BENT AND CRIMINAL OWNERS…

Ronaldo aside, Tottenham Hotspur have dominated the summer transfer news. Between the actual signings and the ‘will-he won’t he’s’ of incomings and outgoings, it’s been drama as usual at the Lane, and amidst the flurry of media rubbish, many have missed what the coaching staff have managed to do this summer in preparing what looks to be a fine squad, albeit in need of two to three more bodies.

But the greatest success in pre-season is somewhat of a forgotten (and in some quarters much-maligned) man. Darren Bent joined Spurs last summer for 17 million quid, a figure some felt was grotesque as well as a figure which some say is inaccurate, the total being made up after the usual appearances vs success ratio. It was a tough first Spurs season for Bent. He spent much of it nursing an injury, and often came on as a sub whilst carrying the complaint. He was asked to replicate a style of football which clearly did not play to his strengths. And his confidence seemed to hit a couple of horrifically low-points during the season, when certain misses seemed to drain the blood from him on the spot. 

But Darren Bent never once complained. He never once agitated for a move. He never once spread disharmony through the ranks. He never once used the media as a soapbox for his frustration. He never allowed his relative bad luck to affect him (the man must’ve hit the woodwork about 6 times). He put his head down, sucked it up and simply tried harder. And harder. And harder. Often he appeared to be charging about without a clue as to where he was trying to go, and more often still he got dirty looks from whichever of his more illustrious (former in one case) strike partners he was with, whether it be Liverpool’s new squad rotation left-winger Robert Keane or the Incredible Sulk Dimitar Berbatov.

But Darren Bent never gave in. Never took the easy option. And never every besmirched the club.

A rare thing in modern football…the professional who doesn’t moan

Yet as the big kick-off approaches, we find Darren Bent as the starting striker alongside a.n.other. Why? Because the man has been banging them in for fun during the pre-season. 13 goals. Left foot, right foot, headers, tap-ins, all sorts of finishes and all sorts of confidence flooding back for him. In fact were he any other player, Spurs supporters would be lauding him loudly right now. But for some reason, there’s simply been quiet appreciation. No more, no less. The man has done everything right off the pitch since he first pulled on the white shirt, and now it appears he is set to do everything right on it. 

It’s about time footballers like Darren Bent were given a little more recognition, especially when juxtaposed against some of the more indolent narcissists we’ve had to suffer during this transfer window.

 

…AND HERE’S THE CRIMINAL OWNER

Regular readers will already know how I feel about Thaksin Shinawatra. No amount of free Thai food could’ve brainswashed me into believing he was a fit and decent owner. You know what they, once a despot, always a despot. And the little guy is about as despoty a despot as you can find. The recent news that Thaksin has officially become a fugitive for refusing to return and face a trial Thailand is unsurprising; it was always a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’. But the surprise etched on new manager Mark Hughes’ face as he watched the board nearly sell two players without his knowledge was really something to behold.

An interesting hiding place, but the Thai authorities will get him in the end…

I take Mark Hughes to be an intelligent man, thus if someone is going to try and claim that he didn’t believe he was walking into a potential tsunami when he agreed to take the manager’s job, I will claim that they are either a liar, friend or family member of Hughes. I mean, is Hughes simply in Manchester so as he can time his defection to Ferguson & co from a more convenient locale? What possible motivatio could he have had to take over City with their current state of ownership (especially having seen what happened to his predecessor -the clever bastard that is Sven!- at the end of the season)? And again, when Amnesty International are banging on about a specific person’s to treat people nicely, then the penny must drop. Right? RIGHT? It’s all so pathetic. The trouble, the posturing by Hughes, all of it, absolutely pathetic…let’s be clear. Hughes will be off by January 09 at the very latest, City will be in ENORMOUS trouble by the end of this season, and Thaksin will dump his plaything/attempted cover from criminal prosecution faster than a leper losing an arm during a hurricane once he realizes that he could end up in hot  water there too.

In fact, the only people Thaksin won’t have to worry about, are the Premier League and the FA. Neither will find any fault with his abilities and credentials as an owner (the FA have no direct say but, well, only the naive would suggest they wouldn’t have some influence over such a proceeding). And as for expecting Richard Scudamore and his pals at the Prem to have a pair of testicles between them, well, sorry to disappoint, but once again think ‘Eunuch’s convention’. Why? Because Man.City aren’t Luton Town or AFCBournmouth or Rotherham.

While we’re here, a quick final question. Will Portsmouth now face a 10 point deduction for irregularities with an agent (WIllie McKay and the transfer activity of Benjani)? Or even a 5 point one? Or even a 2 point one? A one point one and a fine?  After all, Portsmouth aren’t quite of the City stature or even West Ham’s come to think of it, so perhaps they could be the convenient scapegoat? Harry’s getting old, perhaps his fight is leaving him, could be worth a punt? Don’t even think of holding your breath…

Finally, lovely to see the North London banter is starting to pick up again from the actual players. First off the mark was new Spur David Bentley, who gleefully elaborated on just why it will be so exciting for him to play in the Lilywhite shirt at the Emirates Stadium near the end of October, and inviting supporters of his former employees to give him stick. Retorting with something of a weak, lily-livered swing back was Robin Van Persie, who commented that Twente Enschede, Arsenal’s opposition in their Champions League qualifier this week, were the ‘Spurs’ of Dutch football. Still, nice of him to comment at all as it does guarantee an enormous amount of abuse will be hurled his way during the same fixture. One wonders if he’ll remain fit long enough to ever enjoy an entire North London derby ever again. But ’tis marvelous stuff and a thoroughly entertaining way to sign off the last week before all the action starts in earnest…that is unless you count the superb Steve McClaren interview doing the youtube rounds at the moment, where Enschede manager Macca delivers a corkingly crap ‘Dutchman-speaking-English’ accent. What was he thinking? Ever!