Weekend Brakes

GOOD WEEKEND…

You Ess Ay. Whatever they’re feeding them over in the MLS (probably those massive horse burgers) it seems to be working. Thierry Henry ended his second Arsenal spell with a late winner at Sunderland, Robbie Keane has managed three goals in his weeks back in the country and bona fide American Landon Donovan was at the heart of Everton’s victory over Chelsea.

The Lord’s My Shepherd. Is there a better hymn-turned-terrace-anthem than this? Especially belted out in a thick West Midlands accent. You could just about hear it through the boos at Molineux on Sunday as West Brom celebrated their demolition of Wolves.

Bookies on the high street. They’re fighting back after getting it in the ear from government shop keeno Mary Portas. Chief executive of the Association of British Bookmakers, Dirk Vennix, wrote in the Telegraph: “Our industry offers twice the number of jobs than the average to those without formal qualifications each year. While some may be sniffy, the betting industry is famous for the success stories it creates from raw ingredients.

“We can play a role in bringing about this change – bookmakers after all contributed over £3 billion to the UK economy last year.”

Portas is probably still recovering after blowing an early pay packet on “an absolute dead cert, luv” at Chepstow in 1987.

BAD WEEKEND…

Cambridge United. That good looking bloke strutting around on the pitch in Africa last night? The triumphant Zambian coach Herve Renard. Well let me tell you a story. In the spring of 2004 he arrived at Cambridge United and he stood on the touchline in May as we were busy beating Leyton Orient (with John Ruddy making his debut in goal) the future looked pretty good.

But a summer transfer window and the arrival of countless French players later, we started to wonder what Herve was up to. He left after a few months as we slipped into administration and then non-league. And there he was winning the African Cup of Nations. But how can you hate a face like that?

Apologies. They’re never especially attractive, are they? Particularly when adults are doing them, Scottish adults who have spent months fanning flames. S-s-s-sorry.

An Irish bookie? Well, not yet. But Paddy Power have put their necks on the line again with an early pay-out on Harry Redknapp taking the England job. We can't safely make any quips about gifts, bonuses and bank accounts here, even if no-one will have made it this far.