Villa set to pip rivals for Fabian Delph?

The race for Fabian Delph’s signature seems to have stepped up in the last few hours with Aston Villa currently looking set to sign the Leeds youngster according to Leeds’ site:

Leeds United can confirm that a fee has been agreed with Aston Villa for Fabian Delph.

Leeds United wishes to place on record our appreciation for the honourable manner in which Aston Villa have conducted their interest in the player.

The club has resisted approaches from other FA Premier League clubs since agreeing terms with Aston Villa.

Having given Villa our commitment to transfer the player (subject to medical), we had no intention of going back on that.

Several clubs including City, Everton, Villa and Spurs have been monitoring Delph for some time and Leeds were reported to have recently rejected bids from a pair of Premier League clubs. City’s interest was confirmed over the weekend by Hughes stating “He is a young player who has been brought to our attention, I’m not sure where we are up to with that because obviously I have been busy with the game [against Barnsley]”.

The Mail among others had us set to offer £10m, but this only seems to have spurred Villa into action, with The Mail now claiming Villa to have agreed an £8m fee.

With the statement on Leeds web site confirming that Villa are now in an exclusive position to discuss terms with the youngster it looks like Delph could be one to get away.

I can’t help feeling that if we really wanted him we would have made our move earlier, however it is unlike Hughes to comment on a player unless we’re set to make a serious bid for them.

My feeling is that Martin O’Neill could well convince the youngster to sign for Villa with a promise of more first team action than he would be likely to get at Eastlands, even if we could offer higher wages.

Video:
Fabian Delph goals 08/09


Robinho dismayed? Let’s not get carried away

Even more predictable than Elano’s departure are sensationalist stories of Robinho’s devastation at the departure of his best mate.  The Mirror is first to the presses with this one.

Robinho:

“I am very sad to see Elano go because he was a team mate and has been a friend for many years.

“I understand the decision but I always believed that he would be part of this project. I never believed the rumours and I will miss our dinners and meetings.

“I wish and believe that Elano will be king at his new club. City have made some great signings and it has been made complicated for some players.

“But I have spoken many times with the coach and praised Elano but it was the decision of the club and impossible to change.”

Now I don’t doubt that Robinho is sorry to see his compatriot’s departure, but modern footballers, particularly those from different continents are used to such movements. It’s all part and parcel of the game. Afterall Robinho and Elano have said their goodbyes before when they departed Santos. And which of us doesn’t feel a little sad when our best friend at work/college/school leaves for pastures new.

Stories of Robinho’s unhappiness at City and linking him with other clubs has been a regular story for the press since the day he arrived, and will doubtless continue to the day he eventually does bid farewell to Beswick. This is not because he’s about to go anywhere, but because he’s the closest thing we have to a ‘media galactico’, stories about whom can sell copies of hard pressed newspapers and generate page views for their web sites.

It’s tiresome, but an inevitable byproduct of having higher profile players. Liverpool fans have to put up with similar fare regarding Torres and Aresnal fans have the Febregas back to Spain stories.

Robinho has the added bonus for the press of being someone who speaks quite freely. Yes he said he’d score thirty goals last season, and good luck to him in trying to do the same this season. Let’s not over analyse casual comments about winning mentalities or stating the obvious in that Barcelona play good football.

Instead we should be grateful for someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, at a time when homegrown players appear media coached to death – I love watching Wright-Phillips with the ball at his feet, but his post match interviews can readily cure insomnia.


Free open day at Eastlands: Thursday 6 August

The club have announced an “Open House” event next Thursday which will feature an opportunity to see our new signings going through their paces.  It all sounds a bit cheesy for anyone over the age of eight, but there could be some interest in seeing whether Carlos Tevez’s heel and Roque Santa Cruz’s knees can manage a knockabout.  We wait with baited breath.

Highlights are set to include:

  • The squad being split into teams for some games.
  • Roving entertainers, face painting, balloon modellers and a T-shirt launcher.
  • The squad wearing their “dazzling freshly designed Umbro training kit”.
  • The presence of Moonbeam and Moonchester.
  • The chance to become the team’s mascot for the Celtic match (if you purchase the new training kit with a club membership card and are under 15).

Gates open at 2pm for a 2.45pm start with supporters encouraged to take along flags and scarves, etc.  The compare will be Hugh Ferris from Key 103 and I hope to God he isn’t the same person who was so excruciating at the recent friendly against Orlando Pirates.

Without aping the Real Madrid “galactico” introductions to much, it seems to fit with Garry Cooks desire for the club to stay connected with the local community while we also seek to build ourselves on the wider stage.


Elano explains why he left

Not surprisingly, Elano has cited a need for regular first team action in the run up to the South African World Cup as the reason for his move to Galatasaray.

“I spoke with my national coach Dunga and he told me it will be difficult to enter me on his World Cup list if I am not playing football regularly.

“I need time on the field. This season is very important. I dream of playing in the World Cup.

“I have received a few other offers, but this is the best one for me and City.

“I never had any problems with the coach, but Hughes may not have had total confidence in me.”

The last line sounds particularly diplomatic. There’s a lot I’ll miss about Elano, and not just the perfect penalty record. I still believe he was the most incisive passer within the team, better even than Ireland on his day.  Of course his good days were far to rare, but there was always the nagging feeling that a better man-manager than Hughes (I’m thinking a Hiddink or even a Redknapp) would have got an awful lot more out of him. He undoubtedly had the ability to be a City legend.