WEATHER A NIGHTMARE

Football faces a shut-down because of the current big freeze.Everything else too is being affected on the run in to Christmas..but please no calls for a mid-season break.When do you take it?This country is all weather and no climate.You never know quite when it will strike.If you get it wrong it just prolongs the season or managers complain there are too many matches in too few days! And what happens in World Cup finals and European Championship finals years?Sorry folks we have to force our way through.

CHELSEA HAVE BEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW;ARSENAL THE MOST DIFFICULT!

Chelsea have the easiest European Champions League draw as the competition enters the knock-out stage.They are paired with FC Copenhagen,in the last 16 for the first time,who are considered as the weakest opponents.Chelsea will be at home in the second leg. Arsenal will be at home in their first leg against the favourites Barcelona,Lionel Messi,Andres Iniesta,Xavi et al.Barca are favourites to win the competition.They met last season-2-2 at the Emirates but 4-1 to Barcelona in the Nou Camp!Marseille of France face Manchester United who are not always comfortable against French opposition but usually get through and will again.Finally Spurs have a toughie against AC Milan in the San Siro but if they can hang in there then Spurs will still have a chance back hom in the second leg.But they have a lot to do.Good tie.

SIR ALEX FERGUSON TO CARRY ON...BUT WAS THERE A DOUBT?

Sir Alex Ferguson,having past the late Sir Matt Busby's record of service as Manchester United manager,has made it clear he is staying on for quite a while yet...and why ever not? He is still the best,Manchester United are still in the thick of things including leading the Premier League and looking most likely.He is still on top of the game,still successfully rebuilding squads and most important of all he still has the drive and desire.Carry on Sir Alex!

DAVID BECKHAM WANTS TO REGAIN ENGLAND PLACE

David Beckham received a terrific and long standing ovation at Birmingham's NEC Arena when he received the life-time achievement award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.He was visibly moved and wife Victoria wiped away some tears.Becks gave a fine speech and later revealed he wants to come back to Europe in a bid to regain his England place...but not AC Milan and no other Premier League club than Manchester United.He is 35,can still play but its a tough ask on both counts.Stay tuned.I have known David since he started out at United.Always liked him,always respected him and admired his skills.Now he has the confidence that success and money brings-and he has plenty of both.I noticed in his speech that he never once said "you know".Far different from a few years ago.Well deserved award.

SAM ALLARDYCE SACKING A SHOCK-AND DISGRACE

Sam Allardyce sacking as Blackburn manager is a shock and a disgrace.I was stunned at Newcastle sacking Chris Hughton and replacing him with Alan Pardew.Chris did not deserve it.But the dismissal of Sam was a bigger shock and not deserved.He has done a pretty good job in difficult circumstances and the new Indian owners should have given him a chance and supported him with funds.Its tight down there in the relegation zone.Blakcburn are 13th of 20..five points clear of the drop zone.I expect Martin Jol to be the new manager.He will need to maintain at least what Sam has done.

MANCHESTER UNITED FOR TITLE-AGAIN

Every season I pick Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson to win the Premier League.They do it most seasons! Of course this particular season is off the wall but I still fancy them strongly.Sir Alex is consistent in his desire,his ability to re-create great squads..and his skill in solving player problems...and keeping control.At times United have not played well and have drawn 7 of their 16 games but still remain unbeaten in the Premier League.They have the most points,a game in hand and the best goal-difference.If they win at Chelsea on Sunday they will have completed a great six days having beaten Arsenal one nil at home on Monday...all this and Wayne Rooney yet to return to regular goal-scoring.It will come and so will the title!

ANDY CARROLL IS A REAL TALENT

Andy Carroll is making the headlines for the right reasons.A few weeks ago he was in trouble and England boss Fabio Capello was reported as to warning him about the future.Whether that happened or not Carroll has arrived on the scene with England and is banging in the goals for Newcastle.He has size,strength,goal power and a good pass on him as well.What a future ahead!

CARLOS TEVEZ

Feel sorry for money bags Manchester City? You are having a laugh! But I do feel that over Carlos Tevez who is showing all that is wrong on one aspect of importing players.He should put his head down...and get on with earning his enormous fees and wages.He is a real talent but this is not on.City should make him sit it out if he won't play for them.What is his game off the pitch?

CHELSEA NEED WINS-AND QUICKLY!

Chelsea need to start winning-and quickly.New leaders Manchester United are at Chelsea on Sunday ( 4p.m. kick-off live on Sky Sports 1).This match may decide their season even in this current topsy turvy Premier League.Chelsea have only taken 6 points from a possible 21..they have won just two of their last nine games and are on their worst run since September 2000.Didier Drogba comes on as sub at Spurs and scores only his first away goal in 13 League games....and he misses a penalty.Anelka has not scored away.That tells one major part of Chelsea's current run that has somehow managed to throw away a five points lead.Ray Wilkins has clearly been sacked at a cost even if Chelsea want to differ!Football has a habit of suddenly changing but Chelsea have to improve a lot at present!

GERARD HOULLIER DOES ME GREAT TURN AND I WISH I COULD REPAY HIM WITH LOTS OF WINS!

What a week for Gerard Houllier! He does me a great favour the lunchtime after Aston Villa's Carling Cup defeat at local rivals Birmingham.He kept his word by joining me for the annual Lord Taverners Xmas lunch 'Gary Newbon and his sporting friends' which this year raised £20,000 for disabled sportspeople.Gerard,who I knew well in his Liverpool days,agreed to take part in a Q and A with Birmingham manager Alex McLeish,ITV's football presenter and mad West Brom fan Adrian Chiles and myself.The verdict of the 410 sell-out audience at the Warwickshire Cricket ground in Edgbaston was a huge success.McLeish paid public tribute to Houllier for showing when many others would have changed their mind after defeat.But Gerard faced another defeat-3-0 at his old club Liverpool on the Monday and somehwhat ill-advisedly commented afterwards:"If I have to lose 3-0 thern Id prefer it to be to them as I like Liverpool"....of course Gerard did not want to lose but his remarks really upset the Villa fans.General Charles Krulak,who seems to spend much of his time reading the fans website and appeasing them in his role as aide/friend to owner Randy Lerner,added fuel to the flames by posting"Those are looking for Gerard Houllier's head,who are asking that he be fired have the right to feel that way.They buy the tickets and they can say what they like"...who needs enemies with colleagues like that.What sort of support is that.You can bet your boots that it would be completely different all round in that had been Villa's first defeat instead of latest!.Then its revealed that defender James Collins was in a nightclub hours before the squad left for Liverpool.What sort of idiot is he?I hope for Gerard's skae Villa beat other local rivals West Bromwich Albion at home this weekend.Gerard deserves a break...and he has just been given the dreaded vote of confidence.Just what a decent,gentleman does not need!

HOW COME AN OUT OF WORK MANAGER LANDS 5 YEAR CONTRACT?

Forgive me if I appear stupid!Been trying to work out if Newcastle is such a great club as they all tell us ,how an out of work manager becomes Newcastle's eighth manager in five and a half years and gets a contract for that length of time.I like Alan Pardew and I hope( that's all I can give him)
he does well but his last four jobs have been Reading,West Ham,Charlton,and Southampton.He was poached by West Ham who,together with Charlton and Southampton went on to sack him.Most people in his position would have snapped Newcastle's hand off.Give Pardew his credit,he argued hard for a five and a half year contract.Well done,Alan..but more fool Newcastle.The sacking of Chris Hughton was terrible.I never saw him more than an outstanding number
two but give him his due-the got Newcastle promoted back in style and they were 11th in the Premier when he unfairly got the boot at the weekend.Owner Mike Ashley will either get his just desserts if this does not work out of the fickle fans will quickly forgive him if Pardew puts together a string of wins.That's the nature of the beast..............

CHELSEA SLIDING BUT WILL ARSENAL SUSTAIN LEADERSHIP

Chelsea's draw at Everton last Saturday means just one win in their last six Premier League games.Hardly the form of champions or what you expect from the modern Chelsea and their talented manager Carlo Ancelotti.They need to get back to winning ways--the mid-week defeat in Europe was not relevant because Chelsea had already qualified.Coming up hard games against Spurs,Arsenal,Manchester United,Bolton,Aston Villa and Wolves--starting with Spurs away live on Sky Sports next Sunday afternoon(4.00p.m.)Chelsea are two points behind current leaders Arsenal and one behind Manchester United who have a game in hand over both of them because their match at Blackpool was called off last weekend.United are home to Arsenal on Monday night(also live on Sky Sports with an 8oclock kick-off).Now of course its still tight underlining what a crazy Premier League season we are watching.But I always tip Manchester United while Sir Alex Ferguson is manager.He is relentless and always rebuilding the team.He and Chelsea have something Arsenal do not--a really world class consistent goalkeeper.I am a huge fan
of Arsene Wenger but I cannot understand at various times why he has not signed Joe Hart,Shay Given,Ben Foster or Mark Schwarzer.Hey Fabianski has surprisngly done well but would you want to put your title chances coompletely in his hands?Wenger has rebuilt a good team and is capable of proving his own fans wrong after over five years without a trophy.But I still think Manchester United are going to regain the title.Monday will be interesting if not decisive to say the least

GREAT NEWS THAT ALL FOUR ENGLISH CLUBS PROGRESS IN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Thius year's European Champions League is at Wembley on May 28.Brilliant and even better if one or both finalists are English.Stuff that up Monsieur Platini's shirt! Well the Premier League's finest took a step closer with all four qualifying for the knock-out stage--Chelsea,Manchester United,Arsenal and Spurs.The draw in on December 17 at Nyon,Switzerland for the knock-out stage for the last 16.Group winners will play runners up in a two leg ko format.Clubs from the same country and winners and runners up from the same group cannot be drawn against each other.The first legs are in February;the second in March.

CANNOT TRUST FIFA BUT MEDIA TIMING DOES NOT HELP

FIFA always makes me nervous especially Sepp Blatter.Its a game of politics with Blatter and his cronies.It is typical that several of the voting cast should promise our VIPs, ie future King,new Prime Minister and hero David Beckham ,that they would vote for England for 2018 World Cup venue...and then apart from one not do so.Don't blame the English media.Any voting for something as important should base their decision on the venue and not the outside factors such as the media.It did,however,give FIFA the perfect excuse.The BBC stand accused of cynical timing with their programme.They knew what they were doing.So much for the national broadcasters!However and why ever the English FA lost the bid they should have been more graceful in defeat whatever the perceived injustices.Their re-action smacked of arrogance.There was no divine right-especially with the likes of Blatter and Michel Platini who clearly have no time for English football and especially the Premier League.Maybe the time is right to pick more dynamic and fewer members of the FA.