Amongst all the brouhaha over West Ham’s signings of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano signings that shook the football world, is the fact that they both have not found a regular spot on the West Ham team. Embarrassingly enough, Tevez has been substituted by Sheringham, who at the age of 40 is enjoying a renaissance of sorts.
The latest in the saga of the two Argentinians, is that they might actually be traded again, this time to Flamengo. The Brazilian club will propose a loan move in January that will have Tevez and Mascherano playing for them for the Copa Libertadores for 6 months. Flamengo has been struggling of late, and the ascendent days of the 80’s when it had players like Zico, Dida, Adilio, Leandro, Nunes and Junior that brought them the league championships regularly are but a distant dream.
The rumours are stronger because the two Argentinians were bargaining chips in the Kia Joorbachian – Eli Papashadou takeover bid that has run into hot water because Eli Papashadou refuses to assume the debt incurred with the Dean Ashton transfer and other miscellaneous charges totalling over 22 million pounds. On the other hand, the bid by Eggert Magnusson, the head of the Icelandic Football Association and an UEFA vice president, which amounts to 75 million pounds accounts for all the outstanding debt. The biggest point however is that Alan Pardew, a fan favourite remains the first choice as coach for Magnusson, as his bid looks increasingly successful. The Kia Joorbachian- Eli Papashadou combine most likely would have seen Pardew’s days as coach numbered as big time names like Big Phil Scolari and Sven Goran Erickson were being mentioned. Joorbachian was not very enchanted by Pardew’s decision to keep Tevez and Mascherano on the bench.
Reports indicate that Magnusson’s bid is likely to succeed and is in the due diligence stage. An announcement is likely in the next week or so. If Magnusson takes over West Ham then Tevez and Mascherano’s position in West Ham becomes increasingly untenable. Pardew is a coach who leads the backlash on the number of overseas players taking over the Premiership, and his mantra is to look first, long and hard, at players within the nation. Rule Britannica!