Beef Bagel

I hate headlines like that. Ninety per cent of the time you read them on blogs, I’m sorry to say. I’m beginning to hate blogs. They’re so bloody untrustworthy. I’ve stopped reading most of the other Tottenham ones because they just try to pass off farcical conjecture as word on the grape vine, and then you get titles like this one and I read the headline and think, “Oh my God, who’s leaving?” Then it turns out the star is Radek Cerny.

Actually, today the star is Pascal Chimbondabonda and the word doing the rounds is that we’re quite happy to send him up to Villa in exchange for a cut price three million smackers. This is what’s known as a bargain after Chelsea’s last season offer of £10m but on reflection that does seem a little inflated. I’d rate him at £7m but it does puzzle me why we’re so desperate to get rid of him that we’ll take just three. Who have we got as back up for Alan Crouton then? Chris Gunter? Daniel Alves? Perhaps we’re going to recall Paul Stalteri from his loan to Fulham? Actually, I can imagine us just conveniently forgetting about the Canadian; everyone just avoiding the issue and pretending he doesn’t exist with whispers of, “Don’t mention the full-back”.

The real Tottenham star that we want to know about or not know about is of course little Mitko and today the stories are that it’s going to be Chelsea who get our man. As I’ve said before, I’d rather he went there than United and at least they’d stump up the £35m which could see us pick up a few consolatory mega-stars or have us rolling in average full backs and utility players for years to come, however you’d like to look at it.

There has been talk that’s risen once more of a player going in the other direction although hopefully it won’t be a straight swap. Tal Ben Haim, or as he known in Israel, Dew, son of Life, is once more rumoured to be heading our way after just 17 starts this season, which is the same number as Radek Cerny and you won’t see him sticking round for another dose of sidelineitis either. Ben Haim’s still only 26 years old and would provide a serious test for the Perfect Juan’s player development skills. Get something out of that elephant and we’ve got the Premiership title in the bag.

A more attractive option at the back - although certainly not physically - could be Getafe’s centre half Cata Diaz. It possible that it could not be because I haven’t actually done my homework on him yet. Let’s do it together shall we?

Daniel Alberta Diaz, as it says on his birth certificate, is 29-year-old utility defender from the streets of Catamarca, Argentina - possibly where he got his nick-name from. It’s taken him quite a while to wind his career up to respectable level as he worked through three of four South American clubs before being bought by Boca Juniors.

Two season’s later and he was off to Getafe and having made 24 starts this campaign, there’s a chance for him to move up in the world another step. He’s a titchy 5′11″ for a central defender - set piece woe here we come - but he’s probably happier on the flanks anyway. He’s 12.5st and “strong like bull” as they say in some generic foreign country. Here’s his head…

…on the right there, having a rather intense keepie-uppie session.

He’s made four appearances for his national team, which is a bit of a slur considering that’s fewer international caps than Wes Brown, and for a man known for a powerful shot, his 11-year career isn’t exactly littered with goals. He’s scored 12. He said:

“I know that Tottenham have asked for me and there are other foreign clubs interested, but this depends on many things and I will not get carried away with anything.”

“I am very comfortable at Getafe, but at the end of the season I will analyse the possibility to play for another team.”

So they you go. That’s football talk for we want him and he wants to come. There’s something awfully Ricardo Rocha about this transfer and I’m starting to prefer the idea of Ben Haim. Well, I was until I took a look at this. Worth a watch for the commentary alone…

The comedy transfer rumours of the day come from Italy or to the point from Tribal Football, an Aussie site full of Premiership news. I often read it but it’s not the most reliable site as you’ll see from their two posts concerning the same game between Udinese and Sampdoria where apparently scouts from Villa, arsenal and our good selves were spotted.

One comes with the headline Spurs, Arsenal watched Sampdoria’s Maggio and the other with Villa, Spurs check on Udinese’s Dossena. Well which is it? Personally, I have a more accurate angle and one that I’m sure Tribal Football will agree suns up their knowledge of events:

Villa, Spurs and arsenal in Italy to watch 22 players, all the subs, the managers, stadium structures, stewarding techniques, advances in seat upholstery and tea-ladies or espresso ladies or whatever they have over there.

What do reckon then? Big squad coming our way.

You’re a sad strange little man and you have my bagel.

The Bagel.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 2:04 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.