A note to all Arsenal supporters: you owe me big time.

As regular readers will know, on Saturday I made the bold declaration that Thierry Henry would be off in the summer. It was, I suggested, almost inevitable barring divine intervention or Arsenal winning the Champions League. Essentially the same thing I suppose.

What I hadn’t accounted for was my incredible ability to predict something only for the exact opposite to happen.

While the newspapers containing my definitive statement were still rolling off the press, Henry was busy telling the world that he would never leave Arsenal, that he had never intended to leave Arsenal, that he had not spoken to any other clubs, that he wants to sort out a new contract as soon as possible and that he wished people would stop saying he is leaving.

Well, that’s told me then.

I have to say his comments came as something of a shock as I genuinely thought he was dithering over a new deal to pave the way to a Barcelona move. Oh well.

I would like to point out at this stage that I am now available for requests. If there is anything you would like to happen to your team I will predict that the exact opposite will happen which should pretty much ensure you get what you want.

Fees and conditions apply…

F1 and Schumacher

Formula 1 could be about to lose its biggest star.

Seven-times world champion and all-round racing legend Michael Schumacher has hinted he may retire at the end of the coming season if Ferrari don’t provide him with a competitive car.

Speaking in an interview with a German magazine, Schumi said he didn’t want to hang around in the sport just for the sake of it.

“If I don’t have the chance to win races and challenge for the title, then I don’t think I will be very keen to extend my career,” he said.

The news will be a huge boost to all the other drivers who have spent much of the last decade or so following the German around the track.

But it will, in a strange way, lessen the sport as a whole. The regularity with which he won titles may have become hugely tedious, but somehow you knew you were watching something special every time he took to the circuit.

There is still, of course, the chance that Michael will bounce back this season and that Ferrari will once again become the force they were a couple of seasons ago.

But somehow, you get the feeling that, one way or the other, this coming season will still be Schumacher’s last.

Roy Keane

Roy Keane made his long-awaited debut for Celtic on Sunday but he must have wished he hadn’t bothered.

The Irish legend turned out for his new club for the first time in the Scottish Cup as the holder took on lowly Clyde – a match Gordon Strachan’s boys were expected to walk through.

Celtic eventually lost the tie 2-1 and it could have been so much worse. Clyde managed to miss a penalty during the first half and have two goals ruled out for offside as well.

Strachan admitted afterwards that the best team had won and said he could have no complaints about the result.

Keane on the other hand was uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe he was back home desperately flicking through his contract and looking for escape clauses…

Howard Wilkinson

Here is an interesting thought which, surprisingly, came out of the head of former Leeds and part-time England boss Howard Wilkinson.

Are Chelsea good enough to win the World Cup?

To be honest it is not something I had even considered before, a hypothetical bridge I had not even contemplated crossing. But, I have to admit it got me thinking when I read that Howard believes Chelsea would easily beat the likes of Brazil and Argentina.

To be frank, unlike some of the teams he has managed, he does have a point.

Not only do Chelsea have the advantage of a multi-national squad on their side, they also have the benefit of familiarity and teamwork as the squad play and train together most of the year. That is obviously a plus when compared to international sides who only get together a few times a year.

In fact, the only thing Chelsea would lack if they were to take part in the World Cup would be the patriotic passion that comes with playing for your national team.

Obviously the idea of Chelsea taking part in the tournament is nothing more than fantasy. However, the idea of a one-off friendly match between the World Cup winners and Chelsea could be a reality.

Go on Mr Abramovich get out your cheque book and make it happen!

Contact James on: [email protected]