Transfer gloat proves white hot

West Ham's ban on selling players to Tottenham coincides with an outbreak of transfer gloating emanating from White Hart Lane. The January issue of Spurs' official magazine recalls the biggest deal between the two clubs - Jermain Defoe's £7million switch five years ago - and its triumphalist tone won't have made for pleasant reading in east London.

Labelling the striker "one of our best mid-term captures", the magazine wrote: "It's 30 January 2004, and Hammers boss Alan Pardew is confident Defoe is staying at Upton Park: 'I think a move on the scale of Jermain cannot be done within two days,' he said. 'I am pretty optimistic he will remain a West Ham player.' Two days later, we had our man." Spurs also snapped up Michael Carrick for a bargain £2.75m that year and went on to sell him to Manchester United for £18.6m.

But now chief executive Scott Duxbury has cried enough, claiming London rivalry and fans' feelings must be taken into account. Sources suggest the move may also win him fans' support ahead of renewed scrutiny of his position in the latest Carlos Tevez inquiry.

It's an inequitable life for Blues

Who should be more offended — Peter Kenyon or Luiz Felipe Scolari? According to the website of Falcon Equity, the private equity group eyeing a bid for Chelsea, its investment strategy is targeted particularly at “companies that are under-managed”.

Stability at Stamford Bridge may also be an issue should Roman Abramovich decide to cut his losses. Falcon's strategy document continues: “Our goal for the average holding period is about three to four years maximum, providing short-term returns for our investors.”

Sacked Ling takes aim at Orient

Martin Ling insists he is not bitter about being axed by Leyton Orient but, in his Racing Post column, adds: “I genuinely don't care what happens to them now.” Rather than heading to MK Dons for Tuesday's League match, Ling spent the evening at home playing darts — which is ironic given that it is the sport reinvigorated by the man who ended his five-year Orient tenure . . . club chairman Barry Hearn.

Big Brother no big bother to Sven

Football recorded a victory by association with the triumph of Sven Goran-Eriksson's old flame, Ulrika Jonsson, in Celebrity Big Brother. But the former England manager, now in charge of Mexico's national team, has resisted the temptation to follow the exploits of his fellow Swede via the show's website. Eriksson's spokesman said: “I'm sure he wouldn't have seen the programme and would not have been interested.”

Eriksson faces a battle of his own to avoid eviction in Mexico. The team's results have been poor and his decision to pick four “foreigners” — Brazil and Argentinia-born players with Mexican passports — has been heavily criticised.

No gain, all pain for Bees chief

A refreshingly candid view of the way his club have been run from Brentford director Alan Bird. Commenting on the latest accounts, he said: “Normal business etiquette would have me write that I'm pleased to present the results for the financial year on behalf of the board but I'm not. A net loss of £499,960 is a nonsense for a club/business of our size [£2million turnover] and certainly a long way from earlier break-even ambitions.”
Finance expert Bird blamed “unrealistic contracts” for the problems, while Bees chairman Greg Dyke explained the club shop suffered substantial losses last year and is still “carrying more stock than needed”.