New Articles on The Daily Dust today

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 05:48 AM CST

Has the BBC Nowhere Else For Celebrity Love-Ins?

Last nights Top Gear had the strangest guest in the ‘Star In A Reasonably Priced Car’ that has the Top Gear forums buzzing (here’s the debate over on Final Gear), Mark Wahlberg promoting his new film Max Payne. What’s got everyone going? For a start he seemed to have absolutely no idea how much of an honour he was going through. There was no feeling that he cared for the show, and he just wanted to say "I’m in this movie a lot."

The clue was in the timing – the slot is normally 8 minutes long, but last night’s reached a mammoth 12 minutes, and included a film trailer… both elements likely to suit another show better than Top Gear. Say a chat show. Like Jonathon Ross.

Could it be that without Ross the BBC has no other chat show format show to put it’s celebrity glad handing softball interviews?

Backing this up, last night’s Top Gear failed to have a Supercar review, instead featuring a short clip of Richard Hammond in a Japanese powered wheelchair that was dropped from last season, and a strangely out of place studio item (again very short) on a V8 engine connected to a blender..

Time will tell, but if subtle pressure has been exerted on the production team then it’s going to be a long unbalanced Season 12 of arguably one of the BBC’s flagship shows. As James ‘Captain no-longer-Slow’ May would say… "Oh cock."

13 of the Best Football Manager Bargains Ever

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 05:33 AM CST

With the release of Football Manager 2009 we take a look back at some of the best bargain buys from the Football Manager and Championship Manager series.

If you've ever stayed up way past your bedtime to watch coloured dots move around the screen then you'll know all about the allure of the Football Manager/ Championship Manager series.

The game that brought the end to countless relationships, the destruction of thousands of computers and caused family pets to run out in fear of being kicked after losing to a last minute penalty in the playoff finals is available to buy this weekend. Here are some of the players that have made the series to believe that managing a football team is actually a pretty easy job.

Tom Youngs

Part of the awesome Cambridge United squad. Tom Youngs was a great buy for the lower leagues and still scored goals at the highest level.

Pablo Piatti

This Argentinean playmaker was available for a knockdown price of around £140k in the 2008 game. After a couple of seasons you could make a pretty profit on the youngster or simply sit back and watch as he tears apart any major league and Europe.

Taribo West

This defensive rock could play at centre back or left back. Available for free at the start of 00/01 season, his no-nonsense defending would give you a solid base at the back to work from.

Kim Kallstrom

One of the few stars of the series to actually go on to have a decent career in the real world. Djurgarden's finest now plays for French champions Lyon.

Lauri Dalla Valle

Before the 8.02 patch in Football Manager 2008, this youngster from Finland could be purchased for a nominal fee. Now looking to break through to the Liverpool first team.

Stefan Selakovic

This Swede could play on the wing or up front. Halmstad's loss was definitely your gain.

Isaac Okoronkwo

Top class defender from Shakhtar Donetsk turned out to be and fantastic defender and could play anywhere across the back. Another great Nigerian from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Julius Aghahowa

From Nigeria via the Ukraine, this striker would bang in goals for fun. Ended up joining Wigan and scoring a total of two goals before being shipped out to Turkish team Kayserispor in real life.

Eldar Hadzimehmedovic

Bosian played for Lyn in Norway. This youngster would score goals for fun and could be picked up for under £80k.

Alexander Farnerud

Another Swede – what do they put in the water out there? Could play in the hole or as a striker.

Kennedy Bakircioglu

The Swedish winger could cause havoc against opposition left-backs and would chip in with more than his share of assists.

Cherno Samba

Alan Hanson famously said "you don't win anything with kids," but Samba was a goalscoring machine at Millwall at the tender age of 16.

Tonton Zola Moukoko

Played for Derby and was half Swedish and half Ghanaian. Absolute beast and a true legend of the series. In real life he is now plying his trade in the Swedish lower leagues.

Have we missed anybody out? Let us know about your bargain buys in the comments below.

I’m a celeb and I will show my body off

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 03:26 AM CST

Nicola in the jungle shower yesterday

Just like Myleen Klass, Nicola McLean looks set to sizzle in the jungle by revealing herself at every opportunity.

Myleene's itsy bitsy teeny weeny bikini’s became so famous that she donated one to charity after coming third on the show and Nicola must have her eyes on Myleen’s Marks & Spencer modelling job, and Myleen that job may not be safe.

One to Watch today - The Gadget Show

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 03:02 AM CST

Suzi Perry, one of the Gadget Show’s presenters

This week on the Gadget Show Suzi Perry and Dallas Campbell are in the mood to Party.

Their mission this week is to find… the coolest gadgets around to make your party go with a bang. They will be hosting their own street parties with big sound to attract the crowds. Then they’ll hit the bar and compete against each other to see who has the coolest drinks gadget. Lastly, Dallas and Suzi throw a gadget infested house party.

Also this week Jason Bradbury is giving his countdown of the Top 5 computer games currently available while Jon Bentley hits London Fashion Week with Lady Victoria Hervey to assess the best party cameras around.

Channel 5 - 8pm

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British children behave like animals

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 03:01 AM CST

A survey conducted by children’s charity Barnardo’s finds that much of the public is scared of children.

Half of the responses to the survey said British children behave like animals and pose an increasing danger, and a third say our streets are “infested” by young yobs. Four in ten refer to children as feral and said something needed to be done to protect the public from youngsters.

Barnardo’s will launch a new campaign today that aims create more tolerance towards children. The new advert uses comments from internet forums and communities and shows three men referring to children as vermin before grabbing shotguns and taking to the streets.

Barnardo’s Chief Executive Martin Narey said he was shocked by the results. Mr Narey said: “It is appalling that words like ‘animal’, ‘feral’ and ‘vermin’ are used daily in reference to children.

“These are not references to a small minority of children but represent the public view of all children. Despite the fact that most children are not troublesome there is still a perception that today’s young people are a more unruly, criminal lot than ever before.

“The British public overestimates, by a factor of four, the amount of crime committed by young people. The real crime is that this sort of talk and attitude does nothing to help those young people who are difficult, unruly or badly behaved to change their ways.”

Not Again, Sergeant Marches On

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 02:41 AM CST

Strictly over for Cherie..

Yesterdays Strictly Come Dancing saw Cherie Lunghi and partner James Jordan evicted from the competition with the British public once again opting to make a mockery of the talented celeb dancers in the show.

Cherie had been praised for her "breakthrough" cha-cha- cha with partner James Jordan and even moody Craig Revel Horwood told her she was "magnificent to watch".

The pair got 32 points with John Sergeant and Kristina scraping just 25 (more here) but again, the British voting public kept them in and they sailed through to next week's show.

What with the X Factor vote last week and the same here on Strictly, the public are making these shows farcical with the best talent being voted out and poor performers allowed to stay, surely jeopardising any future series.

Fabio Capello justifies mental decision

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 12:08 AM CST

A lot of people are wondering what the hell Michael Mancienne is doing in the England squad, but Fabio Capello maintains that while he’s ready to call up everyone from Jimmy Bullard to U-21 players on loan at Wolves, he’s not planning to put them into the first XI right away.

Because THAT would be crazy.

“It is dangerous to put too many new players into a team that has trained a lot together,” said Capello. “It is best when you put one or maximum two in. I just want to know them better, which I will do during the camp.

“I want to study what they do in training, then I will decide.”

Tony Adams threatens to quit job he barely has

Posted: 17 Nov 2008 12:00 AM CST

It’s interesting to be at a new job you don’t quite deserve, or that is way above your head. A sense of pride, yes, but also a great deal of pressure, worry and a distinct knowledge that you’ve got a limited amount of time to prove yourself. What’s the best way to respond to that? Well if you’re Tony Adams, you threaten to quit if things aren’t laid out on a silver platter for you.

Adams started by admitting Jermaine Defoe was key to him keeping his job in the first place,

“He is going to help me stay in this job by scoring goals.”

And followed that up by biting the hand that only just started to feed him.

“He’s a threat (in front of goal) and I’m sure there will be some big clubs trying to get him but hands off because he’s mine. Big offers? I can’t wait …. because the owner has been very supportive and although I’ve not made an issue of it I’ve told him that everyone stays who I want to stay or I don’t do the job.

“I told him that at the very start. He was very supportive of Harry and now he’s being very supportive of me. He phones me on the way home and says ‘what do you want, Tony, how can I help you and I say keep Defoe where he is and there’s no problem. He says fine, anything else?’ He’s totally behind me.”

Aww, how sweet. Good to know that Adams is ready to stick by Portsmouth through the good and the.. well, gooder?

(Image: Andy Hooper)

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Rafa Benitez pulls the other one

Posted: 16 Nov 2008 12:18 PM CST

Fernando Torres and Rafa Benitez

Who’s the funniest manager in the Premier League? I doubt more than one of you would say Rafa Benitez, and that would only be if you were his mother.

The seemingly perma-annoyed Spaniard usually finds things to moan about at every turn, but this time he’s got us stitches by claiming that no one in the Liverpool squad is untouchable, not even Fernando Torres. Sure, Liverpool made their way to the top of the league with Torres out, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks that they’ll go the distance without FT in the side.

Sure, he’s just trying to keep everyone in the squad feeling like they have a shot and it’s probably the right managerial move. But is there any reason to make a public statement? We were drinking hot coffee when we read that, for crying out loud.

Benitez said: “The players have to compete for their positions in the side, be it Torres or anyone else. Torres has to improve, if he does and he is fit then I will decide what to do, although I expect to be criticised.

“I did not have to explain to Fernando why he was not playing, it was very clear. The team had been playing well and he has to compete for his position. He played well when he came on, but then other players who come on as substitute also did well, not just him.

“That is the key if you want to have a winning mentality and a winning squad.”

First Million Pound Antique Valued on the Roadshow

Posted: 16 Nov 2008 12:32 AM CST

Fiona Bruce on Antiques Roadshow

The first valuation of £1m will be revealed tonight on the Antique Roadshow. Fine art’s expert Philip Mould broke the news to the owner during the recording of the BBC show at The Sage in Gateshead.

Although the owner knew it was valuable they were still left shocked and thrilled.

The episode, presented by Fiona Bruce, will be screened on BBC1 at 7.15pm tonight.