* The Observer:
'Crazy, overwhelming and humbling,' was Rio Ferdinand's description of the welcome he received on landing in Uganda yesterday. The Manchester United defender is in East Africa to meet President Yoweri Museveni, who has offered Ferdinand - backed by Nike, West Ham and Manchester United - land on which to build a Proline Soccer Academy.
'I thought there might be the odd fan and a couple of workers from the football school at the airport,' Ferdinand said of the throng that jammed the 10-mile route from Entebbe airport to the capital, Kampala. 'I was waving out of the window but then was told that I should really acknowledge it so I stood out of the roof. At one point I welled up.'
* Giggs is rewarded with an OBE and Sheringham is also honoured with an MBE.
The MEN:
In short, Giggs has become a genuine role model for his sport. Handling his fame and the pressures of 16 years of top-flight football with focus, professionalism and dignity.
Giggs, like Belfast-born Best, never had the opportunity to grace a World Cup finals or European Championship.
He said of that one blemish on his football career: "It was always my ambition to reach a finals with Wales, but now it is not to be.
"I hope that the Welsh public will remember me as someone who gave everything in every game and always tried to entertain the public.''
There is no doubt about that.
In Cardiff earlier this month, he put 15,000 on the gate in 24 hours of ticket sales when it was known that the Euro 2008 match against the Czech Republic would be his last international.
Captain of Wales for the last two seasons under John Toshack, he has helped a string of youngsters make their way into international football.
As captain of Manchester United on regular occasions, he has witnessed and aided the nurturing of multi-million pounds worth of young talent, the boys who will one day replace him.
That may not be far away now, and he knows it. The international retirement came with one year left on his Old Trafford contract, and knowing that boss Sir Alex Ferguson was spending £50million and rising on young talent, all midfielders or wingers.
Giggs knew he could allow nothing to deflect his concentration and efforts from what may well be his last 12 months at United.
The driven man who has spent much of his life in Salford, United heartland, aims to give it one last shot. He has already overtaken Phil Neal and Alan Hansen in the title-winning stakes, and now he wants number 10.
Giggs has played 716 games for Manchester United, second only to Charlton, and is the one player who personifies more than any other the team ethos of Ferguson.
* Press reports from Spain have suggested that Barceloan are to offer Eidur Gudjohnsen to United in exchange for Gerard Pique, who is on loan from United at Real Zaragoza:
Gudjohnsen quoted in The Mail:
"I joined Barcelona to be part of the club's triumphs but it is not easy for me when you look at the club's forward line and see all the big names there.
"Each minute has been a special test for me but to sit on the bench is not the most desirable experience for a player.
"If I leave then my idea would be to return to British football. A perfect choice for me will be a club that plays in the Champions League.
"Obviously Manchester United fit that category."
However this from PA:
The English champions have been strongly linked with the Iceland international but his father, Arnor, insists Barca will not make a decision on his future until after this weekend's La Liga climax.
He said: "Honestly, I have not heard anything from Manchester United. I can confirm that.
"It's only speculation. I think the club will decide many things after the weekend and what is going to happen after the game (against Gimnastic).
"Then, maybe you might see a clearer picture of what's going to happen. But at this stage, nothing."
Asked whether his son would be willing to stay in Barcelona, Gudjohnsen said: "Probably. He's very happy there.
"He hasn't played so much after Christmas, but he came in before Christmas when Eto'o was injured and did quite well.
"So he actually wants to have another chance next season to prove himself even more."
* All not well in the Pool:
The Mail on Sunday:
Rafael Benitez could quit as Liverpool manager after becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of spending power at Anfield.
The Spaniard warned the club's new owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, he needed a £100m transfer kitty to overhaul his squad and turn them into Premier League title contenders.
But the American tycoons are reported to be at loggerheads over the transfer budget.
The first signs of conflict came after Liverpool pulled out of the £17m race to sign Charlton and England striker Darren Bent.
Then the Reds made a £1m bid for West Ham winger Yossi Benayoun, which the Hammers described as an "insult".
Now a Reds source has told daily financial newspaper CityAM that Benitez has real concerns about the future ambitions of the club.
"If Gillett and Hicks cannot give Rafa a budget in which a sensible assault on the title, then Rafa will not hang around for long," he said.
"It simply doesn't look like Liverpool are competing in the transfer market and Rafa would definitely position than he is right now."
* The NOTW claim that West Ham will pay through the roof to keep Carlos Teves, quoting a 'source':
"Mr Magnusson has pulled out all the stops to keep Carlos for at least another season.
"The package will cost £9m in wages and payments to his owner Kia Joorabchian but the chairman is convinced the deal is done.
"[Darren] Bent's decision to do the dirty on West Ham, after agreeing a deal, has made Eggert do whatever it takes to make the fans happy."
* Lee Sharpe is tipped to replace Tim Lovejoy on Soccer AM.
* Alan Smith is wanted by Middlesbrough now according to Sky.
* The People here on Rooney going to three weddings in three days:
Party-loving Wayne, 21, and Chelsea player Frank Lampard were in fine form at the bar, knocking back vodka cocktails and shots of sambuca before hitting the dance floor. (Ed. John Terry's wedding on Friday)
A source said: "Wayne was really going for it. He looked like he was having a boozing competition with Lamps, then started dancing like a wildman.
"He had everyone in stitches with a new dance technique which looked like a monkey jumping about in a cage."
Wayne and Coleen, also 21, left Blenheim by helicopter early yesterday
They stayed at Coleen's parents' home in Liverpool and dashed to Manchester for Gary Neville's wedding yesterday morning. Coleen looked stunning in a pale blue and white dress - but Wayne looked like 1970s cop Gene Hunt from TV's Life on Mars in a grey suit with flairs and a brown shirt.
Neville, 32, married Emma Hadfield at Manchester Cathedral and then partied in a marquee in his garden.
Wayne and Coleen are expected to finished their whirlwind weekend off today by joining Michael Carrick, 25, and his wife Lisa Roughead at a postwedding barbeque today in Leicestershire.
The only bash the pair missed out on in an amazing weekend of football weddings was Liverpool star Steven Gerrard's in Berkshire yesterday.
Wayne said yesterday: "All these weddings happen in the middle of June. If you are a professional footballer your wedding has to be slotted into the close season - there's no choice.
"We couldn't manage to go to all of them so we decided to go to Gary's. Got to keep in with our captain."
Wayne joked that it was a shame his missed Gerrard's do - as he could have ribbed him about Liverpool's Champion's League Final defeat.
He added: "As far as all the presents were concerned, I left it all to Coleen."