I WOULDN'T imagine many people have likened heavyweight Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to the sleek, clinical professionalism of an Italian footballer, but both are living proof that, in life, there is no substitute for experience.

In its handling of the fire dispute, Team Labour has used every trick in the book to undermine the opposition.

Up front, Tony Blair and various young stars score the goals, but it's stopper Prescott, assisted by Gordon 'bites yer legs' Brown, who have put up the shutters so effectively. Of course, Prescott used to play as a left winger for Team Union before joining Blair's boys. And he is drawing on all that knowledge and the vast resources of Team Labour to play a blinder.

What should have been a simple debate about whether firemen are worth more than £21,000-a-year has been completely turned on its head. Now there are dark murmerings suggesting firemen get paid to sleep all day, that giving them a pay rise will increase everyone's mortgage and lead to nurses and teachers taking similar strike action.

Is it the Government or the public being held to ransom by this strike? And is it the Government or the union using lives as bargaining chips?

I'm fortunate in that an independent review panel decided to award a large pay rise to the office of mayor - but that's a debate for another day. Comparing my situation with that of a chief fire officer or, indeed a firefighter, is like comparing apples with pears. I believe the firemen have a very good case, they deserve a substantial pay rise, but they have been tactically out-manouevered by a streetwise opponent.

They were one-nil down before the whistle had even been blown because demanding 40 per cent was a classic own goal. Now I sense the public, who were very supportive, are not so sure which side they're on.

The Prime Minister has warned his rivals they cannot win and he is probably right. But if the firemen wise up they might just get a draw.

Newcastle United are also on a steep learning curve when it comes to competing with the big boys. In terms of skill and ability, there probably isn't much between the Magpies and Inter Milan but, in terms of savvy, the Italians are a league apart.

Craig Bellamy is a wonderful talent but he has to realise that the Champions League is played as much in the brain as on the pitch. To miss three games for violent conduct is bad enough, but to then repeat the offence after just five minutes of a vital game is stupidity.

Bellamy can expect a hefty fine to accompany his ban. But what will hurt him most is that, as he ran out at St James's Park on Wednesday, he would have had drummed into him the fact that the Italians would try to wind him up, to get him sent off. He lasted just five minutes.

He's likely to miss the next three Champions League games so, in a delicious twist of fate, his return could be in Newcastle's game at the San Siro, the legendary home of Inter Milan.

As Bellamy will now realise, the way to hurt the opposition is not with a punch or a kick, but by scoring a goal.