14/01/2017 Football Focus

This week we were all shocked by the news that one of the nicest men in

football died at the age of 72. What Graham Taylor did at Watford

will never be forgotten. His time with England left him

disappointed but never bitter. The sound of hitting a football

thrills me. My playing career is over, I'm very fortunate to be a

manager and I would like to remain one, simply so I can hear a football

being struck. I think that I've got qualities as regards coaching, I

think that's what I ought to be doing. I don't want to see the ball

still, if it is one touch we play it off one. What the managers run

before they can walk. I think the whole business is based on fear

anyhow so if you are having a good run and a job comes, out now while

you can, and probably that job is the worst job you can go into.

Lovely day, isn't it? I would like to feel I could be responsible for

helping to create a club to be successful and at the same time

setting standards that are worthwhile, good ones.

You've got one of these books. It was a Watford family, whether you

were a player or one of the ticket staff or whatever. Oh yes! We all

matted together and it was the most amazing place to be and Graham

created all of that. Football is a simple game, not as investigated

game, again for the man on the terraces to people. What a

magnificent goal! I have worked with a lot of professional people and he

ranks up there, that is the kind of person he is. He never ceases to

amaze me. He has mentioned to me about the passion you has four

Watford football club and football and I like to feel I have the same

passion and on that basis you will get a good relationship. What you

should have been saying is saying something early, talk to him. Let's

go again. Here we are in the FA Cup for the first time, it will never be

the same again. Aston Villa's latest manager, Graham Taylor, who has come

from First Division Watford... I'm putting my reputation on the line

and people might say what a full list thing to do but it is what

makes me tick. Big clubs can slide all the way and if you can alter

that and stop the decline, the chances are they will come back

because they are a big club. I want international footballers to enjoy

playing international football. If there are youngsters watching, you

can get a position like Gary Lineker is captain of his country but you

have to keep working hard. I have an 83-year-old mother-in-law that once

his autograph! He had a passion for England, gave most of his life to

English football. He was straight down the middle and told how it was

and some people didn't like it but I loved it. Bitterness doesn't come

into it but what comes into it, I wanted so much to be successful. I

wanted us to win the World Cup. Perhaps I was foolish to think like

that. Immediately leaving the England job I needed a period of

recuperation. There would only be a handful of clubs that I would have

come back into football for. It is my job to try to make sure the

morale of the whole club stays high also if you give it a real go and

you lose it lets not worry because you may just surprise yourself. At

the end of the day, when a ball is kicked come when a game is played,

on a football pitch, I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach

that this is where I belong. In a moment we'll hear

from Martin Keown, who used to play for Graham at Aston Villa,

and Mark Lawrenson, but first let's go to Vicarage Road,

where Watford play Middlesbrough this afternoon and all morning

people have been leaving their tributes to the greatest

manager in the club's history. Watford have opened a book of

condolence and people have been signing all morning.

John Motson is at Vicarage Road where, John, you watched a game

Yes, it was on New Year's Day and my wife and I were guests here and on

the same table as Graham Taylor and one of his daughters, having lunch

in the Graham Taylor Stand behind me. He was his normal self, talking

about old times, very convivial with that familiar smile which we all got

so used to. And my word, didn't he put a smile on the face of this club

when he arrived in 1977? I was here then quite a lot, I live just down

the road and I remember the impact he made, not just building a team

but a club. He did things that even in those days, in the late 70s, were

quite innovative and which other clubs followed as the years went by.

He started a family stand on what is now the new Elton John side the

ground with Stuart where mums and dads could bring sons and daughters

and that was very popular -- with stewards. He brought in experienced

men around him, Bertie Mee from Arsenal, one of the most far

thinking chief executives in the country, Eddie Plumley from Coventry

and they were a community club, starting a restaurant for the people

who were here when they went to the First Division in 1982. I think the

major thing he did was to get the players out into the community

because you hear now about a player turning up and signing a few

autographs at a function. Graham had a rotor and two players were sent

out two or three times a week to mix with the people of Watford and the

surrounding area and that is why there is such a bond between Graham

Taylor and this club. I want to go back to the mid-70s because when

Graham started as a manager at Lincoln City, the BBC Sports night

programme, which went out on a Wednesday night, decided to feature

two young managers who were trying to become the next generation.

Graham Taylor was at Lincoln and Alan Durban was at Shrewsbury. The

second part of the documentary produced by John Phillips bound

Graham Taylor here and Alan Durban was at Stoke. They played each other

in the League Cup, extra time was called for after 90 minutes here.

Fortunately for the documentary, Graham and Alan worthy opposing

managers and that is why you heard that shot, in extra time, the camera

went on the pitch and filmed Graham's instructions and that is

when to one of his players, and Luther Blissett, I think it might

have been you, he said, you don't get cramp at this club! That was the

passion and motivation of Graham Taylor. And a personal story, I hope

somebody gets that archive out those films because it would make a

terrific documentary in memory of Graham Taylor, but one of my other

memories was when I went to watch Watford train one afternoon before

covering a match on the Saturday. When I was about to leave, he said,

I want you to come into the team talk and I thought, what do you

mean. All the players were looking at me and I felt so embarrassed. He

said to the players, I have been talking to you about doing your

best, he said this guy, pointing at me, he should be sacked by now! I

thought, that's nice! All he was doing was trying to explain, however

comp that you think you are, you always have to go one step further

-- competent you are. I am pleased to say that his wife and their two

daughters are coming to the match here today and they will get a great

reception. I am sure they will and thank you for those fantastic

memories. There will be a minutes applause at Watford and across

England today in memory of Graham Taylor. Babin is a beautiful stories

this week. -- there have been beautiful stories this week. What

was he like to play under? He came to the club and pretty much rescued

Aston Villa and probably my career at the time. But first they came a

difficult chairman, he expressed, I have chosen to come to this club, he

had a clear vision and he gave us all a bike with our kicked in and

said, you wash it yourselves. -- a bag. He had a vision and he wanted

his players to behave in a certain way and I learned a great deal from

him looking back. It was a case, if you want to be with me, follow me

and we will be successful. We got Aston Villa back into the big-time,

the club was on a slippery slide and it was all about this man. 11

players came in and 11 went out. They great memories. Those

celebrations, the day we got promoted at Swindon, Graham had

given as the champagne the day before because he did not think we

would make it! I have just spent an hour with Martin, telling me

stories, some you can't tell and some after the watershed! But my

time with him was mainly at tournaments. He would meet old

players that played for him and you could always tell, what are they

like with former managers because every single player that played for

him absolutely love Tim, they really did. -- loved him. He was normal,

and in the mad world of football, normal is very good. He was vilified

by some sections of the pressed why what happened at England and may be

unfairly labelled as a long ball manager but how will we remember him

as a manager? He got the ball up early, no doubt, but his Watford

team played with wingers, including John Barnes. When you got in the

opposition half then you could play your football

they finished second in the old division one. For a club like

Watford, it was almost unheard of. And he gave you your England debut,

Martin? That was his one mistake! He made me wait for it. But they were

great days. He was under pressure, a different type of manager for

England but he always used to say, leave your mark, wherever you are in

life, and he said left his mark on me and on football. He has left his

mark on many and there will be a Menace bubbles across England this

weekend as football chance get a chance to remember Graham Taylor --

a minute's applause. As Motty was telling us,

it's sure to be an emotional afternoon at Vicarage Road

and at Sincil Bank next week where the first team he managed,

Lincoln, play their FA Cup replay. More on Graham Taylor later

in the show and we also have Arsenal's Olivier Giroud

on contracts and that goal. He's scoring and providing -

West Brom's Matt Phillips I don't want to rest on what is

happening at the moment, I want to keep pushing and working on my game.

Manchester United are flying, as is the world's most

The Seagulls aren't following anyone.

We're at Brighton, leading the way in the Championship.

Old team-mates at Barcelona, Stoke boss Mark Hughes

and Gary Lineker talk about the good old days.

The usual, three yards out, typical Gary Lineker!

Eight games in the Premier League this afternoon,

It's Tottenham at home to West Brom in the early kick-off,

Hull City play their first league game under Marco Silva

We'll be live at their fellow relegation strugglers Sunderland

West Ham play Palace at 3pm - without Dmitri Payet,

We'll talk about Diego Costa's omission from the Chelsea squad

as the leaders travel to Leicester, and there's a double dose

of Manchester against Merseyside on Sunday.

Although no-one in Merseyside or Manchester cares

We start, though, with one a man who this week signed

a new contract at Arsenal, Olivier Giroud.

Olivier Giroud! What a goal! Brilliant improvisation. It was very

special, I never score a goal like that, even if I try. Sometimes as a

striker, you don't have the ball as you want to have so you have to deal

with that. Sometimes you have to do the right gesture. He has got no

right to get anything on that, that was an unbelievable finish. If you

don't try, it's not going to happen. He tried the impossible and it came

off. I was so happy and a bit surprised because it went so fast

and yeah, I think God helped me a little bit! Olivier Giroud with the

header and it is in, they were 3-0 down and they have turned it around!

He is skipping away in delight. A couple of people told me about Mike

celebration, I just wanted to celebrate the goal with the fans as

quick as I can -- my celebration. I was almost sprinting to get back to

the kick-off so the opponent was even not ready and I told my boys, I

am going to simulate the Scorpion kick if I score so that's it. Giroud

we were talking about a new contract since the beginning of the year so

I'm very happy to carry on with the Arsenal family. I want to win more

trophies. Hopefully it's going to be this year. I hope that he's going to

stay, he built this club and I don't think he was the, anyway, we hope

that he will sign a new contract. -- I don't think he will leave. It's

always hard when you see the team doing well and you're not on the

pitch, you're not sure what you can do, so I was lucky to a difference,

I was very pleased to score important goals, especially in the

last minute. What do you to make of Giroud?

Eco-cabin on the fringes this time around but he has made himself

essential. He has battled back really well, because you wouldn't

say he would be in Arsenal's best 11, he's a different tool in the

box, comes off the bench, scores late goals, you wonder how many

strikers are out there in Europe that are better than him. He does

seem to be going up a level with his goals now, there is a determination

in his play, maybe around the negotiations, it's good news for

Arsenal, collection of players are signing new contracts. Does he get

in their best 11 this season, no, that he sit on the bench and change

the game, yes. You talk about him signing a contract, Koscielny has

done that, Francis Coquelin, the players they really want to sign our

method Ozil and Sanchez, there are rumours that also wants reassurances

about the future of Arsene Wenger. I can understand that, it's another

negotiation tool, it hasn't signed the other players I think Sanchez is

a player that gets the kind of support from Arsene Wenger that is

surely didn't get at Barcelona. I am not sure how it's going to pan out

with Ozil. First home game in charge for Paul Clement at Swansea. John

Hartson will be watching this match. What do the locals make

of the appointment because, like Bob Bradley, he hasn't managed

in the Premier League? I don't think he was the broad's

first choice, they spoke to the likes of Chris Coleman and Ryan

Giggs, they didn't get either of them. I think they had previous

discussions with Paul Clement before they appointed Bob Bradley and they

didn't get that one over the line. They have got their man now, and

like everything else, he has to start winning games full stop

defensively Swansea have considered the most goals in the Premier

League, he has to strengthen in certain areas, mainly defence and

once he starts picking up points, the crowd here, like every other

manager, will back him. I wonder if that is a shrewd appointment, to

bring in Claude Maca lately -- Makelele. He will also have to hold

onto Llorente. The issues that they have with King Acosta, looking for

something to replace him if he was to go -- Chelsea have with league

Acosta. That put pressure on Swansea wanting to keep Llorente, they only

just signed him in the summer. Going onto Makelele, Paul Clement worked

with him a bit at Chelsea, both him and Makelele worked with Ancelotti

for 18 months, both as assistants, it's somebody he knows and trusts

must ultimately, he the now. It is his relative he wants to bring in

now. He is a big fan of the Swans. From one former Arsenal star

to another, with the news that Kelly Smith has retired this week

at the age of 38. She became England's first female

professional footballer when she signed for New Jersey

in 1999 and during two separate spells with Arsenal she won five

FA Cup winners medals. At international level

she represented England at six major tournaments and Great Britain

at the 2012 Olympics and scored 46 goals.

A true pioneer. Time now to hear from one

of the form players Since November last year,

only Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been involved in more goals

in the division than He's been talking to

Juliette Ferrington. How would you sum up the season you

have had so far? It to me a few games to get going, coming to a new

club, you need to get used to everything, new players, manager, I

feel like I put a lot of pressure on myself to hit the ground running,

great performances from the beginning, maybe putting too much

pressure on yourself will end up negative. I've always liked, I think

he has got everything a top player today needs, he has power, strength

and quality on the ball. His big weakness is his belief and he

shouldn't have any doubts at all. The manager took me out of the side

for the game against Man City, it was a bit of homework for me to take

a step back. Sometimes you need someone to put an arm around you and

tell you you're doing all right, keep working on your game and things

will happen. Since then things have really clicked for me. You have

taken the pressure off yourself? Maybe. The boys have been great as

well I can't speak highly enough of the boys, it's a great changing

room, no real cliques or groups or anything like that, everyone is all

in amongst each other, you have tough days, then you have days when

it's time to get serious. Those are the things that count. Those

characters and personalities, that experience, what can you take from

what is around you on a day-to-day basis? Aaron Fletcher has played for

Scotland, in the Champions League, the Manchester United he brings that

experience -- Darren Fletcher. He really sets the standard, for any

other player, you can only learn from that and match that to be able

to contribute in training and on match days. He sets the bar high.

Who comes a close second to him? Myself! Something just clicked with

you. The game against Leicester, I thought I was playing reasonably

well, scoring a goal, the assists, it brings you work with the team and

from there, you just go on. How much further can you go, how much more

have you got to give? I hope I'm not quite in order to rest on what's

happening, I want to keep wishing on, still plenty more I can do, I

can get more goals and more assists. Just to let you know the team news

at Spurs. Spurs are unchanged from their last Premier League game

against Chelsea. West Brom have made one change, Jonny Evans is out with

a calf injury. Jonas Olsson comes in at centre half. Phillips has been

spectacular. What is that stat you have got? We know you love us that.

You can't set me up when I haven't got one! He is second only... You

rock me to repeat the same stat from earlier? In terms of what he's

delivering, do you think that Tony Pulis so that when he got him? I

think a lot of seen that on one or two have tried to take in the fall

but in that position, it's all about end product. Graham Taylor would

have said to someone like that, what did you do today? How many crosses

did you get in, did you get any shots in? You would see the penny

has struck with him, he has always had the ability. Tony Pulis gets

great credit for him becoming more of a team player, he was a bit

selfish as a player at QPR. He missed out on the last few Scotland

squads. I will bet he will! You were interested in how Spurs were going

to line up today, they have gone with a line-up that really works.

They played this against Chelsea and maybe you thought it was just the

counteract what Chelsea do but if there is a team that is most suited

to this than the premiership, I haven't seen it. I feel they can get

Eric Dier into the team, the three at the back, probably the best three

out and out defenders in the Premier League, the full-backs, and then

Moussa Dembele and the Wanyama are underrated, there restored the

balance about that team, the mythic. The wingbacks are better than the

Chelsea ones. In terms of Dele Alli, don't know Pochettino said, about

the killer instinct and being so crucial, last season, the game

against West Brom was when Dele Alli was given retrospective three match

ban for the punch on Claudio Yacob. Pochettino said he wanting to show

that naughtiness, he likes that side of him. Listen, he played with a

fellow at Arsenal everybody loves, Dennis Bergkamp, did he have a nasty

side or what! Unbelievable! Will those great players have got it.

Just keep a lid on it but that age makes him what he is. Sharp elbows,

Dennis Bergkamp! Tottenham's win over Chelsea 10 days

ago tightened things up at the top Liverpool are five points off

the leaders, five points behind them are Manchester United,

their opponents tomorrow. Steve Bower has been

speaking to the world's most Life is good. We enjoy it every

minute, every moment. Is it everything you thought it would be,

coming back? I have been here before. The weather didn't change!

All good. You enjoying your life off the pitch? Always enjoying life. I

do football more what I love, I love to dance, I enjoy music, I just

enjoy myself. On the pitch, do you feel more

comfortable integrating into this new team? The adaptation maybe took

a bit. Because when you change players as well, you need some time,

now the team is going better and better, I think we all feel much

better than the start of the season. What about Jose Mourinho? What is he

like to play for? The first few months, it is adaptation for him as

well, now we know him better, how he plays and everything, we understand

him more, we feel very good foot he has given you an awful lot of

support personally? He says, don't listen to anybody, if you need

anybody, I am here, be focused on the pitch. That's all I need to hear

from my manager. You have had to three different

roles in the team, is the one you prefer, the one you feel most

suited? Two midfielders or one midfielder next to me, for me it's

the same, I would just give my best. Maybe I'm more comfortable if you

play in her three because you can go more attacking, both ways, I'm very

happy with that, there is no problem. When you first came here,

you didn't look as though you felt any pressure, have you changed? I'm

a happy man, I'm playing for Man United, great opportunity for me. We

want to win titles, we want to win things, I am just a happy man. What

is it about this club, the trial of Manchester United around the clock?

The club, every game, Bobby Charlton is coming to see us, it is a big

family. We stay altogether, when you wear the shirt, you have to be proud

of it and give everything. /10! Tell me something! What is your

relationship like with Ibrahimovic? When I speak about him, I always

life, he's one of the friendliest guys can he joker, outside the

pitch, but inside the pitch, he has a big experience and character and

they push you to your best, always. Almost a father figure to the

younger players? He wrote like it but he's the oldest! He might see

this! So he's the Big brother of everyone, maybe most experienced,

that's why he can give us advice. So he's almost as important off the

pitch as he is on it in the group? That's why we need Michael Carrick,

even Wayne Rooney, they are played to listen to because they have the

experience, they have been here at the club for a long time and they

know the Premier League. On the pitch he seemed to have a tour of

the relationship with Ibrahimovic. He should have scored more! But yes,

I find him a lot and I feel comfortable because he is a complete

striker. Nine wins in a row, can you feel that momentum at the moment? We

want to win the league, that is all, it is good to win but to win the

league you have to win so we have to keep doing this. We can have 20 but

if you don't win the league, there is no point. Manchester United

against Liverpool at Old Trafford, does it send a shiver down your

spine? The history, a big derby, more than Man City I think. The way

you feel the atmosphere is more. It is good to win football against

Stoke city, any team in the league, but it is even better, you have more

taste when you win against Liverpool because it is a derby. Like this.

I'll get there! Where are you on the list in the dressing room for the

music? The first DJ always big respect for Ashley Young. You are

not far behind? He knows! He hasn't got the dance moves? The best

dancer, I don't want to say it but you have to ask the others. They

will say Paul Pogba? Probably! One, two... That's it. Top man. Good

luck. Thank you. Not sure if he was impressed with Steve's handshakes!

He is impressive off the pitch but on the pitch he has really improved

and he says Mourinho has given him freedom and both he and the team are

playing well. If you remember the game at Anfield which was classic

Mourinho, glass half empty. Since then it has been glass half full.

Michael Carrick is a massive influence. He has allowed Pogba to

raid from midfield and he looks completely different. Mkhitaryan as

well. Manchester United now are 50% better than they were in October,

completely different and they look really good side. The whole mood has

changed and Pogba it's a free spirit and you can see that in his

personality. He is bouncing off Ibrahimovic as well. Ryan Giggs has

said he reminds him of Cantona and the effect he had at Old Trafford

and Pogba says he feels like a father figure but he is in

everything the club does. He is that senior player and Pogba is learning

from him. He is a serial winner of trophies. And the thing about him,

we might have talked about this before but with the younger players,

when they try to find him on the pitch and the ball is not good

enough, he is like that all the time, he's brilliant with them. Keep

trying, keep trying. We have not talked about one of the games of the

weekend, this lot taking on Liverpool who have been quite quiet

in the build-up. They have Joel Matip and Henderson back in

training, Coutinho might start as well so how do they stop Manchester

United who have found their rhythm? It needs to be the Liverpool of the

first few months when Coutinho was available and they were hounding the

opposition and making it difficult for them. Of course they missed

Coutinho, Firmino has not been quite the same but Liverpool Miss Mane. He

is the only one they cannot replace. He gives them a perfect balance.

Liverpool will try to press and I think they will have the energy but

Manchester United will have too much.

That game will feature on Match of the Day 2 which is on BBC 2

Alan Shearer and Phil Neville in the studio for that one.

The late game today sees leaders Chelsea travel

You might remember this from last season.

First time out to the right to Mahrez, three in the box and he

killed it in for Jamie Vardy! He has scored again. -- he curls it in.

Albrighton, that was blocked and the cross comes in and it is Mahrez, the

edge of the box, lovely control, turning and tries to beat

Azpilicueta and the beats Courtois as well! Double trouble for Chelsea!

Pedro, a good ball in. Loic Remy got one back but it was not enough. I

think in this moment I feel ashamed to be in such a bad position. Three

days afterwards Mourinho was sacked and the club revealed this week it

cost them ?8 million but now the new man in charge is manager of the

month for the third month in a row but he has a big job because the

major story today in the papers it's all about this man, Diego Costa.

Apparently his head has been turned by a potential move to China.

?30 million a season apparently to go to China and Conte said you are

not playing this weekend. Correct from the boss? Absolutely. He is

reasserting himself as to who is the manager. Costa as football utopia,

top of the league, scoring every week, he has found his form, what is

wrong in his life? Suddenly he falls out with his manager. He has brought

him to heal, he will come back quietly with an apology. If you get

60 million quid for him, let him go. Have you seen the Chinese football?

It's a lot of money. It's rubbish. He is at his peak. ?30 million a

season... You become a mercenary. He is at his peak. The team is built

around him, absolutely terribly, he is a top player. If he wants to go

to join and be bored for 18 hours a day, good luck. Could it derail

Chelsea? I don't think so coming is a quality player you don't want to

be without and I think the manager is managing it in the correct way.

They tell me he's like this committee can go off on one and

comes back the next day and it is all forgotten. Chelsea are hoping

that is what will happen. If he went, they don't win the league.

Simple as that? Yes. Because of everything he is. You could see it

then, he was trying to take him off, but the manager was saying, I'm in

charge, not you. It is a difficult dressing room at Chelsea and the

manager has done well this season and he is asserting himself.

Leicester were at Goodison Park in the cup last week with one of Kim

and complaining about a lack of transfer activity. -- Ronald Koeman

complaining. They have signed Morgan Schneiderlin. A few Everton fans

miffed he has taken the squad number two because they don't feel a

midfielder should be doing that. There is a long history of people

playing with weird numbers but is it a shrewd signing to get him back

with Ronald Koeman after his career stalled at Manchester United? He is

a good player and he gives them a bit of stability in there. He knows

how the manager wants to play, Ronald Koeman is taking his time to

get it right, Ross Barkley is improving and I think Everton will

finish the season well. And the manager knows which buttons to press

for Schneiderlin. The big news in world football this

week was the confirmation from Fifa that the World Cup will be expanded

to 48 teams from 2026, but it's not about the money

according to the Fifa President, We knew already that 60 more

countries in the world will participate in the biggest sports

event -- 16 countries. And I think this goes a long way into the

direction of making people participate in football in a more

concrete way. At the moment, 32 teams

start the tournament in eight groups of four,

with the top two going through to the knockout stages

and a grand total of 64 matches From 2026, there will be

48 teams - a quarter They'll start off in 16 groups

of three, with the top two going There will be a grand total of 80

matches in the tournament, but the winning team

will still play seven games. It will bring Fifa in about an extra

?500 million. They are saying it opens up the chance for other

nations to experience the World Cup. Africa will get a lot more than the

four countries that have previously qualified. I feel it is to spread

the name of the game and it has to be a good thing to get more people

playing and growing the game but what does it do to the tournament?

They are saying it will be the same number of games. Give more people an

opportunity. Same number of games to win it. There are 80 matches. And

the final group games will no longer kick off at the same time so you

could have a scenario where a lot of teams know that a goalless draw or a

certain result would send them through. And it will probably be in

two or three countries at the same time, it would have to be. It would

have to be huge otherwise. The Stoke manager, Mark Hughes,

never played at a major finals with Wales but he did

enjoy life overseas. He's been talking to a former

team-mate at Barcelona. Mark, it is over 30 years now. I

hadn't realised. July 1986 was when we signed for Barcelona. I have got

a few clips to have a look at. I will leave you to translate. You

always better at Spanish! Barcelona manager Terry Venables has signed

2-mac of his compatriots to help the campaign. You look browner than the!

I was a young 23 in years and attitude to life. It was hard work

for me whereas I think your attitude to it help you succeed better than I

did. Our debut. Lineker and Hughes helped make it a winning start for

Terry Venables. Do you remember? I remember because I scored after two

minutes. The usual, three yards out. Typical Lineker goal, based career

on it! We had Terry Venables as coach of course. He was great, I

liked him as a guy. He clearly knew the game very well. He knows this is

his responsibility. You used to give the translate a terrible time. It

happened every time he joined in. Put the brakes on and went you shot

him, go again. You can see how interested I am because Kerry is

talking about forward pressing. -- Terry. You had switched off and I am

not far behind you! Gary has the angle to cut it off. He knew his

stuff. He was ahead of his game, people talk about the high press

now. It is interesting seeing the coaches it always is, and it is the

old adage that old coaches are thieves. You see is a body like

Terry Venables working and you forget what happened when you were

under his tutelage -- somebody like. Do you think it helped you, nowadays

you get so many foreign players, when you are managing them,? Without

a shadow of doubt. To be able to go back to those experiences helps me

when I am speaking to the guys and I use it obviously when we are trying

to acquire good players. It is useful to say, I used to play for

Barcelona and Bayern Munich. It helps get them alert and think, hang

on, I can't remember him playing, but I will look on Google and see it

if it's true. Exactly. That is my attitude to it, clearly!

Completely the wrong way to embrace the culture of another country! I

regret to this day that I didn't embrace it as I should have. When

you go abroad you have to go with the mindset to stay as long as you

can and if you do that, you can be successful and you give yourself

time to understand different cultures and languages and you can

get a better experience. Whereas my attitude was, I will do it for a

couple of years and get back home. Harry Kane has put Spurs ahead

against West Brom. More of that interview available on the website

and the iPlayer. Sunderland have been in the bottom

three since September. David Moyes has spent a lot of the

week trying to bend people off. Yes, Patrick Van on hold was linked with

a move to Crystal Palace, and a week ago there was a reported approach

from West Ham to sign Jermain Defoe, that was knocked back. It is vital

that Sunderland hang onto their assets, with the Chief Executive

stating they would be very limited transfer funds available. The key to

it all is Jermain Defoe, if he did go, that would be seen as Sunderland

effectively waving the white flag. He has scored 11 goals, those of you

who look at our website regularly and the productions might be

familiar with the University of Salford supercomputer Sam which is

valued Jermain Defoe at something over ?41 million. I do know how they

have worked it out but for a 34 year wow!

Dropping towards them are Crystal Palace, who are away

at West Ham this afternoon, a club coping with this news

We had a situation with a player, it is Dmitri Payet. He wants to leave.

We don't want to sell our best players, we want to keep them. He is

definitely one of them, or our best player, that's why we gave him such

a long contract. And he refused to play for us. That really hurt Slaven

Bilic, to say that. They gave him a ?1 million bonus after the Euros,

signed him on a contract in February, a big deal, can you see

anything from his side of things that the club have matched his

ambition? Not really, think there is a responsibility as a young man to

behave in the right way, no one forced into sign the contract, yes,

he is outstanding and is not happy with the situation but you are there

to play, to refuse to play is scandalous, from the player's point

of view. It is almost club versus the player, is the strongest, are

there any winners? He needs to get out there and play. It is

disappointing it should become so public. What does it do to the

dressing room, to the dynamic? If you have a player like that, you

don't want to know him. Have either of you experienced that, someone who

has not wanted to be there and had that influence of dragging them

rolled down? A little bit, not naming names, but in the end the

player has to get on with job. Do players communicate that does it

have to come from the club? I don't imagine you would stand for that in

a dressing room you were in? To know it is a matter of time before he's

going, the club was there an awful long time before Dmitri Payet was

there and will be there afterwards. The club have to win otherwise what

is the point? Grifter palace of signed Geoffrey Schlupp, it is

crucial for them, they are slipping down the runway. -- Crystal Palace.

I think this player is a really good sign, he has a lot of pace, whether

he plays left back or more advanced, Sam will make things happen. He

knows there is a nervousness playing in that new stadium for West Ham and

they need the points today, Palace. A reminder that Final Score

is on the Red Button from 4pm this afternoon,

with Martin back to lock And Match of the Day

is from 10.30pm tonight, with Gabby Logan joined

by Danny Murphy and Ian Wright. To the Championship,

where five league wins in a row have seen Brighton take top

spot from Newcastle. It's been a season of success

so far, but also great struggle, as Mark Clemmitt has

been finding out. They are going top of the table with

half a season go! Five consecutive wins, unbeaten in 18, how aware are

you the players of all those statistics? We are aware because see

them on social media but I don't think the group buy into it too

much, what has been is gone and we are focusing on the future and

hopefully we can do some thing special by the end of the season.

What are the key characteristics of this group? Hard work, keeping

upbeat on the ground and not getting sucked in by the league table. It

sounds like you are the image of the manager, that is exactly what he is

like! You could say that coming definitely keeps our feet on the

ground. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't think I realised your

goal ratio was as good, a goal every two starts. Almost, I think. For a

man who didn't pay attention to stats! I like that one. I have done

it in most divisions now. Long may it continue. There is a team spirit,

it is manifested in the death of the Father for Anthony knockout, the

unity of the squad in going to the funeral... He's a big character

interesting room, when we might be down, that role has been reversed,

just before Christmas, we need to keep him up. He told me just before

the funeral that he would come with his girlfriend but I didn't know

about the other players. When I saw the bus arrived at the funeral, I

started to cry, it was so emotional, I will never forget that moment.

What a contrast over the last few months, the highs on the field and

that terrible low of it. Yes, some good memories in Brighton before

this happened, and obviously I cannot compare football with that

kind of thing in life. Obviously if I speak just about football, I think

I have had the best time since I started my career. It has been in

Brighton. It seems to have helped you to share your grief publicly. Of

course, because it's always important to have people behind you

in these moments, I needed that support, and the biggest support I

had was from the club. When I came back after the funeral, I was still

so emotional, I was crying every day in training it was obviously the

toughest moment in my life. But since I think I saw the first goal,

gave me so much more motivation to push forward and get better. An

emotional moment for him, he kisses the picture of his death, it means

so much to him. It it is always good to think about promotion, I was

talking about this with my dad in hospital at 40 passed away. He said,

if you can go up this season, I will be so happy, because I would be

doing what he asked me to do before he passed away. Really good to hear

Anthony being so honest. We talked about the relationship between

players and clubs can he will never forget the way his club have traded

him to stop he has talked about unity, Brighton certainly have it.

We have both played there. It is a fantastic club and now under the

leadership of the chairman, and Chris Hughton, I seriously hope they

get promotion poster by get smashed at Preston today but I hope they get

promotion! They are in great shape. Definitely, has always been a great

place to play, we didn't have the training ground, but it's great to

see that club on the way up. They take on Preston this weekend.

One FA Cup third round game to bring you up to date

with from Monday night, when League 2 Cambridge United took

the lead against Championship high flyers Leeds United through Uche

A different Leeds came out after the break.

Stuart Dallas got the equaliser from Alex Mowatt's cross.

Mowatt then grabbed the winner to set up a fourth round tie at AFC

And Leeds won again last night in the league.

They are up to third in the Championship

Predictions this week from UFC middleweight champion

Michael Bisping are on the website but we are going to finish

We've heard a lot of wonderful stories about

He was a man who had time for so many.

He was a man who will be fondly remembered today,

particularly at Vicarage Road, where in the late 70's he turned up

alongside a pop star, and changed the club forever.

Defence didn't move out to catch him, and there is Jenkins!

That's a good try and a lovely golden!

Played in early, he slides in! I say! An historic night indeed in

this corner of Hertfordshire. Callaghan!

What a magnificent goal from John Barnes!

He has saved, Luther Blissett again! Go!