* Steve Bruce will not be leaving Birmingham for the foreseeable. Owner David Sullivan: "With regard to the manager, he is not going to be sacked this season. He won't be sacked for the foreseeable future. It would be foolhardy to change managers now, absolute madness. Where would we get someone else from? And if a new manager did come in, do you think he would make any difference? Nothing will happen whatever happens after the games against Manchester United and Chelsea. We've just got to make do.
* Phil Bardsley talks about his loan spell at Burnley:
"The lads have all made me feel really welcome.
"I'm settling in very well really. Burnley is only round the corner from me so it was a bonus coming here."
* Michael Ballack quoted in the Express: "For me it is the Premiership rather than La Liga.
"I am a very physical player and in England the pace is fast and the tackles are hard.
"If you look at the players that have become legends in England, like Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane, I see a lot of myself in players like that."
And this from van der Sar on Sky:
"We played against Germany recently and I soon saw that Germany are very much focused one player but we [Holland] have several players," the former Fulham keeper told Kicker.
After laughing when asked that he must mean Ballack, the Dutchman was quizzed on his thoughts about the German's likely switch to Stamford Bridge.
"Ah yes, Chelsea," replied van der Sar.
"What can you say?
"They will get another excellent player in addition to the 24 they've already got."
* Belfast City airport is to be re-named 'George Best Airport'.
* Blackburn's Steven Reid: "There have been a few whispers that Man United have been watching me recently and if that's true then it's nice to hear. I have one year left on my contract so I'd like to sort out my future one way or another soon."