IT'S STAGGERING. It is 9.15 and the Huth deal is in a state of utter confusion. The Boro press office don't know if the deal has been completed or whether there will be a press conference at Hurworth today. No one has told them one way or another and they say they don't know where the Sky Sports News Boro claim it has gone through even came from. Incredible.
The Chelsea press office is in similar disarray. Their spin doctor doesn't know. Give me ten minutes he says. We ring back after nine and he prevaricates for a while then says a statement will be made imminently but has no idea what it will contain.
Why does no one know? Football is covered comprehensively by a 24 hour rolling news juggernaut. If an England player farts it is given the 'breaking news' yellow banner treatment. How can no one know about the £6m transfer of an international between two Premiership clubs with slick media operations and linked to Sky by an umbilical cord of cash?
The BBC and Sky Sports both earlier reported that it had fallen through and Chelsea pulled the plug because they need cover after selling Gallas but both have since edited their on-line stories, presumably covering their backs after the 8.30am Boro 'claim'.
Meanwhile a phone call to Huth's agent Manfred Schultze brings no joy either. He is not available and the assistant is unable to tell us whether the company has just engineered a lucrative £6m move or not. We couldn't contact Lambie and Gibson was not available.
Radio stations, PA, Reuters, both clubs and his agent.... no one seems to know. And reporters from other papers and punters are ringing us to get to the nub. We don't know either. Wake up Lamby! Rise and shine Kenyon. Get your fingers out. TELL US WHAT HAS HAPPENED!
Wahay, it's 9.44 and a story finally pops up on Sky Sport News website saying "Keith Lamb has told (us) that the transfer was registered before the close of the window." But there are no quotes. It could be a telephone hoaxer ringing in.
Checking back with Chelsea and two paragraphs have appeared on the website. No quotes, no categorical statement that he has 'joined' Boro, only that the deal has been agreed. But we knew that already. And the headline is 'Huth Deal Agreed.' That strikes me as strange. That is yesterday's story. On the Chelsea website surely it would say 'Huth Leaves Chelsea' or 'Blues Bye Bye To Boro Bound Bob' or whatever. Curiouser and curiouser.
At the same time the BBC say the deal has been completed but again, no quotes. And PA send a snap saying Chelsea have confirmed it but appear to have taken that from the website which by my reading doesn't confirm it at all.
It looks like the respective deals have been done both chief executives have gone to bed late and happy without taking the time to send a text, an answer-phone message or stick a post-it note on their press office door to pass on the news. They haven't informed the media, they haven't informed the fans and they haven't informed their own spin machine. What a shambles.
*Update.... 11am and still no official confirmation.
*Update... Press conference at 2pm but no news on whether Huth will be there.
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