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    Early Doors

    Sepp gets busy

    There are still two days to go before the World Cup draw is made, but already FIFA have got the anticipation stoked up nicely.

    The seedings for Friday's draw came out, with England incorporated into the top eight seeds, presumably by virtue of them doing the double over Kazakhstan.

    Meanwhile, in a belated and rather amusing attempt to partially redress the balance following Ireland's play-off elimination, France (winners and runners-up in two of the last three tournaments) were dropped into the European bargain bin that is Pot 4, along with Greece, Slovenia and Switzerland.

    That's not all that Sepp and the boys have in store for Les Bleus either. Well, specifically Un Bleu, Thierry Henry.

    That's right, just two short weeks after Henry not so much used his hand to caress the ball into his path as use it to slap every Irish man, woman and child across the chops, FIFA have leapt into action, and their disciplinary committee are set to look into the best way to deal with the greatest threat to humanity since the bubonic plague.

    Sepp Blatter said: "The disciplinary committee will open a case on the behaviour of Henry.

    "It was a blatant unfair playing and was shown all around the world but I don't know what the outcome will be."

    It's almost as if he knows that the eyes of the world are on him. Seeing as FIFA recently held a series of meetings on Robben Island, perhaps they'll get some inspiration as to how Henry can serve any ban handed to him.

    - - -

    As well as dealing with the 'Henry Question', FIFA have also been announcing all manner of other World Cup-related guff.

    There will be no extra match officials at matches in South Africa next year, although the possibility of goal-line technology has not been ruled out for Brazil 2014.

    Worries over accommodation are now a "non-issue" according to general secretary Jerome Valcke, who said that a target of 55,000 so-called 'bed nights' across the country has been reached. Insert your own Tiger Woods reference here.

    Plans for specially sanctioned 'fan zones' in London, Paris, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Rome and Berlin have also been announced, prompting event caterers the world over the start watering down their beer and add zeros to their price boards toute de suite.

    Henry is not the only fallen idol to feel the wrath of the footballing gods this week. Diego Maradona learned that the ban handed to him for his foul-mouthed tirade aimed at journalists also applies to the draw itself, denying him the chance to belly flop in to the buffet.

    - - -

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    COMING UP: Yet more Carling Cup action this evening as Manchester City host Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers welcome Chelsea to Ewood Park. Follow LIVE coverage of both from 1945 this evening.

    There's also Europa League action involving Everton and Celtic, plus Barcelona follow up their Clasico win over Real Madrid with a trip to La Liga whipping boys Xerez, all LIVE here this evening.

    Early Doors

    Early Doors began life as a daily vehicle for mocking Rafa Benitez - and as such represented something a prototype for the modern internet. It has now evolved into a must-read morning feature from our team of football writers. Serious or silly, penetrating or puerile, Early Doors has always got something to say on the big issues. And there's still a fair amount of Rafa mockery.

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