On Gareth Bale's Impending Departure

photo by paulswansen	via PhotoRee

No one can say we're not right on top of the news -- herewith, some office watercooler talk from earlier this morning:

Ed:  James!  Welcome back -- Long time, no see....  [looks at watch]  The boss told me you'd been off covering the Justin Bieber tour this summer.... [feigns excitement, mimics young girls screaming while waving hands wildly]

James: Yeah -- I had to cut back on that -- I'm more of a part time Belieber these days.  The whole spitting incident really shook me up....  [shakes head sadly].  But it's more than just that -- the whole faux hoodlum thing just isn't my scene, and I didn't have the wardrobe to pull it off completely.   It was fun while it lasted, but I just had to get out eventually.  I'm back on the football these days, for better or worse.  [Looks a bit forlorn]

Say, did you hear the latest? [attempting to cheer himself up]  According to some of my 'in the know' buds on Twitter, Spurs are about to sign Willian and Erik Lamela.  If there were any doubts that Bale is leaving, this would seem to settle it.

farlieonfootie [overhearing conversation from his corner office and butting in]: Plus Coentrao as a makeweight.  I heard the deal is already done and Real has been told to keep it on the down low until Levy gets his other transfer work finished.  Smart guy that Levy.  The Professor could use some of his help.

Maybe Ronaldo heading back to Old Trafford, as well?  One can always dream….

Ed: It's done.  There's more to Bale not playing than a medical issue.  He and Ronaldo are the Bayern model at Real Madrid -  like Ribery and Robben.

Spurs looked like an Major League Soccer team on Saturday -- big strong and fast but not creative at all.  It will work over a long Premier League season but it isn't as fun to watch as the days of Modric.  Hopefully these new guys will have some skills.

And speaking of United, boss, I don't know of it's Moyes or the new GM, but United get the award for the most ham-handed transfer policy ever [yelling now to make sure he's heard].   The Everton proposal, not unlike the Cesc proposal, was never going anywhere.  I don't know if Moyes' knowledge of Everton leads him to believe they would take anything for Fellaini and Baines, but what else can I think?  [gesturing excitedly]

Plus, they'll get by in the Prem with that center midfield due to their strength up front, but it's far less than what Bayern, Real, Barca, etc. have in Europe.  They needed to bring on Paulinho or whomever more than Spurs did.  After Cleverley, who isn't exactly world class, who's next in line?  Anderson?  That just ain't going to cut it.  I can already hear the train coming...  Forget Ronaldo, can anyone say "square pass"....I mean "Gareth Barry"? [laughs maniacally]

Finally, what's up with these transfer windows?  Having them last into the first few games is ridiculous.  Pardew is right to bitch.

farlieonfootie: [ignores and goes back to work]

This is farlieonfootie for August 20.