This was HD in my day.

There weren’t any personal computers or  cell phones.  There weren’t even calculators.  Pencil and paper served to write mail, do complex math, leave reminders (to affix them to something required scotch tape or thumb tacks; no post-its or pushpins) and, of course to do schoolwork.  If you needed to research something, there were these books called encyclopedias.  I walked back and forth to school.  Yes, in the snow or the rain, too, and some days it did seem uphill in both directions.

Automatic transmissions cost extra in your car, the windows cranked, power steering was a luxury and unleaded gas was just a rip-off to make the oil companies more money. Televisions had antennae and a colour set was as expensive as HD plasma screens are now.  Telephones featured rotary dials and party lines (think of it as involuntary conference calling) were still common.  FM radio was counterculture (AM was the big time) and digital watches and alarm clocks were considered otherworldly technology when they first debuted.  Now, one of my stepdaughter’s schoolmates can’t tell time from a traditional clock.  Blows my mind, that does.

So does the fact, when I wax nostalgic, that I don’t know what I’d do without my laptop, cellphone, cable, internet, ATM card or even how I’d get in touch with the police or an ambulance in a strange town if 911/999/112 hadn’t been conceived of yet..  An infinite number of inventions and innovations have come along in my adult, or young adult life, and yet they seem to me as though they’ve been around forever and are indispensable.

Fans of English football look at the current landscape of the Premier League in the same manner.  A week doesn’t go by without someone bemoaning in print or on video that Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have an unfair advantage and will always be on top unless something is done to level the playing field.  Yet, I’m willing to wager a fiver that journos used to go on about Liverpool, in Bill Shankly’s day, in the same fashion, and about the reigns of Aston Villa and Everton, as well, if you go even further into the past.  Never mind that a couple of years ago, until the follies of Hicks & Gillette, Liverpool were included in the royal class, also known as the ‘Big Four.’  The Anfield faithful aren’t too happy about having lost their seat in that house.

Interesting, isn’t it, how we simultaneously fear and crave after change?

Well, if you’re a Premier League aficionado, you should be quaking in your boots and trembling with joy, because the league is in the midst of what could be a tectonic shift in the balance of power.

I’ve just mentioned Liverpool’s recent decline and it’s been discussed in the media ubiquitously.  United is seemingly keeping the wolves away from the door because, instead of a trio of smallish porcine building contractors, they have the astute football mind of Sir Alex Ferguson.  Yet what will happen to the value of the club, when Fergie steps down, as, someday soon, he will?  Chelsea’s Roman Abramaovich has begun regulating the cash flow into Stamford Bridge but his squad is aging rapidly and UEFA’s financial accountability regulations, just around the corner, seem to prohibit the Russian from re-opening the floodgates.  Arsenal have maintained fiscal discipline, apparently with the consequence of a 6 year trophy drought.  The angst of not winning, however, has led to two of their biggest shareholders, Uzbeki Alisher Usmanov and American Stan Kroenke, each purchasing enough shares, separately, to threaten an imminent and hostile takeover of the club.

The First National City Bank of Manchester.

It’s well known that nature abhors a vacuum and so, too, does the nature of football.  With the weakest of their number having already been deposed and the dynastic runs of the remaining three quarters of the Big Four seemingly balanced on a knife’s edge, there are a number of clubs circling, with a mind to assuming a place at the top when one of the bluebloods stumbles.

Obviously foremost in that group is Manchester City.  Each time Liverpool’s troubles have been dissected, Man City and their Abu Dhabi funded ambitions have been offered up as the natural ascendant to the Red’s vacated place in the ruling class.  It hasn’t happened, yet, mainly because an East Londoner has proven a little quicker to the mark.  Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham side own a Champions League spot this season, having held off Roberto Mancini’s Citizens at last season’s end.  Nor does Harry mean the CL to just be a passing fancy at White Hart Lane, if the purchase of Rafael van der Vaart is any indication.

Another rule of  nature, though, is survival of the fittest.  The tricky part, the one that leads to surprises, is just how that fitness is measured.  City has no end of cash, which makes them very strong and Redknapp has an eye for offensive talent.  Those qualities have put the Eastlanders and Spurs into the spotlight, in the battle for supremacy in the coming ‘New Order,’ but there are other sides planning coups of their own.

Despite a proven record of success, Houllier will have to win over Villa fans.

Aston Villa and Everton, past rulers of the English top flight, have focused their hopes on strong management.  For Villa, the lack of finances has allegedly cost them their field general, Martin O’Neill,  but they are hoping that Gerard Houllier, the Frenchman who led Liverpool through the last stages of their dynasty, in the early ’90′s, can take them the rest of the way back to glory.  At Goodison Park, patience and fortitude have been the watchwords of the Scot, David Moyes.  Yet, he too, has not been able to put it all together, especially in the early stages of campaigns.

For Liverpool, the unhappiness of their displacement is still fresh and the demand for a quick turnaround is loud.   Roy Hodgson, as he showed at Fulham, is capable of doing much more than expected with far less resources than some but even he cannot conjure something out of nothing.  Owners, Hicks & Gillette, have proven unwilling and unable to invest for the long term and their desire to make a profit from their demolition of a proud franchise may instead see it turned over to the bank for liquidation.  The Kopp had best get used to being a struggling club, for the time being.

Each of these clubs has a missing ingredient in the recipe for ultimate success but there is one side, coming up quickly, that seems to have everything required.

Birmingham City, under Alex McLeish, surprised many with their performance last year.  Having just returned from a single season exile to the Championship, the club had gone through several changes and, early in their return, went through one more.  The former Celtic manager, having brought the club immediately back into the top flight, had to be overjoyed when he finally met the new chairman.

The purchase of City took longer than expected, despite the seeming haste of the David’s, Sullivan and Gold, to leave a place where they knew they were emphatically not wanted.  Although, once the transaction was complete, the new owner, Hong Kong investor and casino boss Carson (Ka Sing) Yeung quickly got down to business.

Plotting a dynasty?

The Scottish manager hasn’t had the blank checkbook that Roberto Mancini enjoys, but his eye for quality and value has allowed him to spend the resources he’s been given very well.  His triple dip on the last day of the transfer window, for Alex Hleb, Jean Beausejour and Martin Jiranek capped an interesting summer of shopping for the Blues.  Earlier, he had brought home the vagabond English striker, Matt Derbyshire, from Greece and, prior to the World Cup, had recruited match starved United keeper Ben Foster to replace Joe Hart, when Man City denied to extend his loan or sell him permanently.  Also new, is 6’7″ Serbian striker Nikola Zigic, who, despite the manager’s familiarity with Peter Crouch, was signed without the rumoured ‘no robot dance celebration’ clause attached to his contract.

Added to the UK and Irish base of Kevin Philips, James McFadden, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, Stephen Carr and Stuart Parnaby, the influx of international talents should give the Birmingham boss a greater diversity of  tactical options and make his squad a less predictable opponent for which to prepare.

It’s early days but the Blues have taken points in all 3 matches, including two hard fought draws away from home.  That type of fight shows another of McLeish’s strong attributes; his players are willing to go out and give their all for him.  When you examine the Scot’s methods and results, as well as his managerial career path, up from Motherwell and Hibernian, then on to Rangers and now birmingham, it puts you in mind of a much older countryman of his, Sir Alex Ferguson.

Remember that when Fergie first came into the United set-up, they were commoners themselves.  It took him a few seasons to build them into the European giants they were once and are again.  So don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not tipping City for immediate glory.  I’m just laying the ground work so that, in three or four seasons, I can say I told you so.

You know you're old if you can remember Alan Shearer with hair.

Wouldn’t it be nice, a generation from now, to say to some glassy eyed youngster, “I remember when Sir Alex first got to Birmingham.  Believe me, they weren’t such an unstoppable force back then!”

The landscape in the Premier League is changing.   Nothing is forever and one season, in the not too distant future, we’ll get a fifth Premier League Champion; one not named United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Blackburn (remember them!).  My money is on Birmingham.

So, to those of you still complaining about the lack of change in the Premier League, I say wake up!  It’s happening right under your nose.

Editor’s note:  Just as this article was being made ready for posting, Mikel Arteta’s ineligibility was announced.  However, WFC still believes the issues of player eligibility remain unresolved, even if Mikel Arteta’s case has been.  So, please read on and decide for yourself.

In South africa, England was lacking a creative spark...

Do you remember way back, in the springtime of England’s 2010 World Cup dreams, when anything seemed possible?  Brazil and Spain were within reach and the only real problem that Fabio Capello had was the lack of a proven goalkeeper.  Oh, to be young again.  Sadly, another generation of England fans have been forced to grow up too quickly, discovering that the footballing world is a cruel, hard place.

Now it’s autumn and the FA are trying to pick up the pieces of a crumbled dream.  Under pressure from fans and the media to not make the same mistakes and perform as is expected of an England team when the Euros arrive in 2012, new chairman Roger Burden, Sir Dave Richards, the Premier League overlord, and the rest of the board have had to consider suggestions from all quarters on how best to go about it.

The FA has made several decisions quite quickly, in laying plans for the reconstruction.  Should they let Capello go? (No, he stays)  What to do to resolve the poor pitch issues at Wembley? (Install a real and artificial hybrid blend)  What can be done to accelerate the development of young English players? (To begin, the implementation of the Homegrown Rule on 1 September)  The shape of the Euro squad has slowed them up, however.

In their first action since waking up from their pleasant dreams to the horrible realities of Rustenburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and, at the last, Blomfontein, the Three Lions took to the pitch against Hungary, receiving an ambivalent welcome from those faithful who did decide to come.  Much like their greeting, the squad was a mix of the fallen heroes and new faces eager to make their mark.  Unfortunately, Phil Jagielka’s own goal didn’t do much for the hopes of the youngbloods, although their blushes were spared by a brace from captain Steven Gerrard.  The England team, despite the win, seem trapped in a dark place, casting about for some light.

...but would Arteta bowing to the Queen, rather than a king, truly make him an Englishman?

Last week, however, there came either a ray of hope or an oncoming train, dependent upon your worldly outlook.  Everton’s wonderfully talented midfielder Mikel Arteta, who has had the misfortune of being only the ninth or tenth best player at his position in his home country of Spain, suggested that he might be very pleased to play for England, where he would likely be considered in the top three, alongside Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Amongst the many who raised their half full glasses and drained it to the health of the Toffee’s playmaker (and took up a petition for his canonisation), there were a few old gaffers, frowning at the barmaid’s tardiness in topping off their empty looking mugs, whilst muttering thatsomething just wasn’t right about this.  Unfortunately, WFC editor Martin Palazzotto falls into the latter category , while new writer Tapesh Patel is firmly in the camp of the former.  In the interests of world peace and the general entertainment of others, the pair have agreed to sit down together, sample some Tucher’s on draught and see if they can come to an understanding.

Tapesh: When we talk about Mikel Arteta, I think we should talk about the player himself, before approaching the whole nationality issue. The key point is: if he obtained dual nationality and became eligible for England, would he get into the squad? In my opinion, he most definitely would. In fact, I personally would put him into the starting eleven.

There's no question the Three Lions would welcome him, as well.

One of England’s current problems is a perceived lack of creativity in midfield. This is strange, because the main pairing, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, are both fairly creative players. What we have seen over the years, though, is that both like to get forward when possible.

What England have lacked, then, is a foot-on-ball playmaker, with the ability to pass to a Gerrard or a Lampard.  Hence the outcry for the return of Paul Scholes (who, by the way, is too old). This lack of such a passer meant that Wayne Rooney tended to drop deep to make the play, which left the now departed Emile Heskey (yikes!) up front.

I believe Arteta is the solution. His ability to dictate play, combined with excellent technique and outstanding passing ability, cannot be matched at the moment by any English player. Tom Huddlestone or Jack Wilshere might become that player in the future, but they are not ready to be regulars yet.

Also, the guy takes a decent penalty!

...but are mercenaries what we want at the World Cup?

Martin: You’re not going to get any argument out of me on Arteta’s ability or where he would fit in with the England squad.  If he were from just about anywhere other than Spain (Brazil and Argentina spring to mind as exceptions), he might very well be a veteran of three World Cups by now.  But the plain, unvarnished truth is that he is a Spaniard.  As such, he should not be available to play for England.

Mikel Arteta is far from the first player to be considered for inclusion in a foreign squad.  There have been several before him and many more are likely to follow.  Some, like Kevin-Prince Boateng, Lukas Podolski and Giuseppe Rossi are doing it for the love of the nation they represent.  I applaud and welcome that.  On the other hand, there’s the onetime Chelsea midfielder Deco, a Brazilian, who just concluded his international career with Portugal and promptly returned home to play out the string with Fluminese.  As his tenure with the Iberians went on, it was rationalised that the two nations were, culturally speaking, close cousins.  That is true enough and if Deco had made his permanent home in Portugal, I would have been content with that line of reasoning.  Yet, the abruptness of his return to Brazil laid bare his true intent.  He was playing for himself, rather than for love of country.  We should never forget (Ashley Cole) that the latter is what the World Cup is about.

Tapesh: I definitely agree with you that this question is ultimately one of pride.  So, these questions really need to be taken on a player-by-player basis. We live in a world where many people have divided identities, especially in football. In fact, the case of Kevin-Prince Boateng is one of the best examples of this.  Infamously, he did not talk to his brother Jerome before facing him in the World Cup. That really goes to show that people from the same background can view their identities in completely different ways.

Unlike his countryman, Senna settled permanently in his adopted country.

A case very similar to that of Arteta, was Marcos Senna. The Brazilian began playing in his native country before moving abroad, to further his career. He went to La Liga, with Villareal, settling there, before gaining citizenship and playing for Spain.  One could not doubt Senna’s commitment to the cause; it was something integral to his role.  Starring in Euro 2008 as midfield enforcer, his displays led many to name him as one of the players of the tournament.

Coming back to Arteta, he seems a very loyal player, as well as a person of substance, having stated that he wouldn’t want to move to clubs like Arsenal or Manchester City in the hope of reaching the Spain team. He’s braved Scottish winters in Glasgow, having played for Rangers from 2002-04, and has learnt the intricacies of the Scouse accent. Given his background, I think he would be proud to step out for England, the country where his career has really blossomed.

Martin: I can appreciate that Arteta seems to be a more honourable candidate than Deco. It’s very loyal of him to publicly decline a possible move to another club, after Everton has treated him so well,  even though it might help him crack the Spanish lineup.  Still, by his own statement, his preferred choice would be Spain.  And there lies the rub.  Boateng’s first choice was Ghana, even though Germany, where he was both eligible and wanted, offered a better chance for glory.  That’s what I mean by love of country.

That he is a ‘person of substance,’ as you put it, and a great player certainly garners Arteta my sympathy and while these cases do have to be judged on individual merit, the criteria used to decide the matter must ultimately be whether or not the candidate has cultural ties, of some kind, to the nation he would represent.

Georgie may be the best of but not the only great to have never been to the World Cup.

Take George Best as an example.  The Northern Irishman was perhaps the greatest British player ever.  Yet, with his country being minnows, he never played in a World Cup.  For most of his adult life, he lived (and partied) in England and was a stand out for United.  What if he had pulled a Stephen Ireland, early in his career, and declined to represent his homeland, instead repatriating to England.  Think how that would have lessened his legacy within the game.  Sometimes, your greatness is also measured by what you weren’t able to accomplish.

Andy Carroll, for all his supposed immaturity, has passed this test by declining the invitation of Craig Levein and the Scots.  No, for me, Mikel Arteta must make do with the cards life has dealt him.

Tapesh: I think cultural ties are usually fixed at a young age, but can also be gained or transformed later on in life. The fact is that naturalised citizens will always face the question of when their identity shifts to that of the nation in which they live.

Different people, understandably, have different views on the matter but I think government is designed to represent the views of a nation. As such, I think that Arteta should be considered an Englishman since he now qualifies for dual-nationality by law. The country has a long history of successful assimilation of immigrants, which I think is also demonstrated within the domain of sport. For this reason, I think that most English people would welcome him playing for our national team.

If managers are eligible, why not players?

It’s also fair to argue that the England team lost part of its identity in 2000, when Sven-Goran Eriksson became the first foreign manager of England. This then set the precedent for Fabio Capello to manage the team, and while many opposed the very idea of a foreign manager, at first, no-one was complaining when England flawlessly gained qualification for the World Cup this summer. If there is one person who symbolises the team, it has to be the England manager, who takes a post frequently described around the world as ‘the toughest job in football’.

I was one of those that felt English patriotism took a blow with Eriksson’s appointment. The fact is, though, that the game is different nowadays – even at international level. Therefore, if Arteta wished to become part of the national setup, I see no reason for denying him what is rightfully his.

Martin: I’ve got no truck with foreign managers being involved in a national program; it helps develop the game, especially in the far corners of the football world.  Let them have at it, I say.  They can coach, advise and play the figurehead all they like, because when you get right down to it, championships are won on the pitch, by the players.  That simple fact puts them into two different categories.

As for Arteta, I’m not sure what you mean by rightfully his.  He’s been in England long enough to apply for a passport, yes, but hasn’t actually gotten, or even asked for one yet.  There is a process to go through, after all.  It’s not like he’s trying to buy a Premier League club.  If that were the case, then, naturally, you’d just hand it to him with no questions asked.

I take your point, though.  If he had an English passport, he’d have the right to play for England, given that he’s good enough, and who am I to deny him?  That is the letter of the law.  What I’m trying to champion, however, is its spirit.  In order to do that, I don’t believe FIFA can be as trusting, even judging on an individual basis, as you would have them be.   I don’t like to be redundant but the ‘alright, you seem like a nice guy’ policy hasn’t worked out too well for the likes of Liverpool and Pompey and won’t, if things continue as they are, for Manchester United.

...Greed is good.

In football, like any other big business...

That English fans would welcome him with open arms goes without saying, as well.  It’s human nature, after all, to take advantage in any way we can.  We got to the top of the food chain by adapting, being innovative and turning any opportunity to our advantage .  Winning at all costs in business and sport is just a product of evolution.  And that’s where you’re wrong about government.  It’s not there to give us what we want but to make sure we don’t kill each other trying to get it.  Allowing foreign players who can’t get a game in their own country to play for any country desperate enough to take them will eventually kill the World Cup.

Look at the America’s Cup of yachting.  It was going along nicely for the better part of a century until big money became involved.  Suddenly, rules began changing at an alarming pace, until you had the Swiss being crowned champions two times running.  The last time I checked an atlas, Switzerland was still a landlocked country.  If it had been bankers’ sons, raised on Lake Geneva crewing the Alinghi and its successor, I’d have no complaint.  Unfortunately, it was the best Kiwi and Aussie sailors that the Swiss Franc could buy.  So much for the battle of nations.

Is that what you want for the World Cup?

..

Of course, while Tapesh and Martin were busy having at it, FIFA weighed in and ruled Arteta ineligible due to a little known rule:

Article 18.1.a within the Fifa statutes outlines that any player who has represented their country in an official competition, at whatever level, would at that time need to have held a passport for the country they later wish to play for in order to be permitted to make the switch. –BBC report on Arteta’s eligibility to play for England

Arteta did play in an Under 16 competition for Spain and, of course, didn’t have a British passport at the time.  So that’s that.  Unless, of course, FIFA were to decide to change their rules or make an exception to an existing one, as they’ve been known to do, on occasion.  After all, Sepp Blatter is quite happy to have the UK represented by the separate home nations but is unwilling to sanction the Basques or Catalonia to field teams separate from the rest of Spain.

Meanwhile, having been informed that all their arguing was moot, Martin and Tapesh have resolved to go back to the bar and get falling down drunk.  How do the rest of you feel?  Answer the poll below and, if you like, add a comment through the Intense Debate comment section.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Mascherano, in traveling clothes.

With the transfer deadline just around the corner, the market has suddenly heated up.  Javier Mascherano’s one man work stoppage seems to have had the desired effect, for the player at least, and he is apparently on his way to Barca.  Does that mean Arsene Wenger and the Gunners can breathe a little easier re:  Cesc Fabregas’ future plans?  Don’t you bet on it!

Meanwhile, the Argentine’s action has had effect elsewhere, too, as Tony Pulis and Stoke are heading into Stamford Bridge, possibly without his preferred keeper from miodweek Asmir Begovic.  The keeper, in the second year of a multi-season deal, has decided he is destined for better things and that the future is now.  With the Blues having scored a half dozen goals in each of their first two matches,  rumour has it Pulis has warned reporters that if one more daft bugger mentions that these things tend to come in threes, he’s going to go all James Beattie on their ass.

Elsewhere, the Champions and Europa League group stage qualifiers concluded in mid-week, with one or two surprising entrants and some unexpected absentees.  The draws are set as well, with Harry Redknapp’s Spurs thrown right into the deep end, having drawn both holders Inter and Bundesliga power Werder Bremen.  At the same time, several Premier League sides began their Carling Cup quests, with only newcomers, Blackpool, failing to move on, going toe to toe at MK Dons but succumbing 4-3.

It's never pretty when the Yanks head south of the border.

The CONCACAF CL played its second round of group stage matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The surprising success of MLS clubs was cut short as they journeyed into Mexico and met their usual fate.  Although, this time, much of that had to do with a rash of suspect officiating that has the American press in a lather.  Looking on the bright side, it’s a compliment to how far the league has come, that it’s now able to blame it’s international failures on the refs.  Still, as they used to say at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, “We wuz robbed!!”

In the rest of the America’s , the Mexican, Argentine and Brazilian leagues are all sinking their teeth into the meat of their respective Apertura campaigns.  Sadly, in the far reaches of Brazil, at the grassroots level of the game, a senseless tragedy once again reminded us that there’s a dark side to our passion for the game.

That sobering event put the problems with the French national side in perspective, as Laurent Blanc named his squad for the upcoming internationals, striking a balance between the South African participants and new blood.  Although, Blanc was outspoken in his opposition to the suspensions to Patrice Evra (5), Franck Ribery (3) and Jeremy Toulalan (1), none of the trio were called up, which will therefore see Lyon’s Toulalan actually miss two matches.

Saturday and Sunday look to be just as hectic as the week has been, with the Serie A and La Liga at last joining in with the rest of Europe.  We hope you’ve checked out our previews for the two leagues but, in the meantime, the WFC gang is back to lay our picks for the best matches of the week on you.  So, break out the Tivo remote, the Orville Reddenbacher’s and enjoy the action.

Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Leicester City vs Reading The Championship, Saturday

Both sides are still winless and will need to improve soon, if either is to challenge for promotion, come the final stages of the season. Leicester have had the pressure heaped upon them during the last couple of weeks, with the takeover by the Asian Football Investments Consortium. Reading, meanwhile, will look to kickstart their season after being victims of a League Cup upset, courtesy of Northampton.

Bordeaux vs Marseille Ligue 1, Sunday

The “crème de la crème” is still rising to the top in Ligue 1, as this weekend will see two big teams attempt to work their way up the table. Bordeaux have lost yet another big name this week, with Yoann Gourcuff moving to Lyon. They’re still a good side, though, and will want to show that the midfielder’s departure has not affected them.

The main attraction of the weekend will be Marseille’s front line, entirely different from last season’s due to the loss of first-choice strikers Mamadou Niang and Bakary Koné. Manager Didier Deschamps offset this by signing Andre-Pierre Gignac and Loïc Rémy (from Toulouse and OGC Nice respectively) for a combined fee of €30 million. Rémy will be under particular scrutiny, with doctors assuring us yesterday that his heartstopping play will only be figurative and not literal.  The partnership has been much-hyped in the French media, and has the potential to rival any side.

Eliot Rothwell

Eliot Rothwell

Lokomotiv Moscow v Zenit St. Petersburg Russian Premier League, Sunday 29

Whenever a team from the capital city of the Tsar’s (St Petersburg) faces another from the capital city of Lenin (Moscow), the affairs can be highly contested.  Factor in that Luciano Spalletti’s men are seeking to cement their grasp on the league summit, by extending their four point advantage over Rubin Kazan, and the stakes get even higher.

Lokomotiv meanwhile remain locked in a battle with their own inconsistencies. The hideous banner, referring to newly signed West Brom forward Osaze Odemwingie illustrates the fans discontent with their team. Whilst they have already lost seven games, the Moscow club can still make an assault on the European places, with a mere six point gap between them and fifth placed Rostov. Expect there to be thrills, spills, the occasional display of technical brilliance and no more of cultural ignorance.

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Huddersfield Town v Charlton Athletic League One, Saturday

This should be an entertaining game at the Galpharm Stadium, between two of the third tier’s most attractive sides. The hosts may have come horribly unstuck against Everton (losing 5-1) in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, but Lee Clark’s side will be keen to bounce back with a strong performance and have more than enough quality to worry a Charlton team that have got off to an excellent start this season. Expect a fast, flowing game with plenty of neat passing and incisive counter-attacking from both parties.

Real Mallorca v Real Madrid La Liga, Sunday

Jose Mourinho’s first league game in charge of Madrid will doubtless draw a lot of attention and, with a number of new signings having been brought to the Bernabeu over the summer, it will be fascinating to see the eleven the Portuguese selects for the trip to Mallorca. The memories of the excellent campaign the hosts enjoyed last season have recently evaporated in a cloud of financial difficulties and, despite finishing fifth in 2009/10, Michael Laudrup’s will be huge underdogs on Sunday night. This is a game between two teams at opposite ends of the financial spectrum and Los Blancos will be expected to march to a comfortable victory.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Cruz Azul v UANL Tigres Mexican Apertura, Sunday

Halfway through the competition, Cruz Azul sit atop Group 3, of three, in the Apertura standings and will be riding the emotions of their massive fightback, on Tuesday against MLS side Real Salt Lake.  In a driving rain, they scored 3 goals in the final 15 minutes to steal all 3 points from the American champions, with the officials apparently adjusting their umbrellas at critical times.  Meanwhile, Tigres are sitting third in the Group 1 standings but are clinging to the final at large spot for entry into the playoff.  The journey back to Nuevo Leon, from the capital, will be a long one for UANL, if they cannot secure a result.

Toronto FC v Real Salt Lake MLS, Sunday

TFC also made a long fruitless trip, mid week to Panama, losing to Arabe Unido, although in less dramatic style than RSL’s collapse in Mexico City.  Both clubs enter the match with sour tastes in their mouths and not from a bad batch of Labatts, either.  Having also had their home winning streak snapped, last weekend, by the Red Bulls, the home side need to get back into a positive mode, before their promising first season under Preki becomes irrelevant.

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

St. Pauli v Hoffenheim Bundesliga, Saturday

Saturday in the Bundesliga sees every German neutral’s second team, St Pauli, go up against Hoffenheim, the club many love to hate, at St Pauli’s Millerntor stadium. Both sides will be coming off highly encouraging opening day wins, away to Freiburg and at home to Werder Bremen respectively. Among their ranks, the squads will boast promising young German strikers of African descent, Peniel Mlapa (Hoffenheim) and Richard Sukuta-Pasu (St Pauli, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen), who each made the scoresheet on opening day and could one day be a part of the multicultural national team. There should be a fantastic atmosphere generated by Pauli’s ‘alternative’ fans, and it will hopefully be a great game.

Fab Presilli

Fab Presilli

Internacional v Botafogo Brazilian Apertura, Saturday

Fresh from the Libertadores title, Inter must host the red hot Botafogo, the latter looking for their sixth consecutive win. This should be a real test, to see if Inter is still celebrating its victory and if Botafogo is a contender or just another early season fluke. Botafogo’s Caio is maybe the best young player of the season so far, and his North American heritage has led to an as yet unanswered invitation to play for the US team.

Fluminense v São Paulo Brazilian Apertura, Saturday

The leaders face a struggling São Paulo that desperately needs a win, to calm their supporters. It’s also the first opportunity for forward Washington to face his former team, having played in São Paulo until a month ago.

Boca Juniors v Velez Sarsfield Argentine Apertura, Sunday

After an unexpected loss to minnows All Boys, last week, Boca can get back in the race, in style, if they manage to take all three points hosting leaders Velez. It will be tough, with Juan Roman Riquelme likely sitting this one out, as he’s not fit yet to play for Boca, after knee surgery in the (South American) winter.

Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

The Scouser Report

I have to be completely honest, looking at the line up for this weekend’s Premier League games has hardly inspired me! Maybe it’s due to the fact that it’s so early on in the season, I just don’t know.  The lower table clashes just don’t have the tension at this time of the season, that they will have come May, and there are no juicy games involving the predicted top six.

There are, however, a couple of interesting games coming up this weekend, given recent events.

One can’t help but feel that if Liverpool fail to get a resounding victory at home to West Brom on Sunday afternoon, then the Kopp may start to get a little twitchy, even at such an early stage. There was plenty of optimism at the beginning of August but a dreadful performance against Manchester City has brought the tension back to the fore.  Perhaps, the actions of Javier Mascherano, in securing his escape from Anfield, will draw Woy some sympathy.

Aston Villa hosting Everton, again on Sunday, is another game with an interesting angle to it. Everton have started a little slowly, something you’d think they’d have been desperate to repeat after such a good end to the previous season. However, Aston Villa will certainly not be laying down for them this weekend after a couple of  embarrassing results in the last week, 6-0 away to Newcastle and then being dumped out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna. Whatever happens, it will be a feisty match with both sides fighting for everything.

Well, even if you agree with Matt, that there’s nothing much going on in the Premier League, there’s plenty of other footy on tap just about everywhere you look.  So don’t go getting any silly thoughts of getting out and enjoying the summer sun, whilst it lasts.  It seems pleasant, yes, but it’s harmful to your skin and there’s all sorts of dangers out there.  You’re much better off settled comfortably in front of the telly.  Just ask Sky Germany’s footy presenter, Jessica Kastrop, who decided to get out of the studio and enjoy the sights and sounds of Stadion am Bruchweg in Mainz.

See you on Monday!

No, Elmo, I never bagged six.

Hi boys and girls, today’s report is brought to you by Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle and the number six.

Six does seem to be the hot number in the Premier League, to begin the season.  The Gunners reached that total against Blackpool on Saturday, as did the Blues for the second week running, this time at Wigan (Ladbrokes has posted 6-1 odds that the Latics will officially change their nickname to the Lambs, as in sacrificial).

Sunday saw the most stunning six of them all, though, with Toon absolutely throttling Villa, at St. James Park.  It was a happy result for everyone around the league, too, as it means Joey Barton will be shaving that creepy mustache off his upper lip.

So, if you play the lottery, make sure six is on your ticket for the immediate future.  Meanwhile, all the lads from WFC are back to talk about the goings on from the weekend.

Enjoy.

Matt Dalton

Matt Dalton

Arsenal 6, Blackpool 0

Indeed, it’s not very often that we are treated to 6 goal games but, like London buses, they all seemed to come at once this weekend!  The Arsenal -- Blackpool match, as predicted, was one of those to feature a sackful of goals.  Blackpool might well be counting themselves a bit unfortunate, having been reduced to ten men fairly early on.

Elsewhere, Chelsea thumped Wigan, one of my tips for the drop, by the same scoreline.  Then Newcastle decided to join the party yesterday, by giving Stephen Ireland a stinker of a birthday present, on his debut for the Villans!  Topping it off this evening, my beloved Liverpool received a pretty conclusive footballing lesson from the Premier League’s latest rich boys, Manchester City. You have to take your hat off to City, they didn’t do much wrong and fully deserved not only the three points but all three goals.

I hope every Premier League weekend is as entertaining as this one, although with a little luck, Liverpool will not be on the end of a roasting like that, too often!

Geoff Edwards

Geoff Edwards

Bayern Munich 2, Wolfsburg 1

Can anyone stop Thomas Müller? After his World Cup heroics, it was perhaps fitting that he scored the Bundesliga’s 1st goal.  What a goal it was, too, beautifully worked by the ‘New Bomber’ and fellow starlet Toni Kroos.

After being comprehensively outplayed in the 1st half, Steve McClaren deserves credit for lifting his side, at the break, and sending them back out onto the Allianz Arena turf with fire in their bellies. Substitute Zvjezdan Misimovic was instrumental, as Wolfsburg looked the better side in the 2nd half.   They equalised deservedly through Edin Dzeko, then wasted a number of chances to put themselves ahead, before being hit with a last minute sucker punch from another German World Cup hero, Bastian Schweinsteiger.

A disappointing start for McClaren, but plenty of positives to take from the 2nd half performance.

Tapesh Patel

Tapesh Patel

Paris Saint-Germain 1, Bordeaux 2

This match took a while to get going but really caught fire in an end-to-end second half. If anything, Bordeaux had the better of possession, although PSG occasionally threatened on the counter.  Les Girondins were also superb on set pieces and so it proved, when Alou Diarra headed home from a 68th minute corner. The Parisians equalised 8 minutes later, with veteran Ludovic Giuly squaring for Guillaume Hoarau to tap home.

It was the lads from the wine country who had the last laugh, however, and on 95 minutes, centre-back Mickael Ciani scored the winner, sparking crazed celebrations from the away crowd. The eleventh hour dramatics made this a brilliant match for the neutral, yet Bordeaux fans will undoubtedly be happy that their team has kick-started its season, after stalling out of the gate.

Chris Mann

Chris Mann

Wigan Athletic 0, Chelsea 6

I thought the Londoners might hand out a thrashing to Roberto Martinez’s charges and so it proved. After a bright start Wigan subsided alarmingly quickly, seemingly forgetting the art of defending and capitulating, in the face of some delightful play from Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba. Even at 6-0, it could have been worse for The Latics.

Leeds United 3, Millwall 0

Despite Millwall having had the better start to the season, it was Leeds who triumphed, on home turf, overcoming the Lions in what was an enthralling game, at Elland Road. With the momentum continually switching between the teams, Millwall took the lead before Lloyd Sam’s single strike and a brace from Davide Somma sealed the points for Simon Grayson’s side. An entertaining advertisement for The Championship.

Fab Presilli

Fabricio Presilli

River Plate 3, Independiente 1

River got their third win of the season with a stunning first half display.  Striker Rogelio Funes Mori scored two goals and got a big lift from his attacking midfielders, Manuel Lanzini and Diego Buonanotte.  Although outplayed in the second half by Independiente, el Millionarios managed to secure the win and keep pace with Velez Sarsfield, at the top of the Apertura table.

Santos 2, Atletico MG 0

Neymar delivered, after deciding to stay with Santos, scoring a penalty kick and assisting the second goal.  With the 18 year old secured, the club can now can focus on the national championship, and realistically target the domestic triple crown.

Vasco de Gama 2, Fluminese 2

The Rio derby was even all the way. Vasco remain undefeated since the World Cup but Fluminense are still atop the table. Vasco’s Carlos Alberto (no, not that one) was the star of the night with two assists. Deco made his debut in Rio, but he couldn’t shake off his jet lag, losing a good opportunity at the end.

The Brasilian story of the weekend, however, turned out to be Corinthians’ destruction of Sao Paolo.  Corinthians scored three goals at their rival and São Paulo seems hopelessly lost, needing a quick shift in order to get back on track.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto

Toronto FC 1, New York Red Bull 4

I think I put the kaibosh on TFC over the weekend, somehow telepathically overinflating their egos with my pre-match hype.  They did play amazingly well against Cruz Azul, in mid-week, but came out completely flat against Thierry Henry, et al, on Saturday.

Rafa Marquez opened his MLS account with an absolute scorcher on 35 minutes.  From about 25m in front of goal, the Mexican captain ran onto a little side pass,  sending a goal seeking missile, bending and twisting, through 3 defenders and beyond the reach of a helpless Stefan Frei.   The lead doubled moments later on a classic own goal.  After pegging one back through Dwayne Derosario, the Reds fell apart, surrendering a penalty on a handball that resembled the opening tip off for an NBA game and then gifting the Red Bulls a 4th goal, when Frei mishandled a fairly routine cross, into the box.

Here are the highlights, with apologies, in advance, for the sorry excuse for commentators.  They really are dolts.  It is a laugh, though, to hear of the incredible patience of Tee-Airy Hawn-ree, in signing autographs for over five minutes.  Wow, what a great guy, giving up so much of his time for the fans.

The gap between the two clubs, in the Eastern standings, widened to eight points and Toronto faces a long flight to Corona, Panama, for a mid week CCL clash with Arabe Unido, and then back home again, to face the defending MLS champs, Real Salt Lake.

Until next weekend, here’s a little fun from the Dutch Jupiler League (2nd div.), where Sparta Rotterdam showed no mercy to Allmere City, romping to a 12-1 victory after going a man up in the early going.   Sparta’s Johan Voskamp was the most bloodthirsty of the Kasteelheren, with not 6 but 8 goals. It took Andy Carroll, Theo Walcott and Nicolas Anelka combined, to match that!

4-0?! This wise lad doesn't want to wake up.

Now, before you get all up in arms about that last match, I’m not saying that the Tangerine Dream are definitely staying up.  I’m aware that each one of the three results is just one game in a very long campaign.  With their away thrashing of the Latics, Blackpool have proven that they’re game, certainly, but there’s more work to be done before they’ve shown they belong.

So what am I getting at?  First off, it’s that the Blues and United are still the class of the league.  None of last seasons pretenders have taken a step forward.  City and Spurs fought to a stalemate but it wasn’t what you would call epic.  Arsenal were very slow out of the gate and Liverpool still seem to have  a black cloud over their heads, with Joe Cole being sent off early and Pepe Reina inexplicably gifting the Gunners a point at the death.   Tim Howard did the same, if in the early going, as Everton dropped what should have been at least one point at Blackburn.  Is it something in the Mersey’s water?  Villa were solid against West Ham but it was James Milner’s last match for the Birmingham outfit.  No, if you’re looking for the 2011 Premier League champion, it’s a very narrow search.

The other point that these contests drove home, was just which clubs and managers aren’t likely to be sticking around for long.  Shortly into every season, speculation heats up as to who will be the first manager to be let go by his club.  This year is no different.  At WFC, we’re just jumping the gun a bit because all the targets have already been flushed.

Now, it’s only a matter of time before a Premier League executive cocks the trigger and we wait for the…

..

Don't think about losing, Roberto. Just keep your mind on all that money.

West Brom suffered the worst drubbing of all, although there isn’t actually much surprise there.  They’ve been going back and forth between the Championship and the top flight for the last few years, like Hillary Clinton shuttling between Gaza and Jerusalem, trying to coax Hamas and the Knesset back to the bargaining table.  Only for the Baggies, by not signing overpriced, mediocre talent and just pocketing Richard Scudamore’s money, it’s been much more profitable.

Nor does Roberto di Matteo have any need to update his CV.  Tony Mowbray was hired by Celtic (wince!) based solely on West Brom’s lower division accomplishments.  If recent history is any indication, the WBA bar is set so low that the Swiss born Italian has no worries, whatsoever.

On the other hand, Chris Hughton, at Newcastle, and Roberto Martinez, of Wigan, can’t be calmed by any measure of job security, at all.  They’re joined in that unhappy boat by Avram Grant.

I'm not orthodox, so why do I keep flogging myself like this?

Newly arrived at the EPL version of The Eastenders, aka West Ham, Grant has jumped from the frying pan into the fire.  Ironically, the club is in West London but it’s day to day business is a soap opera nonetheless.  One would think, after his ordeal at Fratton Park, that the seemingly masochistic Israeli is aware that the Davids, Gold & Sullivan, will quickly chuck any investment that doesn’t show an instant return.  Yet, there he is.  To be fair, the signing of Scott Parker to a five year deal, should help the former victim of Chelsea and Pompey settle things somewhat, at Upton Park.

When you take a look at the bottom of the Premier League table, at the end of the last two seasons and to begin the present campaign, it seems to serve as proof for the old axiom, nice guys finish last.

Grant stepped in at Pompey last year, replacing another decent bloke in Paul Hart, and was promptly lied to and embarrassed by a succession of carpetbagging owners, who between them couldn’t scrape together a few bob for a pint at the Milton Arms.  As if that wasn’t a sufficiently nightmarish experience, he happily took over for Gianfranco Zola at West Ham.

I pity the next guy who sits in this seat.

Zola was the epitomy of class as he struggled to keep the Hammers in the Premier League, despite the reluctance of the outgoing Icelandic owners and incoming porn kings to spend significant cash on an impactful player, or two.  In press conference after press conference, Zola refused to rise to the bait of his new bosses, who played carrot and stick with him so frequently that it was obvious to all they thought him an ass.

Two years ago, Chris Hughton suffered the same treatment at the hands of Mike Ashley.  Twice dissatisfied with the young coach’s lack of results as caretaker manager, the Toon owner gave him the hook in short order on both occasions.  When the club was relegated and the discount sportswear magnate was unable to offload it or sign Geordie icon, Alan Shearer, as permanent manager, the Londoner was again given the job.  As it would appear, after his side were quickly cowed at Old Trafford, last year’s runaway success in the Championship has indeed, run away, and Ashley, still hoping to flog the club, will likely revert to past form and begin looking for a name to assume command.

If Hatem Ben Arfa doesn't sign, Hughton may be facing an early vacation.

Hughton, another example of professionalism and humility will likely envy Shearer.  Never one to blush when it came time for the rough stuff, the Premier League’s record goal scorer refused to back down from his demands for a solid budget and final decision on transfers.  Whether he would have been a success or failure, Shearer would have done it on his own terms.  Owen Coyle, by all accounts a player’s manager, also showed the ruthlessness to move on, from Burnley, when it became obvious that situation was hopeless.

That killer instinct is what is missing from all the men we’ve talked about here and likely why they find themselves propping up the table rather than partaking in the feast.

... Where he might want to watch out for Wigan's Martinez, who'll be wearing that deer in the headlights expression quite often, this year.

Worst of the bunch might be the unfailingly polite Wigan skipper, Roberto Martinez.  His side was battered several times last year and, in every aftermath, he stood before the press, smiling and saying all the right things.  In his coverage of the World Cup, for the American ESPN, he refused to respond to the frequent jibes of the rest of the analysts, most notably the ever arrogant Ruud Gullit.  Wigan owner, Dave Whelan, is noted for his loyalty but at some point, that faith needs to be justified with a few results.

So, here we are, one match into the campaign and the lines have already been drawn.  It’s inevitable that the League Managers Association CEO, Richard Bevin, will be mourning the loss of one of his clients.

Who do you think it will be?  Vote below and don’t be afraid to add your comments.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

If you want to get re-elected, do not admit that crotchety senior citizens are anything but sweet, wonderful and, of course, charming conversationalists.

“I’d love to reply to your insightful query with my honest and valid opinion but I’m afraid you’ll twist what I say to suit your own agenda or simply make far more out of my remark than was ever meant, just to sell your dubious excuse for a newspaper (which, to be fair, is true enough or else no one would read the News of The World). Therefore, I’m afraid that, in the interests of self-preservation, I’ll have to stick to non-speak and, in as many words and combinations as possible, offer nothing of substance whatsoever. Do you have a follow up, question? Yes I’d love to answer that, as well, but see my original response. Thank you, very much. Who’s next?”

Of course, since it’s worked so well for politicos, PC has now permeated every facet of society. That, unfortunately, includes football. Liability has a lot to do with this, of course. It can be quite expensive, in modern society, to hurt someone’s feelings or cast them in a poor light, even if you speak the truth. Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will land you in court faster than you can say Johnny Cochrane.

There are still a few characters around who say what’s on their mind, such as Jose Mourinho, Roy Keane and Ian Holloway. In the case of the Blackpool manager, I honestly didn’t know that much about him (give me a break, I live in Florida) until he came up in a recent conversation with WFC writer Matty Dalton. Since then, I’ve done a bit of catching up and I have to say I regret being in the dark about the man. He is blunt, honestly direct and has a unique sense of humour. In short, he’s engaging and that is exactly what being PC is not.

Where politicians have mastered the art of political correctness, footy personalities are often far less adept. So, on occasion you can read between the lines, to decipher the code of their veiled remarks, and discover what they’re truly saying. More often than not, it’s a tedious exercise but, once in a while, it can be great fun.

What follows is a handy guide to translating non-speak into the Queen’s English, using actual quotes from persons involved in recent events in the footballing world.

..

From the Guardian, on Martin O’Neill leaving Aston Villa

My agent said this worked for Ronald Reagan.

“It’s obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club.” – Martin O’Neill

Translation: If I didn’t leave, I’d have hit Randy Lerner over the head with a wrench! The man is a skin flint. How does he expect me to field a decent squad if he doesn’t free up funds to replace all the players he’s letting go?

“The club would like to thank Martin for the great work he has done at Aston Villa over the past four years. He has helped to establish the club in the upper echelons of the Premier League, has taken us to Wembley and we have also qualified for European competition for the past three seasons under his management. We wish him the best in the future.” – Paul Faulkner, Aston Villa CEO

Translation: We thought he’d never leave. He’s such a stick in the mud and was always asking Mr. Lerner for more money. It’s not like Randy’s made out of the stuff! Well okay, he is, but he wants to keep some of it. What’s wrong with that?

“I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short term with regard to the handover of my duties.” – O’Neill, again

Translation: If I don’t stick around until Kevin MacDonald stops freaking out, I won’t get my severance pay.”

“The LMA shares Martin’s disappointment at him leaving Aston Villa. He has achieved great success not just with Villa but throughout his managerial career. He is a great example to all aspiring managers having built the foundations in non-league football to then go on to successfully manage at the highest level in the game.” — Richard Bevin, CEO of the League Manager’s Association

Translation: We’re thinking of taking legal action.

From the Mail, on Craig Bellamy leaving Man City

“I haven’t spoken to the manager since February. There are a number of players, like Tevez and me, who he doesn’t speak to and keeps us away. I’m not sure if it’s personal. Maybe it’s the way he deals with things and it’s his manner.” – Craig Bellamy, soon to be ex-Man city forward

Translation: He keeps yelling at me to do things his way, so I just ignore him. I mean, Carlos and me gave it a go more than once, but in the end we were just better off taking the bleedin’ ball, runnin’ over and around blokes and puttin’ it in the back of the net. I miss Sparky.

From Soccernet, also on Craig Bellamy leaving Man City

Come on now, Craig, take it easy. I was just kidding about the extra training. Put down that nine iron.

“What he has said is not important because it is false. I speak with the players every day and Craig always played for me last year. This year I choose other players. I am the manager and it is my choice.” – Roberto Mancini, manager of Manchester City

Translation: I speak to him all the time. He just doesn’t listen and does as he likes. I don’t care if he and Tevez did score all those goals, give me Patrick Vieira any day of the week.

From Soccernet again, on where Craig Bellamy might end up

“At the end of the day, the way the situation seems to be forming for Craig that Manchester City won’t use him at Premier League level, so from Craig’s point of view, it is very important that he makes the right decision, for his career, because a wrong decision at this point in time could hurt him, so I wish him well in what decision he takes.” – Mark Hughes, new Fulham man and Bellamy’s former coach at Man City, Blackburn and with Wales

Translation: I miss you, too!

From the ubiquitous Soccernet, on Christian Poulsen not being a replacement for Javier Mascherano, at Liverpool

Psst, Roy, what's all this Mascherano stuff? Are they ever going to ask a question about me?

“It is not a question of Christian replacing Javier. I believe Javier is going to play for us. We’ve got a lot of games to play, hopefully, and we’re going to need a lot of players. We didn’t take him in to replace somebody; we took him in because we want him to improve the size of our squad and the quality of our squad.” – Roy Hodgson, new Liverpool Manager

Translation: Bloody hell! Of course, he’s here to replace Mascherano. Do you think I’m daft or something? The lad wants to leave and, as long as he’s here, there’ll be a bad vibe in the clubhouse. But we’re not going to just give him away. If that rat, Rafa, or anyone else wants him, they’re going to pay. We’re in enough debt without letting perfectly good assets walk out the front door without even a kiss on the cheek for goodbye, thank you very much.

..

So, as you can see, footballers are just not as good at slipping reporters the old no comment. The truth is always lurking just below the surface. Try as they might, there is usually something to be gleaned from their fumbled attempts at saying a heck of a lot of nothing at all.

On the other hand, there’s this from the Telegraph, on Fabio Capello calling time on Beckham’s England career

As it turns out, England is no country for old men.

“I thank (David) very much for helping me at the World Cup but he is probably too old.” –Fabio Capello, embattled England manager

Translation: I thank (David) very much for helping me at the World Cup but he is probably too old.

..

It’s refreshing to see a little honesty from someone with something to lose. The media and fans are all over this because Capello supposedly dissed Beckham.

My question is in what way, exactly? As Jim White points out on Yahoo!, it’s not like Capello is lying or even bursting Golden Ball’s bubble. Beckham is too old. He knows it , Capello knows it and the rest of the world knows it.

So pile on Fabio if you like, to assuage the bruised feelings from the bursting of your own World Cup bubble, but I respect a man who can tell it like it is and be honest with his players. They are grown men and should be able to handle the truth as such.

The world might be a better place, if we all had slightly thicker skins.

Whether he stays with Villa or joins City, Milner will have tens of thousands of reasons to smile week in and week out.

It’s been a strange off season so far; Chelsea have decided to sell, sell, sell, whilst Man City buy, buy and almost buy (here’s looking at you, James Milner). Sir Alex Ferguson loudly proclaims that there is not much value in the transfer market, especially with the wealth of youthful resources at his disposal in Manchester.  Simultaneously on  Merseyside, Roy Hodgson says not much at all, preferring instead to do his talking with signings and tactics.

This campaign will also see the introduction of the new homegrown rule. Personally, I don’t think it will cause too much change to the top teams anyway; Arsenal sign all their players as soon as they are out of nappies, United golden generation from the ’90s  seem almost ageless and Liverpool are quietly going about their business of re-Anglicisation. Chelsea and Man City are probably the two teams that will find the requirements somewhat hindering, with both boasting squads with far more international diversity than good old home cooking.

At Liverpool, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Before I venture too far into impartiality, let me get something off my chest.  As usual, the internet is awash with village idiots, trumpeting the impossible dream.  Especially where it pertains to the Kop.  I’m sorry Merseysiders, but as much as I love them, Liverpool are not going to win the league.  Quite frankly, they will be lucky to regain their place in the top 4 amongst stiff competition from the likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Man City. It will take a very good season, with a an injury free Torres in place and on form, if they are to regain their place. Of course, this doesn’t mean they are a bad side, just not a great one. Unfortunately for them, City have bought extremely well over the course of the summer and the likes of Chelsea and United are a long way from where the Scousers would like to be.

Right then, on to business.  When trying to make predictions on the course of the coming season, it’s actually pretty difficult to come up with any that can be made with conviction.

Chelsea and United will undoubtedly be up there, but each has many questions that need answering, as do their closest challengers. Will the loss of Ricardo Carvalho, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack effect Chelsea more than they expect?  Are the youngsters, in which Fergie is placing so much trust, ready to take some of the load off Wayne Rooney’s shoulders?  Will the millions City have spent finally bring them a team capable of challenging, or will another offseason of change again mean a lack of chemistry when it is needed most?  Can Marouane Chamakh provide the firepower that Arsenal have been so obviously craving, since the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor?  Are Tottenham capable of juggling European and domestic football? Will Liverpool finally find a back up striker capable of stepping in for Fernando Torres?  Have they already, judging by the pre-season form of David Ngog?

Phew! That is just the tip of the iceberg!  Just under the surface, are 14 other clubs with issues and ambitions of their own.

O'Neill is not likely to sit on the sideline as long as Mark Hughes.

In perhaps the biggest news of the summer so far, Martin O’Neill sensationally walked out on Aston Villa, further fuelling speculation that Randy Lerner will no longer be going overboard with his spending, but rather looking to recoup a bit and steady the ship, financially speaking. What will become of Aston Villa now that the Irishman has gone?

Everton, who would surely have been challenging for 4th place last year, if it weren’t for an injury crisis, at the start of the season, which rivaled the later one suffered by their Merseyside neighbours, will now truly fancy their chances of being in amongst the European places this season.

If you thought Blackpool's promotion was miraculous, you'll really be amazed if Holloway can keep them in the top flight.

At the other end of the table, my all time favourite manager, Ian Holloway, will be gracing the Premiership with his presence and will surely provide a very welcome alternative display of how a football manager should behave. Personally, I can’t wait to see his interviews on Match of the Day and Soccer Sunday.  I just hope that he can work some miracles and keep Blackpool up, although I very much doubt their chances. Already, it appears that they may have already accepted their fate, concentrating on their facilities with the money obtained from promotion, rather than filling the squad with overpaid rejects from a multitude of European teams, as is so often the case for the newly promoted sides.  Can you say Mido?

It looks like it’s shaping up to be a tough season for all the newly promoted sides. West Brom seem set to continue their yo yo routine, bouncing from the Premier League to the Championship and back.  Newcastle have not exactly inspired anyone with their summer transfer activity.

You can’t help feel that a few bad results for any of the promoted trio could result in heads going down or, in Toon’s case, fans getting on the players’ backs and forcing yet another manager on his way. Of the lower table Premier League teams, it is hard to pick anyone that looks particularly weak.

That’s also the case when trying to pick one that looks particularly strong.  The top 6 this season will most likely be made up of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City, Man United and Tottenham. When it comes to picking the order, it gets a little more difficult. I’m going to go out on a limb though and say that I think that the enemy of my heart will win the title, finally putting Liverpool’s top-flight domination in the past. City will make it a Mancunian top two, with Chelsea firmly on their heels. Arsenal will make up the top 4, with Liverpool and Tottenham scrapping all season long over 5th place.

The final Europa league place will be a very interesting battle this season; Aston Villa, Everton, Birmingham and Stoke will be fighting it out all season long, whilst the likes of Fulham, Blackburn, Sunderland and Wolves will simply disappear into the nether region, otherwise known as the mid table.  I fancy Everton to snatch the final Europa league place though; they are a better-equipped squad, with more diversity and experience than the others.

At the wrong end of the table, this leaves Blackpool, Bolton, Newcastle, West Brom, West Ham and Wigan. I am sorry to say it, but the writing is on the wall for both Blackpool and West Brom.  There just isn’t enough about either of their squads to stay up and, unless they start spending a bit of money on the kind of players that belong in the Premier League, my opinion on that won’t change. The third relegation place will be an interesting battle between the other four teams and I am finding it very difficult to pick the other team for the drop. I think Newcastle, armed with scrappers like Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan in midfield, will have enough steel in their side to keep themselves afloat. I think I will stump for Wigan to go down this season, with apparent investment of the Davids at West Ham and the wonder man that is Owen Coyle at the Reebok trumping Dave Whelan and the extremely polite Roberto Martinez at the JJB.

Fergie may have signed himself a really sweet pea.

So what about the other awards? Top scorer will be Torres, as long as he can stay fit. If not, Rooney will continue where he left off, last season, firing United to the title. The usual suspects, such as Carlos Tevez and Didier Drogba will be there or thereabouts. United’s new signing, Javier Hernandez, will end up proving to be an astute bit of business and will be fighting it out for buy of the season with Joe Cole. David Silva has a lot of promise at City but, with that £25m price tag, he will have to be pretty sensational to satisfy the economically jaded Premier League fans. Somehow, I just can’t see him winning them over.

Were this award given on sheer personality, Ian Holloway would be named Manager of the Year in a cakewalk, but as results unfortunately factor in, it will more likely be Ferguson who picks it up, despite some very stern competition from fellow Scotsman, David Moyes. The first for the sack? Well, that depends, really. If the Magpies get off to a dreadful start, we could well see Chris Hughton paying the price. Of the other teams likely to struggle, none are led by executives who have a reputation for being particularly quick to fire their managers, so it could well be one of the mid table skippers axed, if his side underperforms out of the gate. Whoever takes the Aston Villa hotseat has some large shoes to fill; if  he trips up, a rattled Randy Lerner may be prone to a knee jerk reaction.

There is still a long way to go in the current transfer window and many things could change between now and 1 September. With the possibly imminent buyout of Liverpool, that may see them attempt a late raid, or two, of significant talent and the sale of Milner to Man City looking more and more a done deal, we could well see a transfer merry go round getting underway, as the other big clubs look to keep up with the Joneses.  There might only be a few days to go until the first matches of the season but it will be much longer before we know how all the preseason wrangling pans out!

The UEFA boss has put his foot down...

With the the first kick of this year’s English Premier League, a new era dawns in English top flight football.  Under intense pressure from the mandate of UEFA president, Michel Platini, for clubs to be both financially sound and comprised mostly of the same national origin as the league in which they play, the Premier League and it’s head, Richard Scudamore, introduced what has become generally known as the Homegrown Rule.

Essentially, the rule states that on 1 September, every club in the Premier League must submit a roster of twenty-five eligible players, which cannot be changed until the January transfer window.  Further, eight of those players must be what the league considers homegrown.

“A home-grown player means one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).” –The Premier League’s official definition of the term.

... and the Premier League gives ground.

In addition to the 25 players, a club may also sign an unlimited number of players who are younger than or have turned twenty-one in the calendar year in which the season begins.

Those who are for it have proclaimed it as necessary to revitalise the national squad.  Opponents have branded it UEFA’s way of knocking the Premiership off its lofty perch as the number one European league.  As the season approaches, the argument has heated up like a kettle on the boil.

Now, the publisher of WFC, Steven Jones and our Championship and Ligue 1 correspondent, Tapesh Patel, shoulder their way into the melee.  Actually, they’re just trying to get a seat at the bar, where they can relax and, each sipping a frothy pint of Guinness, give their thoughts on the matter.  Let’s listen in.

One 'homegrown' player...

...and another, neither of which will ever play for the England National Team

Steve: On the whole, rules in football are put in place to even the playing field. Platini’s attempt to prevent large clubs from racking up massive debts, by requiring that no club may spend more than its incoming revenue, is an example. I’m all for making things fair, but I feel the 25 man squad with 8 homegrown players is going to cause problems at every level and it’s quite hard to see what they’re trying to achieve by introducing this rule.

It seems as though it has been set in place to tackle more than one problem.  Yes, you must have 8 players who have played in the English or Welsh leagues for 3 years before reaching 21 years of age, but they needn’t be English.  They could be Italian, Polish, Chinese or whatever.  How does that serve the development of the English game?  With such ambiguities, I wonder if the Homegrown Rule is going to accomplish anything at all.

Tapesh: To be honest, it shows that the FA has the national team’s best interests at heart. As well as attempting to solve the Three Lion’s problems on the home front, the FA has had to work around EU policy as best it can to implement a rule, which to be honest, England desperately needs. I mean, it’s only fair that an English league should contain some English players, right? With the current laws on immigration, it’s difficult to think of any better solution.

I think it might have been a bit easier to introduce the home-grown rule in increments, like the proposed introduction of the 6+5 rule, but I don’t think most clubs will have a huge problem in having 8 homegrown players in their squad. It’s definitely a good way of encouraging clubs to develop their academies, as well, something which will benefit all parties in the long term.

Do the big clubs, especially Wenger's Gunners, have an almost insurmountable head start in adopting to the new rule?

Steve: My main concern is with the medium and smaller sized clubs. So-called ‘homegrown players’ are going to be hotly sought after.  Premier League clubs competing on lesser budgets, who have thrived on foreign talent, will be relegated to signing the dregs of the homegrown barrel.  The cream, which, as is said, rises to the top, will go to the richer clubs, with their more extensive scouting networks and cash on hand.

As well, other countries do not have these limitations.  Not burdened by such restrictions, European clubs are going to find it easier to fill their team with talented foreign players, leaving a clear gap in the level of talent between the Premiership and other top leagues.

There’s another issue here, in that  the Premiership has marketed itself very successfully abroad.  It is a truly international league.  Most Premiership fans are not English and do not support England.  Why should their weekly football suffer because the FA can’t get things right at a grassroots level?

...And Cole, who has played in red previously, inspired.

For Hodgson, Shelvey was a creative signing...

Tapesh: Most clubs have already met the homegrown quota without their squads getting worse, so I don’t think there will be an issue of England lagging behind other countries in terms of the Champions League. Spain has implemented a similar rule, and Barcelona and Real Madrid are arguably the two best teams in Europe at the moment.

It’s true that most Premiership fans are from abroad, but it’s still an English league, whatever its ambitions.  I don’t think that the inclusion of 8 homegrown players should deter any squad, if they invest in the right ones.  Liverpool is usually identified as the club which needs to do the most to comply with the new rule.  Roy Hodgson has gone out and, on a bare bones budget, shrewdly managed to sign Joe Cole, as well as a gifted English youngster in Jonjo Shelvey.

As I see it, the top clubs will probably end up taking the best young talent, both from England and elsewhere, then loan them out within the league to gain experience, if required. Training with the best should, in theory, improve them.

Steve: The point about Real and Barca is interesting. I believe those teams are more desirable destinations for foreign players, especially South Americans because of their cultural links, so the Premiership needs to gain the upper hand through other methods.

A decade ago the Spaniards started from scratch, emphasising youth. Can England embrace the same patient approach?

The EPL has flourished with the introduction of foreign players and whilst I admit I’m not happy about seeing certain teams not featuring any English players, in some games, it’s for a reason.  The foreign talent is generally of a higher standard than we have here. I personally feel that the Homegrown rule is a poor attempt at trying to solve the underlying issue, which is that English players are not taught how to play football correctly, at a young age.

That is going to take maybe 6-8 years to turn around and the manufacturing of a squad’s make-up is not essential to the solution.  What is needed is a big rethink, new strategies and patience. If clubs, even those outside the top 10 of the Premiership, require loan players to fill their rosters, I believe it will lessen the stability of their squads, which, especially in the current economic climate, is something those teams strive to maintain week in, week out.

It now falls to the aptly named Roger Burden to revive the England's youth program

Tapesh: It’s true that English football needs a complete overhaul at the grassroots level but I also think that, although the homegrown rule may not be the be-all-and-end-all solution, it’s a good start; a signal that the FA is going in the right direction. As a temporary measure, it will give young English players, who otherwise would miss out,  the chance to make Premiership appearances.

The FA has done the right thing, following recent disappointments.  I don’t think any England fan would want the team to miss qualification for another major tournament!  We need our young players to develop.

Whilst it’s a shame that many Premiership clubs are now having to bring players in on loan, that’s a reflection of the economics of football nowadays.   The game has definitely gone top-heavy since the introduction of the Champions League.  The richer clubs have become richer, and the poor poorer.

..

Well, there you have it.  Steve and Tapesh have had their say, and having drained their glasses are each on their way home to explain their tardiness to the missus.  Who do you think was right?  Is the rule good for the Premiership, will it drag English football down into mediocrity or is the whole thing a tempest in a teapot?  You tell us, in our reader’s poll, below.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Today’s theme:  What were these guys thinking?

You know you have issues, if you have boatloads of talent and Mourinho doesn't want you.

We have to start with everyone’s favourite spoiled little brat, Mario Balotelli.  Admittedly, Italian fans are not known for their tolerance when it comes to matters of race.  They’ve made Balotelli a special project, however, piling on the abuse to the extent that it makes the relationship between the Kopp and Hicks & Gillette seem like a blissful romance

The problem, though, hasn’t been the fans.  It’s been the way that Balotelli handles them.

It’s not as though bigotry is anything new or that there isn’t an effective way to deal with such people.  There was Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr. and, in American baseball, the legendary Jackie Robinson.  Robinson had the same fiery temper as Balotelli but also the maturity and wisdom to listen to those trying to help him.  His fierce determination, tempered with incredible self control, endeared him to his white teammates and, gradually, to an entire nation.  His number 42 has now been retired from not just his own Dodger club but all of Major League Baseball.

The young Italian has not learned from the examples of the great men who have gone before him.  Instead of turning the other cheek, he has fed the rage of his tormentors with his immature antics, spitting and gesticulating to the stands, insulting his detractors in the media and, worst of all, throwing his strip, to club supporters the equivalent of a national flag, to the ground in anger.

He has publicly proclaimed his desire to leave and, with a £25m price having been agreed between Manchester City and Inter, has gotten his wish.  Except that the player himself has thrown a wrench in the works with outrageous wage demands of £180,000 per week.  Some people just can’t get out of their own way.

Capello lectures the lads on the official Three Lions emergency relief policy. Shrubbery and news stands, no. Willow trees and dark alleys, yes.

Next up is poor Wayne Rooney.  The Man United talisman carried his club through the Premier League season, gamely trying to play through more than one injury, only to run out of gas at the World Cup in South Africa.  Since then, he has taken no end of stick for simply not being super human enough.

Now, after trying to get away from it all for a little bit and having a night out on the town, Roo has fallen afoul of the media and England coach, Fabio Capello, after being caught urinating and -gasp!- smoking in public.

Really, people.  Smoking?  What’s next?  Will Glen Johnson be suspended for being photographed clipping his toenails?  The British tabloids must really be starving for news.  If you’ve got pics of  Scott Parker taking a hit from a bong or Arsene Wenger performing in a drag show, call us.  But Wayne Rooney smoking?  Give us a break, please.

The urinating, we can understand.  If you’re famous and you know you’ve got a pack of moronic paparazzi following you about, it’s probably not advisable to whip out your bait and tackle in a public setting.  We blame Rooney’s teammate Rio Ferdinand, though.  He’s been drumming all that superstitious nonsense about public loos into the younger man’s head.

And what in the wide world of sports does Capello care?  He tolerated John Terry philandering with Wayne bridge’s ex and undermining Steven Gerrard’s captaincy, he let Ashley Cole’s unpatriotic pre-World Cup tweets slide, but he’s going to take Wayne Rooney aside and give him a stern talking to about the hazards of tobacco products?  I’m sorry.  What planet am I on?   At least Fergie had the good sense to switch off the pilot under this tempest in a teapot.

After this, Müller still has to launder the kits and scrape all the turf from the bottom of the squads' boots.

Over in Munich, Bayern announced that it had extended the contract of young World Cup star Thomas Müller for another two years, with the player allegedly to receive €3m per season.  Now, the Bundesliga is known for its frugality.  So, club president Karl-Heinze Rummenigge was forced to rationalise the pay raise for the youngster.

“Bayern rewards performance and Thomas Müeller’s performances last season were extraordinary,”  Rummenigge, himself a former German World Cup hero explained.

Still, WFC has it on good authority that the club is intending to squeeze every Deutsche mark of value out of the young player, as evidenced by the accompanying photo, taken at a recent Bayern training session.

Thomas, Thomas, have you no pride?   Your days of supplementing your income and insuring some job security by performing menial tasks are past.  Your performance in South Africa should have put paid to that.  Besides, the club has Tony Kroos for all that stuff, now.

We know we’ve just ragged on Mario Balotelli for having an over-inflated sense of self worth but your humility is taking it too far in the opposite direction.  There has to be a middle ground.  After all, it’s not like you’re playing in the MLS.

Lastly, we take a look at some MMA and footy enthusiasts who decided, with predictably unfortunate results, to combine their two passions.

“Let’s see, Bob is right footed, and Tom there is holding the ball to his own right, so if I stand just here, I should be safe.”

By the way, is it me or does the dojo in which these shaolin wannabees have set up shop look like an underground station?   I half expect the train to pull up in the background every time I watch this clip.

Anyway, cheers until next time.

Enjoy!

Saturday, 31 July

Man City looks into all options for trimming down squad.

The Sky Blues are well into their current tour of the US, in preparation for the upcoming Premier league season.  The club is doing everything it can to make sure its well paid players are happy and entertained when not on the training ground.  A few days ago, in New York City, several of the lads piled into waiting SUV’s, which whisked them from the hotel down to Chinatown, where they struck up a friendly with a few of the locals, giving away official replicas of the new road strip after spanking the young New Yorkers handily.

SWP makes a friend by promising to FedEx the 350 lb McKinney a sumptious curry from Moon's of Manchester as soon as he gets back.

In Baltimore, Maryland, the opposition was slightly larger.  The squad took time off to visit the training camp of the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.  The diminutive Shaun Wright-Phillips struck up a friendship and playfully lined up opposite Raven’s defensive tackle, Brandon McKinney.  The former Michigan State collegiate standout is 6’2” and 350 pounds.  If you used applied mathematics to compare the two athletes, the formula you’d come up with would be BMcK = 2.5(SWP).

You have to admire Phillips’ moxie in getting so close to the behemoth.  The rotund lineman could make a between-meals snack of both Shaun and his brother Bradley and, likely, still feel a little peckish.  Luckily, Ravens head coach, John Harbaugh, has his man on a strict diet, so that he can trim down to a more streamlined playing weight of 335, before the first game of the NFL season, in early September.

Elsewhere, Nedum Onuoha grabbed hold of some padding and served as a tackling dummy for some of his teammates.  Rumour has it that this caught the eye of Roberto Mancini and his backroom staff, desperate as they are to offload up to 15 players from their bloated squad to trim the budget and comply with the EPL’s newly imposed Home Grown rule.  Needing to name a match eligible roster of 25 players by the beginning of September, the Italian might have momentarily been hoping to ‘loan out’ a few of his younger charges to the Americans.

That idea was crushed, however, at the sight of Adam Johnson taking a full speed run at Onuoha and ricocheting off his teammate like bug off a windshield (Video courtesy of MCFC.co.uk).  Notice how quickly AJ picks up his Ravens program and tries to act like he didn’t just do a convincing impression of a crash test dummy.