Åston Villa

Sven Göran Eriksson, recently departed coach of the English national football formation (the word "team" would be a dignity too far) is being mooted for the job of Aston Villa manager, as he predicted all those months ago in his down-time with the News of the World's fake sheikh. It all depends on whether Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner (what a wonderful name, how old is he, 15?) buys the club. Presumably he won't as soon as he googles the words "aston" and "villa" and finds out their true pedigree. Martin O'Neill has also been mentioned as possible successor to David O'Leary, which in the cold light of day, might seem a far more sensible appointment, but Sven should at least fit in, seeing as the England team have long been the Aston Villa of international football.

I had a bad dream last night: Ireland were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by South Korea in the last 16 of the World Cup. What World Cup I do not know, but I seem to recall in my dream that Giles and Dunphy - though not Brady - had predicted such an outcome.