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Despite being old, small(ish), white and Canadian, Phoenix Suns point guard Nash has established himself as one of the most devastating players in basketball and certainly the most entertaining.

Now he is setting himself up for his biggest test yet, as he prepares to launch a takeover bid for Tottenham Hotspur.

Nash's father hails from Edmonton and north London and junior has been a Spurs fan all his life.

Over in the States, players' salaries are public knowledge - unlike over here when you have to rely on some filthy scoundrel to spend his days rooting through other people's rubbish (see below).

Nash takes home some $11 million a year but hardly cracks the top 50 best-paid players, earning approximately half as much as new Boston Celtics man Kevin Garnett.

Tellingly, Nash felt it necessary to clarify "I have not got a spare £300m" unlike some American sports stars - a couple of days ago the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez walked out on the last three years of a contract worth $252m.

It would certainly shut up anyone complaining about the amount of money in football (what, you say Early Doors does it all the time?) if a player from another sport snapped up a Premier League team.

Nash stressed he would need financial backers, which leads Early Doors to wonder what the consortium would be called if he joined forces with Gary Crosby, Nobby Stiles and Ashley Young.

The 33-year-old is no stranger to breaking down barriers. Last year he became the first white sportsman in living memory to be namechecked in a rap.

Sadly the credibility of said achievement was compromised by the fact the song in question was Nelly Furtado's 'Promiscuous Girl'.

Nash might not have been so keen on buying a stake in the Lillywhites if he had seen yesterday's official presentation of new manager Juande Ramos.

Chairman Daniel Levy - the man blamed for the slaying of Martin Jol was absent from proceedings, and probably just as well.

Ramos denied meeting with Spurs representatives in the summer - despite photographs suggesting otherwise - while sporting director Damien Comolli also said Jol had not been required to finish in the top four.

This despite a statement from Levy in August declaring: "I am an ambitious chairman, we are an ambitious club and we want Champions League football at White Hart Lane."

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The 'stunning' appearance on the internet of a year-old payslip belonging to John Arne Riise leads Early Doors to wonder: is that all he gets paid?

The slip is pictured in the grubby hands of some rascal who may or may not have had a go at Riise's dustbins, and appears to show the Norwegian on a basic monthly salary of £120,000.

Added to this is £4,000 for appearances, a massive 15-odd grand for playing in the Champions League plus a laughable £250 points bonus.

On the downside, Riise is deducted £65 for a monthly allowance of herring and brown cheese, and another £36 for tickets (presumably just the one). Oh, and just the £55,508 in income tax.

With so much money flying out of his account each month, it is hardly any wonder the man can't afford proper hair dye.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It was like a school team, they were not talking and not supporting. That was the biggest surprise. There is no life in this team." Franz 'Der Kaiser' Beckenbauer delivers a damning verdict on the England team. Trust a German to hit the nail so squarely on the head.

FOREIGN VIEW: More from Marca today, with Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon stirring things up ahead of tonight's game against Valencia by saying they are still interested in signing their rivals' Spain striker David Villa.

COMING UP: Big night of football across Europe tonight, with a full slate of action in Serie A including a Rome derby, plus that Valencia-Real clash in Spain. Oh, and some Carling Cup business. Follow it all LIVE with us from 7.30pm tonight.

Alex Chick / Eurosport