Another one bites the dust
There's a funny story from Blues pre-season tour to Germany last year.
New signing Olivier Kapo was billeted with Fabrice Muamba, a fellow French-speaker, and on the first night as roomies they got chatting.
Kapo asked Muamba how old he was and when the reply came back '18' there was wide-eyed disbelief followed by much laughter.
'You serious?' was the gist of Kapo's reaction, as he was convinced Muamba had the look and the physique of a man of more advanced years.
A touch of the Peter Ndlovu or the Kanu about him, that sort of thing (Kanu has just celebrated his 48th birthday apparently).
Muamba was preparing for his first full season in the Premier League, having proved himself a man all right in the Championship.
Although rough around the edges, Muamba's athleticism and drive was inspiring. Kevan Broadhurst, analysing on radio, often said that he brought the energy and thrust to the midfield that had been lacking since Robbie Savage used to drag people along with him.
Martin Taylor joked that he was like Inspector Gadget, sticking out those telescopic 'go go gadget' legs to dispossess a startled opponent.
Now Muamba has gone, in a ã5.75 million deal to Bolton Wanderers, the debate has started about whether or not it was a wise move.
Without doubt it's a lot of money, a good price, for a player whose potential has not been realised and has plenty to improve upon.
On the flip side, would Muamba not get better in the next couple of years and be worth a lot, lot more in terms of importance to the team and from a monetary angle?
He's another cult favourite to have exited St Andrew's as well.
The case of Andrew Johnson has been brought up again, another good young 'un who was moved on and has blossomed into the real deal elsewhere.
Similarly to the choice Steve Bruce faced in 2002, Alex McLeish has made a decision for the here and now. He can't afford to wait.
Muamba wanted to stay in the Premier League, Bolton were willing to pay the going rate, and McLeish was told he could find a replacement.
McLeish has a high regard for Muamba's powerful qualities and box-to-box running.
But he wants to slowly but surely transform the midfield into a more canny unit, upping the quality on - and off - the ball. He wants players comfortable in possession and able to pass it.
Those sort of attributes may yet become a fuller part of Muamba's game in the near future. At present, at his best, he is a rampaging destroyer, which is how Gary Megson sees him.
They key is to reclaim Blues status among England's elite, allowing McLeish to do what he's paid to do - manage - then find the next, upgraded version of Muamba, if that's what he feels is needed.
Sure, it would have been nice to have kept Muamba in the fold and brought him on. But football nowadays doesn't work like that, especially when you've been relegated.
As for the argument that Blues made a relatively small profit on Muamba, to me that's missing the point. Blues have paid ã3.15 million all told to Arsenal. That was from last year's budget. The ã5 million guaranteed, that is new income generated this year and should be put towards the pot.
There was too much responsibility on Muamba's shoulders this season. To task a teenager with anchoring a Premier League midfield, the most important department in the top-flight, was a burden. He is still learning his position.
One of the abiding memories for me was at Barnsley two Easters ago.
Muamba turned in an all-action performance, ploughing up the field with breathtaking intensity.
Midway through the second-half, with Blues desperately trying to find a goal and the game completely open, he ran 40 yards after an opponent and powered in to rob him.
He then turned and set Blues off on a counter attack. He surged beyond a couple of Barnsley tacklers, Blues suddenly had a three-on-two break and he promptly passed the ball straight to the centre-half!
That kind of encapsulated Muamba, a player with a heart as big as his beaming smile and a likeable, respectful person.
Older/Newer
4 Comments
Profile
Colin Tattum - Mail man Colin Tattum's view of what's going on at Birmingham City FC.
Good "assessment" it would have been nice to keep Fab around for a couple of years to "see what happens" but we are not in that position and it would not of been fair on the kid. Good luck Fab it was a giggle.
The board are really trying their best to pull the fans together after the end of season protests and give them some optimism for next season.
Did Sullivan and Gold both wake up one morning and say, I know, let's get rid of all of our best players, but lets hope the fans forgot our comments about not having to sell any and they don't remember the parachute payments from Sky, maybe we can ignore that? (+ã3m Brucie bonus). That should get them flocking to the ticket office to renew!
If Kapo and Larsson both go, there won't be any protests next season - no one will go, if season ticket holders had any sense, they'd wait and see who the club bring in and retain first.
A good deal...
Great engine - but his passing as shocking. He will be a decent player 26-28... but not a great player.
Kapo - a decent player, prozone suggest decent work rate, if 5 million comes along - see ya
For those who went to Fulham - Murphy, Bullard and Davis... out worked us and out passed us..
Carsley good start - Kolker no thanks - Nugent better buy maybe yes - Davis from Portsmouth maybe yes...
lets remember Bruce wanted Mido - and he was shocking this season...
If I owned the Blues - I would have sold Muamba and would sell Kapo and I would have drove Fossell to the airport ã12m over 4 years... and did he really work the centre halfs... nope.
keep right on - got my season ticket already!
I like eating cheese in my cheese house and my bed is made of warkishire's ian bell's old chewing gum rapers