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Tuesday's gossip column

Real Madrid to make Vidic bid, plus other rumours

Academy can help English coaches break glass ceiling | Richard Williams

Simon Grayson managed to beat Manchester United, but will he or any other English manager ever get a chance at the very top?A question: how many English managers have guided their teams to a top-three Premier League finish since the breakaway 17 years ago? The answer: just one. Sir Bobby Robson's...

Geoffrey Boycott says Michael Owen would benefit from feng shui

• Former Test batsman has written to Manchester United striker• Boycott thinks ancient Chinese art could help Owen's formThe former England cricketer Geoff Boycott has urged Michael Owen to try the ancient Chinese art of feng shui in a bid to get his World Cup ambitions back on...

Charm, luck and hard graft: how Mancini began with a bang

Yeung shows bold intent with £8m bid for Babel

Birmingham City yesterday kicked off the January transfer sales with an £8m bid for Liverpool's Dutch winger Ryan Babel in the first indication that new owner Carson Yeung is ready to back his manager, Alex McLeish, with significant funds. Babel, 23, has been open about his...

Richard Dunne wants trophies to ease World Cup pain

• Aston Villa defender says players need medals to be fulfilled• Carling Cup semi-final against Blackburn 'biggest of career'Richard Dunne believes winning the Carling Cup with Aston Villa this year would help to compensate for the Republic of Ireland's controversial World Cup play-off...

Manchester United's decline is not yet a fall but alarm bells are ringing | Daniel Taylor

Sir Alex Ferguson has always enjoyed the last laugh before but there are signs he lacks the resources to rejuvenate UnitedHis name was Richard and he came from Manchester. He was the first caller to MUTV and what he had to say made the presenters squirm on a channel known in media circles as Pravda...

Land is the key to Gaydamak's Pompey standoff

• Gaydamak is owed £28m by Portsmouth• Former owner has land that the club wantsPortsmouth's long, slow death will be solved at a stroke if they can untangle a multimillion-pound property riddle.Alexandre Gaydamak, the former owner, is owed £28m by Pompey and has something...