Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: “I was brought up in the Brian Clough way that if you’re not fit and available, somebody else will be. It gives someone else a great opportunity. Go and play and show us your ability. You’re fighting for a place in a major finals this summer. We named the squad with a young bias to find out about players who’ve not had a great deal of game time.” – Stuart Pearce.

Runner-up: “Captaining your country would be amazing and a great honour but it’s a long way off happening for myself. I’ve no experience of it really. I’ve always played at junior level a couple of years above my age so I was never going to come in and captain those sides. I’ve never worn the armband. There are some big candidates and big names with a lot of caps to be put on the table.” – Joe Hart.

Today’s top stories

Jose Mourinho comes to London to buy a house

Jose’s coming home…where next for Mourinho? (Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror) “We knew he wanted to return to the one country where he truly feels loved. But now we know that Jose Mourinho plans to be back in the Premier League next season – and the only issue is which club will be first to offer him the chance. Mourinho’s flying visit to London was, of course, done for effect. What else would you expect from the master of the game? If the Portuguese did not want Andre Villas-Boas, Arsene Wenger or Roberto Mancini to feel the heat, he might have travelled in by private jet, flitting in and out without anybody knowing except the estate agent showing him round his proposed new home in the centre of the capital. Going through Heathrow, on a scheduled flight with Iberia, was about making his plans and thoughts crystal clear to everybody who matters, not just his potential employers in London or even Manchester or Liverpool – but also the men who currently line his pockets with silver in Madrid. Mourinho remains the ultimate showman, a man whose every act, every move, is calculated.”

Back for Mour? Jose in London house hunt (Shaun Custis, The Sun) ”Jose Mourinho  is looking for a new house in London — fuelling talk of a return to Chelsea. But the Real Madrid boss could also be a target for Tottenham, should boss Harry Redknapp leave to coach England.”

Villas-Boas own goal! Chelsea’s fury at boss as Mourinho pays a flying visit (Matt Barlow, Daily Mail)

England v Holland previews

England’s Stuart Pearce prepares for long-term but faces early cut (Daniel Taylor, Guardian)

Stuart Pearce’s patriotism will have limited impact at Wembley (Paul Hayward, Daily Telegraph)

Get Walcott playing like he’s Owen (Martin Samuel, Daily Mail)

England have made an art of failing to master the footballing Dutch (Rob Bagchi, Guardian)

Beware the heirs of Cruyff and Bergkamp (James Lawton, Independent)

The style debate that is totally dividing Dutch supporters (Jeremy Wilson, Daily Telegraph)

Harry Redknapp

FA chiefs staying mum about Harry and the England job (Charles Sale, Daily Mail)

John Terry

JT: I’ll be fit for the Euros (Mark Irwin, The Sun)

Wales

Craig Bellamy takes up armband for Wales’ tribute to Gary Speed (Stuart James, Guardian)

Wales night of sentiment for Speed (James Corrigan, Independent)

Gossip

Cologne hitman Podolski on brink of Arsenal switch after agreeing terms (Daily Mail)

Drogba wants £6m a year as talks over new Chelsea deal stall (Daily Mail)

Barcelona try and poach Chelsea starlet Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Daily Mirror)

Contract rebels Paul Pogba and Ezekiel Fryers have been told to sign new deals in the next 48 hours or forget about playing for Manchester United again. (The Sun)