Time to make Haye

David Haye seems to be stalling talks to fight one of the Klitschko brothers, but Frank Warren in The Sun calls for Haye to be willing to compromise for the sake of the sport.

American TV paymasters HBO have pulled the plug on heavyweight boxing. They say not enough people are interested in the States.

It is a blow to the division and especially to the Klitschko brothers, who have benefited most from the broadcasters' money. Yet they will not be on the breadline just yet. Their fights in Germany attract crowds in excess of 60,000, as well as getting massive viewing figures on German TV.

The only way HBO will reverse their decision is if one of the Klitschkos fights David Haye or an American star hits the scene. At the moment, neither seems likely.

Both Vitali and Wladimir want the Haye fight but it looks like The Haye-maker is stalling. This week he said he would not bow to the brothers' unreasonable financial demands.

It appears the nub of their dispute is how television money should be split.

Haye wants all the British TV revenue and says the Klitschkos can keep all the German cash. But the Klitschkos want 50-50 across the board.

It does not seem a huge stumbling block to me, as that was the deal when Ricky Hatton fought Manny Pacquiao. The Klitschkos are the bigger draw and Haye, if he wants the fight, should cede some ground. After all, he has agreed to fight both brothers for less money in the past only to back out.

Haye also has only one of the world titles, with the brothers holding the other three. I don't see where else he is going to get a better offer.

Another problem is that German outfit Sauerland Promotions have a stake in Haye's next two fights, while Golden Boy also say they have the US rights to represent Haye there.

Kalle Sauerland said: "David is keen on fighting one of the Klitschko brothers. But the devil is in the financial details."

So what is Haye's next move? There was talk of a fight with Audley Harrison. But Haye poured cold water on the match by stating he would 'never' share a ring with Harrison because Audley did not deserve the chance.

A lot of people, me included, will agree. The question is, who will be in the opposite corner to Haye in November?

As Spain and Netherlands go head-to-head for the ultimate prize in world football on Sunday, Ossie Ardiles, writing in The Telegraph may have given the Spanish the kiss of death after comparing them to the Dutch team of the 70s.

Holland have a strange history in the World Cup. I was in the Argentina side that played Holland in the World Cup final in 1978 in Buenos Aires, when the Dutch were a magnificent team. They were still riding the wave of ‘Total Football’, even though it had cost them the trophy in 1974.

’74 team was probably was one of the best in history but in ’78, they no longer had Johan Cruyff who had retired.

Although they’ve never won the World Cup, I remember being mesmerised by Holland in ’74, when they outplayed Germany. But Holland were too happy to espouse their Total Football philosophy and paid for it.

In ’74, I was in the first division in Argentina, dreaming of playing in the World Cup and, in fact, watching that style and planning to play in midfield, going all over the place. Holland were a genuine inspiration for me.

Four years later, there I was against this team. They were still a magnificent side — even without Cruyff. Big, strong and physical, but not dirty, and from back to front they were all technically gifted players, ridiculously comfortable on the ball.

They were a group of superstars – Johan Neeskens, Johnny Rep, Arie Haan, that magnificent defender Ruud Krol and Rob Rensenbrink, who almost clinched the World Cup when he hit the post with a few minutes left in normal time and the score at 1-1.

I was up against Neeskens. He was superb, strong, aggressive, very similar to Graeme Souness in that way, but he could play too. My aim was to curb his strengths, and impose my own. It was a ding-dong fight between two teams on the edge.

Goals change things, of course, and Rensenbrink hitting the post made it our day in extra-time. Once we got in front, they counter-attacked, and we got a third.

In tomorrow’s final, I believe the current Holland side are up against it. The Dutch team of my day were more progressive. This team applies pressure on the opposition, stay solid defensively, and just know they will score goals.

The Holland teams of ’74 and ’78 were more like today’s Spain who will be trying to keep the ball while the Dutch defend deep and try to counter-attack.

Yet Spain could make them run and run and, at this stage in a major tournament, it is so much more tiring without the ball.

As always, the first goal could dictate the game. But the styles of the two teams play into the hands of Spain who have just a little semblance of the Holland side in the Seventies about them.