Silky (No Homo)

The Sun label Ronaldo as "Queen of the Campions League," because he was wearing a pink cap with a flower in it. This story may well have been running for a few days, I don't know, I normally skip straight to the football on the website, but today I accidentally went to The Sun's frontpage and saw it. Here's the "substance" of the story:

HE waxes his legs, wears the tightest white trunks known to man and thinks it is OK to perch a pink flower behind his ear.

Only in the world of Premier League football could CRISTIANO RONALDO think his fashion sense is acceptable.

But the Manchester United metrosexual has defended his camp clobber and claims he dresses more conservatively than people in the world’s “look-at-me” capital, Los Angeles.

The Portuguese winker, 24, said: “I don’t know why people are so interested in what I wear on holiday. Last year, when I was in LA, everyone was talking about my tight trunks.

“Have you seen what people in LA wear? I was the most normal dressed person over there.

“Anyway, what’s wrong with wearing tight pants? They look good and it’s better than having tan lines down your legs.”

He added: “This year it was the pink hat with the flower. I don’t see what is wrong with it.

“I can see why, if you weren’t comfortable with your sexuality, you might not wear it. But I’m very comfortable so it’s not a problem for me.

“Men wear pink these days. OK, not many men wear flowers, but it’s good to be different.”

And people wonder why football is still full of homophobia? The Sun thinks his choice of clothing is unacceptable? He has to "defend" his "camp clobber" does he? If he actually was gay would they run this article? It's all alright though, because they get a comment from "gay comic" Alan Carr...

Rank hypocrisy from Perez on Ronaldo today. On the hand he says:

"Ronaldo is a great player who we would like to bring to the club but first we have to speak to Manchester United because the important thing is for us to maintain a good rapport with everyone," said Pérez. "Kaka is [just] the first signing. We are always thinking about great players. Cristiano Ronaldo [is] among the other great players around the world. I will do everything possible to get Ronaldo to Real Madrid."

While on the other:

he distanced himself from reports that Liverpool's Xabi Alonso could also be signed. "He is a great player but he also plays in a big team and I haven't heard any news that they ­[Liverpool] plan to sell him."

I'm sorry? It's wrong to approach players whose clubs don't plan on selling them? When he talks about every player on earth, mainly Ronaldo to be fair, and then has the cheek to say that? Jesus.

Valencia is ours if we so desire, according to The Independent:

Manchester United seem to have a clear run if they follow up their informal inquiry about Wigan Athletic's Antonio Valencia with a firm offer, with the player's representatives no longer optimistic about Real Madrid coming in with a bid.

Real did table a bid in January but that was under the presidency of Vicente Boluda, at a time when then manager Juande Ramos was hiring English-based players and Valencia's agent Diego Herrera expressed some doubt that Florentino Perez would be back again. "The only official [offer] from Real Madrid for Antonio was last January," Herrera said. "The offer came from the previous president but Florentino is over there now so I don't know if they are going to go for him again."

The departure of Steve Bruce from Wigan has convinced Valencia that it is time to leave the club. "It is the right time for him to leave, now that the manager has left. He feels it is time to move on," said Herrera, who will speak to Wigan this week and travel to Lancashire next week, though Valencia has not been given the kind of encouragement about United's phone call to trigger contact with his agent.

Sir Alex could have been Arsenal manager [shudder], according to Jim Leighton:

the Highbury board approached Ferguson as a replacement for Don Howe as the Scot prepared his side for their World Cup finals campaign in Mexico.

After taking Scotland to Mexico following the death of Jock Stein, Ferguson, according to Leighton refused to commit to any domestic issues while on international duty.

“Ferguson was offered the Arsenal job,” said Leighton. “George Graham would have been his assistant, but he wanted to wait until the World Cup was finished before it was getting announced.

“Arsenal said they wanted it [a decision] straight away and so he refused it and George Graham got the job.”

“He wanted to announce it when he got back to Aberdeen, to do it the right way.”

And Capello remarks on Rooney:

Asked before tonight's World Cup qualifier at home to Andorra how he had turned Rooney into such a prolific goal-scorer for England, Capello replied: "I told him to stand in front of the goal!"

"Rooney needs confidence to score goals but the last year, not only in the national team but also with United, Rooney arrives more times in front of the goal and this is important.

"Before, Rooney didn't go in front of goal, he stayed away from the goal. But if you want to score goals, you need him in front of goal. I've spoken to him and told him this.

"Now you can see Rooney in positions to score whenever someone crosses.

"The percentage of Premier League goals scored from within 10 metres in front of goal are 75 or 80 per cent. If you want to score, it's better to go into this position. Now, Rooney always goes there."