Sit down, we need to talk.

This isn't going to be easy, but I need to say it. I know you'll find it hard to accept, but there's no avoiding the truth.

This morning I sat down and watched Tottenham Hotspur play and I actually enjoyed it.

I know, I know, me of all people.

How could I?

Do I know what this means for our relationship? Of course I do. I'll always be a Gooner, but, they were on TV, I had the remote control and a cup of freshly poured coffee and time on my hands and, well, things just happened you know?

What's his name you ask?

OK then, Gareth. Gareth Bale.

Never heard of him? Well you will.

He's a Welsh kid with the speed of Colin Jackson and the poise of Ryan Giggs. He's barely 21 years of age yet in the last 3 months he's gone from being the bloke carrying ‘Arry Redknapp's man bag and polishing his Bentley to the hottest thing seen at White Hart Lane since Jurgen Klinsmann's little black book.

And this morning he tore a giant hole in the guts of the current UEFA Champions League kings Internazionale of Milan. Not that it's the first time he's done this to the champs. Two weeks ago he paid them a house call at the San Siro and scored three of the most sumptuous goals you're likely to see all year. Never mind that Spurs were 4-3 losers on the night. This was bigger than just the three points on offer. This was a coming out party for the next phenomena of British football.

And then there was Wednesday morning.

Gareth Bale torched the Brazilian tyro Maicon with his rampaging runs and deadly first touch. He took a world class defence and made them look, well, like Tottenham did a few years back as they languished bottom of the Premier League and had to ask ‘Arry put on the superman cape and fly to their rescue.

And I'm not alone thinking the kid's got something special. I spoke with Craig Foster, a man who is no fool for a kid with a bag of tricks and it seems I wasn't the only one swooning in front of the TV.

"Speed is one thing and it's extremely valuable in the modern game" Fozzy told me, "But you need also the intelligence and the trickery on the ball, so if you have a winger who can stand a Maicon up, possibly the best right back in the world, repeatedly one on one and utterly humiliate the guy, then knock a ball 30 yards and turn on the after burners and destroy everyone, you've got something special"

"On top of that he can score, and the hardest thing in football is to play the final pass. He does it twice against Inter, perfectly, under pressure in a big game."

So you see I'm not the only one.

And yes, I know, it's hard for you to accept, but I'm still Arsenal through and through.

But just for one morning I had my head turned by she whose name shan't be mentioned.

We're all allowed a bit on the side, aren't we?