It's been one of those weeks where lots of little things seem to have been going on but nothing of any major substance. So, with that in mind, it's a bit of a snippet fest this time round for you to stick your teeth into.

On the attack

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the ludicrous striker fetish that seems to have gripped Manchester City.

Well, a fortnight on and it shows no sign of letting up. In that period they have signed Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal for £25 million and Carlos Tevez from his agent/owner/ master for another 25 big ones.

That brings the number of strikers at the City of Manchester stadium to a whopping 10. If they manage to sign just one more - and with a month to go before the season starts it wouldn't surprise me - they could feasibly field an entire team of forwards on opening day, making them a rich version of the 1990s Newcastle team.

It would appear their desperation to show that the Big Four has become the Big Five has really clouded their purchasing judgement. Because if there is one thing Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea know it is how to spend their money on areas of the team where it is needed, not just because it looks flash.

There was a time when I had a lot of respect for Manchester City - a club who were constantly playing second fiddle to their more illustrious neighbours through no real fault of their own.

Today, though, that City is history, replaced by a corporate monster with considerably more money than sense. Not to mention more strikers than the top four clubs combined.

Strange times.

Living the dream

One of my dreams has always been to own a football club. Not one of the big ones, for obvious reasons, just one of the little ones. A tiny one even.

I gave up on ever playing real football and I don't think that numerous hours playing Championship Manager is enough to qualify me as a manager.

That basically leaves me with owning a club as my only route into the world of professional football. And, if I am brutally honest, I doubt it is a route I will ever have the opportunity to follow.

However, over in England, two young lads have just become the owners of their very own club - at the ages of 18 and 21.

Tom and Josh Mitchell have been given Dorchester Town by the club's previous owner, their father Eddie. Eddie moved on to take over at Bournemouth and, as league rules prevent him from being involved in two clubs, he passed on Dorchester to his sons.

Both the boys were already heavily involved in the club, with Tom a member of the first team squad and Josh working in the car park and as a steward.

But those roles are still a far cry from actually owning your own team.

"I have enjoyed my time here over the past year and a half and I do not want it to be any different, so I am just focusing on the season ahead and continuing to push myself in terms of trying to cement a first-team place," Tom said. Like he won't get one...

Josh, on the other hand, is probably only too keen to swap his luminous steward's jacket for a seat at the boardroom table.

Although Dorchester Town are non-league, only playing in the Blue Square South, and, according to last season, aren't actually very good, I can't help but feel a little envious of the kids.

Actually scatch that. I'm super-envious.

The art of timing

There is a lot to be said for good timing isn't there?

In an effort to cash in on the international fame of their biggest superstar player, Manchester United organised an exhibition at Old Trafford covering all things to do with Ronaldo.

After months of careful planning, the show, entitled 'The Best Player in the World' finally opened a few weeks ago, just as news of Ronaldo's transfer to Real Madrid broke.

In a bid to cover up their embarrassment, the club re-profiled the exhibition as a 'farewell presentation'.

Yeah right, of course it is.

And Michael Owen won't have any injuries at all next season...

Father Rooney

Ask the average footballer what they would have done if they hadn't made it in their chosen profession and I am sure you will come up with a wide variety of answers.

But I don't think there are many who would have, if their feet failed them, opted for a life of priesthood.

However, that is exactly what Wayne Rooney believes he would have become if he hadn't turned out to be a rather good little footballer.

"I haven't a clue what else I could have done. I wasn't really the best in school. I always enjoyed religious studies - so maybe a priest," he said.

Well that's a pity. I'm sure whichever religious denomination Rooney falls under are kicking themselves at missing out. Can't you just see the young lad, all dressed up in his robes, taking confession or giving a sermon.

No? Me neither.

Capping it off

Fabio Capello has told David Beckham he needs to be playing European-level football if he wants to make next summer's World Cup squad.

And rightly so.

I have no doubt that Beckham has more than enough left in the tank to play a decent role in South Africa, if only as an impact substitute for the last 20-or-so minutes of games.

But, equally, in order to perform that role he needs to keep himself on his toes and at the top of his game - something that isn't going to happen playing Mickey Mouse American 'soccer'.

Luckily for Beckham his contract at LA Galaxy includes a clause allowing him to play for other clubs during the American close season, like his five-month spell at Milan earlier this year.

And he will be looking to repeat a similar sort of deal this time round to keep him in Capello's plans.

Interestingly, Beckham has said he would be willing to move back to the Premier League if he needed to, assuming he couldn't find a non-English team willing to take him on.

That is in stark contrast to the promise he made when he left Manchester United that his heart would never let him play for any other English team.

Then again, I don't blame him and I doubt even United fans would hold it against him if he joined one of their rivals in a bid to give himself one last crack at the World Cup.

The player's honesty and genuine love for football makes it very hard for anyone to hold anything against him for too long.

Your say

Luciano Borg, Naxxar, writes:

"Putting behind us the recent turmoil faced by Italian side Juventus - demoted to Serie B following one of the worst footballing scandals ever - we Juve fans are now looking forward to a fresh start, full of bright hope for the future.

"And with the recent sign-up of Diego, the extension of Del Piero's contract, and the return of Fabio Cannavaro, we are truly hoping that at last, this team will return to the winning form we have missed for the past couple of years.

"Juventus will be taking part in this year's Peace Cup, one of the world's most exciting and significant pre-season football competitions, which is being held in Andalucia. The main stadiums for the Peace Cup will be Seville, Málaga, Jerez, Huelva and Madrid, and this year the tournament will expand from eight to 12 teams.

"This cup will definitely serve as a taster for Juve fans to see Diego's first appearance in the striped black-and-white shirt.

"The Peace Cup originated in South Korea as an initiative of the Sunmoon Peace Football Foundation.

"This international football tournament has been played every other year in South Korea since 2003 and this is the first time it will be hosted outside Asia.

"There is also a women's tournament, which began in 2006 and is called the Peace Queen's Cup.

"This year's competing teams are Al-Ittihad, Aston Villa, Atlante, Besiktas, Juventus, LDU Quito, Málaga, Olympique Lyonnais, FC Porto, Real Madrid, Seongnam Ilwah and Sevilla."

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com