I'd love the gift of a Christmas break

WHAT must Michael Ballack be thinking? Though at last he’s beginning to find a little bit of form, it seems he still faces one problem after another frustrating his attempts to settle in at Chelsea.

First, poor soul, he found London too expensive a place to buy a house. We all appreciate his plight. How can anyone be expected to survive on £150,000 (€223,500) a week after tax?

Now he’s found out he’s got to play football over Christmas and New Year when his chums in the Bundesliga all have their feet up in front of the fire as German football takes a month off. Here I DO sympathise with Ballack.