From the Trinity: Barry dilemma overshadows silly season

That's right, folks, silly season is here.

In between working pretty damn hard, laughing my tits off at John Terry and worshipping at the Church of Boca (laugh ye not, they'll probably build one to match the graveyard), May to August is the time when I get bombarded with rumour, in-the-know posturing and mediocre signings.

But this summer, things are a little bit different at B6. The usual rumours are there to an extent. Diego Forlan's been seen in Birmingham. Crouchinho's on his way back to Villa. We're signing Nelson. Some kid or other is going to be snapped up from the lower leagues.

You know, the expected.

While we endlessly debate the merits of signing Richard Dunne, Steve Sidwell or (please no!) Scott Carson, more important matters are engulfing Villa Park.

You see, it's been so long since we've had a talisman that most of us Villans have all but forgotten what it's like to lose one. The man of whom I speak is, of course, Gareth Barry. The England midfielder has become an institution at Villa, a symbol of what it means to be Villa. He's blasting through his fourth century of competitive Villa matches, despite having a good several years left in his career.

He's stuck with Villa through some very sticky times, when he's had many opportunities to leave. He's played under 67 England managers, once for each. Unfortunately, Barry has had his head turned, and in the most despicable way.

Rafael Benitez is even more of a festering cretinous boil than his facial hair suggests. He tapped up Barry via the media, and timed it deliberately to unsettle the team. Why? Unsettle the Villa, rob them of Europe, pick up their disillusioned captain. The war of words between the fat piece of pondlife scum and Martin O'Neill has grown ever more vicious, with Benitez making himself look like more of a pile of filth with every press interview.

A few weeks ago I was absolutely certain that the seeds had been sewn and Barry was off. Having given the lion's share of his career to Villa, it seemed the skipper was ready to jump ship and join Liverpool to play Champions League football. He's close friends with Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, and they'd make a bloody good midfield partnership. Nailed on, right?

Thankfully, one or two doubts have started to creep into my mind. Liverpool Football Club is, amusingly, up shit creek - and one of the fans has pinched its paddle, la. I know it. You know it. Barry knows it. Everybody knows it. Villa, on the other hand, have the best off-the-pitch set-up in the country.

Then there's Barry's celebration after scoring at West Ham, which was a superb moment and one which will live fondly in the collective Villa memory if he leaves. He gave his all against West Ham, a startling contrast to the exits of Dwight Yorke and Mark Bosnich.

Of course, the question is what does Barry's silence mean? Is he leaving? Or is he simply choosing not to dignify Benitez's conniving deeds with a comment? Sadly, I suspect the former. And to be honest I'm in two minds about how I'll react when it happens.