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Last Updated: Wednesday, 1 October, 2003, 01:34 GMT 02:34 UK
The back pages
Wednesday's sports pages focus on four football managers who are currently enjoying rather different levels of job satisfaction.

And there is no doubt who is turning up for work with the biggest smile on his face at the moment - Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

With Ferguson set to prolong his stay at Old Trafford by a further four years, the papers all take a stab at predicting his future salary.

Most value his imminent new deal at �3m-�3.5m a year, although Fergie will no doubt be hoping it is closer to the �5m quoted in The Sun.

Further down the satisfaction scale is Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who watched his side fire blanks in the 0-0 draw against Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

While most of the nation's scribes agree the result has steadied the ship after the defeat by Inter Milan, most see it as two points dropped.

The Daily Mirror points out that it is the Gunners' seventh successive game without a win in Europe, adding that they "lack enough quality and strength in depth to be considered among Europe's elite".

THE HEADLINES
The Times: Arsenal draw measure of pride from Lokomotiv points failure
The Daily Telegraph: Arsenal fire blanks in Russian stalemate
Daily Express: Reid axed
Daily Mail: I lost it (says Martin Keown)
Daily Star: Fergie: Four more years
Daily Mirror: 7 games no wins no idea no hope
The Sun: Gun Ho Wenger
The Independent: Threadbare Arsenal sew up point
The Guardian: Arsenal draw some comfort

Bobby Robson would love to have Wenger's problems.

Speculation that Robson had quit as Newcastle boss reached such levels on Tuesday that the Magpies were forced to issue a denial after seeing their share price plummet.

"It is a load of balls," Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd tells the Mirror.

But there is little doubt in the minds of Her Majesty's press that Peter Reid is on his way out of Leeds - possibly within the next 24 hours.

"Reid could be toast at breakfast crisis talks," declares the Daily Mail as several papers tip Nottingham Forest boss Paul Hart to replace Reid at Elland Road.

The only other sport to jostle for column inches with Fergie and chums is rugby.

The Daily Express says Clive Woodward's England squad will arrive in Australia for the World Cup with "the most elaborate and sophisticated back-up team assembled in rugby".

"Clive Woodward has said he intended to throw the kitchen sink at the tournament, but there is hardly any room for it on the plane," the paper adds.

Woodward's men even get a good luck message from England football coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

"It would be tremendous for the whole country if England won the World Cup," says the Swede, no doubt wishing he had the same sort of talent as Woodward at his disposal.




SEE ALSO
The gossip column
01 Oct 03  |  Football



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