It's always nice to see overpaid, egomaniac footballers who live in flash, leopardskin-bedecked fishbowls taking an interest in the world around them, isn't it? "No, it bloody isn't," say Italian club Bari after their Moroccan defender, Rachid Neqrouz, chit-chatted about current affairs with Corriere del Mezzogiorno last week (www.sportserver.com). "Bin Laden is the only person to stand up to the United States. He has succeeded in avenging the suffering of thousands of innocents, who have spent years and years living with death," he said, prompting the club's powers-that-be to pass out.

After a quick sniff of smelling salts, they politely encouraged Neqrouz to backtrack a bit. Which he did. Kind of. "I am with Bin Laden and against Bin Laden. His reasons are good, it is only his method - terrorism - that is wrong." Sorted. Ish.