As the dust clears from the impact of the news that Fabio Capello had called it a day with/been fired by England, the Football Association have a minor headache to deal with in their search for a replacement.
Harry Redknapp has had his name on the job for some time, at least since Tottenham Hotspur's dazzling display in last year's Champions League convinced the doubters he could cut it in international football.

A three-year deal Joao?"El MosQuito" will be buzzing around BMO Field for the foreseeable future as Toronto FC announced today that Joao Plata has signed a multi-year deal with the club. The dynamic yet diminutive Ecuadorian was often the only bright spark in a miserable first half of 2011 and his re-signing was considered as an off-season must in most supporters' eyes.

Morning all.

It's pretty quiet today, really. Still a bit of Thierry Henry stuff around with the manager confirming he'll be in the squad for the Champions League game against AC Milan. Interestingly, he hinted that the reason he loaned out Vito Mannone wasn't for the player's own benefit but so he could make space in the squad for Henry (I guess we were at the limit in terms of the number of 'non-homegrown' players in the squad).

FROZEN PITCH!Welcome to The Yorkies' regular off-season rumour roundup - "The Rumoumeter". Too busy to keep your TFC ear to the ground every week? Just stop by the site and we will quickly show you what rumours are hot - and which ones have hit the back burner. Some of the rumours have weight - others little more than whispers; we take their temperature with.

So, since I'm the thinking type, and we all know I love to prognosticate (for Whimp-pact fans, that means "speculate" -- for you Sounders fans, that means "guess at what might happen"), I've been wondering just what the Whimp-pacts selection of Brian Ching in the MLS Expansion Draft could mean for our organization going forward.

That five thoughts on the expansion draft post seemed to work pretty well yesterday, so with time short and you (maybe? hopefully?) interested, here are five more on how the Montreal Impact might be the new evil geniuses of Major League Soccer.

And they might just be that. Because right now Montreal looks evil, re: Brian Ching, and they look like geniuses, re: Justin Braun.

Honour your contract, your Honour Newcastle right-back Danny Simpson has made a very public come and get me plea during a court case. The ex-Manchester United man was appearing in court on a speeding offence, but ended up either playing a very risky game of hardball over a new contract or alerting as many [.

With four days to go to the end of the transfer window, we know that Arsene Wenger intends to sign at least 20 players if the media gossip is to be believed. In my estimation we need four players and whilst improbable given the time remaining, I present my transfers bets based upon the availability and qualities of the players involved.

With four days to go to the end of the transfer window, we know that Arsene Wenger intends to sign at least 20 players if the media gossip is to be believed. In my estimation we need four players and whilst improbable given the time remaining, I present my transfers bets based upon the availability and qualities of the players involved.

What has happened to football today? Where is the passion? Where is the drive? Having endured a torturous 90 minutes of the Man United vs Tottenham match – all be it I write this from the perspective of a Spurs fan – I can't help but feel infuriated and sickened by footballers today.

I cannot deny that when I heard the reasoning behind Luka Modric not starting, I did expect it.

Oh this football business is so confusing. So much information. So many assertions and exclusives.

Take this morning, for example, depending on what you read Manchester City have either agreed a deal for Samir Nasri or they haven't.

The Mail

We've got Nasri! Manchester City claim £19m deal for Arsenal rebel

Manchester City believe they have captured Arsenal playmaker Samir Nasri for £19million.

You know those people who, some time in March, get a little newspaper piece about them? The ones who live somewhere by the sea, or up a mountain, and say they can predict the long-term weather because of the amount of moss on the trees or the number of donkeys that are born that year or by the amount of pus that oozes from their canker sores?

A new week begins with positive noises coming from the manager over two players whose futures still remain in serious doubt.

With Samir Nasri either playing hardball to get more cash or trying to engineer a move away, and Barcelona's desire to sign Cesc, our ability to plan properly for next season remains complicated.

Close of business today, we had been told, was the deadline, and the sanction if this wasn't met was common knowledge. Wrexham FC was to be barred from entering this year's Blue Square Premier play-offs with one of Kidderminster Harriers, York City or Darlington replacing them, depending on the way that results went on Saturday afternoon.