Alastair Yeomans
BBC Radio 5 live

"We are in and have to make the most of our allocated 15 minutes of access - after that we are asked to leave as England will go through their tactical manoeuvres behind closed doors."

Image source, Alistair Yeomans

Image source, Alistair Yeomans

Image source, EPA

Remi Garde will be a success as Aston Villa manager - because he has "social intelligence".

That's the opinion of former Villa manager Gerard Houllier who worked with Garde at Lyon.

In an interview on the official Villa website, Houllier said: "When I worked with Remi, he was loyal, clever and had a good understanding of the game.

"When I say clever I mean he has good social intelligence - he knows what players think and how they will react in certain situations. That's a very good trait to have.

"He is very calm and composed too and despite not managing here in England before - he knows the Premier League definitely."

Image source, Getty Images

As summer shake-ups go, this is a biggie. According to the Daily Mirror,, external Real Madrid are considering selling Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at the end of the season, with Chelsea's Eden Hazard and Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski set to take their place.

Cue the Ronaldo Old Trafford return rumours all over again.

Alastair Yeomans
BBC Radio 5 live

"The club seem unable to cope with the demands of the Media. Puerta 3 - where we we supposed to gain entry to watch England train - remains resolutely closed. England are already on the pitch training and our opportunity to chronicle that is fast disappearing."

Image source, Alastair Yeomans

Image source, Getty Images

Quite a few people have been surprised by Chelsea's appalling start to this season. Not former Blues defender Frank Leboeuf, who told RMC Sport (which was quoted in the Daily Express), external that manager Jose Mourinho has "lost the dresing room".

"That means, as usual, he has not been able to progress in the third year," added the former France defender, referring to Mourinho's habit of not staying at a club much longer than three years.

What do Americans know about cricket? Well, the good folk over on BBC World Service's Stumped show have attempted to find out by putting one to the test.

How did he get on? Click here and find out.

Image source, Getty Images

Word on the street (well, in the Daily Mail), external is that Bayern Munich are set to offer Pep Guardiola a cheeky £18m to stay as their manager for another two years.

The message could not be clearer: keep your hands off.

Over to you Manchester City and Chelsea.

Alastair Yeomans
BBC Radio 5 live

The BBC Radio 5 live team are preparing to watch England train in Alicante ahead of tomorrow night's friendly against Spain.

"The officials at the ground are strict about not letting in the media until 15 minutes before training is due to start. So work has to be done wherever there is a temporary seat."

Another major international tournament, another new ball is revealed. Former France international Zinedine Zidane has revealed the round thing that will be used during Euro 2016 via Instagram. It is called Beau Jeu, which translates as 'the beautiful game'. Want to see it? Here you go...

Image source, @Instagram

The Lancashire Cricket Board has submitted its bid to the England and Wales Cricket Board to host a Women’s Cricket Super League (WCSL) team from 2016.

Six host teams will compete in a T20 competition next year. The competition will expand to include a 50-over tournament from 2017.

Warwickshire have appointed Neil Snowball as chief executive. He will start the role in January, replacing Colin Povey who is retiring from the position next month.

Image source, Getty Images

Exeter coach Rob Baxter has ruled himself out of the running to be England head coach.

Baxter says he intends to "honour" his contract at Sandy Park, which runs until 2018.

He has also said a southern hemisphere coach would be "frustrated" by the relationship between the club system and national side.

He tipped English coaches Jim Mallinder and Richard Cockerill as good candidates to replace Stuart Lancaster.

We asked what you thought of the Football League rebranding as the English Football League (EFL)?

Helen Davies: Why #EFL, external? Should it not be #BFL, external The football league is not just English clubs!!  

Jonny Young: Looks a bit like an energy company.  

Nick Rewcastle: Hate to say it, but I simply don't like it - doesn't look right! They need to stop changing the names of the lower leagues. 

OK folks, here is the new logo for the rebranded Football League, soon to be known as the English Football League.

What do you make of it? Let us know via Twitter (#bbcsportsday).

Football League news now and the second, third and fourth tier of English football are set to be renamed at the end of this season. The new name? The English Football League. Or, EFL.

There is one thing holding back the "individually strong" England team, according to Spain manager Vincente del Bosque, and that is organisation.

England notched up 10 wins as they topped Euro 2016 Group E qualifying and will be looking to carry that form into the finals in France next year. First, though, they face Del Bosque's side in a friendly on Friday.

"England have a team with great potential and are individually very strong," Del Bosque told a news conference ahead of the game at Alicante's Jose Rico Perez stadium. "Once they have a bit of organisation they will be a great side."

Image source, Getty Images

Del Bosque, also gave his backing to Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who is in the Spain squad despite struggling for the Blues this season. 

"We know what Diego Costa's character is like," said the coach. "He is not here because we are obliged to bring him because he has any debt to us. He is here because we believe in him." 

Saj Chowdhury
BBC Sport

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is not on the shortlist for the Fulham manager's job.

It is understood that Cottagers owner Shahid Khan is looking for someone who has at least Championship experience.

Hasselbaink, 43, who is the current favourite for the Fulham job, is currently in charge of League One side Burton Albion, who he led to promotion in his debut season as a manager in English football.

Fulham sacked Kit Symons following last Saturday's 5-2 home defeat by Birmingham.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex South
BBC Sport

"The chairman of one of South Africa's biggest clubs says his countryman Tokyo Sexwale has a very 'heavy' task ahead of him to become president of Fifa.

"Kaizer Motaung, who founded the Kaizer Chiefs in 1970, sights Sexwale's lack of a 'football background' as the biggest factor that could count against him, but he wishes him well."

Find out more on the Fifa presidential candidates here.

Image source, AFP

South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander could miss the start of the Test Series against England next month after suffering a "freak injury".

Philander injured his ankle in a warm-up match of football on Thursday ahead of the second Test against India.

He has suffered a ligament tear in his left ankle and is likely to be out for six to eight weeks, which means he could miss the first Test in Durban on Boxing Day.

Philander has a good record against England taking 12 wickets in three Tests and is ranked seventh in the world.