By Ian Grant
Strange time to be in London with Live8, the Olympics and 7/7.
Yesterday, after going through a mass evacuation up the emergency exit on the Underground, managed, by accident to get a cab driver who turned out to be Pete Doherty’s mate and driver to get me through the back streets of Covent Garden to Holborn.
Chaotic scenes there with helicopters, many Police motorcycles, fire engines and ambulances, sirens everywhere, and hundreds of people on the streets.
Was running a conference – partly on the implications of the Olympics, two or three streets from Tavistock Square. Needless to say it started late, but an hour in we were told to close the windows, stay in-doors and just listen to the TV.
Of course Arsenal comes up in some form or other in nearly every walk of life – and while waiting for five hours asked an Olympic specialist who confirmed that he didn’t think Ashburton Grove was being used – for the football at least. Old Trafford, Wembley and Villa Park are.
The things they have to do to get the Games on time is scary – including re-routing a river, bury overhead power lines, and re-locating existing businesses in the Lea Valley. The latter part is reminiscent of Ashburton Grove – only much bigger and much more difficult. And it all has to take seven years.
Getting out of the centre was eerie – just like the thirties film Metropolis. Loads of people walking in one direction without any traffic at all.
There was an element of togetherness – a feeling of – we are all in this together. And an element of stoicism. I saw no-one in panic all day. People went where they had to go with a quiet determination. Some pubs were full. The sun was streaming down.
Anyway the whole events of yesterday put football into perspective.
China
Today. Anybody in any doubt about the dwindling power of the match-going fan had this confirmation. China.com Inc a Mobile Value Added Services (MVAS), Internet portal, and online game provider is launching the official Chinese website and wireless services in Greater China for Arsenal next week. The website will target over a hundred million football fans across Greater China and the global Chinese community.
The deal also includes Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau and features player interviews and photo galleries, chatrooms, a video clip library, online games, downloads, an online forum and an e-shopping platform. It will have SMS, WAP, MMS and IVR.
The content will include live match scores, event news, pictures, audio and video content, downloads, ringtones and mobile games.
Liverpool signed a deal too, with the same company recently.
TRANSFERS
Transfer gossip is bewildering at present – particularly over Baptista – a reported upped bid of £11.5m, Chelsea reportedly stepping in, the president threatening to report Wenger to FIFA for talking to the Brazilian, without approval. The whole thing is beginning to stink.
And Vieira to Juventus, Appiah in part exchange, and Pires to one of potentially four clubs, including Galatasaray – all seems hard to believe. Juventus are reported to be coming back with an improved offer for Vieira.
There may be some truth in the Mirror’s liitle whisper about Arsenal seeking double deal for Willy Sagnol and Hasan Salihamidzic, with Bayern Munich – maybe.
OLD BOYS
Tony Adams to Feyernoord as trainee coach has been well publicised. But less so David Hillier who disappeared rapidly from Arsenal in the mid-nineties. He has now re-surfaced as a fireman in Bristol.