Jilted Jara and other stuff

ROBERTO Di Matteo has one of those whiteboards behind his desk.

The kind you stick magnets on and can draw squiggly lines on. But not with a permanent marker.

Earlier this week the Albion head coach had split his magnets into categories. There were injured/suspended players, youth players and those out on loan. Goalkeepers (there were two), defenders (several, nearly all centre-halves), midfielders (mainly ballplayers) and strikers (just one more than goalkeepers).

Which is why we shouldn't complain too much about Albion's decision to drop Gonzalo Jara.

Sure, it was all a little clumsy, but Colo Colo get to keep their man, he earns enough anyway so feel no sympathy for him and the centre-half-cum-man-for-every-position got to visit the West Midlands for the day and Albion may yet return for him anyway. Don't rule this one out just yet. A couple of defensive departures before August (my money is on Meite) could open the door for a renewed bid for the Chilean.

In the meantime Albion have other pressing issues. Marek Cech isn't really convincing anyone at left-back (how poor was he at Walsall?), nor is opposite full-back Zuiverloon. Jara, though capable of playing at full-back, wasn't adept in that role. Cech and Zuiverloon have much more to offer and clearly have potential.

But what if one or both gets injured? Then what? Makes you wonder whether Albion dropped their interest in Jara for a reason - remember how they suddenly failed to agree terms with Ariza Makakula only for Marc-Antoine Fortune to turn up a few days later?

Even so, don't expect anything this side of Saturday.

And up front, there are issues. Albion didn't look like scoring last week against Chievo.

Luke Moore has looked reasonable in pre-season but was struggling to get on Albion's bench towards the end of last season, Craig Beattie was even lower down the pecking order and Simon Cox isn't fully fit. Chris Wood, talented though he is, still needs ID if he wishes to buy fireworks.

So what of Jermaine Beckford? Contrary to reports today, Albion HAVEN'T made a bid.

They did, however, ask about him a few weeks ago. Leeds laughed and sent back a piece of paper with far too many numbers on it, preceded by a pound sign. And, given that Leeds have just sold Fabian Delph to the 2009 Peace Cup winners (and won't we know about it for the next 25 years...), there is little chance of Leeds accepting the kind of money Albion are willing to offer. For Beckford, see Greening. For Albion, try Fulham. If it happens, it won't be happening now and only if Leeds drop their demands, or if he jumps up and down in a rage.

And what of Joe Mattock, he of Leicester? Well, as with Beckford of Leeds, Albion put the question to Leicester. And that's as far as it's got. The selling club's asking price is too high at this stage.

So Albion keep on looking on all fronts. But then August is young, the transfer window still has weeks to run and it would be a dull August 31 without Sky's Andy Burton, his many phones and those 'I'm just keeping Arsene on hold, while I tell you of exciting news at Eastlands' comments.

As for Di Matteo - at least he puts his white board to good use. One of his predecessors joyfully wrote down his transfer targets and, even more joyfully, forgot to remove them before his press briefing (imagine if Albion really had signed Eduardo or Danny Shittu), while Phil Brown has a giant portrait of himself behind his desk - although it could be a mirror - and Lord only knows what Joe Kinnear did to his desk during one of those many Newcastle rages.

The football season is almost back.

Bring it on.

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