.  His 5 over par, tied 64th last time out might not exactly jump out of the page at you but with 3 steady rounds of 72, 71 and 69, a top ten finish was not out of the question if you overlook his third round 81.  Given the Frenchman’s history for erratic play this is perhaps expected, but 4 steady rounds this week could see very well see van de Velde in contention come Sunday, and at 100/1 he is perhaps a bit overpriced.

Across the water in America, the first name that jumps out is John Senden, who has finished 2nd here the last two years, and at a price of 50/1 this is form that cannot be ignored.  Pre-tournament favourite is Jim Furyk at 12/1 and although a very obvious pick, his proven track record when in form on US soil means that he will be my big bet this week.  Of the outsiders who have a good chance, I would lean towards DJ Trahan for much the same reason as I did for van de Velde - bar his opening round 77 he would have been battling for a top ten spot, and although this may not seem like title winning form, the fact that the majority of those players that made up that top ten are not playing, his price of 66/1 means that even a place will leave you in profit for the week.

after a great day for the irish at cheltenham on tuesday with four winners lets see if we can help you all reinvest wisely on wednesday!

NATIONAL HUNT CHASE

THE AMATEUR 4 MILE CHASE KICKS US OFF TODAY.AND I AM GOING FOR KORNATI KID HERE AT 8/1.HE IS A VERY SOUND JUMPER AND WILL GET EVERY YARD OF THE 4 MILES HERE AND THE BOOKING OF ROBBIE MCNAMARA HERE INCREASES CONFIDENCE.

BALLYMORE NOVICE HURDLE

I’M EXPECTING A VERY BIG SHOW HERE FROM A VERY BIG HORSE MAD MAX IS ABOUT 18 HANDS AND HE HAS LOOKED AWESOME SO FAR I CAN SEE THIS CHAP ONE DAY LINING UP IN A GOLD CUP AND 6/1 LOOKS A VERY FAIR PRICE COMING FROM A YARD IN GREAT FORM.

SUN ALLIANCE CHASE

I LIKE THE LOOK OF CARRUTHERS HERE AFTER A VERY GOOD FRONT RUNNING PERFORMANCE AT ASCOT HE WILL GET EVERY YARD OF THE TRIP HERE AND IF ALLOWED TO DICTATE THINGS FROM THE FRONT END THE 11/2 ABOUT HIM EVEN HAS ME PULLING UP THE FLOOR BOARDS TO DIP INTO THE RAINY DAY MONEY!

CHAMPION CHASE

WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT MASTER MINDED THAT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN SAID THIS LAD COULD FALL AND STILL WIN.SO FOR A BET HERE WE NEED TO LOOK IN THE BETTING WITHOUT MARKET AND WELL CHIEF AT 4/1 COULD BE A STEAL. SURELY IF HE WASNT SHOWING HIS OLD SPARKLE AT POND HOUSE THEY WOULD NOT CONTEMPLATE RUNNING HIM HERE.

CORAL CUP

I COULD SEE THIS EVENT GOING TO SEVEN BARROWS THE POLOMOCHE SHOWED HIS WELL BEING IN A RECENT GALLOP AT KEMPTON WITH BINOCULAR AND NICKY HAS HAD THIS RACE AS HIS TARGET ALL YEAR AND 10/1 IS INVITING ME IN HERE.

FRED WINTER HURDLE 

ALEXANDER SEVERUS HAS BEN THE SUBJECT OF HEAVY SUPPORT SINCE HIS EYECATCHING RUN AT LEOPARDSTOWN AND IN WHAT LOOKS ONE OF THE WEAKEST RACES AT THE FESTIVAL I COULD SEE PLENTY OF IRISH PUNTERS REINVESTING IN THIS CHAP 5/1 AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT SHOULD BE TAKEN AS I CAN SEE THIS FELLOW GOING TO POST AS SHORT AS 5/2.

CHAMPION BUMPER

AND NO LADS ITS NOT A QUESTION OF WHICH ONE OF WILLIES WINS HERE ITS A QUESTION OF HOW FAR DUNGUIB WINS HERE A PROPER HORSE TRAINED BY PHILP FENTON WHO KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO PREPARE A CHELTENHAM WINNER AFTER BEING WITH EDDIE O’GRADY FOR SO MANY YEARS.PHILIP HAS NOT TRIED TO HIDE HIS ADMIRATION FOR THIS HORSE AND AFTER A SPARKLING PIECE OF WORK LAST WEEK THIS FELLOW IS THE BET OF THE DAY WADE IN LADS WITH NO FEAR!!!

How did we manage that?  Ireland’s victory on Wednesday was nothing short of a miracle, but it’s about time a bit of good fortune came our way.  We can also take plenty of positives from the game, especially the team’s performance in the second half.  McGeady walked off with the Man Of The Match accolade but it must have been a close run decision between him and Kevin Doyle, who continues to improve at both club and International level, and has to be Ireland’s number one striker at present.  Keane’s two goals might taint the views of those who were not watching lat night, but it truly was a great performance from Doyle. 

Perhaps a bit aware of this himself, Doyle has come out and let the Italian camp know what the Irish intentions are, saying “They had their manager there last night, so I am glad we didn’t play too well in front of him — we don’t want him too worried about us. We want them to be pretty cocky and confident and not take us too seriously”, and if Lippi switched off after the first half, there is no doubt that this ploy will prove successful.  Whatever the Italians think about us, we have a definite chance of automatic qualification now and not being one to get too carried away, I have already booked my flights to South Africa (just don’t tell the boss).

2009 may only be a few days old, but already we have witnessed some fine sporting achievements, most notably Phil Taylor’s demolition of the field in the PDC Championship.  Taylor finished the final with a three dart average of 110.94, breaking his own record for a World Final.  It was a spectacular display from ‘the Power’ and with the 48 year old getting better every year, it really does look ominous for his fellow professionals.  Many pundits are now claiming Taylor to be the greatest sportsman of all time, but a look back at last year’s sporting accomplishments might throw up a few other names that could also claim this title..

Woods or no Woods, Padraig Harrington’s displays last year elevated him to one of the game’s all-time greats and earned him both the US and European player of the year accolades.  Losing out on the Order of Merit to Robert Karlsson was the only small blip on Harrington’s 2008 and to be honest it does not really matter in the greater scale of things (ask Colin Montgomerie).  Retaining his Open Championship would have been enough alone to make this list but going on to win the PGA a matter of weeks later, means that Harrington gets the first mention in this review.  After pulling off shot of the year to claim the Open Championship, Harrington displayed a different quality to his game by winning the PGA despite not playing his best golf.  He showed that he has the mental game which only the true greats possess, and will no doubt look forward to Tiger’s return so he can put to bed any thoughts that his recent success is in some part due to the fact that Woods is still recovering from surgery on his knee.  With Rory McIlroy recently breaking into the top 50 in the world, Graeme McDowell playing the golf of his life and Darren Clarke still showing glimpses of the form we know he is capable of, 2009 promises to be a great year for Irish golf.

The future also looks bright for Irish boxing as Ireland managed to pick up 3 medals during last years Olympic Games.  Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes both picked up bronze medals, while Kenny Egan picked up a silver medal, as the trio proved that some funding and a basic infrastructure can go a long way in achieving sporting results.  Irish results aside, the Olympics were dominated by two individuals, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps.  Phelps went home with 8 gold medals (along with 7 World Records) from 8 events, and has many saying that he is the greatest swimmer of all time.  Bolt’s performance, on the other hand, ‘only’ produced 3 gold medals but it was the manner in which he won them that puts his achievements slightly above Phelp’s.  Bolt smashed the 100m world record, and did so celebrating for the last 10m of the race, before going on to break the 200m record while bringing home that gold.  His third gold (and third world record) came in the 4 x 100m relay and if there were more events based around sprinting there is little doubt that his gold tally would have been bigger.  It’s also worth remembering that Bolt is still somewhat of a rookie when it comes to the 100m, having broke the World Record in June in only his 5th 100m race on the senior circuit, so as far as World Records go, we certainly have not seen the last of this man.

Munster’s performance in the Heineken Cup Final is also well worth a mention.  A 16-13 score line might not seem the most flattering, but the heart and determination that was shown on the pitch is something rarely seen in sport.  60,000 Munster fans witnessed their pack put on an awesome display and with Alan Quinlan producing turnovers galore and Ronan O’Gara showing how a number 10 should play, this victory will perhaps be even sweeter than that in 2006 for the Munster collective.

On the horse racing side of things, Aidan O’Brien’s 23 Group One victories is a definite highlight and a better performance at the Breeder’s Cup would have seen him break the current record of 25 in one year.  Zarkava and Master Minded both produced stunning performances, with the later producing one of the finest runs of all time over 2 miles in winning the Champion Chase.  Victories in the Hennessy Gold Cup and the Cheltenham Gold Cup would probably give Denman the nudge over the others if one were to pick a ‘horse of the year’, and with talk of Denman running in both the Gold Cup and the Grand National this year, 2009 could be the year when we see Denman be proclaimed as one of horse racing’s all-time greats.

Last Summer also saw Euro ‘08 take place, where Spain justified their pre-tournament favourites title, beating Germany in the final through a Torres goal.  On the domestic side of things, Bohemians walked away with the league, while across the water Man Utd claimed the Premier League as well as beating Chelsea in the Champions League Final.  Christiano Ronaldo had a fine year, earning him both European and World player of the year awards, but has failed to produce the same quality this season amidst a flurry of transfer speculation.  Spurs won the FA Cup and are all set to do the same this year, with Harry Redknapp looking to follow his Carling Cup victory last season with Pompey, with an even bigger trophy with his new club.

Tennis saw the rise of Nadal, who has now taken over from Roger Federer as World Number 1.  Last year’s Wimbledon final between the pair was probably the greatest in history and set up a rivalry which is sure to draw comparisons between that of Borg and McEnroe in the late 70’s and 80’s.  The UK may finally have the major winner that they have desperately been seeking of late in the shape of Andy Murray, who in a great year has risen to World Number 4 and made the final of the US Open.

We also saw a fine year for GAA fans, with Tyrone putting a stop to a Kerry side that many predicted would be unbeatable.  One team that did prove unbeatable was Kilkenny, who were simply incredible as they strolled to another All Ireland title, their third in a row.  It’s almost impossible to look past them to win again this year, but the football should be more competitive, with several teams having chances.

Formula 1 also saw the rise of a new star in the form of Lewis Hamilton, who at 23 years of age became the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, albeit in somewhat controversial style, with many claiming that Glock let him by.  Be this true or not, it was still a fine season for the Englishman, and is sure to be the first of many world titles.  Another World Champion of note is boxer Joe Calzaghe, who maintained his unbeaten status and has probably established himself as the finest pound-for-pound boxer to ever emerge from the U.K.

So all in all 2008 was a fine year for sports fans everywhere, and although I have probably left out many events of note, this writer is aware of his limited writing skills and his power to bore easily, so shall stop here in the hope that at least one person finished it.  Feel free to leave any people/events you feel I may have left out (I have been assured that our problem with people posting has been fixed), just remember not to swear!  Here’s to another year like ‘08…

With the Big Four all failing to win for the second time in a matter of weeks this weekend, have we perhaps seen the last of the monopoly that has been associated with the Champions League places in recent years? 

One man who will certainly be hoping that this is the case is Aston Villa manager, Martin O’Neill, who has seen his side break into the top four of late, mostly due to stunning displays from young duo Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor.  The England U21 Internationals have been in flying for of late, managing three assists and five goals between them in the last two matches alone.

Although O’Neill can claim some praise for his side’s current fourth place status, it is mainly due to the drop in form of the ‘Big Four’, with Chelsea’s current home form perhaps the most extreme example of this.  The once inpenatratable Stamford Bridge has heralded just three victories in nine attempts, with Chelsea dropping fourteen points along the way.  This fact has certainly not gone unnoticed by the fans, with Chelsea being booed off last weekend after their 1-1 draw with West Ham.  Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari even admitted that this behaviour was justified, telling reporters ”If I think about the competition and the games that we lost points here, I agree with the fans but they need to understand the players try to do their best”, before going on about how it is an injustice that his side have yet to be given a penalty this season (a Drogba/games played/dives taken stat might shed some light on the reason for this-he has been injured most of the season).  

Scolari’s blushes have been saved somewhat by both Liverpool’s and Arsenal’s poor form of late, and to a lesser extent, that of Manchester United’s.  All four sides are seemingly no longer the forces they used to be and the fact that Chelsea’s biggest cheer of the night was reserved for West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola might offer some insight as to why - the sides simply don’t have the quality players of old (and those few that are playing are underachieving ).  Manchester United fans can also relate to this fact, with Giggs and Scholes both coming on last weekend in the hope of salvaging a win.  Arsenal’s young guns underachieving coupled with Wenger’s apparent reluctance to buy any new players, has seen their title aspirations vanish and with Liverpool so reliant on Gerrard and Torres playing (let alone performing) together, the January transfer window has never looked so vital to one team breaking away from the pack. But with all four now somewhat hindered by the current economic crisis, perhaps this will be the year when the monopoly is finally broken and an Aston Villa or an Everton (or maybe even a Hull) gets a crack at the big boys in the Champions League in 09/10, and who can argue that this is a bad thing?

If we are to believe Italian newspapers today, Ronaldo may be soon leaving Old Trafford for Inter Milan in the not too distant future.  According to the Corriere dello Sport, Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has told the Italian club that Ronaldo still wants to leave Manchester United and that he is interested in a move to the San Siro.  First impressions of the story will leave many readers dubious as to whether there is any truth in the story, but if there is even a hint of honesty in the rumours, then they should be taken seriously as Mendes is also Jose Mourinho’s agent, and you don’t have to be a genius to work out the connection there. 

If Ronaldo does make the move to Inter, he will join fellow Portuguese international Ricardo Quaresma in Mourinho’s new set up and with reports that Inter president Massimo Moratti already has the financial backing for the move (ironically alleged to be from Pirelli, who also funded a move for the other Ronaldo), United fans may be waving goodbye to their top scorer come January.

Ronaldo is not the only name doing the rounds in the papers recently, and with the transfer window opening in a few weeks, there are sure to be many more to come.  Those of note recently include Daniel Agger, who apparently is off to AC Milan, with Gabrile Heinze set to be the man to replace him.  If the Daily Mirror is to be believed (and we have no reason not to) then either Man City or Chelsea are set to sign David Villa in January, but I think we have heard that one before.  If it is City who sign Villa, at least he won’t be the only new arrival at the City of Machester Stadium, as there are currently whispers of Kaka, Messi, Ronaldo, Tevez, Eto’o, Santa Cruz, Grosso and Buffon all joining the club, and with the Abu Dhabi United Group not short of a few pence, you can be pretty sure that at least one of these names will be playing alongside Robinho and star player Stephen Ireland (that’s a whole different debate) come January.  Spurs are also rumoured to be solving their current keeper issue by signing Ireland international, Shay Given, from Newcastle, with Given apparently a big fan of new manager Harry Redknap.

It should be interesting to see how all of these rumours pan out, and how many more come to surface before January.  I have not even touched on the manager situation, which is currently being dominated by Roy Keane’s struggle at Sunderland, but there is plenty of time for that another day…

Last week, once again, saw sporting fans everywhere being treated, as we had a host of high quality events keeping us entertained.  With so much to discuss, it is perhaps better to let the sporting heroes themselves sum up their week, in their own words, as only they can.  We shall start with one of our own, a certain Mr. Roy Keane…

“I wouldn’t trust some of these people to walk my dog.”

Roy Keane showing his love of the ever insightful TV pundit.

“They must be pretty desperate if they are scraping the barrel for me.”

Rory Delap on the state of Ireland’s Olympic team after it was suggested he could represent Ireland in the javelin in 2012.

“Adams was a Gunner
He’ll never be a scummer
Redknapp did a runner
We’re the Adams family.
Do-do-do-do (clap clap)…”

Pompey fans show their support for new manager Tony Adams.

“I don’t actually like people. I’m a loner and if I had my way I’d just walk my dogs every day, never talk to anyone and then die.”

Tony Adams giving some love back to the people.

“I don’t think the rumours have affected my players. When I reported to meet the team I think they were more disappointed than anyone I hadn’t resigned.”

Roy Keane highlights his teams’ joy that last weeks rumours of him walking away, were indeed just rumours.

“What’s the big deal? The manager has not picked him - he has not picked lots of players. I am amazed by the publicity he seems to be getting. My God.”

Roy Keane, again, this time commenting on the much publicised omission of Andy Reid from the Ireland squad.

“At 9.25 it was past his bedtime”

Arsene Wenger explaining why he substituted Jack Wilshire after Arsenal’s young guns again put on an impressive display in the Carling Cup.

“If you can’t pass the ball properly, a bowl of pasta ain’t going to make that much difference.”

Harry Redknap telling it how it is.

“We will put in a report. I don’t talk to referees. It’s like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife - it doesn’t get you too far”

Ulster coach, Matt Williams, after his teams defeat by Harlequins.

I shall leave you with my favourite and a fine example of remorse…

“I should have punched him harder.”

No, its not Roy Jones Jr. after his fight with Joe Calzaghe, it is in fact a certain Eric Cantona commenting on his incident at Crystal Palace a few years back.  Classic.