According to ongoing reports, Michael Ballack, perhaps the greatest living German, is on the brink of moving to London to play for Chelsea. The reason given is that "Michael will continue his career with a side that will win the Champions League." So says his agent, Michael Becker.

Football is becoming like tennis - all pouting vanities with no allegiance to anyone but to their agent. Soon no-one will care about it anymore. A cousin of mine once saw Ballack get into a fight. A lot was done to cover and defang the role he played, but it made many German tabloids. Ballack was apparently desperate to defend his advertising deals.

But the popularity bubble of football will burst soon, and then all these people will be standing there lining up like so many clipped and tethered hawks.