If you replay any Steve McClaren interview as England manager after a match they failed to win, you will be hard-pressed to have a clue as to the game involved as all his interviews were psychobabble, delivered in a monotone style. So why is the BBC employing him as a pundit during Euro 2008?

Phil Cooper, London SW10

I couldn’t disagree more with the sentiments expressed by Peter Richards (letters, last week). Hugh McIlvanney is a fine wordsmith, but Rod Liddle is the most entertaining columnist you have. I liked the analogy of the Sistine Chapel being emulsioned by a painter and decorator, but if Rod had been the painter it would be more like a Salvador Dali makover.

John Wilson, Chislehurst, Kent

Avram Grant gets little credit for Chelsea’s results since Jose Mourinho’s departure, but managers are only as good as their players. Does anybody believe Derby would have set the Premier League alight if Sir Alex Ferguson had been in charge?

Norman Marine, via email

Victor Ross winces when he hears foreign names being mispronounced by commentators (letters, last week), but as an Arsenal fan I always enjoy hearing about ‘Cliché’.

Lester May, London NW1

Ian Hawkey (last week) failed to include Leeds alongside Everton and Newcastle as the teams to intrude on the big four between 2000 and 2008. Our Champions League campaign did not feature Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, as reported by Joe Lovejoy, whose article about Derby pipping Leeds in 1972 would have been more balanced had he mentioned that Leeds had to play their last league game two days after winning the FA Cup.

John Lister, York

No penalty for a blatant handball by Ferdinand, a penalty given for a dive by Rooney, Scholes not sent off for a second bookable offence. Clearly, Keith Hackett does not control the referees, the Manchester United manager does.

M Archer, Flitwick, Beds

It is not often I agree with Stephen Jones, but . . . if you watched the Super 14 and then Gloucester v Bath, why are we trying to change a winning formula? Points do not equal entertainment. Who says 8-6 can’t be a great game? I am concerned my 16-year-old son will go back to school in September to face laws and interpretations that are new to players, coaches and, most importantly, referees. How can any sane individual say that pulling down a maul is safe? ELVs are not working at the top level (Super 14) and to foist them on all levels is, at best, hasty and, at worst, reckless.

Jamie Harker, via email

Write to: The Sports Editor (Letters), The Sunday Times, 1 Pennington St, London E98 1ST, or via e-mail: sportletters@ sunday-times.co.uk (keep letters short and include postal address)

Competition winners John Wyatt won the Guinness Premiership final tickets (Question: who won last year’s Premiership final? Answer: Leicester). John McMahon and John Gibbens won the FA Cup final tickets (Question: which was the last team from outside the top division to win the FA Cup? Answer: West Ham, in 1980)

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