Footballers. If we aren’t reading about their exploits on the pitch, more often than not we can read about their exploits off it. Much is speculation and the rest can’t be mentioned before the watershed, but as I recently read, it’s not always bad.

West Ham United striker Craig Bellamy is more used to finding himself in hot water rather than hot weather, but following a recent trip to Sierra Leone, the Wales international has formed the Craig Bellamy Foundation there.

Bellamy’s 600,000 pound football academy is set to include 14 new leagues, 68 new boys’ teams and employ 141 managers and coaches.

So it’s not all fast cars, big houses and sordid parties after all then? In fact, if the media turned their focus away from the usual suspects, they would see a whole host of top players participating in worthwhile causes.

Portsmouth’s Nwankwo Kanu formed the Kanu Heart Foundation after having surgery on a hole in his heart during his early playing days. His charity arranged treatment for 250 African children with heart problems in 2007 and hopes to help 1,000 more this year.

Reading’s Bobby Convey regularly visits the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s Lion Ward to spend time with sick children. He is not contracted or sponsored to do this and did the same thing earlier in his career while playing in the U.S. 

England international Frank Lampard is involved in a range of cancer charities, and has become an enthusiastic backer of Chelsea’s latest initiative with CLIC Sargent, Kick for Children with Cancer.

Speaking to the Telegraph newspaper about footballers ‘bad press’, Lampard said, “…People forget that we are young lads growing up. We all made mistakes. Life’s about learning from them. So many players I have come across are down-to-earth lads who want to help out.”

So should we give footballers a break? Or should more players be putting some of their efforts and mountains of cash into worthwhile causes?

Do you know of any players worthy of a mention? Let us know.

Neil Maidment, London

PHOTO: Wales’s Craig Bellamy in action against San Marino in a Euro 2008 qualifier Oct 17, 2007. REUTERS/Daniele la Monaca

After Manchester United beat Chelsea to the Premier League title, the Londoners hit back by signing Porto’s Jose Bosingwa in the first big transfer of the close season (although he can’t play in next Wednesday’s Champions League final obviously).

Vlog on the pitch regulars Owen Wyatt and Jon Bramley are joined by Tony Donovan to discuss last weekend’s final day of the English league season and look ahead to what could be the main transfers in the summer window.

Berbatov to United or Chelsea? Anelka on the move again? What about David Villa coming to England?

Let us know your thoughts. Leave comments below or make your own video, load it up to youtube or wherever tagged “vlog on the pitch” and if we like it, we’ll put it up here.

Manchester City fans have always had a good line in terrace songs and their latest offering is “Hey Thaksin, Leave Our Sven Alone” to the tune of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”.      

They may still be singing about Eriksson in Europe next season, if Richard Dunne’s final day red card in the 8-1 humiliation at Middlesbrough doesn’t scupper an unlikely route into the UEFA Cup via the wacky Fair Play League.  

City are a less than angelic fifth in the Premier League’s Fair Play stats but the teams above them will all be in Europe anyway. To make matters worse, the system is not even as simple as red and yellow cards or fouls committed. At least that criteria would be black and white.

Instead, Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers, who finished higher than City, have missed out on the UEFA Cup because they did not tick enough boxes for things like “respect towards opponents” and “positive play”.

City’s hapless defenders would receive glowing references from Middlesbrough’s forwards on the first point.      

Positive play? Well, they definitely can’t be accused of playing for a 0-0….so more credit there then.      

Maybe football should scrap the three points for a win system and just have two teams of show ponies prancing about the pitch while a panel of judges marks them for artistic merit and choreography…It would make more sense than the Fair Play charts.

Martyn Herman, London

When Jose Mourinho burst onto the scene and Chelsea became the new force in English football, there were many who thought Alex Ferguson’s days as Manchester United boss were numbered.      

Those doubters are suddenly running for cover after the feisty Scot steered United to their 17th league title and the 10th of his glittering Old Trafford reign.      

Mourinho has long gone, Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is still fathoming the secret of the Premier League and new Chelsea manager Avram Grant could be on his way like Jose if Chelsea don’t win the Champions League.      

Men like Ferguson, and Arsene Wenger for that matter, don’t come around often. 

What marks them out above the rest is their ability to constantly evolve new teams while maintaining their own attractive brand of football. Like Bob Paisley at Liverpool in the 1970s and 80s they never make wholesale signings. They are masters at tweaking their squads, replacing wearing parts only when needed.    

Ferguson’s current crop are arguably his best ever side and, apart from a new right back, his transfer wish list will probably be a small one. 

While Cristiano Ronaldo, signed to replace David Beckham, has grabbed the headlines and sackloads of awards for his incredible goal haul, Ferguson’s lesser-hyped recruits have been just as vital to the end product. 

United’s attacking play has TV pundits drooling but their march to the title was built on rock solid defensive foundations.      

United conceded just 22 goals in their 38 Premier League matches, a club record, with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand forming probably the best central defensive axis in the country.

Full back Patrice Evra has also displayed solid defensive qualities to go with his raids down the left wing. With such a miserly rearguard and the ball-retaining powers of Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick in midfield, Ferguson has been able to unleash his attacking options at will.      

Few neutrals begrudged United another title. Chelsea have proved as tough as old boots to beat, but they have rarely quickened the pulse this season.      

While United have been expansive, Chelsea have been attritional. United regularly blew teams away with attacking verve as Chelsea relied on hard graft and individual moments of brilliance.      

Neither method will be a guarantee of glory in Moscow next week when the two sides contest the Champions League final, but millions of armchair fans around the world will be hoping flair and style shine through.

Martyn Herman, London

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United will go bouncing into the Champions League final after they secured the Premier League title with a 2-0 win over Wigan on Sunday.

Ferguson, understandably feeling pretty pleased, also more or less ruled out retiring even if United go on to celebrate a double with victory over Chelsea in Moscow later this month.

United played the best attacking football in England this season so it’s hard to argue that they didn’t deserve the title, and it was great to see Ryan Giggs, on a record-equalling day, come off the bench to put the finishing touches to the win.

But is Ferguson right in thinking this will give United a significant advantage going into the Champions League final? Winning titles is infectious, but then again, they may just find it tough to take their minds off Chelsea’s victory over them last month.

What do you reckon? Are United worthy champions? Will they go on and add the Champions League to Ferguson’s already fantastic honours board? Or can Chelsea come back from this?

PHOTO: Ryan Giggs raises the Premier League trophy on Sunday, May 11, 2008. REUTERS/Phil Noble.

Kevin Keegan thinks the Premier League is getting boring — see our latest Vlog on the Pitch — but, not for the first time, Sir Alex Ferguson sees things a bit differently.

“The League is murder for me and Avram Grant and nerve-racking for fans and players,” Ferguson said. “It would be impossible to make the Premier League any more exciting.”

Perhaps Ferguson has a point. The top two are heading into the final day level on points, and a glance at Mike Collett’s piece here will show you how rare that is.

But look at this phrase of Ferguson’s, as quoted in the Daily Telegraph.

“Domination is not a word that will get used again with Everton and Aston Villa getting better,” Ferguson was quoted as saying.

Yet the fact remains, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Everton will all face a battle from the big four just to maintain their star players this summer.

Gareth Barry and Dimitar Berbatov have been strongly linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester United, meaning Villa and Spurs could be weakened before they can try to add to their squads.

So what’s the answer? A salary cap? It would at least stop the likes of Chelsea and United adding all the top players to already bulging squads and allow the smaller clubs to compete.  

One league that does use this method is Rugby’s English Premiership, where six of the 12 teams were in contention to win this year’s title with two games to go.

Something has to be done, certainly. Whether Keegan is right or not, the truth is that the top four clubs get pretty much all the top players  in the end. Carlos Tevez, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Carrick are examples of this.

Italian players used to stick to their own league until relatively recently.

Then Gianluca Vialli and Gianfranco Zola wowed Chelsea and the floodgates opened with the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Luca Toni going abroad.

Now AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso has hinted he may want a fresh challenge away from Serie A.

Having already had a short stint at Rangers in the late 90s, Gattuso would appear to be ready made to play in another European league. He is more of an English midfielder than an Italian one, charging around and launching tackles rather than pinging long passes.

He said last week the Premier League appealed to him but rumours in the Italian and German press say Bayern Munich, thrilled by the success of Toni this season, are very interested.

Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti has said Gattuso is the heartbeat of the team and will not be allowed to leave whether he wants to or not. But after signing Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini on Monday, Milan already have a replacement.

Gattuso has had an average season by his standards for a stuttering Milan side but will be keen to remind Europe of his ability in Euro 2008.

Should he stay or go? If he does leave is Bayern or the Premier League his best bet?  

Mark Meadows, Milan

PHOTO: Gattuso lies on the pitch during AC Milan’s Serie A match against Genoa, Jan 27. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has been elusive over his retirement plans but with a possible double looming, should he start thinking about leaving on a high note if he manages to win this season’s Premier League and Champions League?

Ferguson, 66, has been at the club since 1986 and has brought nine league titles, five FA Cups and one European Cup to Old Trafford - will he ever feel he has won enough silverware?

He is a great example of why keeping the same manager for a long time can be effective - perhaps Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra should think about this before he gives Sven-Goran Eriksson the boot after just one season in charge. After all, Ferguson took nearly four years to win his first trophy.

He was due to retire in 2002 but the lure of more success changed his mind.

When is the right time for Ferguson to call it a day?

Sonia Oxley, London

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez said Didier Drogba was a diver ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final, but the Ivorian had the last laugh with two goals in Chelsea’s victory.

Vlogonthepitch regulars Owen Wyatt and Jon Bramley are joined by Tony Donovan to discuss Drogba, Avram Grant’s future, Frank Lampard’s courage and the amazing Stamford Bridge atmosphere.

Leave your comments below or make your own video, load it up to youtube or wherever tagged “vlog on the pitch”, and if we like it we’ll put it up here.

NOTE: We fixed a typo in the headline… see the comments.

He has achieved something no other Chelsea manager has by taking the club to a Champions League final, but there is still speculation Avram Grant will be axed at the end of the season.

With a Premier League title still also a possibility, what more does the man need to do to keep his job?

Admittedly, he is working with a team put together by fans’ favourite Jose Mourinho but he has gone one better than the “special one” with Chelsea in Europe - with those same players.

He may lack Mourinho’s charisma but is that reason enough to not want him in charge? At least he also lacks the Portuguese’s arrogance and there are certainly a fair few neutrals out there who do not miss Mourinho’s regular TV rants.

On the other hand, Grant has yet to prove he can build a great team in the way Mourinho did, the flair is still missing and his tactics have been dubious at times.

Will Grant ever be “special” or will he be a victim of his predecessor’s popularity?

Sonia Oxley, London

PHOTO: Chelsea manager Avram Grant celebrates at the final whistle of their English Premier League soccer match against Manchester United, April 26 REUTERS/Eddie Keogh