The shoes that make Sven walk tall

So Sven-Goran-Eriksson has an Achilles heel after all. Or rather two of them.

Poor old Sven. Ms Jonsson's nanny, Michelle Smith, says Sven left his 'thick-soled' shoes outside Ulrika's bedroom door, at first, because he had discarded them in the heat of passion, and thereafter to let any household help know he was, er, on the premises.

And Michelle apparently told her boyfriend Sven wears them to make him look taller. If he does, he isn't alone. George Raft, who portrayed gangsters in films of the Thirties and Forties, became better known for the 'lifts' he used to wear.

In fact, padded shoes have become very popular in Tinseltown. Even Tom Cruise is said to wear them. But if Sven does wear lifts, I'm surprised Ulrika's nanny even noticed.

Having seen a pair of these shoes, it's difficult to tell they're lifts at all. Ranging from £90 off-the-shelf to £2,000 for a bespoke pair, they usually have a thick sole, an extended heel and an unnaturally high toecap.

But unless you take an prurient interest in shoes, you probably wouldn't notice. So this is Sven's secret. I feel rather sorry he has been exposed in this way. After all, what's a pair of clumpy shoes between friends? It could have been worse - he could have been wearing platform boots.