Midweek news round-up

Glasgow team Celtic has a terrible pre-season but still managed to kick off their defence of the Scottish Premier League crown by beating Kilmarnock at home 4-1 on Saturday.

Even so, they probably could have done without trekking 6,000 miles to Japan to play a friendly against Yokohama F Marinos on Thursday morning - especially as they lost 3-0.

Quite why they took this trip one week into the season is not clear but I bet it comes back to the point I made in an earlier article - money.

I hope they made a packet because it can't do much for morale or stamina, especially as the first big game of the Scottish season involves them this weekend - they take on Hearts in Edinburgh on Sunday (kick off 2pm BST).

Hearts appear to be the team who can possibly break the big Glasgow duos' grasp on the SPL title. Bankrolled by Russo-Lithuanian tycoon Vladimir Romanov, a whole host of players have been shipped in and a large number of coaches (John Robertson, George Burley, Graham Rix) have come and gone as well. It seems that coach number four, Valdas Ivanauskas will be leaving soon as well, if rumours of a bust-up with the boss, reported in the Scottish tabloids are true. Eduard Malofeev, the current Director of Football at the Edinburgh side, and former coach at Romanov's Lithuanian club FBK Kaunas, could well be in line to take over.

The Jambos, as Hearts are known, beat Dunfermline on Saturday and sealed a place in the final qualifying round of the Champions League by beating Bosnian side Siroki Brijeg 3-0 in aggregate in midweek. They'll make the lucrative league round of that latter competition if they can beat AEK Athens over two legs.

The season is far too young to draw anything conclusive from the result on Sunday but a victory for either side will be hand momentum to the winning team. If both Celtic and Hearts reach the group stage of the Champions League they must be careful to keep focused on the domestic title or Rangers will be handily placed to pip them both.

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Michael Carrick has finally sealed his transfer to Manchester United - where he's been handed Roy Keane's no. 16 shirt.

Keane's presence hangs over Old Trafford like Banquo's ghost with any central midfielder signed being inevitably compared to the thuggish former Republic of Ireland captain. He was the sort of snarling, never-say-die all-action midfielder that allowed the rest of Manchester United's midfield to go out and do their attacking and has never been replaced since quitting last season, although his powers were waning long before that.

Although Carrick likes to sit in midfield, has a nice range of passing and his impressive performances for Spurs earned him a call-up to England's Germany 2006 squad, he can hardly be described as a Keane clone. Indeed, it would seem that the Gateshead-born player can provide the sort of subtler skills that were sadly lacking in the United's midfield last season, but whether he can also bring the sort of leadership qualities that the Old Trafford side were missing remains to be seen - Carrick doesn't come across as a natural captain and the side still needs direction on the pitch.

If Carrick can succeed then he will truly challenge for a starting place for England, possibly ousting Frank Lampard, if the Chelsea man brings his World Cup form to the Premiership or plays less often due to the presence of Michael Ballack in the Blues squad this season.

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On paper, Chelsea look set to win their third straight Premiership title with their squad further strengthened with signings of the calibre of World Cup stars Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, as well as rising talents Salomon Kalou and Jon Obi Mikel (who English fans may finally see playing football this season after a year in limbo caught in a legal dispute between the West Londoners and Manchester United).

But not everything has been going well for the Blues - this week their long-disgruntled French defender William Gallas refused to turn up for training in Los Angeles after requesting longer to recuperate from his exertions for the French national side at the World Cup. He was also not best pleased that his no. 13 squad number had been given to new-arrival Ballack.

Gallas' dispute is not just based on wanting a bit more holiday - Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has often played Gallas out of position at left back due to both Wayne Bridge and the now-departed Asier Del Horno disappointing there.

The Frenchman wants to play in his preferred centre half position but it is hard to see him filling that role when the left hand side of the Chelsea defence is still unfilled. Rumours linking Brazilian Roberto Carlos to Stamford Bridge have ended with the veteran pledging to see out the last year of his contract with Real Madrid. The transfer window is still open and it would be no surprise to see Roman Abramovich open his cheque book once again.

Apart from the narked Frenchman, Chelsea have also been accused this week by their 'colourful' former-chairman Ken Bates of illegally approaching three promising Leeds United youngsters, where Bates is now head honcho.

Two of the players, Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, have already moved to Chelsea, while Danny Rose resisted the lure of the bright lights of the capital. These attempts are known as "tapping-up" in the shadowy parlance of football finance and Leeds have now lodged an official complaint with the Football Association.

This is not the first time that Chelsea have been involved in illegal approaches - they were fined £300,000 and given a suspended three-point deduction over an approach to Arsenal's Ashley Cole last year.

Cole received a £100,000 fine and Jose Mourinho, £200,000. At the time of writing, Cole is still at Arsenal despite much media speculation and is therefore the recipient of this year's "tedious will he, won't he transfer award", wrested from the grasp of his erstwhile teammate Patrick Vieira.

Chelsea continue their pre-season warm-ups by taking on an MLS All-Stars side in LA, kick off very early Sunday morning, UK time.