Source: Daily_Mail
DES KELLY: Cesc Fabregas shouldn't keep Arsenal captaincy
[LNB]Is he really that important to Arsenal? Is Cesc Fabregas bigger than such a proud and historic club?[LNB]The Spaniard begrudgingly announced on Friday he is to stay with the Gunners for another season in a personal statement laced with obvious disappointment and surprising disloyalty considering the circumstances of his position.[LNB]But Fabregas made one thing abundantly clear, however.[LNB] Turning heads: Cesc Fabregas will begrudgingly stay at Arsenal this season[LNB] [LNB]He is at Arsenal on sufferance, whichimmediately rules him out as a suitable club captain and makessomething of a mockery of the hero's welcome he received when hereturned to London this week.[LNB]Remember, this is a player who signeda five-year contract at Arsenal just a season ago. Now he sees thatpiece of paperwork as a little more than a restraining order afterdeciding he'd quite like to go back to Spain, thank you very much.[LNB] More from Des Kelly... 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Only in distant memory, Joe23/07/10 Des Kelly: Why Santa's cause at rich Man City won't help England's future16/07/10 Des Kelly: A beach ball, ghost goal and plastic horns...The ho-hum World Cup09/07/10 Des Kelly: Can't any of England's World Cup losers say sorry?02/07/10 Des Kelly: Now it really IS time for England, gentlemen!26/06/10 Des Kelly: Will England hit a new Low in the last 16 against the old enemy?22/06/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE If he retains that armband it will be a terrible insult and a worrying message to the rest of a squad full of young players.[LNB]Barely a day has passed all summerwithout an instalment of this tedious transfer saga, one that has set anew record for the largest number of words revealing the least amountof information.[LNB]We've seen Fabregas wearing a Barcashirt draped on him by Spanish team-mates; we've heard how he misseshis friends and does not want to return to London; he has evensnivelled at old video footage of himself playing for the Catalan club,telling an assembled crowd north of the city: 'I hope to see all of youmore often and closer'.[LNB]Throughout this endless flirtation hesaid nothing to re-affirm his commitment to Arsenal. He could havekilled the transfer chatter at any time and Arsene Wenger even askedhim to do so, but Fabregas chose to let the gossip run unchecked,hoping it would help break his Arsenal agreement.[LNB]When Fabregas appeared for trainingon Thursday, the date he was contractually obliged to return, it hadbeen built up to such an extent his mere presence was regarded as a bigstory. [LNB]The fact that a 23-year-oldfootballer turns up for work on time should never be news.Unfortunately, it says much for the fickle nature of the modern gamethat it is.[LNB]But Fabregas didn't say a word. Helapped up the attention, smiled and waved to the crowd, while stillhoping to flee through the exit as he admitted 24 hours later: 'I havenot known what I was going to do until this moment,' he said on Friday.[LNB]So I hope amid all this fake bonhomieand misplaced gratitude washing around the Emirates someoneremembered to slap the midfield player squarely between the shoulderblades and point out he is not actually doing anyone a favour.[LNB]And I hope nobody fell for the ideabeing peddled in the papers on Friday that he was staying because of 'the fans' chants of "We Love Cesc Fabregas" and banners pleading withhim to stay had the desired effect'.[LNB] The only Barca shirt he'll be wearing this year! Spain team-mates (from left) Pepe Reina, Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol embarrass Fabregas after the country's World Cup triumph last month[LNB]This transfer has not collapsedbecause noble Fabregas spurned lavish entreaties to move to La Liga. Heis staying because how can I put this? they don't have a receptacleto relieve themselves in at Barcelona right now.[LNB]The club is in debt to the tune ofaround £130million, they had to borrow cash to pay the wages and haverustled up £35m from somewhere to try and fund this transfer. That ischicken feed compared to past seasons and way short of the numbers thatmight tempt Arsenal to re-consider.[LNB]No doubt Barcelona have behaveddisgracefully too throughout this entire episode, with players queuingup to urge the Arsenal man to join them. [LNB]Carles Puyol said: 'He might haveto spend another year at Arsenal, but it will only be his body. Hisheart is already at Barcelona.'[LNB]But don't you think Fabregas could have stopped the likes of Puyol and Co making these remarks at any time if he wanted?[LNB] Emirates idol: Fans show support for Cesc at Thursday's open training session[LNB]Now contrast Fabregas' behaviour with that of Fernando Torres at Liverpool.[LNB]The Anfield striker made one swift and decisive statement of intent after reading Chelseaand Manchester City were supposedly in pursuit of his services. Thatpretty much put a dampener on all those transfer stories straight away.[LNB]Of course, if Liverpool receive anextraordinary offer the situation may change, but the player himselfhas made his position clear he is in no way agitating for a move.Sadly, Fabregas has done little else.[LNB]Part of me is glad Arsenal held him to his contract, if only to show they have some worth.[LNB]But the club has undoubtedly beendiminished by the way this has been handled and it comes to somethingwhen they are having to look grateful to a so-called leader on thepitch who doesn't want to wear the shirt any more.[LNB]In truth, Barcelona and Fabregas deserve one another. I just hope Wenger sells him to Real Madrid next season out of spite.[LNB] Tubby or not tubby...Training hard: Newcastle fans have criticised Sol Campbell's weight[LNB]Newcastle United signing Sol Campbell is furious people are saying he looks fat, despite pictures from the training ground that quite clearly show that he is well, fat.[LNB]'It's pathetic,' he said. 'I accept the pictures weren't flattering, but the training kit was not very flattering and showed up all sorts of things.'[LNB]Such as his fat belly, for instance.[LNB]'I'm not fat, I'm big,' Campbell said, before adding: 'My message to all the knockers is simple'[LNB]Unfortunately nobody read the rest of that sentence. They were too busy wondering if he should have drawn attention to those knockers as well.[LNB] Signing up for troubleWhen Tottenham finished fourth last season and qualified for the Champions League qualifying round I said it was a real test of chairman Daniel Levy's ambition in the White Hart Lane boardroom. [LNB]Would he free up the funds to push Spurs on, or sit tight and hope it was enough to repeat another fourth place finish?[LNB]The number of Tottenham signings this summer might offer a clue: One - and Sandro doesn't join until September.[LNB] It's England against Hungary on Wednesday night, Fabio Capello's first chance to wipe the slate clean with his squad after a dismal World Cup finals. And no, I couldn't really give a stuff either.[LNB] Game, set and modelThe excited blurb announced: 'Tennis girls as you've never seen them before!'[LNB]What was this new development, I wondered?[LNB]Unfortunately it turned out to be another selection of interchangeable Eastern Europeans parading in glitzy dresses, which is precisely what we see them doing pretty much all of the time.[LNB] Ms Turnmitellyov of Bulgaria had posed alongside Ms Iveadenovdis from the Czech Republic in a magazine fashion shoot, while Ms Isitoverryet from the Republic of Latvania tried to look sexy as they all prepared to lose to Serena Williams in their day jobs.[LNB]When I was in Florida a while back, one of the key ATP tennis tour events was promoted with radio adverts that declared: 'Don't miss the fashion show, Maria Sharapova is signing autographs, and then there is the tennis...'[LNB]They were plugging the tournament attractions in that order. The actual business of playing competitive tennis was an afterthought.[LNB]Soon, those headlines will say 'tennis girls as you've never seen them before - holding a racquet!'[LNB] Innocent to orderFerrari face a disciplinary hearing into their blatant breach of a ban on team orders just four days before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.[LNB] On course: Ferrari face a disciplinary hearing later this month, but the circumstances suggest a predictable outcome[LNB]That's right, Italy's F1 team will face an inquiry in the run-up to their home Grand Prix, presided over by Jean Todt, the man now in charge of the FIA who also happens to be the former boss of Ferrari.[LNB]I'd say the result is as predictable as a race between Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.[LNB] Press release of the week: Ex-Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies explains that she loves pork at lovepork.co.uk. You can do your own punchline.[LNB] Mighty MiniThe first car I had was a Mini in a pleasingly deep shade of metallic orange. Or so I thought. [LNB]The next morning I discovered it was that colour because the car was made entirely of compressed rust. It was so technologically obsolete the radio broadcast bulletins from Pathe News. [LNB]The corroded floor contained two large holes and the driver was required to use wellingtons inside when it rained. And it was so small squirrels would often snatch it away to store somewhere for the winter. [LNB]But I did love the car. Now Mini plans to return to the World Rally Championship and I can't wait.[LNB]Follow Des Kelly on Twitter[LNB]
