It that's the answer...

Am I the only one who finds the arrest of Harry Redknapp slightly amusing?

It's the whole paranoia - thinking that the timing of the arrest is part of some bigger conspiracy to prevent him becoming the next England manager.

Firstly, if Harry Redknapp is the answer to England's problems then things are a lot worse than we feared.

Secondly, a wider conspiracy? There's no way the FA are that organised!

The Transformation Continues...

OK, I know I'm touch with my feminine side. One person often jokingly calls me their 'gayest straight friend'. We're all metrosexual now. It's the noughties, lets deal with it. However, even I had a slight inwards wry smile tonight.

It's been a rough week; what did I end up doing tonight? Bought some nice new shoes.

Sometimes I can be such a girl...

A proper management guru

Earlier this year I was sent on a 'leadership programme' by my employer - see here for the sort of things we did. Anyway, last night was the annual 'alumni' gathering for the people who'd been on the programme over the years. A good chance to hear a talk by a London Business School professor, catch up with some people who I met on the programme, and drink room temperature white wine whilst eating slightly poncey canapes. Exactly - not really my sort of thing... to be honest, it was fine and there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours.

At one point the LBS lecturer commented that he and his academic partner had recently been listed at number 32 in 'The Thinkers 50 - the world's most important and influential thinkers'. Given the top 10 includes Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Michael Porter, Jack Welch, Tom Peters and Alan Greenspan (all men you notice?? a glass ceiling for women in business anyone??) I think this was supposed to impress us. Well it didn't - especially when he then admitted that number 21 on the list was Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert.

Now, Dilbert, there's a proper management guru - at least he's in the real world.

Website of the week

Forget the social networks of Bebo, MySpace and Facebook.

Join an anti-social network - enjoy hatebook.

The wacky world of football

Apparently Steve Bruce's move from Birmingham to Wigan has been held up over a dispute about a payment he received for 'image rights'.

Steve Bruce...

Image rights...

Insert your own joke here.

There's a shocker!

So, England haven't qualified for Euro 2008 - to be honest I'm glad. England simply didn't deserve it - and the sooner we all realise that England aren't actually that good, the better.

The EPL may be fast, furious and full of Sky induced excitment - but it's all hype. Players are overpaid, overhyped, technically lacking, and prematurely labelled 'world class'. Not a single player in the England squad is 'world class' - how may would make an Italian, Brazilian or even a US squad? Answer, none. How many play abroad? One - and his last game was against Hollywood FC.

At its heart football is a very beautiful, and very simple, team game. You pass it to a player in your team, work your way up the pitch and eventually you'll get a semi decent chance to have a shot - that's it. It's not long, optimistic balls down the centre of the pitch. It's not long throw ins to 'the big guy up front'. It's not being flash or having passion. It's not diving and getting dubious penalties. It's simple - possession and technique - the two areas England lack. England had an easy group from which to qualify - unlike Scotland or Northern Ireland who have done superbly and haven't received anything like the praise they deserve.

The only thing worse than England? The BBC coverage. Lineker, Hansen, Shearer and Wright are awful. Lineker would be a good pundit - and at least he's actually done something in big tournaments - but he shouldn't be fronting the show. Much as like I Hansen, he is descending into a caricature of himself. Shearer was dull as player and is as equally dull on TV. Whilst I admire his loyalty to Newcastle, he was found wanting on the big international stage so I can never take his criticism of players not performing at the top level seriously. As for Ian Wright - the man can barely string a sentence together at the best of times, and the fact that the England squad includes his son should immediately disbar him from the pundit panel. The sooner Auntie Beeb wakes up and puts a decent football panel together the better. My suggestion; it needs a balance of professional, yet knowledgable, presenters and some ex-pros - Adrian Chilles hosting with the pundits being Lineker, James Richardson and Strachan or O'Neil.

Anyway, back to the football. England have made the beautiful game, ugly. McClaren should go, Barwick should go, Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham should all go. Put Brooking in charge of the FA, get sensible coaching at youth level throughout the country, and employ Hiddink - who has worked miracles with Holland, South Korea, Australia and Russia - at whatever salary he wants.

Still, at least we'll now have a genuine festival of football next summer - England will not be missed.

Website of the week

You think your passport photo is bad?

It could be so much worse - enjoy celebrity mugshots.

Thanks, for, that.

Was shopping in Boots. When I got my receipt I also a voucher for £2 off my next purchase of...

...haircare products.

In my case, that's just cruel.

Listen very carefully

Spotted, yesterday afternoon on a train, legendary TV comedy stalwart of 'Allo,'Allo and Porridge, Sam Kelly.

I know, I know.... I'm one step away from train spotting...

Website of the week

Need to improve your time management?

Not enough hours in the day?

How about a 28 hour day??

And to your left...

Spent most of the day sequested away in meeting. But when the view out of the window is this - it's not all bad.

Website of the week

For vital information in these dangerous times see here??

A Living Legend

OK, currently having a 'state visit' from my Mum. What to do?? Theatre trip seems a good option and I scour the listings. A production of Faustus?? I'd quite like it but doubtful it's my Mum's thing. Production of Romeo & Juliet?? Perhaps, but possibly too much of an experimental production and not sure Shakespeare is her thing also... West End musical?? Good idea, but tickets are starting at £70 each.

Chance upon a production of Dr Dolittle. Other than 'talking to the animals' I know little about the story. The star is Tommy Steele - this seems ideal for the 'state visit' so tickets booked.

Well the story is the sort of thing that if it had been devised in the 60s by an experimental theatre group you would have put it down to them having smoked too many bananas. Talking animals, dodos, giant sea slugs and the two headed Pushmi Pullyu (how does it go to the toilet??) are all the sort of things inspired by a bad acid trip. Also the minor love story between Dr Dolittle and Emma Fairfax - a women young enough to not only be his daughter but his granddaughter - is a little troubling.

However, the star of the show was most definitely Tommy Steele. In a career spanning over 50 years we forget just what a big star he was, and indeed is. And here he is, age 70, still carrying a 2 hour musical note perfect for 8 performances a week. OK, not necessarily my sort of theatre experience, I'm not a fan of musicals (the only exception is Singing in the Rain - and that's because if you remove all the songs you still have a great satire on Hollywood) but you have to admire and respect a genuine theatrical stalwart and national institution.