What must be close to if not over three decades ago, some ‘Genius’ (can you smell the sarcasm off that description?) in a carpeted office somewhere in Brussells came up with the bright spark of paying farmers not to grow crops on particular parcels of land.
Officially the terminology was that the ground was to be left fallow. In other words have no crops planted therein, but it became far more commonly known as ‘Setaside’. Which, to all intents and purposes, is exactly what it was. Taken out of all rotations for a year and, surprise surprise, left to one side.
I think in the latter years was running there was an obligation on farmers to top or mulch ground that was in setaside on a couple of occasions a year. Which might possibly explain why the silly season doesn’t appear to do setaside in sporting matters. How else could one explain even somebody as volatile and ignorant as Daniel Levy – head honcho of Tottenham Hotspur – removing Ange Postecoglou as manager less than two weeks after the big man had lead the weak side of North London to a trophy at European level.
Granted, finishing one spot above the drop zone is not a good look for a club that have an admirably long history of playing top flight football. However, seeing as how the vast majority of that time was spent with – as they say in horse racing parlance – the ‘also-rans’, you’d have thought any sort of trophy would’ve been guaranteed the job for life and canonisation.
But no, lunatic Levy has only gone and given Postecoglou the boot. And, not content with fu**ing up his own club, he has also potentially destroyed Brentford. Because, in Thomas Frank the Bees had one of a very rare breed – somebody in football with a degree of loyalty about him. Signified by the fact that the Dane had been in situ at the Vitality Stadium for seven years.
I know you’re probably preening about hypocrisy in view of Frank has jettisoned that loyalty at the first opportunity of what some (deluded souls) consider advancement. From a certain angle, such a viewpoint is wholly understandable.
However, if you look at the bigger picture at Brentford itself, his departure maybe doesn’t look all that surprising. With Ivan Toney gone, Mark Flekken gone and any one or possibly all of Bryan Mbeuno, Yoane Wissa or Kevin Schade could also be headed for the departure lounge.
All of which would lead you to wonder what Caoimhin Kelliher must make of the most recent whirlwind developments. After all, you can only assume it was Frank who enticed and ultimately signed the Ringmahon lad from Anfield.
If, as the old dictum goes, a new broom does in fact sweep clean, Kelliher may not have any guarantees with whomever the new incumbent in the Bees’ dugout may be.
Another fine mess caused by Mr Levy!