There is a rumour doing the rounds that we've had a bid of £8.5mn. accepted by Spurs for Tom Huddlestone and I'd just like to say that these are untrue. How do I know these are untrue, well, I'm going to tell you.
First, they would have told us out off respect. If we had made a bid and it had been accepted, the club would have told us, much like they told us, out of respect that the club had accepted a bid for Gareth Barry. Second, Martin O'Neill is not going to put that type of player in our central midfield next season, not when we will already have three just like it.
My point is, if it is Sidwell, Reo-Coker or Gardner (playing with Petrov in the middle) they are all the same; they work had and track back and the type of player we now need in the middle of the park is someone with a bit of style, a bit of know how and a bit of pace and trickery.
Huddlestone, while a very good player with lots of promise, isn't that player and we are not buying him as cover for Gardner, Reo-Coker or Sidwell - all players that I think are very good at doing that job.
So, out of respect to the supporters and customers, if the club had made an offer, they would have told us. They haven't told us, so it's not true.
I've mentioned Sidwell above also, well there is another rumour today that Roy Hodgson at Fulham is interested in him and he may be allowed to leave. Now, this one is pure speculation but clearly it isn't going to happen because Martin O'Neill is a smart bloke. He will have spent his holiday looking at the stats and devising a plan for next season and we all sort of know what he will be doing next season, because he is a smart man and it is the smart move.
We won games with Sidwell and when he wasn't playing we lost games. Yes, it coincided with 4-5-1 and yes, fingers crossed, Martin O'Neill recognises that, because if he doesn't and Sidwell moves to Fulham, I fancy there could be more egg on face because if Fulham start next season as they ended it and we start next season as we ended our season, then it might very well be a case of them doing better than us.
Did you see how Fulham played football last season? It seems like Roy Hodgson finally got the players playing the passing game, which isn't easy. It takes lots of work, but they got it in the end and the real test will be to see if they can continue that at the start of the season. If they do and he buys right, then I hate to say this, but we might see ourselves chasing Fulham next season, because our football for the most of last season reminded me of Watford with John Barnes.
I can feel a scathing attack from some for that. But I'll move on quickly and ask that if you are going to talk about Michael Jackson, visit this forum thread instead, all comments about Wacko Jacko will be deleted.
In other paper gossip The Mirror are running with a story that Bouma is at home in Holland thinking about retiring from football>
This won't be nice if it is true but you wouldn't be surprised. His ankle was clear out of his leg in that tackle and it just seems like a long time coming back. I hope it isn't as I've always liked Bouma and still think he has something to offer but if it is a case of him having to give up the game I'm sure he'll get a good reception if he ever shows his face at Villa Park in the future.
I have a feeling there will be more later but for now, I'm off for coffee and toast.