Happy New Year! Well, it is almost two years since 'Sven' started and at the moment I have decided to give him a rest until February when the first friendly is played.

It has been quite difficult juggling the day job alongside being an England Football team manager and so the

rest is more than needed to charge batteries in readiness for Euro 2004!

A few weeks ago I spent a day and a half at Ikea in Croydon to help celebrate their 10th Anniversary. An hilarious time with some people taking me to be the real man and arriving back home with four plant pots and a green wig (Don't ask!)

A few weeks later, i attended a Jewish Wedding locally, when i congratulated the couple and shared much fun with the football mad groom and his 150 friends and relatives at the South Manchester Synagogue.

On March 19th it will be two years to the day when a chance remark led me into this strange and exciting double life. The first Sven News went out on the 23rd September 2001 and my first 'appearance' (TV at that!) was on the 29th March 2001 on the now defunct Big Breakfast.

What a great time it has been, so 'read all about it' when I recap some of my memories next time.