What a welcome contrast to some of the shenanigans that have rumbled on since the final ball of last season was kicked.

As if you need reminding, the Cristiano Ronaldo saga rumbles on and the ‘transfer’ of Gareth Barry has descended into the realms of farce.

Meanwhile, Manchester United and Tottenham are rowing over tap-up allegations.

Mercenary

After the exuberance of Euro 2008, the pre-season build-up has fallen into an all-too familiar pattern.

Suffice it to say, the smell of not mere money but mega-money and a mercenary mentality has been rife.

Sweet for the few but a stench for the majority, especially at a time when the bulk of fans — even the ones in corporate boxes — are starting to feel the pinch.

Yet through it all comes a vague glimmer of hope that not all is lost to insanity.

Not for a moment am I about to suggest Adebayor is the embodiment of football altruism, a man about to pledge his future to Arsenal purely out of love and loyalty.

He will more than double his current deal and comfortably slot in among the club’s highest earner at around £80,000 a week.

Huge dough, of course, but far less than the £120,000 Barcelona were supposedly prepared to offer.

And at the heart of his decision is the thankful realisation that SOME players still realise the grass is not necessarily greener among the greenbacks.

Had Adebayor pushed it, he could have ended up at the Nou Camp, probably sharing a dressing room with his old pal Thierry Henry for another season.

Decision

Perhaps he might have explained how a player as experienced as the French striker still struggles to come to terms with the unique culture and the demands of life at Barca.

And why Alexander Hleb might discover that the wages in Spain may be greater but why the pressure outweighs even that of London's harrowing traffic congestion.

Yes, Adebayor’s decision to stay is uplifting for so many reasons.

It proves there is a player out there ready to think about his career, not just his bank balance.

Career-wise, it certainly looks a sound move by Adebayor.

As talented a striker that he is, he has only had one really good season and even then after a hot streak and some great goals he went a bit quiet when it counted. By staying with the Gunners, he can build on what he has achieved so far and become truly world class.

I doubt if it ever crossed his mind, but a previous Arsenal player’s experience might have provided an ominous warning of the get-rich-quick routine.

Certainly Adebayor — plucked from relative obscurity only two and half year ago — could easily have become the new Nicolas Anelka had he moved rather than inherit Henry’s mantle.

It is nine years since Anelka was lured to Real Madrid by the money after a summer saga that turned really nasty.

Credit

Since then, with transfer fees totalling a world record £85million, Anelka has become one of the richest players on the planet — but one of the most professionally unfulfilled.

Adebayor aside, it also shows, that despite not being able to contend financially with the money- saturated grandees of the Champions League, Arsenal have put ambition ahead of turning a quick and vast profit on the 24-year-old Togo international.

Belatedly, the player comes out with credit as well as the chance of attaining both material and aesthetic wealth as well winning the hearts of Gunners fans. Good luck to him.

And Arsenal emerge as a club who can at least still have the moral fibre to turn their backs on money.

Now all Arsene Wenger has to do with another crop of young unknowns is to challenge for trophies in order to keep Cesc Fabregas happy . . .

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VAUGHAN LOSER HAS TO GO

GORDON BROWN is not the only leader who doesn’t seem to know his time is up.

No doubt Michael Vaughan, just three Tests short of breaking Michael Atherton’s 52-match appearance record as captain, will grimly cling to the belief he is the man to lead England against the Aussies next summer.

Potential replacements Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood did their best at the crease on Friday to give Vaughan more time.

But the truth is that the man who led England to win the Ashes in 2005 has lost his touch.

As a batsman he has stopped getting runs.

As a skipper he’s lost direction while his authority was completely undermined over the farcical row following Darren Pattinson’s left-field selection.

There’s a need for a shake-up of what has become a far too cosy squad and perhaps it’s time for Kent captain Robert Key to pad up again, this time as captain.

Because whatever England achieve will be despite Vaughan, not because of him.

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REB FOR DANGER, RAMOS

IF Spurs boss Juande Ramos is pinning hopes on luring enigmatic Eastern European forwards to replace attacking talisman Robbie Keane, can I offer two words of warning.

Sergei Rebrov.

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TINY TOM'S A GIANT

“I’m not expecting a medal. That would be a bonus.

“But I’ve never had a moment when I thought ‘I’m not enjoying this.’”

Amidst all the sinister politics and performance-enhancing suspicions prior to the Beijing Olympics, what a refreshing message from 14-year-old diving hope Tom Daley.

Despite a weak track and field team, don’t be surprised if some genuine British superstars, who aren’t just in it for the money, emerge in China.

And for a few weeks, at least, get the recognition they and their minority sports richly deserve.

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LUOL BIGGER THAN BECKHAM

“I WOULD never say I’m bigger than David Beckham,” claimed Luol Deng after signing his £40million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

Actually, at 6ft 9in, Deng (left) - born in Sudan but raised in South London - is bigger than everybody and certainly dwarfs Beckham’s basic salary.

But great to see, like Becks, Deng is not too big for his boots when it comes to representing his country.

So, straight after sealing his deal, Deng is over here to help the Great Britain team qualify for the 2009 European Championships.