Does anybody want Eboue or Shearer?

“We will talk to Arsenal over the next few days, he is settled in London, but we’ll have to see. It’s not just Fiorentina after him, but there are also Spanish teams. There are no other news at the moment, we will know more in the coming days.”

- Emmanuel Eboue's agent

Emmanuel Eboue is a wanted man, apparently. He's a versatile full-back/winger who can dance a funky dance, is called the Pass Master, and who wants to play more games. He's being chased by Fiorentina and, um, some clubs in Spain.

I actually think we should keep Eboue. He's an experienced older body who can play a variety of roles competently. He's a handy substitute for Sagna. But if he can get a starting position at a club the size of Fiorentina, I'd be happy to let him go. At 26, he needs the game time that we can't give him.

I'm just wondering who these Spanish clubs are. All I know about football rumours comes from the internet, and as far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't feature on newsnow it didn't really happen. And there's nothing on newsnow about Eboue. If Eboue's agent is making stuff up about interest in Eboue, I wish he'd stop it. There's enough specious speculation in the transfer season without agents fabricating false rumours. And if Eboue's agent really thinks Eboue's being lusted after by a bevy of Spanish clubs, he's seriously deluded.

There's been a bit of delusion lately. I came across this article about Alan Shearer and the Newcastle United job. I've been following it for a while, and I still don't understand it. It doesn't make sense. The guy was in charge of four or five games, was odds on to keep them in the Premier League, and he led them to relegation. Why then is he still considered to be the best option for Newcastle? Why is he even considered at all?

It was meant to be temporary. Shearer was meant to be in charge for only the last few games of the season, get them out of the relegation zone, and then zip back to his BBC punditry. The way I see it, he hasn't fulfilled even one of those requirements. He's hanging around like a bad smell trying to get a permanent position. He got Newcastle relegated. And he's forestalling on his TV spot while his managerial career is in limbo.

There's this quote by ex-teammate Robert Lee, taken from the Guardian:

"I speak to Alan every day and he is frustrated to say the least. He's coming to the end of his tether. He has waited for ages and been told things were due to happen but nothing has. I'm amazed he hasn't already told Newcastle he doesn't want the manager's job any more. But there will come a point where he says 'You're too late'. He still wants the job desperately but you can't expect someone like that to wait forever."

I know he's a Geordie legend and all, but how is it that Alan Shearer is in the position to make comments like this? He's done nothing during his time as manager, and he's still expecting to be reappointed?