Barnes, Bakeries, Mills and Hossam Ghaly’s holiday snaps
What’s up with these people? Everyone’s reporting today that we’ve agreed to sign Lens midfielder Abel Taarabt in January. Have they not been reading BeefBagel? Streets ahead we are. Look…
http://beefbagel.com/transfer-news/2006/11/the-neck/
…two weeks ago that was, two weeks. That’s not even news any more it’s…it’s ‘olds’ that’s what it is. I shouldn’t humiliate these poor reporters though. It’s a simple fact. We, that’s me and you, here at the bagel, are clearly you more cosmopolitan kind of Yiddo, with our fingers right on the pulse of all things Spurs. They’ll have to get up pretty early in the morning to catch The Bagel in the Bakery before the ovens are fired up and the buns rising but hey, all in a day’s work.
Another story resurfacing today is the rumour of us luring young Giles Barnes to the bright lights and big city that is WHL in London Town. No problem considering he’s based in Derby, home of Mecca Bingo and what’s left of the Rolls-Royce car plant. Word on the street, and when I say street, I mean the internet; I haven’t actually been out of the Bakery yet today; if there were any words actually on the street, I’d know sod all about it…yes, the word on the street is that we’re front of the queue to sign up the U19 international and Derby boss, Billy Davies is beginning to fear the worst, despite his earlier promises of not letting the midfielder go…
“If someone came along with stupid money, you would have to consider it. I hope they don’t,” said Davies.
£2.5m is the figure being bandied about. How stupid does Davies consider that to be? I’m mean, as far as I’m concerned that’s only mildly foolish. £5m is pretty damn stupid with £8m coming in at around as thick as Phil Neville. ‘So, what’s he actually worth?’ you’re asking me. Well, have a look for yourselves…
…that’s a hat-trick as far as I’m concerned. The Bagel’s evaluation…£3m at a push, purely for potential value. Any more’d be stupid money.
Barnes’s addition would mean yet another central midfielder, all be him one for the future but there’s enough of an issue at the moment as Boutros Boutros Ghaly comes back from suspension and is keen to slot straight into the side again…
“I hope my suspension does not affect my performance and I can get in the team again and play like I was before,”
“It was a bad moment for me, I was just getting into the team and was doing well, then I had to miss three games.
“I didn’t get too bored because I had four days off and got to go to Cairo to see my family, which was nice for me.”
…hang on, what?
“I didn’t get too bored because I had four days off and got to go to Cairo to see my family, which was nice for me.”
Let me get this straight, he gets himself suspended for three games and instead of training his arse off, running assault courses every day, crawling through broken glass with his flies unzipped or at the least making tea for everyone with chocolate fingers and all the trimmings in penance for the selection problem and added stress he’s added to the delicate balance of MJ’s mind, he goes on holiday? Oh, well that’s ok.
Saw the family did you Hossam? Yeah, that must have been nice. Have a chance to take in the sites? The Pyramids? Nice was it? How about some Red Sea diving or a Nile cruise, with slaves cooling the sweat from your brow with palm leaf fans and a semi-clad hareem to nosh you off in between courses of Lobster Thermadore? Yeah that’d be really fucking nice! I don’t recall punishments at school coming with two tickets to Orlando, Florida? Why should this be any different?
With Steeeeeeed’s first for the club on Saturday and Tainio slotting one home as well, it’ll be interesting to see exactly how Ghaly does fit back into the XI. If indeed we play a “first choice” side any time in the next week an a half, who will be preferred? Assuming we do manage to sign a lefty in January, Malbranque (groin) may be beginning his case to play behind the two strikers instead of JJ or Ghaly. That’s a lot of options going on and perhaps a good thing if we continue these cup runs with all the suspensions and injuries they have to offer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, interesting times at WHL.
Developments off the pitch have continued to prove their own fascinations today as International President of London 2012, Sir Keith Mills was appointed to the Tottenham board. Keith was the mastermind behind London’s successful bid for the Olympics, which is no mean feat, if you remember the general certainty around that Paris had it in the bag. He’s a man known for his skills in advertising and marketing, a man that could be invaluable given the commercial climate that football is currently embracing. What’s more, he was the man responsible for both the Nectar Reward scheme and the introduction of Air Miles back in the 80’s. With all that experience, who knows, he may just be able to sort out our Loyalty Points system too.
The other development, to which I refer, is a little more on the disturbing side. Some of you may have read an article in the Independent regarding the buying and selling of football clubs. Essentially, Levy & Co would be willing to sell the club for around £300m. No one’s offered yet but they might.
Perhaps I’m being just as stupid as the United fans, demonstrating against the Glazer family takeover but my complaints have more to do with our club having just got back on track rather than their Northern xenophobia. The board seem to have got things just right at the Lane with the appoints of MJ, Damien Comolli, and even hero/villain, Frank Arnesen. They’re not tight fisted when it’s time to buy new players and they’re not quick to sell our good ones when a juicy offer’s thrown in. They were even sensible enough not to bid for the Olympic Stadium and it’s atmosphere ruining athletics track. I’m happy with them. Let’s hope the transport issues at WHL put a stop to the plans of most investors.
Finally, a little bit of news in from the Lane and that’s that Jermain Defoe is 50-50 to feature tomorrow due to a hamstring issue and the club are indeed appealing against the F.A’s charge of ‘failing to control our players’ in the game against ‘Boro. And The Bagel’s reaction is thus…if Defoe’s a no show, then who will we play? Will it be an academy/reserve player or a makeshift first teamer? And secondly…fingers crossed for the appeal. That’s going to be a tricky one.
Business is Business, bagels is bagels.
The Bagel
January 4th, 2007 at 3:53 am
[...] Even better still though, is a report I’ve read saying that we already agreed a deal with Derby for their young star in the Man Mountain mould, Giles Barnes. Now, this was a most unofficial source, where I gleaned the news but as much as rumours are often bullshit, it’s very unusual for anyone to state that a deal has been done without any truth in the matter at all. Keep ‘em peeled over the next few days or sit back and let The Bagel do it for you. [...]