With the World Cup less than 100 days away, the fat cats with bulging wallets have decided that it’s once again money making time, as countries unveil their vast range of merchandise to flog to love sick fans.

This can be done in many different ways, but the product itself rarely varies from the norm in order to appeal to a mass market and cash in as much as possible.

England recently launched their away strip of all red, as modelled by Tom from Kasabian, at a gig in Paris, in an attempt to get down with the kids.

Having lost at Wigan on Monday night, Liverpool have confirmed beyond a doubt that at best this has been a troubling season for them and in particular Rafa Benitez, whose position has come under increased scrutiny as a result of his sides poor form.

An early exit from the European Big Cup and a total of nine league defeats this season has left Liverpool adrift of the leading pack, having played three more games than rivals Villa, which has piled the pressure on the Gaffa.

In many similar circumstances to this where a manager has underperformed at a club with grand expectations, he’s been shown the door in the hope of saving the season or at least some local pride, but will Rafa suffer the same fate?

Today the inevitable has been announced. Portsmouth have gone into administration as they’re in more debt than Greece.

Pompey now hold the dubious accolade of becoming the first club in Premier League history to hit the financial rocks.

This means that they will be deducted nine points and almost certainly face life in the Championship next season.

Today Manchester City and occasional England defender Wayne Bridge has announced that he no longer wishes to be selected for future England international matches, due to ex-Captain Marvellous’ alleged involvement with his ex.

Having had his international opportunities limited by another player who also allegedly cannot keep his balls in their box, Bridge has had little time to shine on the international stage.

Making most of his appearances in friendly matches and minor qualifying games, his performances have largely been nondescript, apart from one, for which he will always be remembered in my mind.

It has today been announced that Wolves have been fined £25,000 for fielding a weakened team against Manchester United in December, a ruling that leaves me feeling unsure of which side of the football fence I sit on.

Initially I was outraged that a club fighting for Premiership survival should be picked upon for their decision to rest players, with the intention of having a fresh and fit starting XI for an important upcoming fixture.

A statement from the Premier League helped to clarify my feelings momentarily, before realising that this ruling had opened a massive can of worms.

Just in case you missed it, here’s Ashley ‘Can’t Keep It In His Pants’ Cole in his Daz white y-fronts.

Yet again Cole has grabbed the headlines for his off the field antics, after The Sun alleged that “he bombarded a pretty secretary with nude photos and raunchy messages.”

Clearly a ladies man, he reportedly wooed his latest conquest with snappy one liners such as “can i have 1 more of ur t**s please.”

Having an England international leading your teams front line would be seen by most as a good thing and an exciting prospect to behold. This is not the case though when that player is Emile Heskey.

Having signed for my boyhood team Aston Villa in January 2009, I was blindly optimistic that the big striker could provide our front line with a serious cutting edge, despite everything I had seen, heard and read about him before.

Instead it was the same old Emile that arrived at Villa Park, who after over 15 years as a professional has yet to find his shooting boots and appears at times to be laboriously wading through treacle, such is his slow and cumbersome manner.

This week has finally seen an end to what can only be described as the Terryspreadsitaboutabit affair and at first glance it appears to have come to a pretty predictable end.

John Terry has stood firm all week in his vow of silence over the affair and has clung desperately to the England captaincy, despite considerable pressure from the popular press for him to resign. Mr Capello put him out of his misery today though, by demoting him to a regular drone.

The woman at the centre of it all (no orgy implication intended,) Vanessa Perroncel was courted all week by all the well respected facets of the media, with new best friend and fame addict Max Cli££ord and looked set to spill the beans in return for a boat full of cash.

“They say that every dog has his day and today is woof day. That might sound crazy but I want to go and bark!”

I’ve always been excited by the prospect of players moving clubs and none more so than on transfer deadline day, although judging by how many times I’m disappointed by the lack of activity or a big name player moving, I’m not sure why.

For example, the closing of the January transfer was once again a massive disappointment this year and in future I believe it should be called the loan window, as January was dominated by players moving temporarily in order to gain first team football.

This is a shame, as for the entirety of the month I have been scouring gossip columns online excitedly reading up on possible transfers featuring world class players, but in the end I have to settle with Asmir Begovic’s transfer from Portsmouth to Stoke for £3.25 million.

There have been many attempts over the years by the powers that be to add further drama to the beautiful game.

The idea of a golden goal was toyed with for a while, allowing the keeper to pick-up a back-pass was outlawed and there have been rumours of including an added time multi-ball scenario at the end of each half for those tedious away games against Bolton.

None of these though have ever added to my enjoyment of a match, but Monday nights African Cup of Nations quarter-final between Zambia ad Nigeria may have hit upon a golden idea.

For a number of years now Arsene Wenger has had two jobs. One as the gaffer of Arsenal FC and one as the fella in charge of the clubs crèche, nurturing exciting prospects for the future.

The player of most significance to emerge from under Wenger’s wing has to be Cesc Fabregas, who has developed from a diminutive but skilful midfielder, into a world class player and club captain.

To pigeon hole Wenger as just a nurturer of talent though is narrow minded, as he is equally comfortable fostering ageing defenders in the twilight of their careers.

Tell me the name of any player of note and I’ll have an image of them in my mind which I associate with an era in which they played.

Perhaps I associate that image to when the player hit his peak form and was perhaps sporting a horror haircut at the time or perhaps due to my age I only recognise them as an old codger shouting from the sidelines.

So when that image of the player in your mind is not what greets you on screen, it can be a right stumper.

Shifting uncomfortably in one of those waiting room chairs that are seemingly designed to be as uncomfortable as possible, Mark Hughes was a nervous man.

Except for the presence of a silent receptionist, the Manchester City manager was alone in the palatial reception awaiting the call to enter the fat cats office and explain his teams run of seven straight draws.

Glancing up at a clock periodically, nervously twiddling his thumbs and impatiently crossing his legs, uncrossing them and then crossing them back the other way, Hughes was being made to wait what for what felt like an eternity.

Over the years many clubs and countries have felt aggrieved by some of the decisions of the little man with the whistle.

The failure to spot Maradona’s hand-of-god in 1986 against England and the decision not to dismiss German keeper Harald Schumacher after he knocked Patrick Battiston unconscious in the 1982 World Cup are surely ranked amongst the worst and most costly refereeing mistakes in recent history.

Thierry Henry’s handball that sealed France’s play-off win against Republic of Ireland to reach next summers World Cup, has recently joined this list.