Normally fans are upset when their side sells an international to another top European club, but not in the case of France’s Jean-Alain Boumsong.
Media reports say the Juventus defender is poised to join Lyon and a lot of fans of the Italian giants could not be happier.
Newcastle United supporters may well gasp in horror as they remember Boumsong’s time on Tyneside, when he teamed up with Titus Bramble to form a central defensive partnership referred to by fans and media as the “Chuckle Brothers” (the uninitiated should follow the link).
One of the pair was almost guaranteed to produce a howler each week.
Boumsong has been just as error-prone at Juventus and even struggled in Serie B last season. Back in Serie A, Juve have a defensive injury crisis but that still hasn’t tempted Claudio Ranieri to give Boumsong more than a cursory run-out.
Newcastle fans never took Sam Allardyce to their hearts in his brief spell in charge but one thing they thanked him for was letting Bramble go to Wigan Athletic.
New Wigan boss Steve Bruce gave a wry assertion of Bramble after his mishit backpass led to Everton’s first goal in a 2-1 win on Sunday. “Unfortunately for Titus he’s been punished again,” he said.
Mark Meadows, Milan
PHOTO: Thierry Henry bamboozles Boumsong and Bramble when the Frenchman was still at Arsenal, Jan 2005, REUTERS/Mike Finn-Kelcey
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3 comments so far
Wll the man Juve fans called ‘Boom Boom’ left them with a gift in his final appearance on Wednesday - the equaliser in a 2-2 cup draw with Inter.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsHe’s gone to Lyon today.
Not so fast, mark: http://football.uk.reuters.com/european/ news/L25411429.php
- Posted by KevHe did go to Lyon yesterday, he just didnt sign! Juve have a defensive crisis and he has to stay until they get somebody in. Villa’s Mellberg was expected to join in June but they are now trying to get him in immediately, reports say.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsAll this begs the question of why Juve allowed promising young centre half Domenico Criscito to go on loan to Genoa earlier this month.