Everton ready to unload unhappy Gravesen

Thomas Gravesen will face the wrath of the Everton manager Walter Smith this week – and can pack up his bags for good. The Danish midfielder has infuriated the manager and the club with his latest round of remarks that he wants to be sold because of a lack of ambition at the club.

To make matters worse, Gravesen was featured in Saturday's programme on swearing allegiance to the cause.

Smith has seen off the likes of Don Hutchison, Francis Jeffers and Michael Ball for stepping out of line and Gravesen will follow. He was missing at the weekend after Smith let him go home, where his grandfather is ill.

Everton bought Gravesen from Hamburg for £2.5m 18 months ago and will be looking to double their money if the German side want him back.

Despite rumours sweeping Merseyside after Saturday's crushing 3-0 defeat by Charlton Smith has not offered to quit. The whispers started because the Scotsman made some misunderstood remarks to his players at a get-together last week that he wanted to know he was proud of them "even if he wasn't there for any reason".

This story was misinterpreted as a farewell speech, but Smith will not quit without a golden handshake that Everton could barely afford.

Lennie Lawrence is bouncing back as Cardiff's Director of Football. Lawrence has been offered the post, working with coach Alan Cork, days after being sacked by Grimsby.