Transfers - Gossip Shop: An Introduction

Eurosport - Tue, 02 Sep 18:01:00 2008

Transfer talk is dead (well at least until January), but to help you get over the sad loss, let us introduce our new daily column, Gossip Shop.

2008 Hull City Dean Windass - 0

Yes, we know it's not the best name ever and GS reserves the right to change it as soon as it thinks of something better, but what it does do is provide a forum for those tenacious little titbits of football gossip that cannot be contained by the simple closing of a metaphorical window.

So, even though that window has now slammed firmly shut (is it ever just pushed to, or left slightly ajar?), expect plenty more transfer rumours on these pages throughout the season, along with lots of unsubstantiated gossip involving ranting managers, sulking players and greedy agents.

First up, how about the deals that did not materialise late last night. In all the fuss over the Greatest Day in the History of Transfers (TM), which saw Manchester City pull off the Greatest Transfer in the History of Transfers (TM) and Manchester United finally complete the Most Tedious Transfer in the History of Transfers (TM), certain others have been left by the wayside.

Fevered speculation that Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had been spotted at Manchester Airport on deadline day proved fabricated - he was, in fact, at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam - as did the claims that Real Madrid were on the verge of hijacking United's swoop for Dimitar Berbatov at the last minute. To think, all those knickers twisted for no reason.

Tottenham's pursuit of Andrei Arshavin ultimately proved fruitless, the Russian ending up staying at Zenit St Petersburg, while neither David Villa nor Mario Gomez will be plying their trade in the Premier League this year.

Another big name who opted to stay put was little Michael Owen , despite the contract rebel being heavily linked with a move away from Newcastle over the summer.

The Sun has revealed that David Moyes made a last-ditch attempt to prise the sometime England striker away from St James' Park, only for the Everton boss to be told to forget it. All of which leads GS to believe that Owen will soon become known as a former contract rebel.

Meanwhile, Tottenham boss Juande Ramos, clearly peeved by United's continued pursuit of Berbatov even after the season had started, wants a smaller window to be introduced, possibly to the size of a cabin porthole on a cross-Channel ferry.

Ramos said: "You play three games before it [the window] shuts [no doubt with a loud bang] while players are uncertain where they are going to be playing and team-mates are thinking which players will go and who will come in.

"That means they are not fully concentrating on their work." He's got a point, you know.

In other news, Hull City veteran and GS favourite Dean Windass (pictured) isn't finding life in the Premier League quite as enjoyable as he remembered it.

Deano's major gripe is his age. Or more to the point, people's perception of how his advancing years affect his game. Over to you Dean.

"Thirty-nine or twenty-nine, I don't give a s*** about my age," the 39-year-old said. "Maybe the manager wants to go for pace, but sometimes you've got to go for a bit of quality in the final third as well.

"People p*** me off, talking about me being 39 years old. I can still run around, maybe not as quick as a few people, but what's the point of having blistering pace if you're missing chances."

Again, he's got a point.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 84 - 103 of 103

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  1. as a true football fan it''s devastating to see what's happened to the game this week. With a couple of mercenaries pitching up on both sides of Manchester, the hypocrisy shown by Man Utd with Berbatov after the summer's antics with Ronaldo and Madrid and now this, Keegan being shown about as much support from his board as you would expect from a NUFC board!! Jeez!!!........ it makes you fear for the future of the game. FOOTBALL RIP

    From magicpants@..., on Tue 2 Sep 6:18PM

  2. WHERES YA KEEGAN GONE..2 JOIN THE DOLE QUEUE 2 MAKE HIS NEXT SINGING.... THE DOLES MY SHEPARD I SHALL NOT WORK

    From smithy, on Tue 2 Sep 6:14PM

  3. Newcastle United, sorry not, it is time to go, he is wrecking the club by not allowing the manager to be involved in the club's transfer.

    You are not the man that has to sort out the HR problems, you would leave that to the Manager or the Chief exec.

    sad man runs his company with no respect for his colleague on the board or for his staff. Then again no respect for the people of Newscastle who come and watch the team week in week out.

    From the_umpire, on Tue 2 Sep 6:09PM

  4. i'm a life long newcastle fan. mike ashely you should go not keegan think about it if mike ashely should give him the money to buy the players he wanted to but not he's looking runnig the club in to the ground!!!!!

    From dano0909, on Tue 2 Sep 6:08PM

  5. Just look at what really big clubs do buy 30 million players, the Ashley guy hasnt got a scoobie, I pity the fans the palyers and what a shame for Keegan a man with serious integrity a quality (He would probably do the job for buttons he is that passionate about th eclub and football) and passionate man give him the money and the ability to make decisions and Newcastle would have had a chance to show how big a club they supposdly are. Question... where is all the money that such a "Big " club is supposed to have ? Ashelys bank account?

    From Robin C, on Tue 2 Sep 6:06PM

  6. Feel sorry for the fans ? of course ! all of football should ! and take heed. English football is bein taken out the hands of footballin people. Whatever you think of Keegan hes been undermined, could you ever see Clough, Ferguson, or Shankly surviving in a Club with a boardroom attitude like the one at NUFC ??
    Next Step ? god forbid Dennis Wise gets it. . . . . Frightening thought

    From stormwatchuk, on Tue 2 Sep 6:04PM

  7. well said vicky m

    From tony.messner, on Tue 2 Sep 6:00PM

  8. sorry on last one. Look how badly even Bobby Robson was treated. He was Newcastle through and through, so if I was Shearer I'd stay well clear. Dennis Wise is a nasty git and Ashley, Ulrikka Johnsen and me were all at the same school - and we're all dodgy.

    From Kingsrode, on Tue 2 Sep 6:00PM

  9. I admire newc supporters very passionate but they r forgetting one thing this is not the first time keegan has walked newc deserve better they need a man with some bottle obviously keegan hasnt got any AGAIN.

    From STEPHEN, on Tue 2 Sep 5:59PM

  10. Newcastle sad sad sad. Hope they are ready for life in the championship, they will be a waste of a space in the top flight without Keegan. some of your readers commenters on this GS such as Peter J havent got aclue what they are talking about / Peter why dont you apply for a job on the Newcastle board you obviously have all the qualifications for it you talk rubbish x

    From Robin C, on Tue 2 Sep 5:59PM

  11. look

    From Kingsrode, on Tue 2 Sep 5:52PM

  12. its totally pathetic i have been a fan all my life and no other team has had this trouble with the board,keegan to stop ,@#$% the board,never before have i heard of this @#$% system where the manager has no influence on the signings,just when things were picking up and the team were doing quite alright this HAPPENS AGAIN,im for one sick of it !!!!DENNIS WISE AS MANAGER WOULD BE SUICIDE !!!!and no other respected manager would join our club after this ,the fat @#$% should sell the team to someone who has a passion for our team and the game and not just in it for the money,
    ASHLEY OUT !!!!!!!

    From VICKY M, on Tue 2 Sep 5:48PM

  13. I have never commented on one of these pages before but i am so dusgusted i just have to say something! Keegan should not be the one to leave, how can he be expected to manage a club that is run by complete muppets! If Wise takes over it will be a dark dark day in the history of the club. I celebrated when Ashley took over, i thought it was a new era, how wrong i was. He is slowly destroying a great club!

    From Ryan, on Tue 2 Sep 5:46PM

  14. will he ever hold down a job long enough too make a difference?

    From browneyesmale, on Tue 2 Sep 5:44PM

  15. it looks like ASHLEY is a bullshitter and wants a yes man in charge that will be DENNIS WISE.Here we go again on the mad world of Newcastle dis united.

    From Thomas C, on Tue 2 Sep 5:39PM

  16. peter J ,,how can we be a big club when all the board are big tossers,you would fit right in ....................Tony m

    From tony.messner, on Tue 2 Sep 5:38PM

  17. Actually, the rugby team is similarly under-achieving....

    The whole thing shows one fact that can't be avoided - Like it or not, the fans don't own Newcastle United, Mike Ashley does - and he can do what the hell he likes with it. The only leverage the fans have is whether they pay to watch or not. stop going to matches and the club (business) will stop making money.

    From bowesey17, on Tue 2 Sep 5:37PM

  18. Keegan - brilliantly skillful with the ball, but doesn't have any for management!

    From Saleem, on Tue 2 Sep 5:36PM

  19. Thanks very much Newcastle united` yet again you`ve made us true football fans the laughing stock of the league AGAIN...We all knew it was the end of KK when you did that WISE (not) move,what was that all about anyways ??? Do the fans deserve all this,,,Next home game take a good look around st james,and say to yourselves,yes i love this club,I bet you a bottle of dog you cannt,well not turthfully anyways..Sorry Kev,us fans still class you as ours ( toon ) and always will,as for the rest of you WELL,,,Do u really what me to say it.Again at the next home game after youve looked around,open your ears and do us all a favour and take the sing advice,,,RIP newcastle AGAIN.............................. Tony Mess

    From tony.messner, on Tue 2 Sep 5:34PM

  20. sack the board ,may as well just sack the team ,infact get rid ov whole ov geordie land ,and all u sad geordies can wacth a real north east team and manager keano`s red and white army F T M

    From smithy, on Tue 2 Sep 5:34PM
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