Agent Hauge loses his cool

PHIL SHAW

Rune Hauge, the agent alleged to have paid transfer "bungs" to George Graham, broke cover yesterday to defend the former Arsenal manager against the charge of misconduct that could end one of British football's most successful managerial careers.

Hauge, who brokered the deals for John Jensen and Pal Lydersen from which Graham is accused of receiving pounds 425,000 in back-handers, spent almost three hours before the Football Association hearing as the three-man disciplinary commission reconvened at Watford.

Now based in Guernsey, the bespectacled Norwegian was questioned by the FA's Queen's Counsel, Brian Leveson, who will lead for the prosecution in the trial of Rosemary West.

As Hauge emerged, he was cornered by two reporters from Oslo. Their English counterparts were disappointed to hear the upshot. He said "the air conditioning was good".

Was this perhaps an enigmatic pearl after the fashion of Eric Cantona's seagulls and trawlers? Or did it mean someone ventured that he had been in a sweat? "No comment whatsoever," Hauge snapped.

At this, a bullish aide ushered him to a taxi which took him to Heathrow.

The hearing, which is due to be concluded today, later heard evidence from Peter Hill-Wood, who as Arsenal chairman sacked Graham in February following a Premier League inquiry into the allegations, and the club's managing director, Ken Friar. An FA spokesman said last night that "significant progress had been made".

Graham has maintained that the money, which he later gave to Arsenal, was an unsolicited gift. As he left the building, without commenting, he drew cheers from six children each sporting the new Arsenal away strip. There was no call of "Say it ain't so, George", merely successful pleas for an autograph.