Meite, the new Gareth Barry?

I have suddenly realised that I really don't envy my colleague Bill Howell.

For the last few months our esteemed Villa reporter has had the tedious task of reporting everything on Gareth Barry's on-off-on-off-on-off-doesanyonecareanymore transfer saga.

Albion are now involved in their own.

Abdoulaye Meite is an Ivory Coast defender who has fallen out with his Bolton manager Gary Megson.

As a result he has as much of future at the Reebok as Gordon Brown would have at No10 if it was left to some of his backbenchers.

Albion wouldn't mind signing Meite but Bolton don't want to let him go cheap.

And then there's the small matter of Megson and his less-than-cordial relationship with Albion chairman Jeremy Peace.

Two bids from Albion have been rejected by Bolton. One for £1.2million which Tony Mowbray claimed to know nothing about (leaked by Bolton) and another for £1.5million.

Now Bolton have come back and suggested that they may be willing to take an Albion player. No names mentioned officially, but Jon Greening and Paul Robinson have been suggested.

When names are generally mentioned they are usually unattributed to quotes of any sort (unless you're Hull's Phil Brown and you insist on revealing all your transfer targets...).

But football and journalism works in the following way - a manager is asked about a transfer. He replies giving certain information to give the reporter a story. But only certain bits. Sometimes nothing at all. Sometimes enough to feed into a story.

Once the microphones, tapes and notepads have been removed or switched off, the manager may then pass on the juicy bits, if he gets the opportunity to do so. He tells the reporters who the players are, or confirms the names which are put to him. Sometimes there is a motive involved, perhaps to speed up a deal or put pressure on another club or chairman. It could be for any reason - the manager may simply be willing to volunteer the information. The names are to be written 'in your own words' or, if you put the name to them, you get the reply along the lines of 'I can't possibly comment but you wouldn't look silly if you wrote that...'

Many work like this on a regular basis - it's a common practice between footballing people and the press.

I'm taking a guess, but I reckon Gary Megson did exactly that. Why do I say that? Because he did it enough times when he was at Albion. Maybe he hasn't at all, I don't know, but he often did when he was at Albion so I wouldn't be surprised.

In any case, as a result of all of the stories you read on Saturday morning, Tony Mowbray was bemused to find himself answering questions about the future of two of his players at today's post-match press conference.

Jono is going nowhere. He has blossomed at Albion, Mowbray likes him, the feeling is mutual. He's the club captain. And the fact Mowbray answered the question with a burst of laughter says it all.

Likewise Robinson, although that one is more feasible for all the obvious reasons about his contractual situation. That too was knocked back by Mowbray.

'Is the deal dead Tony,' asked one journalist.

The answer was that yes it was.

Read into that what you will. I'm not so sure.

Put it this way, I can't see Albion returning with an offer anytime soon. However, if Bolton were to pick up the phone, then...

But, right now, this deal has never looked more 'off' since it first started to roll.

And that's a shame because the deal would suit all concerned. It would give Bolton some fresh funds and rid them of a player who has no future, it would also provide Albion with a new centre-half and, of course, offer a chance for Meite to resume his career.

There is no need for all of this nonsense.

So, come on gents, let's all be grown up and start again, eh?