rpi-eeprom-update troubles in rpi4

Hi
I am unable to make rpi-eeprom-update work on a rpi4 jeos image downloaded today.

localhost:~ # /usr/bin/rpi-eeprom-update
BOOTLOADER: up to date
   CURRENT: Thu Sep  3 12:11:43 UTC 2020 (1599135103)
    LATEST: Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 UTC 1970 (0)
   RELEASE: critical (/lib/firmware/raspberrypi/bootloader/critical)
            Use raspi-config to change the release.

  VL805_FW: Using bootloader EEPROM
     VL805: up to date
   CURRENT: 000138a1
    LATEST: 000138a1

It is unable to find LATEST version. Adding a -L to find makes it look at the links, and installing binutils to have strings makes things look good. But it is not able to update the eeprom during reboot:

localhost:~ # /usr/bin/rpi-eeprom-update -a
*** INSTALLING EEPROM UPDATES ***

BOOTLOADER: update available
   CURRENT: Thu Sep  3 12:11:43 UTC 2020 (1599135103)
    LATEST: Thu Apr 29 16:11:25 UTC 2021 (1619712685)
   RELEASE: critical (/lib/firmware/raspberrypi/bootloader/critical)
            Use raspi-config to change the release.

  VL805_FW: Using bootloader EEPROM
     VL805: up to date
   CURRENT: 000138a1
    LATEST: 000138a1
   CURRENT: Thu Sep  3 12:11:43 UTC 2020 (1599135103)
    UPDATE: Thu Apr 29 16:11:25 UTC 2021 (1619712685)
    BOOTFS: /boot/efi

EEPROM updates pending. Please reboot to apply the update.
To cancel a pending update run "sudo rpi-eeprom-update -r".
localhost:~ # systemctl reboot

How see what goes wrong during eeprom update during boot?
BR odlg