IT is not surprising that William Hague has chosen to support Iain Duncan Smith to replace him as Conservative leader.

The two men's European policies are very close. Both want to renegotiate past treaties. Both policies also are unlikely. Our European partners are far more interested in planning the future rather than reopening the past - particularly if told to do so by an obstructionist Tory Party. Rather than harking back, it would be far better to be positively engaged in shaping the future how we want it to be.

Mr Hague, though, is right when he says that Mr Duncan Smith's rival, Ken Clarke, would reopen Tory divisions with his pro-European stance. Mr Clarke, though, has the personality to appeal to the uncommitted voters who have deserted the party in droves.

This makes the Conservative choice unenviable: Mr Duncan Smith is the beaten Mr Hague without the warmth or the wit; Mr Clarke will win back outsiders but won't carry his own party.

But really the Conservative choice is irrelevant. Whoever is chosen as leader will only see a revival in the short-term if Labour allows the economy to be dragged into recession.

THE nation might be bewitched by Des Lynam's charm but, on a Saturday night at the start of the football season, it is not Des that we want to see. It's the football.

Match of the Day was a national institution. Its theme music either sent you scurrying to bed or set your pulses rating. Any changes to it are bound to be controversial.

Yet the timing of ITV's new programme appears unsatisfactory. At 7pm, it is too early for those whose families are not committed to the beautiful game, and at 11.45pm it is too late. However, as Saturday night routines and rituals change, the new programme might yet be accommodated.

The real problem with ITV's The Premiership was that it was too flabby. There was too much uninteresting waffle, too many advertising breaks, and too much use of gimmickry - what did that collection of dots called the ProZone really add to our understanding?

Perhaps, like Middlesbrough's new defence, it will take time for the programme to settle into some sort of shape.