Paper Round: Sam Allardyce offered England job 'only after Wenger said no'

All Thursday morning's back pages confirmed it: Big Sam Allardyce is about to become the England manager. He'll take on the task outlined by FA chief Martin Glenn - building the squad's resilience so they don't crash out of tournaments because of the pressure heaped on them by the social and print media.

There is one bittersweet angle, however: widely reported, though emphasised in brutal fashion by the Telegraph, is that Big Sam absolutely wasn't first choice for the job. That was apparently Arsene Wenger, who refused to countenance taking over.

Paper Round's view: There seems to be a fairly clear consensus here - yesterday's stories linking Steve Bruce with the job have been quietly sidelined, and Allardyce is practically in post already. Sunderland fans are clinging on to the fact that he didn't make a big deal of waving to them at the end of their friendly against Hartlepool, and the club are trying to remain professional, but this is just a matter of time. Still, it's OK - they've got David Moyes ready to take their hot seat.

As for the Wenger angle? It seems that England will miss out on having a highly-respected but now-ageing manager whose personal taste and cultured approach is impeccable, but whose dynamism and efficacy as a leader of men in the modern game is now highly questionable. But considering that's what they had for four years under Roy Hodgson, this doesn't feel like a big loss.

It was the most heartwarming and inspiring football story of the year - Stiliyan Petrov rejoined the Aston Villa squad for pre-season training after his recovery from leukaemia. New Villa boss Roberto di Matteo has been quick to pay tribute to Petrov, and has been very clear that he wants him at the club - but only in a coaching role.

Paper Round's view: It might not be quite the fairytale everyone would have wanted (how would that have ended? Perhaps with Petrov scoring the goal that secured Villa's immediate return to the Premier League after last year's limp and lacklustre relegation?), but di Matteo's job offer seems sensible. Petrov is the very embodiment of commitment and toughness - qualities that will need to be instilled in the squad if they really are to bounce back next year.

Ever wondered what happened to Nikolai Valuev? Twice WBA heavyweight champion, he retired after facing David Haye in 2009 - but fret not about his future employment. He's put together a portfolio career, spending part of his week as a politician, and has just signed on the dotted line for a new role - as a children's TV presenter, bidding the viewers goodnight and sweet dreams.

Paper Round's view: Well, boxing is just showbiz with extra blood and violence thrown in, isn't it? The press conferences and the weigh-ins have become increasingly over-the-top and theatrical - presenting a show for kids should be, well, child's play. Let's hope the former Beast from the East doesn't give any of the young'uns nightmares.