Show A Bit Of Bloody Respect

I think it's fair to say that Andriy Shevchenko hasn't exactly had the best first season in English football. But when - as one of the SkySports pundits did today - someone says that Shevchenko could take a tip or two from Birmingham City's Gary McSheffrey in the goalscoring stakes, it's time to take a step back and just remember who the hell we're talking about here.

This isn't a Diego Forlan or Mateja Kezman situation...this is a guy that is proven at the highest level for a decade. Show the guy some bloody respect because as sure as eggs is eggs, Shevchenko will come good.

Just as a reminder, Shevchenko scored 173 in 296 for AC Milan; 99 in 164 for Dynamo Kiev; is the second top goalscorer ever in The Champions League, won the golden boot; is AC Milan's second top scorer of all time, won The Champions League, won Serie A.

Gary McSheffrey, by contrast, won a deal with Birmingham City by playing quite well for Coventry.

Shevchenko deserves some respect.

Lucas Neill : Hoping For Hammers Relegation?

You've probably heard that Blackburn defender Lucas Neill has signed for West Ham, snubbing Liverpool who were also interested in signing him.

Neill is claiming that the reason for this strange choice is that "Liverpool gave me the impression that I might not even get a game if I went there." Nothing at all to do with the £60,000 a week salary that West Ham were offering, then. Well, that's good to know. And, of course, we all believe him, don't we?

The transfer has been described as a 'sideways' move but a sideways move from Blackburn would have been to Bolton or Man City - not to a club in severe danger of relegation.

The funny thing is that Neill has an escape clause in his contract with the Hammers, which will allow him to move if they get relegated. This means that Mr Neill could pick up a healthy £60k per week for the rest of the season and still move to a decent club after that. Good work if you can get it.

And maybe, just maybe, this is what Neill is relying on....he gets his £60,000 a week and then - when West Ham are relegated - he moves to Liverpool or Spurs or another big club that is likely to be in Europe next season.

But what if West Ham stay up. Then he's stuck at a bottom tier Premiership club with his reputation much diminished and his chances of getting that big move all but destroyed. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Lucas Neill is hoping West Ham get relegated this season.