Alexandre Gaydamak. Blimey, sounds like a drag artist but he may well be the man to drag Portsmouth out of the mire. On Wednesday this week, the club issued a statement confirming: ”Milan Mandaric and Alexandre Gaydamak will work closely together to further all aspects of Portsmouth Football Club.”

So what was the sporting moment of 2005? The eerie, confusing conclusion to that unbelievable Ashes series at The Oval in September? England’s footballers upsetting the Argentinians 3-2 in Geneva in November? Or perhaps Chelsea lifting their first championship in 50 years? It was Liverpool’s win in Istanbul, writes Neal Collins.

Wigan versus Arsenal: the Jewell in the Crown against the Frenchman with a Frown. On Saturday in front of a record crowd, the Gunners must come to terms with the fact that their unfashionable northern visitors are five points ahead of them in the Premiership title chase and firmly tucked in behind Chelsea in second place.

Like two small girls in a playground suffering from prepubescent bitchiness, they trade verbal blows day after day. In the red Alice band, Arsene Wenger; in the blue ribbons, Jose Mourinho. And the battle of the handbags remains in the balance. This week, Mourinho kicked off by accusing Wenger of voyeurism.

The Premiership is quiet. Too quiet. By this time last year, Paul Sturrock had been ditched by Southampton, doddery Bobby Robson was thrown out at rock-bottom Newcastle, Graeme Souness had made too many enemies to stay at Blackburn Rovers and Gary Megson had accepted defeat at West Brom.

”International week is over and life returns to normal: Chelsea nine points clear after eight games, all their foreign stars flying home to their mansions and fast cars — and Bolton set to become the latest side to bow before the record-breaking £330-million army.” Neal Collins looks ahead at the weekend’s matches.

World Cup week, and it’s a question of frontmen: Puff Diddy or Biggie Smalls. Sven-Goran Eriksson takes his bruised and battered England into battle against Austria at Old Trafford on Saturday without the suspended Wayne Rooney. Uncomfortable options remain for the icy Swede before a game England dare not lose.

The best club team in the world, if international players’ organisation Fifpro is to be believed, is AC Milan. Yes, the Italian side beaten on penalties by Liverpool in last season’s European Cup final in Istanbul, the outfit incapable of holding on to a 3-0 half-time lead, managed to get no fewer than five players into the world’s best side.

Benedict McCarthy’s life, like that of all world class footballers these days, is a fairy tale. Sadly, it’s turning in to one of those grim — Grimm — continental stories where the kids get their hands burned and the wolf has big teeth. But at 27, with years of goal nabbing to come, he finds himself at a bit of a crossroads, with the emphasis on cross.

Like an old joke, Michael Owen is now officially black-and-white and red all over. He wanted to go to Liverpool, he ended up at Newcastle. He wanted to be reunited with his old mates, fresh from their European Cup triumph. On Wednesday, he arrived in the land of the Geordies, to a club currently goalless and propping up the Premiership.