It would be too easy to slot Romania’s Adrian Mutu straight into our “Players Who Won’t Be Missed” series. Chelsea. Cocaine. It’s classic modern day football material.
But our team of players who won’t be missed in South Africa has standards. It has to be choc-full of highly annoying characters. To be included we must be convinced that a player’s presence – despite the potential for individual moments of brilliance – would sour the South Africa experience.
The recent decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that Mutu must pay Chelsea 17 Million Euros (the transfer fee Chelsea wrote off when they terminated his contract in 2004 for cocaine use) has somewhat transformed the player into a victim. The sympathies of the football blogosphere seem to be with him.
Still, the millions Mutu owes or does not owe Chelsea is a subtext the South African World Cup can do without. So Mutu makes the squad, just. First change for Berbatov.
Romania has an almost impossible task ahead. Trips to Paris and Belgrade should end their qualification hopes. Mutu will not be missed. Romanians who care can catch him next summer on re run editions of Romania’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Sympathetic football bloggers can cheer for him at the European Court for Human Rights.