Ordinarily the news that Dean Windass may move to Hartlepool on loan would maybe just make a quite line in a News In Brief column. But it’s not so much the transfer, as the way that it’s come about that’s of interest.
Windass’ move away from the KC Stadium seems to have come about solely through the weekly blog he writes for ITV.com’s football site. Back in September, he wrote of his frustration about not being part of manager Phil Brown’s plans.
Today, that frustration went up a notch as he wrote about being left out of the team for Saturday’s FA Cup draw with Newcastle: “It’s fair to say I’m getting very frustrated and I have no idea what is happening with my situation as the manager hasn’t spoken to me for three weeks. I’m not saying that to try and grab a headline, he’s got other priorities like trying to run a football club, but simply to show how uncertain things are for me.
“As ever I’m training hard, biting my lip and getting on with things. I’ve said it so many times over the season but I just have to be ready if I’m called upon.”
After a quick rebuttal from Phil Brown, events moved quickly and before Hull had a chance to issue a statement, Windass had updated ITV.com and revealed he was weighing up a loan move to Hartlepool. Hull then confirmed Windass was indeed free to leave the club.
But it’s unlikely this is another case of a footballer not understanding the implications of the internet, like young Ashley-Paul Robinson, who let the whole world know he was hoping to leave Crystal Palace for Fulham via his Facebook status.
Windass is the type of character who wears his heart on his sleeve and has been around the game long enough to know exactly what he was doing, even if it’s divided fan opinion on the Hull Mail’s website.
Still, as footballers are, like the rest of us, living their lives online and via Facebook, it’s no surprise that a transfer’s virtually been completed via a blog. Coming soon, no doubt: the first footballer to announce his transfer via Twitter.
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