Whither Alexis Sanchez at Arsenal Football Club?
The way the media has spun this story since last May, not surprisingly, those who are most prone to their deceptions and fakeries, must be feeling like John Denver in “Leaving on a jet plane”:
“All my bags are packed
I’m ready to go
I’m standin’ here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin’
It’s early morn
The taxi’s waitin’
He’s blowin’ his horn
Already I’m so lonesome
I could die”
According to the fakers, his suitcases are now packed for PSG, a few days earlier it was City, and prior to that it was Bayern. Disbelieve me at your peril.
In preparation for this piece, on Saturday afternoon EST, I did a quick search of Google News and in 45 seconds there were 2,500,000 hits on Alexis and his rumored transfer. As any informed person should know by now, Google is not being altruistic in generating this data. This is certainly one way of convincing advertisers they can gain the attention of those millions of eyeballs consuming the equivalent of transfer “junk food.” It is no wonder Alphabet Corporation, Google’s parent company, dominates the multi-billion on-line advertising space.
I am not for one moment blaming Google for this sorry state of news reporting, specifically sports coverage. With very few exceptions, like their political brethren, football journos and their bosses have decided facts be damned in the pursuit of a juicy transfer rumor. It is all about ratings whether in electronic or print media. Just as bad or even worse are the online websites and their twitter offspring who multiply like weeds at this time of the year. One can easily assume they are profiting from the increased web traffic during transfer season. Those of my readers, not using an adblocker when browsing, are suckers for pop-ups selling you dildos and sexy anime apart from being at risk for malware.
To understand the commercial benefit of peddling transfer rumors take for example the top listings, ranked by popularity, by Google from my 45-second search:
“PSG increasingly confident of signing Neymar and Alexis Sánchez” (Guardian)
“Arsenal transfer news: Alexis Sanchez to PSG, official bid to be made” (Fox Sports)
“Arsene Wenger attempts to ward off rivals’ interest in Alexis Sanchez” (Independent)
“Arsene Wenger adamant Alexis Sanchez won’t join PSG” (ESPN FC)
“Alexis Sanchez meets PSG chief ahead of €50m move” (Goal.com)
Nearly 8 hours after Arsene Wenger’s clear and unambiguous statement that reports of Alexis meeting with PSG was “…only media imagination”, with the unusual exception of ESPN FC, both the mainstream media and, renown rumor-monger, Goal.com were still peddling the bullsh*t that Alexis Sanchez could be in both Chile and France at the same time. Moreover how could he, without the club’s permission, be discussing personal terms relative to his transfer, which is one of the biggest violations of the rules and regulations governing player contracts. This could not only land him in trouble but also put PSG at risk of a transfer ban as happened earlier to Barcelona and only recently to Athletico Madrid.
The facts is, as of the time of posting this blog, nobody knows, with perhaps the exception of Arsene Wenger, whether Alexis will be staying or leaving Arsenal Football Club this transfer window. Admittedly his future is somewhat up in the air.
The first sign publicly of his unhappiness or disgruntlement with the club is the strop he threw in February after the first of two defeats to Bayern Munich in last year’s champions league. It amuses me no-end to read and listen pundits and journos claim Alexis was let down by the rest of the squad in that game. The fact is, he was relatively ineffective, coughing up possession on several occasions leading to dangerous counter-attacks by the Bavarians. Sounds familiar? This is despite his elevation by the media as a world class player who is a game-changer at this level. Have we forgotten the funny faces and contemptuous smiles he made after he was substituted?
In the subsequent week there were reports of him being part of a bust-up on the training ground. While the manager has never confirmed, it was self-evident that as a consequence he was benched for the start of an important PL game with Liverpool which followed thereafter. The fact that Arsenal lost that game added to the media myth of the indispensable Alexis, as if he was not part of both Bayern losses and a good many others.
Since the February-March decline in its fortunes, the media had been doing its level best to create a climate of doom and gloom around the club featuring the supposed denouement of Arsene Wenger as manager and the eventual departure of both Sanchez and Ozil, the club’s two best players. Apparently the two stars plan to not renew their contracts as they go into their final year because they are earth-shatteringly disappointed that AFC did not qualify for the champions league.
Has it struck anyone that none of the predictions made last April-May by the mainstream media and like-minded bloggers, tweeters and podcasters concerning the imminent demarche of Arsenal Football Club and Arsene Wenger has come to pass? None. Nada. Zilch.
The media has so carefully constructed a narrative of doom and gloom, it seems they have no choice but to continue promotion of rumors, half-truths and downright lies about Alexis.
As anybody who follows me on twitter knows, this defenestration of the media does not mean I am a fanboy of the Chilean. To the contrary, I support those who think his individualistic tendency does more harm than good to the way Arsenal plays. Specially concerning to me is his desire to drop into the midfield to demand the ball but thereafter lose possession because of his less than 70% pass completion rate. This, in my opinion, is detrimental to team balance in both attack and defense.
But one cannot deny the importance of his 33 goals and 15 assists in all competitions. Of 77 PL goals by Arsenal last season Alexis contributed 24 or 31%. Until Arsenal can replace those goals it would be foolhardy to lose his services.
It seems to me the club is preparing for any eventuality. Surely it is not a coincidence that the service of Lacazette was secured early in the transfer window for a club record transfer fee of £49 million. Usually Arsenal will be conservative in its valuation of a player and take the negotiations into the ultimate week of the transfer window. Another significant piece of information is the public admission by Ivan Gazidis, when in Australia, that the club was club was trying to attract Thomas Lemar from Monaco is also evidence that a wide player to supplement or replace Alexis is being sought.
But I give Wenger the benefit of the doubt. He knows better than almost anyone how risky it is to depend on new players coming from a different league to come up to speed and to immediately produce. Without big money to spend, he took some pretty big risks in the past and was able to scramble into the champions league. In recent years he has repeatedly proclaimed, to those who would listen, that the PL is getting tougher and tougher as the so-called small clubs are acquiring better players and coaches etc.
I therefore take him at his word that he wants to keep Alexis for the final year of his contract and not sell him to a domestic or foreign club. In the summer of 2003 he convinced Patrick Vieira, who was agitating for a transfer, to commit for a final year. Patrick renewed his contract and stayed. The rest, as we all know, is history.
By the way, two years later Patrick did get the big move he had been agitating for. Wenger appears convinced he can do something as big with Alexis.
If the Chilean does, however, refuse to extend his contract and agitate for a transfer, all bets are off. There is no way the board (big decisions are not down solely to Wenger) will easily allow him to walk for a free with 50 million in English or European currencies on the table. Only clubs with humongous non-football sources of revenue such as United, Chelsea and City can easily treat 30-40-50 million as monopoly money. At the end of the day football is a business, not a hobby. Owners, shareholders, managers must look toward the long-term interest of the club not only the short-term gratification of fans.
Happily we are not at that point yet. But the day of reckoning is coming sooner or later. There are 5 weeks more in the transfer window. That is almost a lifetime in football. Stay tuned.
Positively Arsenal 
The problem with this blog is it leaves little room for discussion.Alexis must be adding more than he subtracts , otherwise Arsene would flog him post haste, the question is “how big is the difference”?
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Brilliant. The comparison with Vieira was interesting. Two things to add. Wenger said ‘the decision has been made’, not that ‘I have made the decision’, which suggested to me that the board has signed off on holding Alexis to his contract. Of course you are right that it could change with a change in circumstance, but for now, I think we’re keeping him. Wenger even said once how it even made financial sense to keep him. Second, now that Ozil has made it clear he wants to stay, the narrative is that he’s not worth the money.
Watching the Chelsea game, the official arsenal player stream died for me just after halftime. I found another stream where one commentator questioned the other whether Ozil was worth 280k a week, and he said not for me. Lovely talent, but doesn’t do it regularly week in week out blah blah.. The first guy then responded with the lack of interest from elsewhere suggests others also feel the same way.
You see, Arsenal cannot (be allowed to) win.
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george, last season I kept arguing that Alexis’ problems stem in large part from him not having enough support in attack (including from midfield) He was among the best in the league in goals, assists, key passes and take ons. He was carrying our attack and this (and fatigue) meant he was less efficient than he otherwise could be. My guess is Wenger feels the same and that’s why Lacazette was added and Lemar is being looked at.
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ManCity buying all the fullbacks!!
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Shard, he has been the same from day one and was the same at Barca(hence he was sold).are you suggesting he didn’t have enough support from attack and MF at Barca? He also led the way with misplaced passes.lost possession and failed take ons .
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Great blog Shotta, and as PG said it leaves little room for discussion.
Its interesting that you compared Alexis to Vieirra, if I may I want to compare him to Suarez.
For the best part of the last decade Arsenal has been far greater than Liverpool and that the media erroneously portray Alexis as some Messiah, when in fact Suarez was just that for Liverpool during his time there. It was him that needed to get out while he can, it was him that needed Liverpool to stop investing in sub-standard players and giving him the players he need to reach his potential.
But no, there was glowing reviews of Liverpool and the media and pundits protected Suarez despite his appetite for opposition players and casual racial slurs. Arsenal was and still is mocked for having the gall to put in a transfer bid for him.
Suarez won a single League Cup for Liverpool and Alexis won 3 FA Cups with Arsenal, but its him that need saving.
They’re making a big deal of Alexis needing to play in Champions League, something that was fobbed off as they said Suarez know his worth and doesn’t need to play in the CL for others to know it too.
Gooners still falling for media lies are just stupid… ignorance would be a step up.
PS: personally I hope Alexis stay despite him driving us up at the wall at times. The last 2 months of Premier League action he did made an effort to be more of team player and hopefully its something he wanna continue building on.
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Different system, different league George. But yeah, if we can sell Sanchez and upgrade on him like Barcelona did with Suarez, we should. I just don’t think we can and his individual skills give us something we need, but it is up to us (and him) to get the most out of it. Buying Lacazette goes towards doing that.
Also I don’t think he was as bad in terms of pass percentage his previous years with us. I haven’t checked, but this was certainly never a hot topic of debate before.
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The media certainly seem to be upping the anti as the new season approaches.
I would like to see Alexis kept whatever the ultimate cost, he has his flaws as do most, but he can certainly be a game changer.
If the club have decided to get back in the top 4 , or hopefully, challenge for the title, will be a lot easier with him in the team.
With Lacazette, and perhaps A.N Other, we could have a very potent attack next season, Alexis and for that matter, Ozil could thrive. Need to do something about the Cazorla conundrum though to bring out the best in this team
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I wonder if one of the reasons for three at the back is to provide extra-cover for those occasions when he does lose possession? I also think that quite often he is not 100% fit, but plays through discomfort that would sideline many. I doubt he has many more miles on the clock and with a World Cup coming up next summer and the importance he has for his national team this will be a crucial season for him. If he runs down his contract he is taking a personal risk far greater than the 50m Arsenal might be prepared to sacrifice in the hope of a top 4 finish this time round.
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People will claim (and indeed, believe)they disagree with this blog. They will be lying, albeit they might not know they are.
Excellent stuff, Shorts.
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Ooh… Shotta became shorts. That shall be thou name from now. Spellcgeck has decided thusly.
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Steve: You are 13 years late. My moniker has a long history.
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Excellent Shotts
In addition we’ve now had a whole season of uber blaggers blagging to their listeners and readers about Chamberlain’s poverty.
A day after reading the stats showing his value we read stories about City, GazCorp etc all being interested in signing a rare English talent.
Almost as if these fake news peddlers are not just desperate for the click-bait revenue but also for the commission from the agents.
What a collective of absolute charlatans they are.
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FH sums it all up.
He is my fantasy signing but he’s burning himself out if not already after this third summer tournament in a row combined with playing for AFC in the PL where he ignores physios and where physios aren’t even allowed on to treat minor niggles to AFC players during matches – it’s a big ask for anybody and four seasons is gambling upon a big injury.
He needs two months off now, but he’ll come back too early again!
Perhaps he needs to leave so that he can get back on the PEDs & away from AFCs higher but not high standards (which have been unique in club Football).
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The last bit was a joke. An ongoing debate with friends whether Alexis was on PEDs earlier in his career, pre-AFC ( as with Lauren ) I think they call it “banter”.
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Ouch a concussion and fractures for Pedro!
And the Gazprom physios sent him back on to play (haven’t seen the match)?
Is anyone out there apart from the click baiting afc hating blagger confused why after losing Gabriel and BFG in pre-season matches last year AFC were playing kids on long legged tours?
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Good afternoon Shotta,
You are not far wrong. I was surprised to read, though I don’t know why, that staff journalists on the Independent are set click targets each month, and if they fail to reach those targets then they are terminated. In addition to click/page view figures that are quite easy to collect the data looks at what length of time the view spends on the page ie whether they read the article. Targets are again in place. Again if your headline attracts a a click, but your story when opened does not retain the reader’s interest then down the road you go.
And this is not just football, or sports, this is across the whole digital publication.
So far, it is said, experienced ‘name’ journalists have been exempted from the regime.
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Thanks for answering re: ‘blood from Pedro’, Shotta.
I had no clue until a5 commented.
This is another excellent article.
It doesn’t matter what Arsenal do or don’t do – the various “thems” will keep on lying.
Arsenal FC is an honest setup. Peeps don’t like that. Yer petro/gambling/favoured clubs can do pretty much what they like, because….
C’mon, it’s not like the attempted destabilisation of AFC has started in the last couple of transfer windows, is it? It’s quite some achievement that AFC got into the CL 20 years running, given the unbelievable multitude of horrors visited upon this club.
Arsenal have been an amazing club through most of its history. Even better since Arsene arrived. I’m glad “Thems” have failed to get him out despite many, many years of utter crap.
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Not much to add to Shotta’s good work here, except to say that he is now responsible for my having John Denver stuck in my head for the rest of the afternoon.
Can’t wait for September 1st so we can stop talking about transfer bs. Until January…
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In the middle of the season, when there is a million things to talk about, it is easy to write a post or article (although the British media still make a mess of it)
However in the off season to maintain the quality this post and this blog achieves is truly amazing.
Thanks to all the team and the quality commenters who keep this place buzzing.
Sometimes it not easy being A Positive but it’s better than being a doomer.
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the state of this from Arsenal’s local newspaper – by the way season tickets at AFC went down by over £200 this season due to no CL
Islington GazetteVerified account @islingtongztte 5h5 hours ago
Any Arsenal fans on here who have given up their season tickets due to the astronomical cost? We’d like to hear from you – get in touch!
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seemingly Wenger has spent £770M on transfers since becoming Arsenal manager in 1996.
Since Pep became man city manager last summer he has so far spent £370M
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eduardo1966 @edminton1966 4m4 minutes ago
BREAKING NEWS: James Vardy says he has no regrets about not joining AFC last yr
you’d think he would have said something about it before now
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Jean-Michel Aulas (Lyon president): “Yes, I wanted to sign Olivier Giroud [this summer]. But Wenger did not allow it.”
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I’ll be glad when the transfer window closes and the real football is underway so that the narrative can move on from Alexis Sanchez. Although sadly I expect that will be short-lived if he doesn’t sign an extension before the January window opens.
Also, I have to say something about these claims that no-one is interested in Ozil and that is why there is no speculation about other clubs wanting him. I would suggest that it has more to do with the fact that he actually wants to stay and therefore has not instructed his agents to plant stories in the media and fan the flames to generate interest. I wish the Ox would take a leaf out of Ozil’s book and tell his agent to cease and desist. I doubt if he is going to find a better gig than the one he has at AFC. The club has stood by him during extended injury periods and the only way he can guarantee a starting spot is to earn it with his performances on the pitch.
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Amen Passenal. Amen!
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Chamberlain:
Given the gibberish pumped out by the lickspittle podcastateers since the beginning of last season it’s fair and reasonable to conclude that Chambo’s agent (Sterling!!!) has been following the drip drip feed to the desperate preachers (click baiters) on t’internet as witnessed during the RVP model.
Given this understanding then the nonsensical posture of such Sages during the Adebayor meltdown now makes perfect sense – why would these football experts celebrate the departure of a player it took years, until Giroud’s arrival, to replace? Doesn’t make any sense, if you’re a frustrated football coach/manager.
A simple question, with a simple answer:
They are frustrated football agents, nevermind the Football.
So given Chambo’s agent, given that he is a better footballer then Sterling (not to say Sterling is poor) it looks like the agent has been prepping for a while.
the only hope at retaining AOC is that AW put him in a similar headlock to the one he locked Alexis into after the FA Cup final (definitely not a hug but a headlock hehe: “Look Alexis about that contract: you won’t be going anywhere sunshine…”
The football fans out there can only hope that Chamberlain starting an fa cup final on return from injury may be more persuasive then his agent’s blood sucking tentacles, it seems based upon the evidence these past twelve months that the podcastateers and self declared experts have reached the inverse conclusion: Nevermind the Football eh?
What a shower these Experts are, pardon me.
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The latest I’ve read on this is in The Independant who say that he would take a pay cut to join City. As If! I don’t care if he stays or goes, won’t make the slightest bit of difference to my lifestyle.
According to the Mail Mbappe has agreed to join Real Madrid for £160 million, breaking all records.
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Cracking review of how the football transfer market and players’ part of the process has been transformed by technology;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4726042/Wayne-Rooney-Paul-Pogba-transfers-changed.html
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Clearly I apologise for posting a Mail link but in the circumstances it is worth reading.
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Good Afternoon, mes amis.
Late to the party as usual, but that does not stop me wanting to say that your article, Shotta, was really interesting and very well written indeed.
Would it be too remiss of me to voice an opinion without meaning to cause any offence?
I hope so, and as it is impossible to get a response to an abjectly rhetorical question I will press on and hope — and as a last resort I will blame Alabamalama. lol
My opinion is not related to any specific Post, but I often find myself thinking that every time someone mentions the media in general, and blogs specifically, in writing, it must make them think they have achieved some sort of vicarious target because it confirms that fans are reading their nonsense and talking about it on their own blogs, even if it is only to decry their rubbish.
You have a gift, Shotta, to attract attention with your writing, but I sometimes wonder if you should use your talent in another way on other subject matter, and not to unintentionally give nonentities the succour of publicity, because they are going to think the more they are mentioned, whatever the reason, that they are far more important than they really are.
I rarely mention these people on any blog, and I wistfully hope that if enough other fans did the same they would realise they are beneath our contempt, and their garbage writing is not worth reading – and I do not.
Set against that is my concern that the writers involved might lose their jobs as a consequence, and I do not want to see that happen, as it is a tough enough old world as it is — so maybe it would encourage them to improve the quality and accuracy of their writing instead.
Shotta, I hope you take this for the compliment that is intended, and not as in any way an idle criticism of the subject matter — it’s just an opinion – but, just in case, I will get my coat – and any comments should be addressed to my agent – Sir Anicol. lol
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The Arseblogger also ran an article today falsely claiming the club triggered Wellington Silva’s buy-back clause. Now that it came out he’s still at Fluminese, they claim the club did trigger the buy-back clause, but un-triggered it after the failed medical.
Seems like just admitting they got it wrong initially would be admitting to fake news, and they can’t have that.
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Anicoll,
I had not seen the Mail report you linked, but I can understand the club and its sponsors wanting to become associated with a star player’s twitter followers, in the hope of sharing some of their popularity, even if it is only be reflection.
I cannot say I care to be honest, but I can see that such a match could be a two edged sword, so to speak. Imagine if a star player wanted to leave a club against their wishes, he could use Twitter to tell all and sundry that the club were fascist swine, mean assed bastards, and corrupt. Whooo – what club/business would want that – and now I have written that down it is only a matter of time before someone does that — and I do not mean you Mr Sanchez. lol
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Indeed Henry – a ruthless character equipped means of hammering home his message in 140 relentlessly repeated characters -> direct to the audience’s screens. No filter – just straightforward self interest, day after day, week after week.
A nightmare I am sure we agree
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I totally agree Anicoll — however, I have to admit to being a Luddite in some of the media technology, and have never felt the need to indulge (?) in twittering.
But the principle holds true.
Are you keeping well your venerableness? lol
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Masterstroke you will find that the story of Alexis willing to “take a pay cut to join city” has used very flawed logic indeed, you see this so called pay cut he is willing to take is not a pay cut on the wages he currently gets paid at Arsenal – £140K a week, no its a pay cut of the wages the media think some other club has offered him or agreed with him already. £400K and that the £300K city would pay him is a pay cut.
You couldn’t make it up – oh thats right they did
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labo goon you forgot that Arseblog not only got the clicks they sought with the “arsenal stuck with Wellington after failed medical”, but now get the clicks they sought with their second Wellington article saying Arsenal not stuck with him after all. On the first article I pointed out to them that the Brazilian club had said AFC had a 45% sell on stake in Wellington, not a buy back clause, but of course this was not only ignored by Arseblog but also by the fake outrage gang that were venting in the comments section.
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So many social media platforms, so little time H !
I am very well – rather busy for the past few weeks hence I have been slacking on here – I need a solid pre season to ensure am ready for the big kick off
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Mirror now running the fake Arsenal stuck with Wellington story, despite it having been discredited hours ago, clicks clicks clicks
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reports that PSG and Barcelona both have press conferences around the same time this evening to seemingly announce transfers, I’ll get in the first fake rumor, Neymar to PSG, Alexis back to Barca, and no one to AFC.
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HenryB: The bad apples in and outside the mainstream media must be named and shamed. Anything else is vague abstraction behind which the purveyors of fake news can hide. In line with your advice I no longer post links to the click-baiting rubbish. You are correct in pointing out that this gains them unwarranted attention and revenue via clicks. The bastards play the game both ways; they post incendiary articles to gain the attention of both the sheeple and the sceptics. Heads they win, tails you lose.
Interestingly, no one has remarked on that remarkable discovery by Andrew Nic that The Independents pays it’s scrubs and stringers according to the clicks they generate. This is an absolute betrayal of the principles of journalism. Journos are paid according to how sensationalistic their article is, not according to how truthful and factful. Yet we give the mainstream media any credibility whatsoever.
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Fins and Eduardo: Thanks for pointing out the dirty, deplorable role of most, not all, so-called Arsenal bloggers and podcasters. They generally give succour and comfort to the enemies of our football club by emphasizing negativity and fear. It is their primary means of attracting attention. Giroud and Chamberlain are recent examples of players subject to constant over-the-top criticism and now it seems they may leave, contrary to the manager’s wishes, these same parties are blaming the club for this state of affairs. How do they get away with blatant hypocrisy?
Is it any wonder I never spare them the criticism they so richly deserve.
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Jan Hagen @PortuBall
The sale of William Carvalho from Sporting to an unnamed Premier League club in a deal close to €45m is “imminent” according to Record.
Can’t be true, all Premier League clubs have names
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I hate the transfer junk. Avoid it. No papers. I didn’t know Ars signed Lac till a mate told me, and I usually don’t listen any transfer speculation from him, but he told me the news as if I knew – it was different. I checked the dotcom & Boom!
3 – ? days after it’d happened.
Having said that/Be that as it may – this article is superb. I know I’ve written that before, but the comments (clapping hands emoji, banned, have to lol instead of lovely little pictures, effin dictator), the comments, the empathy, the investigation…
Man, I love it.
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Nowt new from Mourinho there. He’s always been sensationally hypocritical.
It’s one of his defining characteristics, though probably it’s just inevitable when you’re as much of an arsehole as he is. Same as how such people seem to so often accuse enemies of things which apply much more to themselves- e.g has there been more of a cryer in football history?
Something I didn’t realise until long after was how much debt Inter were in during his time there.
Doubt I can find the figure easily again as it was somewhere obscure but I think it was something like 650 mill debt total and 150 mill in the year he won champions league. Losing more than 100 mill every year in the four years leading up to winning champ league.
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I was listening to a podcast this morning in which the subject of football cropped up and its status and the planet’s only truly global game – in fact the point was made that it is “men’s” football that is the truly global game and while women’s football is making progress the current women’s Euros in the Netherlands are receiving a fraction of the media coverage that the equivalent men’s competition attracts, and that is with Engerland as second favourites to win. Women’s cricket had its five minutes last week. And for any who did not know the women’s rugby world cup gets underway in a fortnight – and many would not know as promotion in the media has been lower than a collapsed scrum.
A solid reason for that is the massive investment of media firms in men’s football, and the ties formed by corporate sponsors who demand that their sponsorship profile is front and centre on the global stage 12 months out of 12.
The point was underlined by picking up my paper this morning and the back plages are dominated by transfer “news” – or what mindlessly repeated fiction passes for “news” during the close season. Page after page of Mbappe, of the paranoid Portuguese’s latest ranting, Countinho etc
Who will win the Transfer Trophy ??
Over the Summer, in what used to be called the close season, there are multiple sports, multiple competitions, cricket, football, rugby, men’s, women’s, in the UK, Europe and further afield that are real sporting contests, real things happen in the pitch, and genuinely interesting – why on earth do I have to put up with transfer window rubbish day in day out?
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I used to feel that way about cricket Andy. Back when football coverage was rare in the papers here and everything was dominated by cricket, whether a match or series was on or not. I think I still have some newspaper clippings from back when we won the title at Old Trafford, which did make the papers.
Transfer news can be fun actually. It’s when people take it seriously, or worse, personally, that it becomes a problem.
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Bcoz dey is frustrated football agents innit?
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