Philippe Mexès and His Agent: The Perfect Pair

A bit more transfer news about Philippe Mexès. (I’ve been intently searching for more Mexès news, because I wanted to show that I am truly working to dispel my previously-mentioned irrational bias against pretty blond players with fanzines. Fortunately for me, there are not a lot of blonds who play for France.)

I thought it was working. Honestly I did. And then I stumbled on this quote from last month from our Philippe, again referring to his exclusion from the World Cup team: “It is true that I deserved to be called more than others. I humbly think I had nothing to envy of players who were called up last season.”

Sigh. Back to square one. Although my bias is suddenly not feeling quite so irrational. But I can be strong. I can push my personal feelings aside and report on M. Mexès. Okay. Deep breath.

Once again, rumors are linking Philippe to Chelsea, and Real Madrid, and AC Milan. (I personally like Milan, because the visuals that go with the thought of Mexès “rejuvenating an aging rearguard” still make me giggle.) But that’s not the news. The news is that Roma is considering letting him go because his agent, Olivier Jouanneaux, is allegedly a royal pain in the ass.

Olivier Jouanneaux? The Olivier Jouanneaux who got Philippe a six-week suspension in 2004 for “unilateral breach of contract” when he had unauthorized contact with Roma while Philippe was at Auxerre? The suspension that Philippe was still whining about in the “I deserved to be called more than others” interview in December? The Olivier Jouanneaux who himself got a six-month suspension for that same transgression? That Olivier Jouanneaux?

Sounds like a heckuva stand-up guy, Philippe. Be loyal. You two will go far together.