Beef Bagel

One more game. It feels like it’s the end of the holidays and I’ m going back to school on Monday. Let’s hope. we finish it off with one last party at the Lane; 6-0 should do it, which in The Bagel’s book qualifies as a drubbing (3-0 being a sound beating, 4-0 a rout and 5-0 a thrashing).

I recall a miserable Easter game four or five years ago when Man City took the piss out of Bunjy & Co. as Hoddle was taking the piss out of us. Ali Bernabia was the man who ran the show but who’ll be the conductor tomorrow? No Barton, no Steed, JJ only described as “hopeful”, so will it be the Maestro himself? Yes, I can picture Didier Zee smashing through the motionless Sky Blues like a 16 pound ball to 10 teetering pins. I can’t see City having the stomach for this one; nothing to play for but pride and that’s something they lost a long time ago. Stuart Pearce and the rest of them will just be looking to next season and wiping the slate clean.

For us, though, a different story. Just one point to guarantee Europe but it’s the three and fifth place we seek. The only question is what figures we’re going to see scrolling across the Jumbotrons as reports come in from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea will be fielding some monkey outfit and Everton will be fearless in their ruthless sweep of the points but I’ve a feeling Mourinho’s pride is too big to let a home record like theirs slip so easily. FA Cup to rest for or not, he’ll simply add star name by star name until Chelsea grind out yet another result. We shall see.

And what of Ghaly after all’s been said and done? Well, that’s just the problem for The Bagel. All has been done but only some said. The fans have spoken, the club has spoken but not a peep from Boutros Boutros himself. We’ve read of his apology along with his £40,000 fine but it’s not the club who needs to hear it, it’s us.

It seems perverse that the fans should give him so much shit and demand an apology but that’s the way it is. MJ put it best with:

“The fans are entitled to do that.

He didn’t throw it at me. He threw it on the floor.

But that’s probably worse because you can’t do that with a Spurs shirt. Everybody knows that in England.”

As heartening as these words are form the big man, I can’t help but feel sorry for Ghaly. Now I didn’t see just how bad he was on the night but you can’t say he doesn’t try. He never strolls around the pitch waiting for the ball and for all his terrible mistakes he does have moments of genius. He’s a great athlete with some fantastic skill but he just can’t get it together. He can and does often play worse than I would but it kills me because there is very good player in there just trying to get out.

It can’t be nice to receive so much shit from your own fans when you’re giving it your best but that he must accept as have many who’ve gone before him and turned it around and perhaps perversely his throwing down of the shirt is more of a sign that he cares than one that he doesn’t. Why make any gesture at all if you really don’t give a shit?

On the practical side of things, he’s still an important squad player while we are lacking anyone else. I’d still prefer Ghaly to Danny Murphy.

One players who is crawling his way out of the dog house is Pascal Chimbondabonda:

“I didn’t say I want to go to Arsenal. I just said they play good football and have good players there.

I’m at Tottenham and am very happy. I’m committed to the club. I have only been here one year and have three more years left on my contract.”

That’s a terrible apology. So, he’s still saying he likes arsenal and then starts talking about having three more years on his contract like it’s some sort of sentence. How about just “I’m very happy at Tottenham and I love playing here.” Work on publicity skills, Pascal.

And even Keano’s not getting it right. In an interview with the Mail, he’s been explaining away our fantasies that he’s stuck with Spurs because he’s finally found the club he loves. He said:

“If I had been playing regularly at Inter I’d still be there now. When you look at it like that, maybe it is different to the impression people get from the outside.”

To be fair, he did go onto say,

“They say five clubs and all that, but I am very settled here and am really enjoying it,”

but “very settled” and “really enjoying” are such vanilla words. He gives us skimmed milk when we ask for cream. We want, “Tottenham is my home and I absolutely love it here.”

The Bagel may seem a little harsh on these lads, particularly after my comments the other day on “loyalty is for fans and not for players” but when I read things like this, I know I’m not:

“I hope next season we can challenge this ‘Big Four’, like you say in England. Maybe we will be in the first four clubs.”

“Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal - some big names with great players, but nothing is impossible in football.”

“The most entertaining thing this season is Spurs. We have scored so many goals, we tried to play good, we tried to entertain the fans.

“To me that’s one of the most important things - to entertain, to enjoy when you play, because it’s a game.”

And who spoke these words? Mr. Perfect, Dimitar the Great.

I love the way he says “I hope next season we can challenge this ‘Big Four’, like you say in England.” It sounds so, “Tell me more about this earth thing you call kissing,” and the way it’s “this ‘Big Four’,” like it’s meaning less piffle. Bring it on Dimitar, bring it on.

Today is the official launch of the kits for next season and as hoped and prayed for, the faded Blackburn look is a special with the home version the white v-neck, as pointed out by a few of you already. And just to make it official, here they all are…

…with kits running 1st to 4th from right to left as hoped and prayed for and if you prefer it up the nostrils…

…yes, interesting that Chinese writing. Well spotted 1992YIDO. I do hope it doesn’t say ‘Stupid big-eyed English’ or something.

The rumour machine continues to rumble on and even gather a little pace with the Daily Mail’s insider claiming we’ve £20m to spend this summer. The links we’ve all heard are the likes of Bent, Elmander, Reo-Coker and Kevin Boateng, who I’ve so far neglected to mention. So without further ado, here’s his head…

…doing one of his favourite hobbies, singing. I shit you not, although I doubt it’s the opera variety he goes for.

Kevin-Prince Boateng (good name, if a little camp but then there can only be one King at WHL) is what appears to be a defensive midfielder over at Hertha Berlin. He’s 20 years old, he’s 6′2″, 13.5st and he’s a regular first teamer for the Bundesliga outfit.

Kevo’s played on and off for the German national side at U16 and U19 level and has rejected an offer from his father’s fatherland, Ghana to play for them as a full international; admirable ambition, if a little German.

It’s hard to tell how good this kid is and so far there’s no big name clubs clamouring for his signature but then none of them were after a certain other from the German league until he came to play for us. This clip should give you some idea of his moves on the dance floor if not those on the pitch. Good luck spotting the ball and it’s No17 you’re after…

…or try this one for a clearer view. Great work from what appears to be Rooney…

…lovely finish.

Last but not least, be aware that Dawson is a Yiddo. Our defensive rock has signed a contract with to a date as futuristic sounding as the expiry on my new credit card. We thank you Safety First.

Enjoy the last game one and all.

Last but not bagel.

The Bagel.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 12th, 2007 at 1:27 pm and is filed under Bagel News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.