Redknapp’s plans to play the reserves might need altering

While all four still stand a strong chance of progressing, the Premier League’s UEFA Cup hopefuls Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Tottenham and Manchester City all drew interesting group stage opposition.

Harry Redknapp spoke about fielding reserves in some games but may rethink that policy when they clash with overwhelming tournament favourites AC Milan while Aston Villa will be challenged by Martin Jol’s Bundesliga table-toppers Hamburg and Marco van Basten’s Ajax.

Tottenham drew two teams whose star players they raided this summer - Luka Modric’s former side Dinamo Zagreb and Roman Pavlyuchenko’s old club Spartak Moscow while Manchester City will face off against Steve McClaren’s FC Twente in one of the toughest groups.

The good news for the Premier League representatives were that all four avoided Sevilla, Valencia and Standard Liege, who are three of the top four non-English clubs in the betting. The full draw is after the jump.

She’s Dutch, and better looking than Dirk Kuyt

Damn it man, Sylvie isn’t just any old WAG, she’s an actress turned WAG, who married her love on live television in Holland back in the heady days of 2005. That makes her one heck of a gal, and Rafael van der Vaart one lucky attacking midfielder/striker.

Dutch manager clobbered by Italian taxman - will be looking for proper job soon

Marco van Basten may this morning be regretting having been such a phenomenal player in the late eighties and early nineties. As goalscorer-in-chief for arguably the best ever Milan side, Marco saw his bank accounts fill like Olympic swimming pools. Then he did his leg in, stopped playing and took all his lovely money back to Holland.

When the Italian bureaucrat responsible for monitoring Mr van Basten’s tax contribution got round to examining his file, he found the numbers didn’t quite tally, so called him up and said, “Mr van Basten, you owe us four million euros.”

Mr van Basten said, “I am in Holland now,” so the persistent Italian called the Dutch tax authorities, and together they