Harry Redknapp has caused controversy by issuing what some have taken to be an open invitation to Joe Cole to join Tottenham this summer.
The Spurs manager is a regular columnist for tabloid newspaper The Sun, where he covers such diverse subjects as football (obviously) his eating habits, and his family life, however, this week, there was only one subject which caught his attention - Joe Cole.
Redknapp wrote: "I've got three words to say to all those people asking me if Joe Cole should be on the plane to South Africa - definitely, definitely, definitely."
Fair enough - it is not inconceivable that Redknapp has been asked his opinion about Cole's inclusion in Fabio Capello's so many times that he thought he would deal with the question in his column.
Then there is the fact that columnists have to find interesting material. The season is finished, and in the absence of any new signings, Redknapp's attention, with that of the nation, has turned to this summer's World Cup.
But the language used shows the depth of regard Redknapp has for Cole, who he has watched grow up from an 11-year-old wonder kid at the West Ham Academy to the multi-trophy winning influential midfielder who currently resides at Chelsea.
Redknapp's column does read like a love letter to the Chelsea star.
It begins with Cole's attributes as a schoolboy footballer, enthusing about both his talent and his work rate and attitude, and continues with how valuable the midfielder is to the English game.
"At 28, I think he has five or six great years left in him and I can see him being one of THE real impact players if he goes to South Africa.
And I really, really hope he does make it, because he's got everything you need when you're looking at World Cup players." writes Redknapp.
That would also seem to suggest that Cole also has everything Redknapp needs when looking for Spurs players.
But this sort of adoration is nothing new, Redknapp has always been complimentary about Cole.
The only difference is that now Cole is, to all intents and purposes, up for grabs.
Redknapp stated just the other week that he would not comment on Cole or fellow West Ham graduate Manchester United's Michael Carrick, as Spurs had not named any transfer targets, and Redknapp did not want to speculate on players belonging to other clubs.
But the Spurs boss has had many past tanglements with 'tapping up' allegations, from a storm in a tea cup about Jonas Gutierrez to Redknapp's own insistence that the rules of tapping up were outdated because "players always know who is interested in them".
However, the column talks about Cole's past and present, not his future.
The only exception to this is Redknapp's repeated insistence that Joe Cole would be a major asset to England's 2010 World Cup campaign, which is ostensibly what the piece is about.
I'm not saying Redknapp did not have ulterior motives for praising a player who will be available on a free transfer if Chelsea decide they don't want to renew his contract, of course he did, but there is nothing untoward about expressing gladness at an old friend's good news...
Redknapp goes on to say that: "Having a player with the ability to unlock the door is priceless."
This phrase screams at me, if Joe Cole is 'priceless' and is available on a free, I can't think of a single reason Redknapp wouldn't sign him.
First published on www.ComeOnSpurs.com on 17/5/2010
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