DROPPING in by chance this week at a pub in Hurworth, not far from Middlesbrough's training complex, I heard a couple of rumours about Steve McClaren. Not being one for tittle-tattle, I took no more notice than I did when I heard the story about his affair several months ago.

The chances are that The Sun had known about it for some time.Yet, with venomous timing, it became their lead story on the day it became clear McClaren was likely to get the England job, and now the pubs of Hurworth can expect visits from tabloid reporters, once they've got off the phone to Faria Alam.

McClaren apparently assured the FA (that's the Football Association, not Faria) that there are no more skeletons in his cupboard and he must know that if there were they would be relentlessly pursued.

A politician who combines buffoonery with obesity has proved that power is the greatest aphrodisiac, so as England boss-in-waiting McClaren will be a babe magnet. Doubtless he will send them all packing, knowing that otherwise he will be swiftly reminded of the main reason why Luiz Felipe Scolari turned the England job down.

He said he had 20 reporters on his doorstep, and while some of them would have been looking forward to future headlines such as "Felipe flops" their intrusion killed what might have been a golden goose before the egg had hatched.

ONLY three weeks ago Martin O'Neill was still favourite for the England job and Newcastle, as they had been for two months, were waiting in the wings. Now the Irishman will inevitably be linked with Middlesbrough, although the timing of Alan Curbishley's resignation at Charlton suggests he already has something else lined up.

The guessing game continued this week with a national tabloid linking Fulham's Chris Coleman to the St James' Park job. But, as we all know, there is little point in taking a Coleman to Newcastle, even if he does have a sackful of coaching badges.

QUITE by accident Northern Echo Sport carried two stories about an Afridi alongside each other this week. One was Shahid, who is well-known for his big-hitting exploits and had helped Ireland to victory against Glamorgan in the C & G Trophy, the other was Riaz, who hit the fastest century in the North Yorkshire and South Durham League's 113-year history against Marske.

The 21-year-old all-rounder, who has played in one Test, must have sent shivers of apprehension through the rest of the league as he blasted 14 sixes in his 135 and his century came off only 60 balls. He then took five for 48.

He is playing for Great Ayton, a club who for years were denied access to the top division because there was no automatic promotion and relegation, largely on the basis of facilities. Much more of this from Riaz and they'll be wanting Premier League status, which wouldn't be a bad thing for that cricketing hotbed of south and east Cleveland, which also includes Guisborough and Saltburn.

WILL Durham's Liam Plunkett play in the first Test against Sri Lanka next week, or will the selectors take the short-sighted view of drafting in Gloucestershire's Jon Lewis following his success for England A yesterday?

It is one thing taking wickets against Sri Lanka in England in early May, it is quite another bowling out the Australians in their own backyard, and as he will shortly be 31 there is little reason to suppose that Lewis could suddenly graduate to the task of retaining the Ashes this winter.

The Sri Lankans offer a good opportunity for Plunkett to continue his development, in which there will doubtless be hiccups but hopefully not the setbacks which Lancashire's James Anderson has had to endure.

As Anderson and the luckless Simon Jones joined Steve Harmison in being ruled out of the first Test, it was another reminder of the fragility of fast bowlers these days. Having taken a gamble on Chris Silverwood, who hardly played for Yorkshire last season, Middlesex have teamed him up with Sacriston lad Melvyn Betts this week, but only because they have three men unfit. And the season's barely a fortnight old.

FOLLOWING my tirade last week about the cross of St George fluttering from car windows I note that retailers expect to sell more than 43 million English flags this year. The cross will also appear on the usual paraphernalia such as mugs and paper plates, and on less obvious targets such as garden gnomes.

The total amount spent on World Cup merchandise is predicted to be more than £1.2 billion, and the only consolation is that this lunacy is not entirely football-driven. Apparently the marketing wizards expect a far bigger bonanza from the 2012 Olympics.

FROM £750,000 gambling debts to metatarsal misery - we just can't keep Wayne Rooney out of the news. But will he be having a huge bet on himself to play in the World Cup? I suspect not

Published: 05/05/2006