Giving Up On Gareth And Dean

Today I feel like talking about Gareth Barry. I've touched on the subject before, but since he won't go away then neither will I.

It transpires that Juventus are no longer interested in signing Xabi Alonso from Liverpool. Therefore, why would Liverpool be interested in signing Barry? The price is extortionate for a player with only half Alonso's talent, and a microscopic percentage of his integrity as a man. Barry has stopped short of referring to himself as a slave, but he has long been trying to whinge his way out of Villa Park. It's all very distasteful.

So why has this become relevant today? Well, Barry is apparently set to turn up at Villa for pre-season training tomorrow. No doubt that Sky Sports Too Much Information TV will have a camera if not inside the training ground, then as close as they can get it without having their reporter arrested for stalking. If they can give even a flavour of the conversation between Barry and Villa boss Martin O'Neill it should be compulsive viewing. O'Neill should send Barry to train with the reserves and let him stay there for the remainder of his contract if his move to Liverpool eventually falls through. Someone has to take a stand against player power before clubs are left with no players, only freelancers on short-term deals.

Arsenal are thought to be interested in speaking to Barry also, so he may yet find a way out. Let's hope not.

You may not have noticed that he was actually ever competing, but news breaks today that Dean Macey is retiring from athletics. The decathlete failed to qualify for this summer's Beijing Olympic Games, blaming a groin injury for his inability to reach the qualifying standard. Macey is the current Commonwealth champion, which sounds impressive until you consider that the Commonwealth consists of the UK nations, The Virgin Islands and Canada. Fit or not, he was unlikely to win a medal in China so perhaps it is better that we suffer this disappointment now rather than on the second day of competition after a particularly awful effort in the javelin.

It wouldn't be a summer sports day without some cricket news, but I'll keep it mercifully brief. Defending champions Worcestershire are beaten by six wickets by Nottinghamshire in the opening game of the Pro40 competition at New Road. Simon Jones, who it is said is bowling somewhere close to his England form of 2005, is rested by the Royals. Enough said.