Tartan twosome is just what we need

SCOTTISH migration to Norfolk is fast matching that of the Portuguese, and The Man is heavily in favour of both.

While the latter should eventually benefit our youth team - the odd Rui Smith wonderkid will hopefully pop up - the former should help address problems at the club now.

On the face of it Duffy's appointment is great. Ahead of Grant's arrival The Man said he was in favour of a Scottish manager, now we have two!

While getting Gunny to use his contacts' book - although I'd be hugely disappointed if the club wasn't doing that already - is perhaps an even more positive move.

It shows Grant has acknowledged we have a problem in both bringing people in, and identifying suitable candidates in the first place.

Of course, the arrival of Mr Duffy ushered in the departure of Mr Livermore.

In recent years many people have become sceptical of just what Livermore does, there was a rumour from Colney his nickname was BBC: bibs, balls and cones.

But The Man is sure DL had more of a profound impact than that.

As I say in relation to everyone involved in our recent title season, thankyou Doug, and good luck in the future (unless you are joining Foley in The Land that Time Forgot.)

V AS ONE of The Man's most-trusted aides points out, Dickson Etuhu is indeed an enigma.

Just like alcohol-free beer he looks the part; but something's not quite right.

However, it appears opinion on Dickson is now falling into two camps - which is progress for him.

There are those - like The Man - who just don't rate him.

Listen: I've clapped him, cheered him, been patient, defended him, but a year on I just don't see what he brings to the party.

I want him to be a success - all 6ft 2in of Nigerian muscle, as someone once famously said - but I can't see it.

However, there is a large body of opinion which now seems to think he is a real asset to the Yellow cause.

An Archant writer this week even raised the question of whether Grant “could afford to leave Etuhu out” such was his importance.

Time will tell I guess - maybe The Man is undervaluing Dickson's contribution.

It's just, in the game against Leeds, it was clear to me what Safri had done, but I wasn't quite sure how DE had influenced proceedings.

Yes he ran around a lot, but when Holty used to do that we'd get the ball, when Etuhu does it we don't seem to.

Good luck to the fella though.

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t CHEATING RONALDO PROSPERS AGAIN

What is it they say? Cheats never prosper…

A curious case of that not being the case was at Spurs last weekend.

Ronaldo dives - Man U get a penalty - one nil. No surprise there really.

But come half-time Spurs decided to replay the incident on their space-age JumboTron TV.

The Man was listening to Radio Five Dead at the time, where Alan Green launched into a tirade about how “silly” it was for Spurs to be showing the replay to fans.

This was despite the fact Green himself had spent the last five minutes talking about what a dive it was.

Green's implication was that it was naughty to enrage fans by revealing how the prolific Portuguese cheat had done it again.

The Premier League waded into the debate too - saying Spurs may face a fine for replaying the dive.

Has The Man missed something here?

Surely the person who should be in the dock is Ronaldo?

And surely, if anyone deserves to know whether the guy has cheated or not, it's the poor fans who've stumped up £45, only to see a fair contest spoiled?

As Alan Partridge would say: “This country…”

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t I HOPE IT ALL ENDS IN TEARS FOR OWNERS

Another week passes, another foreign owner takes over an English club.

This time it is those bastions of football tradition Liverpool - whose pompous fans spent the past three years slagging off Chelsea for selling out - who have accepted overseas riches.

It was reported Liverpool were £44 million in debt before these Americans came along and wiped it out.

The thing is, if a glory-hunter enriched club like Liverpool is millions in debt, then what the hell do these investors hope to achieve?

It is fact that unless you are Man U - and possibly Barcelona - you can't make money out of football.

So why are people that have become hugely successful at making money queuing up to throw their cash away here?

The Man is sure there must be a masterplan somewhere, I just can't see what it is.

Of course, the amusing factor is that the more these foreign investors turn up: the less likely they are to succeed at all.

The new chairmen at Man U, Liverpool, West Ham, Aston Villa - even Portsmouth - have all vowed to deliver trophies. And they can't all be winners.

I hope it all ends in tears - especially for that Lord of the Rings extra at West Ham.

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t WE'RE STUCK WITH STEVE SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT

Poor old Steve McClaren. The Man has never known such antipathy towards a manager, so short into a reign.

As I watched the Spain game with my entourage, I was almost among the minority in wanting England to win.

So many people just want us to go on losing to make sure ol' White Fangs is on his bike sooner rather than later.

I concur that SM does not deserve to be in the job, but some idiot decided to give it to him and we just have to lump it.

It will be a real shame if we have to miss out on our bi-annual knock-out penalty defeat as a result of that - but The Man thinks it will come to pass.

And just what is the point in playing Dyer and Woodgate for England?

Good players, but there is not a cat in hell's chance they'll be fit come the end of a season. Fact.