Liverpool owner Gillette positioning for move?

I'll warn anyone who read this post that it's pure speculation, but the sheer possibility demands some sort of comment.

According to Canadian media reports, the Montreal Canadiens NHL hockey franchise, owned by Liverpool co-owner George Gillette, are the subject of a sale speculation. Research In Motion CEO Jim Balsille, who has sought to acquire an NHL franchise, was reported to have told the La Presse newspaper in Montreal that the Canadiens are for sale. Both Balsille and Gillette have since subsequently rejected the notion, but the mere report of a sale raises some questions.

Perhaps Balsillie isn't going to buy the team, but does this mean the Canadiens are not for sale? The team is performing very well this season, but perhaps the value of the franchise will never be higher. Also to consider, is that the NHL is largely a North American property, with marginal interest outside Canada and the U.S.

Liverpool on the other hand, is in many respects a global property. Is it possible that Mr. Gillette is considering selling the Canadiens for a considerable profit, only to ensure that the proposed new Anfield moves ahead and prior loans are secured, thereby safeguarding a larger, potentially more lucrative investment? In the face of the Liverpool ownership's refusal to deal with Middle East oil interests, this may represent the next move in the ongoing ownership saga.

As I said at the outset, this is my own speculation, but considering what Premier League observers have already seen this season (Manchester City, for example), such a move wouldn't be out of the ordinary.

Stay tuned ...

Top of Premier League table resumes familiar pattern; MLS 2011 expansion prediction

Things at the top of the Premier League table are starting to look awfully familiar.

After losing to the Tottenham "Redknapp effect" 2-1 Saturday, Liverpool now trail Chelsea (easy 5-0 winners against Sunderland) on goal difference, while Manchester United have shrugged off an indifferent start to their campaign, their latest scalp a tricky 4-3 win over Hull City. United lie in third, five points behind with a game in hand. Arsenal meanwhile, sit in fourth after their weekend debacle away to Stoke City.

Sound familiar? It's more than a little comical how it generally takes about 10 or so games, but the pretenders get shaken out sooner rather than later. There are questions to be asked of the Big Four (Can Liverpool do the business over the long term without Fernando Torres, will Arsenal suffer a total collapse due to injuries, will Man United get distracted by January transfer speculation?), but for all the talk of several teams "breaking in" to the Champions League positions, nothing seems to have really changed.

For all of the promise that Hull City have shown through the first quarter of the season, the Champions League will not be the next stop for the determined Tigers.

The only intriguing case for a shake-up at the top appears to be the pluck Aston Villa. Villa look to have mastered the task of navigating the lower-tier Premier League teams, and have already taken a point off Liverpool. Victory tonight at Newcastle would vault the Villains ahead of Man United into third. This at the same time that their chief rival to the Big Club, Arsenal, took a beating in more ways than one against Stoke.

The Gunners' best striker this term, Robin van Persie, got sent off and will miss the upcoming match against Manchester United. Emmanuel Adebayor, Theo Walcott and Bacary Sagna all suffered injuries. Yesterday, manager Arsene Wenger admitted his team may already be burnt out. Not a good sign at this point, is it?

Like Arsenal, Villa are talented, but the depth of Martin O'Neill's squad is questionable over the gruelling English season. With UEFA cup group stage games, FA and Carling cup ties along with the Christmas schedule on the horizon, Villa's credentials will be truly tested over the next two months.

As for the rest, relegation battles and cup dreams remain the only possible consolation.

MLS Expansion

Since straying from my little piece of the 'Net, Major League Soccer announced its list of suitors for two expansion slots for the 2011 season. Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Miami, Atlanta, St. Louis and Portland all confirmed their intentions to bid for what would be the 17th and 18th league franchises (after Seattle and Philadelphia are admitted in the interim).

From my corner of the world here in Ottawa, I see two possible results, bounded by two factors. Remember: 1) the league wants to promote rivalries, 2) the league is split geographically into East and West.

This makes for two scenarios: Montreal and Portland or Vancouver and Atlanta.

The first assumption that this prediction makes is that MLS is hot for Canada. Toronto FC is, at least commercially, the most successful club in the league. Some of this comes down to the city of Toronto and not having enough holes for people to drop their bottomless pit of entertainment dollars into; some of this is because there are many people in this country who crave professional football.

MLS, in my opinion, sees the opportunity to cash in on Canadian footballing dreams and will take one bid from the three northern cities.

Montreal, with solid ownership and a "soccer specific" stadium which can easily be expanded, seems the most likely candidate. The Impact's run in the CONCACAF Champions League couldn't come at a more opportune time either. Also working in Montreal's favour is the age-old rivalry with Toronto (George Gillett, owner of the Canadiens/Impact vs. MLSE, owner of the Maple Leafs/TFC).

This would make way for Portland and the Timbers, who could then re-kindle their rivalry with Seattle at the MLS level.

The alternative would be Vancouver, also in the west and a potential rival for Seattle, but with no stadium. In the East, Atlanta would be the second pick of the litter behind Montreal, only because it is backed by Falcons owner Arthur Blanks. Atlanta however is a professional sporting nightmare, with little in the way of consistent fan support for any of the current franchises (Falcons, Braves, Hawks, Thrashers).

Miami, backed by Barcelona, was tried once before by MLS, why go back now? As for St. Louis, a team there would serve as a rival for Kansas City, but why prop up the weakest market in the league with another dubious football market?

As for Ottawa: no professional team + no stadium + no clue = no team. Senators owner Eugene Melnyk should look into the soon-to-be-burgeoning market for a USL team and build from the ground up, unless Millwall co-owner and city sporting rival Bill Shenkman beats him to it.

Shipwreck on the Tyne: the good ship Magpie goes down

Things just aren't right at St. James' Park, are they?

Four losses in a row, a brand new interim manager to replace the previous interim manager who stepped in when the Toon idol finally had enough and walked out the door. Top it off with an owner (or is it wealthy cheerleader?) who can't sell fast enough.

What can players like Michael Owen, Nicky Butt and Damien Duff, players who have all won trophies and played at the highest levels, think about what's going on at Newcastle?

About a month and a half ago, I quite cynically predicted Newcastle would be relegated this year. I think anyone who tries to predict anything needs to make one bold call, make a call to set themselves apart from the crowd. Most pundits had Newcastle pegged to finish 11th or 12th come May; I had them 18th. At this point, I may have been optimistic.

In the Magpies' defence, they have had a tough schedule to this point. A gutsy draw against Manchester United, a win at home to a soft Bolton and a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Arsenal at the Emirates. I don't think anyone would have seen those results differently (the opening draw aside).

In the past three games, the wheels have fallen off. A home loss to Hull, a 3-1 defeat at Upton Park against another mid-table side engulfed in off-field turmoil, and finally losing 2-1 today to Blackburn.

Sandwiched in there as well was another home loss to the equally woeful Tottenham, 2-1 in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

No wonder Terry Venables turned down the job...

Along the way, manager Kevin Keegan imploded, blaming the transfer policies of owner Mike Ashley and his hench-thingy Dennis Wise for his typically odd resignation saga. It was never going to work out for Keegan, despite the hopes and dreams of his adoring public. But in the end, the fate of Newcastle United was never really Keegan's fault anyway.

I think in order to understand how Newcastle got to this point, you need to look back to 2004, when Sir Bobby Robson was sacked for failing to qualify for the Champions League. Since then, they've finished in 14th, 7th, 13th and 12th. They've also had five managers.

At one time this was a team capable of playing in Europe. No longer. At one point this was a team to be feared in the Premier League and St. James' Park was a tough place to play. No more.

New interim manager Joe Kinnear has his work cut out for him. The first thing he needs to do is treat every game a point he needs to claim. He needs to send teams out on the park willing to scrap for a draw and to nick a win if they're lucky. This team needs to get into relegation battle mode now, because by January it may be too late.

The manager and the players can't control events off the pitch, so it's best to ignore them as best you can.

Last season, Liverpool suffered through a spell of owner antics. After claiming only one point after three matches in the group stages of the Champions League, they won their remaining three to qualify for the knockout phase. Meanwhile, the Reds' American owners were rumoured to be hunting for a new manager, fans were protesting, points were dropped in the league. But the team accomplished the task at hand.

Newcastle would be advised to draw inspiration from that situation. The players need to ensure the team's Premier League survival, owner be damned. It's going to be the longest of seasons on Tyneside.

Canada puts themselves behind the 8-ball

It's been a bit since my last post; the end of August proved to be a busy time in both my life and the world of football.

Canada has put themselves in quite a predicament, after poor displays against both Jamaica in Toronto and, most recently, Honduras in Montreal. Against Jamaica, a moment of madness from veteran keeper Paul Dolan cost them points, while on Saturday the game plan started to crumble after winger Tomasz Radzinski sliced his hand open on the advertising boards.

Both matches (I was at the Jamaica game and only caught Saturday's game on the telly) showed that while Canada has more attacking potential than perhaps any time in the past, they still need that bit of quality when it comes to finishing. Canada had more scoring chances than their opponents in each match, but failed to convert chances into goals. Honduras on the other hand, had but maybe four good chances on goal and took two of them.

The other criticism I have of Canada's play, especially against Honduras, was the way the team slipped back into a fruitless, direct style of play after Radzinski went off. Before that moment, Canada controlled possession, was pushing the ball down the wings and creating chances. Afterwards, some fifteen minutes into the match and with a deserved 1-0 lead, they sat deeper and were content to hoof the ball up to striker Rob Friend, who seemed to operate without support. This allowed the Hondurans back into the game and effectively squashed Canada's chances once they went behind 2-1.

If Canada play like they did Saturday against the Mexicans on Wednesday night, their World Cup campaign will come to a screeching halt with three games remaining. If they use the talents of Julian De Guzman, Dwayne De Rosario and Atiba Hutchinson to control play, coming away with a point would save them from another four years of regret.

Don't get me wrong. With only one point from their first two home matches Canada will not be favoured to move on in the competition. Effectively, they need to aim for a pair of draws or an unlikely win in Edmonton against Mexico, plus a win in Honduras and again away to Jamaica.

That's a tall order, but CONCACAF is not a confederation where there's a unassailable gulf of talent between these teams. Canada, on their day, can beat any of the teams in their region, just as Trinidad and Tobago or Cuba or Guatemala can show up and play against the likes of the U.S. or Costa Rica. This ain't over for Canada yet, they've just made it a lot harder on themselves.

Canada v. Jamaica: World Cup 2010 Qualifying Preview

Canada starts the next stage in its bid to earn a berth in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with a match against the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica on Wednesday in Toronto.

The Canadian team, announced last week, is perhaps the strongest we've ever managed to assemble:

Goalkeepers: Pat Onstad (Houston Dynamo); Greg Sutton (Toronto FC)

Defenders: Paul Stalteri (Tottenham Hotspur); Jim Brennan (Toronto FC); Mike Klukowski (Club Brugge); Kevin McKenna (FC Koln); Richard Hastings (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Adrian Serioux (FC Dallas)

Midfielders: Daniel Imhof (VfL Bochum); Julian de Guzman (Deportivo La Coruna); Issey Nakajima-Farran (FC Nordsjlland); Atiba Hutchinson (FC Copenhagen); Patrice Bernier (FC Nordsjlland); Tomasz Radzinski (Skoda Xanthi); Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo)

Forwards: Ali Gerba (MK Dons); Rob Friend (Borussia Moenchengladbach); Iain Hume (Barnsley)

Canada looks strongest in midfield, with the likes of De Rosario, De Guzman, Radzinski and Hutchinson. The forwards, particularly Gerba and Friend will also play a big factor in Canada's success. Defence is a weak spot with no true centre backs named in the squad.

For Jamaica:

Goalkeepers: Donovan Ricketts (Bradford City); Shawn Sawyers (Portmore United)

Defenders: Tyrone Marshall (Toronto FC); Ian Goodison (Tranmere Rovers); Keneil Moodie (Seba United); O'Brian Woodbine (Reno); Demar Stewart (Chengdu Blades); Jermaine Taylor (Harbour View); Demar Phillips (Stoke City)

Midfielders: Davion Thorpe (Reno); Evan Taylor (Reno); Rudolph Austin (Stoke City); Jevaughn Watson (Sporting Central); Jermaine Hue (Harbour View); Ricardo Gardner (Bolton Wanderers); Wolry Wolfe (Joe Public)

Forwards: Deon Burton (Sheffield Wednesday); Luton Shelton (Valerenga); Omar Cummings (Colorado Rapids); Andy Williams (Real Salt Lake)

The Jamaicans also look strong up front, with Shelton leading the team with five goals in the opening qualifying round. Their defence looks decent, with a couple England-based players and TFC's Tyrone Marshall (who is questionable for the match, having picked up a quadriceps injury). The midfield is mainly composed of domestic-based players and remains somewhat of an enigma for us non-Jamaicans. They will surely benefit from their familiarity with one another, but the star, Gardner, didn't feature for Bolton on the weekend.

Canada leads the series between the two nations with a record of 6 wins, 4 draws and only 2 losses over 12 games. Particularly telling is the Canadians' record at home, with 5 wins and a draw. The confines of BMO Field should only help with this fine home form.

The Jamaicans dominated their second round qualifier against the Bahamas, winning 13-0 on aggregate.

There will be no games in the so-called Group of Death (also including Honduras and Mexico) that Canada can take for granted. They should be looking for three points against Jamaica, but by no means should these points be considered automatic.

Rene Simoes, the Brazilian who had been in talks with the Canadian Soccer Association to take over after the departure of Frank Yallop last year, manages the Jamaicans and will certainly have the Reggae Boyz prepared for the match.

Canadian manager Dale Mitchell would be advised to make the best of his limited training time with the largely European-based side, to ensure the squad is organized and acclimatizing his players to the artificial pitch at BMO.

Canada's next match is in Montreal on Sept. 6, against Honduras.

TFC's Edu makes Rangers switch

Glasgow Rangers have acquired Toronto FC and U.S. international midfielder Maurice Edu for a fee of £2.7 million (roughly $5.25 million Canadian).

According to the club's website, the move is still contingent upon Edu receiving a British work permit, but with six senior caps and his selection to the U.S. side for an upcoming World Cup qualifier against Guatemala, it should likely be nothing more than a formality.

Edu scored five goals in 38 appearances for Toronto FC, and won the MLS Rookie of the Year award in his debut campaign last season.

The midfielder has a bright future ahead of him in Scotland, but it leaves questions about what lies ahead for the TFC midfield. Aside from Welsh international Carl Robinson, there isn't really anyone else to mind the centre of the park for the Reds. Canadians Kevin Harmse, Tyler Rosenlund and Gabe Gala have all appeared in the role this season, none of the trio have managed to acquit themselves yet.

General manager Mo Johnston moved to pick up former U.S. under-21 forward Johann Smith late last week, but with Edu gone the transfers may not have wrapped up yet for Toronto. According to MLS rules, TFC receive two-thirds of the transfer fee for Edu.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part IV

At long last, the final installment of the Premier League preview!

5. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (at Middlesbrough, Aug. 16)
Stadium: White Heart Lane (Cap.: 36,310)
Manager: Juande Ramos

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 13, L 14, GD +5, P 46 (11th)

Perhaps the centre of attention in the Premier League this summer, Juande Ramos and Tottenham will this season reap the rewards of the stir they have caused. After stumbling for the first few months of last season, Spurs made steady progress after Maritn Jol was sacked and Ramos was installed as manager, culminating in their League Cup triumph over Chelsea. The team has improved iteself in almost every area of the pitch, and will be one of the treats to watch this term. The additions of David Bentley, Luka Modric and Gio dos Santos will bring verve to the midfield, while Heurelho Gomes will add solidity in net. Players added last season, including Scottish fullback Alan Hutton and Jonathan Woodgate, should continue to flourish. Ramos still may lose Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United, which will surely impact the teams fortunes, but Spurs will remain the best candidate to challenge the dominance of the top four this year, and in years to come.

IN: David Bentley (Blackburn, £15m rising to £17m); Luka Modric (Dinamo Zagreb, £16.8m); Heurelho Gomes (PSV Eindhoven, £8m); Giovani dos Santos (Barcelona, £4.7m rising to £8.6m); John Bostock (Crystal Palace, £700,000 rising to £2.15m); Paul-Jose Mpoku (Standard Liege; undisclosed)

OUT: Robbie Keane (Liverpool, £19m rising to £20.3m); Pascal Chimbonda (Sunderland, £4.9m); Steed Malbranque (Sunderland, £4m); Paul Robinson (Blackburn, £3.5m); Teemu Tainio (Sunderland, £3.5m); Younes Kaboul (Portsmouth, undisclosed); Tommy Forecast (Southampton, undisclosed); Joe Martin (Blackpool, undisclosed); Simon Dawkins (Leyton Orient, six month loan); Anthony Gardner (Hull, six month loan); Jake Livermore (Crewe, six month loan); Leigh Mills (Brentford, season loan); Jamie Davis (released); Radwan Hamed (released); Chris Riley (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Robbie Keane 15
Dimitar Berbatov 15
Darren Bent 6
Jermaine Defoe 4
Jermaine Jenas 4
Steed Malbranque 4

4. ARSENAL (v. West Brom, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Emirates Stadium (Cap.: 60,355)
Manager: Arsne Wenger

07 / 08 Finish: W 24, D 11, L 3, GD +43, P 83 (3rd)

In December of last season, the Premier League was Arsenal's to lose. They lost. It was felt that between their run in the Champions League and the English season proper, their squad was too thin to compete over the 10-month haul. Arsene Wenger has responded by ... signing a teenager (Aaron Ramsey) and a player barely out of his teens (Samir Nasri). Now, I'm not one to question Wengers aptitude when it comes to identifying talent, but to me, it seems the Frenchman is content to fade from contention this season as well. Arsenal have the starting eleven to best any other club in the league, but not over the 50-plus games they will likely play over the course of the season. Cesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor will continue to terrorize defences, but if and when they break down, watch out. The loss of both Alexander Hleb and Mathieu Flamini will be felt at some point this year. For the sake of the Gunner faithful, I hope that some of the ticket revenues generated by 60,000 fans can manage to purchase some cavalry before some of the teams beneath Arsenal sneak up from behind.

IN: Samir Nasri (Marseille, £12.8m); Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff, £5m); Francis Coquelin (Stade Lavallois, free); Amaury Bischoff (Werder Bremen, undisclosed)

OUT: Alexander Hleb (Barcelona, £11.8m rising to £13.5m); Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos, £1m); Mathieu Flamini (AC Milan, free); Jens Lehmann (Stuttgart, free); Kerrea Gilbert (Leicester, season loan)

Top League Goalscorers:
Emmanuel Adebayor 24
Robin Van Persie 7
Cesc Fabregas 7
Tomas Rosicky 6
Nicklas Bendtner 5

3. LIVERPOOL (at Sunderland, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Anfield (Cap.: 45,522)
Manager: Rafael Benitez

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 13, L 4, GD +39, P 76 (4th)

Liverpool start this season hoping they can have a say in ensuring Manchester United don't match their English record of 18 league championships. Easier said than done. Rafa Benitez has made some moves that will help end a title drought that is creeping up on two decades, but it remains to be seen whether he has done enough. Robbie Keane is sure to bring goals to Anfield, both for himself and for last season's top marksman Fernando Torres. Andrea Dossena and Philipp Degen bring added depth to a solid back line, which will benefit from the return to fitness of Daniel Agger, who missed most of last season through injury. What is still missing is a true wing player, especially vital as Benitez has grown fond of the 4-2-3-1 formation that demands a pair of skilled wide players. Ryan Babel could fill one half of that role while Keane may get drafted into the other, but a born-and-bred winger is what the Reds truly need. The biggest threat to a championship for the red half of Liverpool may lie in the boardroom however, as the travials of the two American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, won't seem to go away.

IN: Robbie Keane (Tottenham, £19m rising to £20.3m); Andrea Dossena (Udinese, £7m); Diego Cavalieri (Palmeiras, £3m ); David Ngog (Paris St-Germain, £1.5m); Nikola Saric (Herfolge, £600,000); Vincent Weijl (AZ Alkmaar, nominal fee); Christopher Buchtmann (Borussia Dortmund, undisclosed); Philipp Degen (Borussia Dortmund, free); Emmanuel Mendy (Murcia Deportivo, free); Zsolt Poloskei (MTK Hungaria, season loan)

OUT: John Arne Riise (Roma, £4m); Scott Carson (WBA, £3.25m); Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, £9m rising to £11m); Danny Guthrie (Newcastle, £2.5m); Anthony Le Tallec (Le Mans, £1.1m); Charlie Barnett (Tranmere, free); Besian Idrizaj (Wacker Innsbruck, free); Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, free); Godwin Antwi (Tranmere, six month loan); Adam Hammill (Blackpool, six month loan); Jack Hobbs (Leicester City, season loan); Robbie Threlfall (Hereford United, season loan); David Martin (Leicester, six month loan); Sebastien Leto (Olympiakos, two year loan)

Top League Goalscorers:
Fernando Torres 24
Steven Gerrard 11
Peter Crouch 5
Andriy Voronin 5
Ryan Babel 4
Yossi Benayoun 4

2. MANCHESTER UNITED (v. Newcastle, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Old Trafford (Cap.: 76,212)
Manager: Alex Ferguson

07 / 08 Finish: W 27, D 6, L 5, GD +58, P 87 (1st)

United's chances to win three league titles in a row rest on one of two things: Cristiano Ronaldo scoring 30-plus league goals again or someone else to pick up the slack. The imminent arrival of Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov remains just a bunch of newspaper fodder, while it remains to be seen whether Ronaldo can recover from ankle surgery and rekindle his other-worldly form of last season. Along with Chelsea, Manchester United have oodles of depth and talent at every position. But their double from last season was secured largely without a traditional centre forward. Berbatov would fill the role, and surely create space for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to further increase their goal tallies. Alex Ferguson has chosen not to invest further in the transfer market this summer, pinning his hopes on a squad that failed to win only 11 times (six draws, five losses) in 38 attempts last season. Not the worst bet, but with other clubs continuing to improve, it may turn out to cost the Red Devils come May.

IN: Davide Petrucci (Roma, £200,000)

OUT: Gerard Pique (Barcelona, £4m); Chris Eagles (Burnley, £1.2m); Richie Jones (Hartlepool, free); Michael Lea (Scunthorpe, free); Kieron Lee (Oldham, free); Conor McCormack (Triestina, free); David Williams (Oldham, free); Tom Heaton (Cardiff, season loan); Ferbin Brandy (Swansea, six month loan extension); Danny Simpson (Blackburn, season loan); Michael Barnes (released); Sean Evans (released); Chris Fagan (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Cristiano Ronaldo 31
Carlos Tevez 14
Wayne Rooney 12
Louis Saha 5
Nani 3
Ryan Giggs 3

1. CHELSEA (v. Portsmouth, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Stamford Bridge (Cap.: 42,360)
Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari

07 / 08 Finish: W 25, D 10, L 3, GD +39, P 85 (2nd)

When one of your biggest concerns is whether you can find any playing time for the likes of Joe Cole. things aren't bad. Felipe Scolari's Chelsea squad are dripping with talent, enough that it should bring the championship back to Stamford Bridge this season. The Blues only lost the title by two points last year, and the arrivals of full back Bosingwa and midfielder Deco will only make Chelsea stronger. Yes, they still only have a pair of strikers in Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba, but with German Michael Ballack back to his former, all-world self, the problem isn't nearly as glaring. And if it proves a problem, owner Roman Abramovich's pockets are still the deepest around. It will be interesting to see what sort of effect Scolari will have on Chelsea's style this year, which has bordered on drab or outright boring in the past. But really, this shouldn't matter too much in the end, so long as Scolari wins, everyone, including Abramovich himself, will be happy.

IN: Jose Bosingwa (Porto, £16.2m); Deco (Barcelona, £7.9m)

OUT: Steve Sidwell (Aston Villa, £5m); Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart, £4m); Tal Ben Haim (Manchester City, £3m); Claude Makelele (Paris St-Germain, free); Harry Worley (Leicester, free); Ryan Bertrand (Norwich, season loan); Shaun Cummings (MK Dons, one month loan); Slobodan Rajkovic (FC Twente, season loan); Ben Sahar (Portsmouth, season loan); Michael Modubi (Westerloo, season loan); Jeffrey Ntuka (Westerloo, season loan); Emmanuel Sarki (Westerloo, season loan); Jimmy Smith (Sheffield Wednesday, season loan); Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan; season loan); Anthony Grant (released); Adrian Pettigrew (released); James Simmonds (released); Phil Younghusband (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Frank Lampard 10
Didier Drogba 8
Michael Ballack 7
Saloman Kalou 7
Joe Cole 7

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part III

We move into the top half of the table with the third part of my Premier League preview:

10. SUNDERLAND (v. Liverpool, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Stadium of Light (Cap.: 49,000)
Manager: Roy Keane

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 6, L 21, GD -23, P 39 (15th)

Along with Fulham and Tottenham, Sunderland have done more than almost every team that finished in the bottom half of the table to improve their squad. The former Tottenham trio of Pascal Chimbonda, Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio will go a long way towards keeping Roy Keane's side out of the relegation battle this season. Malbranque in paticular, along with El-Hadji Diouf will provide creativity and match-winning skill that was sorely missing for the Black Cats last term. Mind you, this squad is a long way from challenging for Europe, and finishing below teams like West Ham and Fulham isn't out of the question. The team still needs a proven striker (Kenwyne Jones is good, but not a natural finisher) and the team needs a boost at the back. Keane appears to have a plan however, and he is the biggest reason this team will continue to improve. The Irishman is turning out to be an excellent Premier League manager, and the future is bright for Sunderland.

IN: Pascal Chimbonda (Tottenham, £4.9m); Steed Malbranque (Tottenham, £4m); Teemu Tainio (Tottenham, £3.5m); El-Hadji Diouf (Bolton, £2.5m); David Meyler (Cork, undisclosed); Nick Colgan (Ipswich, free)

OUT: Andrew Cole (Nottingham Forest, free); Greg Halford (Sheffield United, Free); Arnau Riera (Falkirk, season loan); Ross Wallace (Preston, season loan); Billy Dennehy (released); Gavin Donoghue (released); Iain Harte (released); Jack Pelter (released); Jake Richardson (released); Stanislav Varga (released); Stephen Wright (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Kenwyne Jones 7
Michael Chopra 6
Daryl Murphy 4
Danny Higginbotham 3
Kieran Richardson 3

9. MANCHESTER CITY (at Aston Villa, Aug. 17)
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium (Cap.: 47,726)
Manager: Mark Hughes

07 / 08 Finish: W 15, D 10, L 13, GD -8, P 55 (9th)

What has Mark Hughes gotten himself in to? Owner Thaksin Shinawatra flees Thailand rather than standing trial, but leaves his suitcase full of questionable cash behind (allegedly) and the funds needed to fill some of the gaps in this improved squad dry up. Brazilian Jo and Israeli defender Tal Ben Haim remain the only signings of the summer, leaving City still a little short at the back. Richard Dunne, Vedran Corluka and Micah Richards are all fine players, but the depth behind them leaves something to be desired. Scoring wasn't the problem last season for City, it was bleeding goals in defence. Hughes, who claims to be fine with the pandemonium in Manchester, will be an improvement over Sven Goran Eriksson, who will likely never get a fair shake in England and has made a good move to Mexico. Hughes, who is used to being strapped for cash and working with a small squad should keep Manchester City in the top half of the table.

IN: Jo (CSKA, Moscow £19m); Tal Ben Haim (Chelsea, £6m)

OUT: Giorgios Samaras (Celtic, £1.5m); Matthew Mills (Doncaster, £300,000); Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven, undisclosed); Ashley Grimes (Millwall, free); Geovanni (Hull, free); Garry Breen (Hereford, free); Bernardo Corradi (Reggina, free); Sun Jihai (Sheffield United, free); Michael Daly (released); Paul Dickov (released); Andrea Giombetti (released); Christian Mourtisen (released); Emile Mpenza (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Elano 8
Darius Vassell 6
Martin Petrov 5
Rolando Bianchi 4
Stephen Ireland 4

8. EVERTON (v. Blackburn, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Goodison Park (Cap.: 40,569)
Manager: David Moyes

07 / 08 Finish: W 19, D 8, L 11, GD +22, P 65 (5th)

Poor, poor, David Moyes. Like Hughes at City, Moyes is dealing with an empty bank account. The club is looking for investors to help secure a move to a new stadium, and the vault seems to be locked until some sort of deal is finalized. Unfortunately, with no deal on the horizon, Moyes will have to cope with the same miniscule squad they had last season, minus the scoring of Andy Johnson and the steel of Lee Carsley. The Everton first team squad is strong, and when Tim Cahill, Yakubu and Mikel Arteta are on form, they are capable of taking on all comers. Their defence is superb, featuring the likes of Joleon Lescott and Joseph Yobo. It will be up to Moyes to choose his competition this year, as even a couple of injuries could see Everton sliding down the table. If Everton's efforts are focused on the league, they should retain a UEFA Cup position. If injuries strike, the Toffees could be looking up at the top half of the table.

IN: None

OUT: Andy Johnson (Fulham, undisclosed); Lee Carsley (Birmingham City, free); Darren Dennehy, (Cardiff, free); Aidan Downes (Yeovil, free); Jamie Jones (Leyton Orient, free); Bjarni Vidarsson (FC Twente, free); Stefan Wessels (VfL Osnabruck, released); Patrick Boyle (released); Stephen Connor (released); Shaun Densmore (released); James Hall (released); Ryan Harpur (released); Steven Morrison (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Yakubu Ayegbeni 15
Joleon Lescott 8
Tim Cahill 7
Andy Johnson 6
Leon Osman 4

7. PORTSMOUTH (at Chelsea, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Fratton Park (Cap.: 20,688)
Manager: Harry Redknapp

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 9, L 13, GD +8, P 57 (8th)

Last season was a special season at Fratton Park. An eighth place finish, winning the FA Cup to secure the club's first entry into Europe, and all the while playing attractive football. Harry Redknapp has established Pompey as a force to be reckoned with in England. The arrival of Peter Crouch should add to the goals produced by Jermaine Defoe, making for a deadly English pairing. Portsmouth are fairly strong at the back, but Sol Campbell is getting a little long in the tooth. It will be interesting to see how Younes Kaboul responds to life on the south coast, as he was inconsistent at best while at Tottenham. He is young (22) however, and perhaps Redknapp and the veterans Campbell and Sylvain Distin can mould him into something approaching a centre back. The central midfield is depleted with the loss of Sulley Muntari, but with Pedro Mendes and Papa Bouba Diop, should be up to the task. The UEFA Cup should inspire the squad, and they look a good bet to earn a second consecutive place in continental competition.

IN: Younes Kaboul (Tottenham, undisclosed); Peter Crouch (Liverpool, £9m rising to £11m); Omar Koroma (Banjul Hawks, undisclosed); Glenn Little (Reading, free); Ben Sahar (Chelsea, six month loan)

OUT: Sulley Muntari (Inter Milan, £12.7m); Nicky Jordan (Hereford, free); Omar Koroma (Norwich, season loan); Andreas Govas (released); Farid Hassani (released); Ugo Udoji (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Benjani 12
Jermain Defoe 8
John Utaka 5
Sulley Muntari 4
Kanu 4
Niko Kranjcar 4

6. ASTON VILLA (v. Manchester City, Aug. 17)
Stadium: Villa Park (Cap.: 42,573)
Manager: Martin O’Neill

07 / 08 Finish: W 16, D 12, L 10, GD +20, P 60 (6th)

After dominating the summer transfer rumours with an on-again, off-again deal with Liverpool, Gareth Barry is staying after all. The midfielder played in Villa's UEFA Cup qualifier against FH Hafnarfjordur today, and the prospects for manager Martin O'Neill's season immediately got better. Now that he's cup-tied, Barry will solidify his place alongside Nigel Reo-Coker, with Steve Sidwell to challege from the bench (Oh my! Depth!). Ashley Young, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor form a potent combination in attack, with Young and Agbonlahor only getting better. But like many of the teams outside the big four clubs, Villa suffered from a lack of depth last season. With the Villans competing in Europe, the depth provided by Sidwell will prove vital. The recent signing of Carlos Cuellar should move into the void left by Olof Mellburg, while the American pair of Brad Friedel and Brad Guzan should improve the goal keeping situation. While still a ways off from breaking into the top four, Aston Villa remain one of the top candidates to challenge for a Champions League place.

IN: Carlos Cuellar (Rangers, £7.8m); Steve Sidwell (Chelsea, £5m); Curtis Davies (WBA, £3m); Brad Friedel (Blackburn, £2.5m); Brad Guzan (Chivas USA, £600,000)

OUT: Luke Moore (WBA, £3m to £3.5m); Damian Bellon (FC Vaduz, free); Patrik Berger (Sparta Prague, free); Erik Lund (Gothenburg, free); Olof Mellberg (Juventus, free); Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City, free)

Top League Goalscorers:
John Carew 13
Gabriel Agbonlahor 11
Gareth Barry 9
Ashley Young 8
Martin Laursen 6

TOMMORROW: The final installment of the Premier League Preview, featuring what I think will be the top five teams including my pick to become the 08/09 champions.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part II

Here we go with part two of the preview:

15. BOLTON WANDERERS (v. Stoke City, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Reebok Stadium (Cap.: 28,723)
Manager: Gary Megson

07 / 08 Finish: W 9, D 10, L 19, GD -18, P 37 (16th)

There will be nervous days come May at the Reebok Stadium. Gary Megson and company should brace themselves for another season rooted near the foot of the table. As has been the case with Bolton teams since their arrival in the Premier League, there has been little in the way of transfer funding, meaning the club has needed to find success on the cheap, through the graft of its manager. Unfortunately, Megson has little of this precious commodity on hand, and the squad has been meagerly improved over the summer. He handily kept the team afloat last season, even after losing Nicholas Anelka in January. New signing Johan Elmander may eventually become a promising Premier League player, but his impact won’t be enough this season to justify the price tag, nor keep the Wanderers faithful from pining for the likes of Anelka. Danny Shittu however, is a solid defender from the Championship who has earned the right to prove himself at the top level. Kevin Nolan will once again need to carry Bolton on his back, and the Wanderers should have enough in the tank to avoid the drop, as they did last season, but there will be tense times in the northwest.

IN: Johan Elmander (Toulouse, £10m + Daniel Braaten); Fabrice Muamba (Birmingham, £5.5m); Danny Shittu (Watford, undisclosed); Mustapha Riga (Levante, undisclosed);

OUT: El-Hadji Diouf (Sunderland, £2.5m); Daniel Braaten (Toulouse, swap); Andranik Teymourian (Fulham, free); Ivan Campo (released); Mark Ellis (released); Stelios Giannakopoulos (released); Johann Smith (released); Les Thompson (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Nicholas Anelka 10
Kevin Nolan 5
El-Hadji Diouf 4
Matthew Taylor 3
Kevin Davies 3

14. BLACKBURN ROVERS (at Everton, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Ewood Park (Cap.: 31,367)
Manager: Paul Ince

07 / 08 Finish: W 15, D 13, L 10, GD +2, P 58 (7th)

Paul Ince has a job on his hands. The triumphant former MK Dons manager will quickly learn the cruelty of the top flight this season. Star winger David Bentley is gone, goal keeping saviour Brad Friedel is gone and the glue that seems to have kept Blackburn together, Mark Hughes, is also gone. Ince will need to rebuild bridges with the squad, and learn to cope with a diminished first team. Paul Robinson will play a big part in determining Rovers’ fate this term and has big boots to fill. Friedel was the basis of much of Blackburn’s success over the past few seasons and remains one of the Premier League’s top keepers. Robinson is … Robinson. Ince will have a good strike force this year with Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy up front (and a useful Jason Roberts on the bench), but play maker Morten Gamst Pedersen will need to find his form of two years ago in order to fill the gap left by Bentley in the midfield. Ince will have to deal with some discontent in the boot room, with the likes of Santa Cruz rumoured to be looking for greener pastures, and this will be the defining theme of his first season at the top. It will be a long season at Ewood Park …

IN: Paul Robinson (Tottenham, £3.5m); Carlos Villanueva (Audax Italiano, season loan); Danny Simpson (Manchester United, season loan); Julio Santa Cruz (Cerro Porteno, undisclosed)

OUT: David Bentley (Tottenham, £15m rising to £17m); Brad Friedel (Aston Villa, £2.5m); Peter Enckelman (Cardiff, free); Rafael De Vita (Livingston, free); Jamie Clarke (Accrington, six month loan); Osahon Eboigne (OH Leuven, season loan); Bruno Berner (released); Stephane Henchoz (released); Zak Jones (released); Darragh Tuffy (released); Francis Zenaba (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Roque Santa Cruz 19
Benni McCarthy 8
David Bentley 6
Morten Gamst Pedersen 4
Matt Derbyshire 3
Jason Roberts 3

13. WIGAN ATHLETIC (at West Ham, Aug. 16)
Stadium: JJB Stadium (Cap.: 25,138)
Manager: Steve Bruce

07 / 08 Finish: W 10, D 10, L 18, GD -17, P 40 (14th)

A competent, if unspectacular side has been quickly built by Steve Bruce at Wigan, relying on a similar formula for success he instilled at, err, Birmingham? Really though, Bruce did efficiently guide the Latics to safety last season and should be a safe bet to do so again, if only because he’s a better manager than some beneath him and because he’ll avoid the upheaval that other teams will surely endure over the course of the season. A healthy strike pairing of Marcus Bent and Emile Heskey will supply goals; Olivier Kapo and Daniel de Ridder, both arriving from Birmingham, will add depth to the midfield while Lee Cattermole should make Gareth Southgate rue the day he agreed to let the holding midfielder move on. Things won’t be easy for Wigan (they could use somebody to pair with Paul Scharner other than Titus Bramble in the heart of defence), but a full season with Bruce at the helm should continue the clubs conversion into a Premier League regular.

IN: Lee Cattermole (Middlesbrough, £3.5m); Olivier Kapo (Birmingham, £3.5m); Daniel de Ridder (Birmingham, free); Amr Zaki (Zamalek, season loan)

OUT: David Cotterill (Sheffield United, £1.5m); Andreas Granqvist (Gronigen, £795,000); Julius Aghahowa (Kayserispor, free); Salomon Olembe (Kayserispor, free); Josip Skoko (Hajduk Split, free); Peter Moore (released); Russell Saunders (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Marcus Bent 7
Antoine Sibierski 4
Emile Heskey 4
Paul Scharner 4
Antonio Valencia 3
Ryan Taylor 3

12. FULHAM (at Hull City, Aug. 16)
Stadium: Craven Cottage (Cap.: 26,600)
Manager: Roy Hodgson

07 / 08 Finish: W 8, D 12, L 18, GD -22, P 36 (17th)


After performing the Great Escape on the final day of last season, Roy Hodgson got straight to work ensuring a similar scenario won’t play out again this term. The addition of Andy Johnson from Everton should make teams like Middlesbrough and Bolton jealous. Johnson, who was mired on the bench at Goodison for most of last year, will make an instant impact for the Cottagers – who knows, maybe he’ll even make Bobby Zamora look good! Perhaps the most important thing for Fulham this season will be the continued form of captain Danny Murphy, who emerged from a shell under Hodgson. Along with Simon Davies, Clint Dempsey and newcomer Zoltan Gera, the Fulham midfield looks promising. Mark Schwarzer will be a boost in goal as well. Perhaps the biggest plus for Hodgson over the summer has been that he hasn’t had to sell any key players. Fulham at the very least should put on a good show and they’ll certainly find a comfortable place at the lower end of mid-table.

IN: Andrew Johnson (Everton, undisclosed); Bobby Zamora (West Ham United, £5.8m); Fredrik Stoor (Rosenborg, £2m); John Pantsil (West Ham United, £500,000); David Stockdale (Darlington, £350,000 rising to £650,000); Zoltan Gera (WBA, free); Toni Kallio (BSC Young Boys, free); Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, free); Andranik Teymourian (Bolton, free); Pascal Zuberbuhler (Neuchatel Xamax, free)

OUT: Ricardo Batista (Sporting Lisbon, £120,000); Nathan Ashton (Wycombe, undisclosed); Dejan Stefanovic (Norwich, undisclosed); Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, free); Brian McBride (Toronto FC, free); Bradley Hudson-Odoi (Hereford United, free); Michael Timlin (Swindon, free); Bjorn Runstrom (Odense, free); Tony Warner (Hull City, free); Lee Cook (QPR, season loan); Elliot Omuzusi (Norwich, season loan); Corrin Brooks-Meade (released); Phillippe Christanval (released); Ismael Ehui (released); Simon Elliot (released); Jari Litmanen (released); Ian Pearce (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Clint Dempsey 6
Danny Murphy 5
Simon Davies 5
Diomansy Kamara 5
David Healy 4
Brian McBride 4

11. WEST HAM UNITED (v. Wigan Athletic, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Boleyn Ground (Cap.: 35,647)
Manager: Alan Curbishley

07 / 08 Finish: W 13, D 10, L 15, GD -8, P 49 (10th)

The Hammers persevere in spite of themselves. That they were able to field a team by mid-season last term was a miracle on its own, so riddle with injuries was the squad. Yet when healthy, West Ham provide a challenge for most teams in the Premier League. Striker Dean Ashton will go hand-in-hand with success at Upton Park this season: in spite of being injured for good chunks of the season, Ashton managed 10 goals. If Craig Bellamy can stay healthy, the pairing could become even more potent. He looks set to build on that tally and should figure in an England team hunting high and low for strikers. Robert Green should continue his unappreciated excellence in goal. The defensive unit of Lucas Neill, George McCartney, Matthew Upson and Anton Ferdinand has been bolstered with the arrival of Swiss international Valon Behrami. In midfield, Alan Curbishley, in a stroke of expensive yet seemingly rare wisdom, relieved the Hammers faithful from having to endure any more of Freddie Ljungberg. Now if only he’ll do the same with Kieron Dyer … West Ham have lofty goals this season, with Curbishley musing about Europe. They should be able to improve on last season’s 49 points, but teams ahead of them have improved enough that their final league position should change little.

IN: Valon Behrami (Lazio, £5m); Balint Bajner (Liberty Oradea, undisclosed); Orn Eyjolfsson (HK Kopavogur, undisclosed); Jan Lastuvka (Shakhtar Donetsk, season loan); Georg Grasser (Grazer AK, undisclosed)

OUT: Bobby Zamora (Fulham, £5.8m); John Pantsil (Fulham, £500,000); Richard Wright (Ipswich, £500,000); Zavon Hines (Chesterfield, season loan); Ben Hunt (Bristol Rovers, free); Christian Dailly (Rangers, free); Lorcan Fitzgerald (released); Lee Hales (released); Nolberto Solano (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Dean Ashton 10
Carlton Cole 5
Lee Bowyer 4
Nolberto Solano 4
Matthew Etherington 3

TOMMORROW: Check out Part III of the Premier League Preview, featuring the 5 - 10 place teams.

Premier League 08/09 Preview: Part I

Well, the new season is almost upon us, so I now offer my take on how the English Premier League will break down this season. Today, the bottom five teams from last place to 16th.

20. HULL CITY (v. Fulham, Aug. 16)
Stadium: KC Stadium (Cap.: 25,404)
Manager: Phil Brown

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 12, L 13, GD +18, P 75, (3rd in Championship, won playoffs)

Having won promotion to the Premier League via some courageous matches in the League Championship Playoffs, Hull City are set to have a difficult first-ever campaign in England’s top flight. Manager Phil Brown has his work cut out for him, as while he’s managed to cobble out a stable mix of young talent and crafty veterans in his squad, it’s unlikely to be enough for Hull to avoid the drop. Players like holding midfielder George Boateng and defender Anthony Gardner will provide some Premier League bona fides to the team and forward Caleb Folan will need to step up his scoring in the absence of last year’s star Fraizer Campbell, who returned to Manchester United after his loan period ended. A lot will depend on Brown’s ability to move beyond the one dimensional tactics that many promoted sides fall back on in the top division – which could be hard, given he learned the ropes under Sam Allardyce at Bolton. Big Sam new how to build for survival, but proved last year at Newcastle that tactics aren’t necessarily his forte.

IN: Peter Halmosi (Plymouth, £3m); George Boateng (Middlesbrough, £1m); Craig Fagan (Derby, £750,000); Geovanni (Manchester City, free); Bernard Mendy (Paris St-Germain, Free); Tony Warner (Fulham, free); Anthony Gardner (Tottenham, six month loan)

OUT: David Livermore (Brighton, free); Henrik Pedersen (Silkeborg IF, free); Ben Wilkinson (York, free); Frank Belt (released); Brewster Frizzell (released); Jay-Jay Okocha (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Fraizer Campbell 15
Dean Windass 11
Caleb Folan 8
Dean Marney 6
Richard Garcia 5

19. STOKE CITY (at Bolton Wanderers, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Britannia Stadium (Cap.: 28,383)
Manager: Tony Pulis

07 / 08 Finish: W 21, D 16, L 9, GD +14, P 79, (2nd in Championship)

Stoke are in a similar boat to Hull, having finished second in the Championship last year, mainly on the back of hard work and perseverance. Seeing a few Stoke games on the telly last season, they were a committed side that gave little away at the back but were a little short on invention going forward. The arrival of Dave Kitson will add a proven finisher to the squad, but the question is who will provide the service? Salif Diao and Rory Delap are hardly the midfield wizards required at the top level. A great deal more commitment will be required from Tony Pulis’s side if they are to avoid a one way ticket back to the Championship.

IN: Dave Kitson (Reading, £5.5m); Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves, £3m); Thomas Sorensen (Aston Villa; free)

OUT: Marlon Broomes (Blackpool, free); Russell Hoult (Notts County, free); Dominic Matteo (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Ricardo Fuller 15
Liam Lawrence 14
Richard Cresswell 11
Leon Cort 8
Ryan Shawcross 7

18. NEWCASTLE UNITED (at Manchester United, Aug. 17)
Stadium: St. James Park (Cap.: 52,387)
Manager: Kevin Keegan

07 / 08 Finish: W 11, D 10, L 17, GD -20, P 43 (12th)

Yes, I think the bells are set to toll for the Toon Army. An owner who is more concerned with having a good time on the terrace than ensuring the stability of the club, a squad that is still in disarray – rife with grumblings about wanting out – following the disastrous transfer period this time last year and a fragile manager in Kevin Keegan whose shelf life is always a concern. Oh, and then there’s Joey Barton. There remains talent in the side, with James Milner, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins all capable of performing at top levels, but injuries remain a concern. But concerns also remain over the play of Damien Duff, Alan Smith, Mark Viduka and the entire group of defenders. That Keegan splashed the cash out for a player like Jonas Gutierrez isn’t surprising: Keegan loves to attack. But United finished with a negative 20 goal difference last season and the team is a lot further than one player away from boosting the number of goals scored any further, meaning tightening up the back might be easier and cost less than £9 million. I fear this season will once again be about side shows, and with no Keegan-like saviour on the horizon, the off-pitch activities will sink Newcastle this season.

IN: Jonas Gutierrez (Real Mallorca, £9m); Danny Guthrie (Liverpool, £2.5m); Sebastien Bassong (Metz, £1.8m); Frank Wiafe Danquah (FC Ominworld, undisclosed)

OUT: Emre Belozoglu (Fenerbahce, £4m); David Rozehnal (Lazio, £2.9m); Mark Cook (Hartlepool, free); Peter Ramage (QPR, free); Stephen Carr (released); Lamine Diatta (released); James Troisi (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Michael Owen 11
Obafemi Martins 9
Mark Viduka 7
Charles N’Zogbia 3
Nicky Butt 3

17. WEST BROMWICH ALBION (at Arsenal, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Hawthorns (Cap.: 28,003)
Manager: Tony Mowbray

07 / 08 Finish: W 23, D 12, L 11, GD +33, P 81 (1st in Championship)

The main reason I see West Brom squeaking past teams like Newcastle and perhaps Middlesbrough to avoid the drop is that generally one of the teams being promoted stays up the following season. West Brom represents the team most likely to adapt to the rigors of the Premier League. While the “Arsenal of the Championship” comparisons are overblown, West Brom does have the capability to move beyond the direct ball tactics less talented teams resort to in the Premier League. Jonathan Greening and Robert Koren offer solid options in the midfield, while newcomer Luke Moore will join the likes of Roman Bednar, signed permanently after a successful loan spell last season, in the attack. The losses of Zoltan Gera and Kevin Phillips will hurt, but West Brom is the best equipped team at the back of the three teams coming up. Scott Carson will be given a chance to shine at the Hawthorns, but veteran Dean Kiely provides adequate cover if the experiment fails. Gianni Zuiverloon also adds depth to the WBA back line.

IN: Scott Carson (Liverpool, £3.25m); Gianni Zuiverloon (Heerenveen, £3.2m); Luke Moore (Aston Villa, £2.5m to £3m); Roman Bednar (Hearts, £2.3m); Marech Cech (Porto, £1.5m); Do-heon Kim (Seongnam Ilhwa Shunma, £500,000); Graham Dorrans (Livingston, £100,000 rising to £250,000); Michael Danek (Viktoria Plzen, six month loan extension)

OUT: Curtis Davies (Aston Villa, £8m); Martin Albrechtsen (Derby, free); Zoltan Gera (Fulham, free); Stefan Morrison (Swansea, free); Kevin Phillips (Birmingham, free); Luke Steele (Barnsley, free); Luke Daniels (Shrewsbury, one month loan); Jack Compton (released); Michael Nardiello (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Kevin Phillips 22
Roman Bednar 13
Ishmael Miller 9
Robert Koren 9
Zoltan Gera 8

16. MIDDLESBROUGH (v. Tottenham Hotspur, Aug. 16)
Stadium: The Riverside Stadium (Cap.: 35,100)
Manager: Gareth Southgate

07 / 08 Finish: W 10, D 12, L 16, GD -10, P 42 (13th)

Should Newcastle struggle to survival this season, Middlesbrough offers another likely candidate to grace the Championship in 09/10. Gareth Southgate still seems to lack anything approaching a deft touch in the transfer market, Afonso Alves notwithstanding. Didier Digard and Marvin Emnes could be promising, but they aren’t enough to improve a side that struggled for much of last season. Southgate failed to replace Jonathan Woodgate, who left in January and Boro are still far to dependent on Stuart Downing for midfield creativity. Perhaps Southgate is relying on Turkish international Tuncay Sanli to build upon his Euro 2008 form and provide a spark down the right. It was only when the relegation writing was on the wall last season that Middlesbrough came to life, and this may be the case again this season, saving a poor Boro team from the drop.

IN: Didier Digard (Paris St-Germain, £4m); Marvin Emnes (Sparta Roterdam, £3.2m)

OUT: Lee Cattermole (Wigan, £3.5m); George Boateng (Hull, £1m); Jason Kennedy (Darlington, free); Fabio Rochemback (Sporting Lisbon, free); Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, free); Steve Thompson (Port Vale, free); Gaizka Mendieta (released); Dong Gook Lee (released)

Top League Goalscorers:
Stuart Downing 9
Tuncay Sanli 8
Afonso Alves 6
Jérémie Aliadière 5
David Wheater 3

TOMMORROW: Part II of the Premier League Preview, featuring the 11th - 15th placed teams.

MK Dons sign Canadian Gerba: report

The Milton Keynes Citizen has confirmed that Canadian International striker Ali Gerba has signed with League 1 side MK Dons.

According to the club's website, the former Montreal Impact and Toronto Lynx player signed a one-year deal with a one-year option following a trial period. Gerba becomes the recently promoted side's fourth signing of the summer.

Gerba's signing should give Canada boss Dale Mitchell a boost ahead of his World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign, knowing now that one of his top strikers is now attached to a club.

Gerba scored two goals in Canada's last match, a 4-1 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines, helping them qualify for the CONCACAF group stages.

Early injuries could tell the tale of Manchester United's season

What happens when a club's first choice right back, two central midfielders, left and right wingers and star striker are injured? What happens when at least three of those players were instrumental in bringing titles to the club last season?

Only time will tell what this slew of preseason injuries will mean to Manchester United, reigning champions of England and Europe.

The list of the Red Devils' talent currently spending more time on the trainer's table than the training pitch is startling: full back Gary Neville; holding midfielders Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick; winger Ji-Sung Park and forward Wayne Rooney, who apparently came down with a virus while on United's tour of Africa (for an interesting take on the perils of preseason touring, read Tony Cascarino's column on the Times website).

To top it off, now that he's staying, forward Cristiano Ronaldo is still recovering from ankle surgery and won't be available until at least next month.

And injuries aren't the end of manager Alex Ferguson's selection woes: midfielder Anderson is currently with the Brazilian national team at the Beijing Olympics.

It will be argued that if any team can cope with a Swiss cheese-like roster, it's United (although the same claim could be made of Chelsea). With the likes of Nani, Carlos Tevez, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs available to fill some of those holes, the Red Devils won't exactly starve.

But a slow start could be meaningful come May. Chelsea will be out for revenge after being pipped to both titles last season and their squad is stable, if not strengthened over last year.

And while Ronaldo has committed himself to the team now, if United need a push to win the title this year, his heart may start looking towards Madrid sometime in March, just when United need him most.

Ferguson needs to look at the few remaining weeks of August carefully, shrewdly and be willing to pounce at a stop-gap measure if one presents itself.

Matches against Newcastle (H), Portsmouth (A) and Fulham (H) come before a vital international break over the first two weeks of September. The squad had better be coming together by this point, as United travel to Liverpool on Sept. 13. Following closely behind that fixture is the start of the Champions League group stages, also important to a successful United season.

Tottenham's Dimitar Berbatov will remain on Ferguson's radar, but with a distinct lack of news on such a transfer, it makes me think Juande Ramos feels he is dealing from a position of strength, with enough money to accomplish his goals without having to stoop to United's fee proposal. A poor result, particularly on the road to Portsmouth, could force Ferguson to match Spurs asking price for the striker however.

I've heard it bandied about in the papers and on television that Ferguson's lack of transfer movement has more to do with the availability of funds than it has to do with his evaluation of the first team's strength. Manchester United and their American owners, the Glazer family, are deeply indebted and it has been suggested that the current credit crisis is holding back the club's transfer ambitions.

A slow start has been fatal in the past few seasons, but as Arsenal proved last year, a quick start to the campaign guarantees nothing. It'll be interesting to see how things at Old Trafford transpire.

Clubs within their rights to withhold players from Olympics

The fuss and furor surrounding Barcelona's demand that star forward Lionel Messi not attend the 2008 Olympic Games football tournament in China is far too overblown. That they have won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport is vindication that the club has been right all along.

From the standpoint of the clubs and fans, the point should be moot: if a club wants to keep a player back, it should since it pays the player's wages. The fans pay to watch the best players, so the best players should be on display.

That FIFA has failed to ensure that the Olympic football tournament is on their official calendar is central to why they are at fault on this issue.

FIFA sanctions the Olympic tournament, but since it is in essence under the purview of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC determines the dates for the tournament. Since the Games run during the latter part of August, players who participate in the Games will miss the opening weeks of the new football season, as well as UEFA sanctioned club competition matches.

Generally, FIFA (and UEFA) schedule their international competitions in conjunction with the leagues, which are in turn partnered to a greater or lesser extent with the national footballing associations. This means tournaments take place in June and July, while qualification takes place in those months or during agreed upon international breaks during the season. These breaks are typically 14 days or so in length.

Since the Olympic tournament does not follow these guidelines, how can FIFA or the IOC expect the clubs to release their players for the Summer Games? If the Olympics want the best players available for their tournament, they should hold their competition at the appropriate time.

As far as I'm concerned, the Olympic games should be for amateur athletes anyway, given that the vast majority of the competitors are amateurs.

That professional footballers are expected to compete at an amateur event, especially when there are professional level competitions like the World Cup, is absurd.

Champions League third round qualifying draw: highlights

The draw for the third round of the Champions League was made today, and while the two English sides were able to avoid some of the better possible opponents, Schalke 04 v. Athletico Madrid offers the most attractive match to be played later this month.

In another intriguing twist, Arsenal have been paired with FC Twente of the Dutch league, managed by none other than former England boss Steve McClaren. Good luck, Steve.

Other highlights include:

Standard Liege (BEL) v. Liverpool
Barcelona v. Beitar Jerusalem (ISR) or Wisla Krakow (POL)
Juventus v. Tampere United (FIN) or Artmedia Petrzalka (SVK)
SK Brann (NOR) or FK Ventspils (LVA) v. Olympique Marseille
ACF Fiorentina v. SK Slavia Prague (CZE)
Aalborg BK (DEN) or FK Modriča (BIH) v. Rangers or FBK Kaunas (LTU)

Canadian international Ali Gerba to sign for MK Dons?

According to a story published in the Milton Keynes Citizen yesterday, Canadian international striker Ali Gerba claims he has signed a contract with League One side MK Dons.

Gerba, who has made 18 appearances for Canada scoring nine goals, reportedly has turned down a move to the Montreal Impact of the USL in favour of joining the Milton Keynes side. He had been on trial with the club recently.

Gerba spent most of last season with FC Ingolstadt 04 of the German second division.

If the rumour proves to be true, it will provide the unattached player with a club prior to the start of Canada's World Cup 2010 qualifying campaign. Gerba scored twice in Canada's last qualifying game against St. Vincent & the Grenadines in a 4-1 victory.

What is Roy Keane doing?

I think beyond a doubt, the most intriguing club to watch this summer has been Sunderland. The Black Cats have splashed the cash, bringing new blood into a side that flirted with relegation for most of last season.

But just a minute ... who has Roy Keane really signed? What's his game?

Keane has brought in Steed Malbranque, Pascal Chimbonda, El-Hadji Diouf and Teemu Tainio over the past couple of weeks to bolster his side. Apart from the fact that three of these newcomers arrived from Tottenham, the have something else in common: none of them have really managed to accomplish anything of any importance during their time in the Premier League.

I admit that Malbranque is a talented player and he will likely stand out at Sunderland, simply because he is of a higher class than the rest of the side. Tainio will add depth to the centre of midfield alongside Dickson Etuhu and Dwight Yorke. Chimbonda will easily become the first choice right back, but this isn't saying much.

The enigmatic Diouf could do well alongside Kenwyne Jones, but the Senegalese striker has failed to impress alongside other target men in his career, like Emile Heskey and Kevin Davies, despite having a decent amount of raw talent.

According to various reports, Keane is also looking to add veteran Celtic centre back Bobo Balde, who is available on a free transfer. Sunderland would have to match his weekly wage of £30,000 paid to him by Celtic in order to coax him south of the border.

So far as I can tell, Keane is shaping up to be a fine manager, pulling Sunderland back from the depths of the League Championship two seasons ago and eventually coaxing something resembling form out of his side during the second half of last season.

But what does he expect to accomplish with the motley crew he's assembled? Tenth? With an estimated £23 million paid for the three players from Tottenham alone, surely for that kind of cash Keane could have found better talent.

What is apparent from Keane's transfer dealings this summer is Sunderland have nothing approaching a continental scouting system. The manager may be more comfortable spending on players he's familiar with, but as a boss like Arsenal's Arsene Wenger would tell him, the best deals are found outside the Premier League. These players are the one's teams like Sunderland need to target.

I realize Keane may have trouble drawing top talent to the northeast and it is vitally important to improve on last season's 15th place finish, but if there's that much money floating around the Stadium of Light, there's got to be a more effective use of it.

Rafa Benitez finally gets his man: Robbie Keane signs for Liverpool

According to the Liverpool FC website, Irish international striker Robbie Keane has signed with the Merseyside club.

The 28-year-old signed a four-year deal with the Reds, whom he claims to have supported as a youngster. The transfer from Tottenham Hotspur reportedly cost an initial £19 million, but could rise to £20.3 million after performance-based bonuses.

It is widely reported that Keane's signing will put the Gareth Barry saga to rest. After the collapse of a £16 million move to Juventus for Xabi Alonso, the Spanish international will stay at Anfield, meaning there is nothing like the £18 million fee demanded by Aston Villa for Barry left in the coffers.

When all is said and done, I think the move for Keane will turn out to be the best of the rumoured moves Benitez could have made. I agree with many pundits and fans alike who throughout the summer pined for a winger: this is the true soft spot in the Liverpool lineup and over the past two (three? four?) summers Benitez has failed to address the situation.

But with only murmurs about a possible move for Valencia winger David Silva, there didn't appear to be a wide-man on the horizon for the Reds. With the loss of Peter Crouch to Portsmouth, the Liverpool boss needed to add another striker on top of filling the wings.

While Barry is a great player, the center of the Liverpool midfield is pretty full. However, with only Fernando Torres, Andriy Voronin, 17-year-old Daniel Pacheco (who has played very well during the preseason) and newcomer David Ngog (he signed for £1.5 million from Paris St-Germain), the Liverpool front line wasn't particularly deep.

I discount both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt as strikers, since it appears they are the depth on the wing -- if Torres goes down with an injury, Kuyt could step in, but who plays on the right?

Keane is a proven Premier League striker, who will only prosper playing alongside the likes of Torres, Alonso, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano. He is similar to Torres in that he can create his own goals, his range of scoring is fantastic and his movement is phenomenal. If -- and this is a big if -- Benitez decides to play both players at the same time, defenders will have difficulty shutting both players down.

There is still weakness out wide, but Robbie Keane could prove to be the signing of the summer for the impact he could have for the Reds.

In an interesting side note to the transfer, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has referred to the move not as a "transfer" but as an enforced sale, according to The Guardian:

"I was incredibly disappointed when I first heard, not only that Liverpool had been working behind the scenes to bring Robbie to Anfield, but that Robbie himself wanted to go and he submitted a transfer request to this effect.

"I have already made my opinion clear on the nature of this transaction. I don't regard it as a transfer deal - that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade - this is very much an enforced sale, for which we have agreed a sum of £19m as compensation plus a potential further £1.3m in additional compensation."

According to the article, Levy will not pursue an official complaint with the league, as Liverpool have admitted the approach wasn't handled properly and are making a donation to the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, the club's charity fund.

It remains to be seen whether Spurs will pursue a similar complaint against Manchester United, now that a move for Dimitar Berbatov appears to have evaporated.

Vancouver and Montreal to bid for pair of 2011 MLS slots

The Vancouver Whitecaps have confirmed they will join the Montreal Impact in the bidding for the chance to join MLS in 2011, according to The Globe and Mail.

Yesterday, MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league would add two additional teams in 2011, bringing the total number of clubs to 18 following the introduction of Seattle in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010.

The Whitecaps and owner Greg Kerfoot will join with NBA star and Victoria native Steve Nash to make the bid. Nash's brother, Martin, is a midfielder for the Whitecaps.

As for the Impact, the Globe further confirmed the Saputo family, who own the Montreal USL team, will join forces with Liverpool FC and Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett to bring an MLS team to Quebec.

It has been previously reported in the Ottawa Citizen that the owner of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, Eugene Melnyk, is interested in bidding for an MLS team. Garber confirmed a group from Ottawa has expressed interest in an expansion team during his state of the league address in Toronto on Wednesday. In fact, Garber mentioned Ottawa alongside Montreal and Vancouver, making it seem that Melnyk is more than just curious in acquiring a football team. A video of the address is available on mlsnet.com.

A bid by Melnyk would not likely target the two spots opening in 2011, however. A later bid, closer to 2014-2015 is more likely.

Portsmouth look at Wright-Phillips bid

According to The Guardian, Portsmouth are looking at making a move for seldom-used Chelsea midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The south-coast team would make the diminutive winger the replacement for Sulley Muntari, who looks set to move to Inter Milan for around £12.5 million. Portsmouth would use the proceeds of that deal to acquire Wright-Phillips.

This would be a great move for both club and player. Wright-Phillips is a fantastic player who has stagnated on the bench at Chelsea.

For Wright-Phillips, it would be a great opportunity to vault himself back into England contention, as Fabio Capello will be watching UEFA Cup-bound Portsmouth intently this year with Peter Crouch, Jermaine Defoe, David James and Sol Campbell all likely to feature for Pompey this term.

MLS expansion plan to be revealed today

According to an article on the Montreal Gazette website, the MLS will expand to 24 teams by 2015. The plan will be revealed today by MLS commissioner Don Garber at the MLS All-Star game being held in Toronto. The announcement will follow a board of governors meeting.

Among the teams identified in the article as likely candidates for expansion are Montreal and Vancouver, along with fellow USL clubs Portland, Atlanta and Miami.

Such a plan would be earth-shattering for the 11-team USL, with Seattle set to join the MLS next season.

Also raised in the article is the fact that the Saputo family, who own both the Montreal Impact and Saputo Stadium, would need to find investment to help fund a stadium expansion and higher payroll demanded by a move up to the MLS. The story suggests that none other than Liverpool co-owner (and Montreal Canadiens owner) George Gillett could be involved in such a plan. Interesting...

I think most people who follow the league believe the league should be bigger, but I'm a little wary about a couple of things.

What indeed happens to the USL? Aside from the USL first division, there is a USL-2 which is roughly the same size, along with the PDL, which consists of several leagues across the U.S. and Canada. While it would be easy to simply bump some teams up to fill the void, the loss of strong markets would surely be detrimental to the USL as a whole.

For the MLS as well, the crippling of the USL wouldn't be the best of situations. Many North American players get a start in the USL -- it acts as an unaffiliated feeder league. Without a strong USL, the development of homegrown talent will suffer.

Perhaps as part of any expansion talks, the MLS and USL need to enter into some sort of partnership to ensure they are able to coexist. Hopefully the U.S. soccer federation will step in with their thoughts as well.

Secondly, one of the strengths of the MLS has been their patient approach to expansion. Currently there are 14 teams. There are two more teams already set for expansion, Seattle in 2009 and Philadelphia in 2010. Does this mean the league wants to add eight teams in the five years between then and 2015?

This seems a little over the edge. I think even 20 teams by 2015 would be a fine goal, allowing the league to reach what is globally recognized as pretty much as big as you want a single tier to get. Anyways, what's wrong with seeing how things are going at 20 teams? I'm not naive enough to think this isn't about money (the next set of teams admitted to the league will pay a $40 million expansion fee each, reportedly), but why risk it?

I've long thought the more MLS has tried to emulate the best leagues in the world, the more successful it's been. It should keep on that track.

CBC spoils Toronto FC - Montreal Impact clash

So I was searching the dial to find where I could catch the final match of the Canadian Championship between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact (tonight, 7:00 p.m.). Flicking through the menu on my digital cable box, I discovered the game is being shown on two channels: TLN (an Italian cultural channel out of Toronto) and something called CBC Bold.

Well, despite pumping out a considerable sum every month to ensure I get total football coverage (Setanta, check! GolTV, check! Fox Sportsworld, check! The Score, check!), I do not get either of these sideshow channels. This is not going over well.

The game will decide the supposed Canadian champions, since Montreal are in the driving seat, only a win for Toronto will snatch the title for the Reds. It's going to be captivating stuff, and will hopefully provide a new birth for Canadian club football. The winner will gain a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League to boot.

But I'm going to have to sit in front of my computer screen, watching the game via the CBC website, in a teeny, tiny viewing window, with a halting, grainy picture.

What would CBC need to preempt to put the game on their main feed? Coronation Street, Just for Laughs Gags, The Rick Mercer Report and This Hour Has 22 Minutes! That's it. A bunch of bleeding reruns.

The national, publicly funded network is showing reruns instead of what could be a defining moment in the country for the world's game.

I encourage anyone who is even marginally as outraged as I am to send the CBC an email, letting them know they missed the boat on this one.

Columbus is burning ... err, not really.

Apparently some Columbus Crew supporters decided to engage in some aggressive taunting at friendly match between the MLS side and West Ham United in Ohio last night. According to reports in the media, about 100 Crew supporters scuffled with about 30 West Ham faithful, resulting in approximately one (1) arrest, so far as I can tell.

The reports want to suggest the West Ham supporters somehow incited the brawl by entering the section of the stadium where the most dedicated Crew supporters congregate.

I find this dubious at best. Much like in other parts of the world, security at North American sporting events check tickets of patrons who want to enter a particular section before they are allowed to enter. However it is possible, at some stadiums, to walk in front of a given section to get to another section of the stadium. It's more likely the West Ham supporters were coming back to their own seats with a beer or hot dog or empty bladder and were taunted by the Crew contingent, and things devolved from there.

Where things have really devolved are on the message boards of the websites posting these stories.

If one were to take a look at ESPN Soccernet's story on the incident, scroll down to the bottom and open the link to the ESPN Conversations section of the story, you'd see a dizzying array of accounts from supposed eyewitnesses, a bunch of people who want to boast about their city's mostly collegiate sporting tradition and people who hate football (soccer, not American football, which many of them thump their chests about). Some of it is really funny, some of it is typical American arrogance.

Over on The Times' site, people seem to be a bit more composed, a bit more accurate with their commentary. One post, (which can be viewed via the link provided) by a gentleman named Graham Bunting of London, sums up who likely incited the brawl. Or at least I find it the wittiest explanation:

"I assume that the West Ham fans were dedicated members of the official supporters club, Americans with a passing interest or family link and holidaymakers, rather than a wealthy faction of the ICF, on a transatlantic tour of ultra-violence.
What is really depressing is the knee jerk reaction here."

Indeed.

Take the money: Sell Kaka to Chelsea

If a report in The Guardian today is accurate, Chelsea have placed a world record €100 million (£79.3 million) bid for AC Milan's star Brazilian midfielder Kaka. If the fee is accepted by the Serie A side, it would more than smash the previous record of £46 million which Real Madrid paid for French midfielder Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

According to a subsequent report on ESPN Soccernet, Milan have said Kaka is not for sale.

Really? Why not? There is no player in the world actually worth such an astronomical sum of money, so why not consider such a bid, if it has indeed been made?

On Wednesday, Milan signed Kaka's compatriot, Ronaldinho from Barcelona for a reported £16.7 million. Kaka is a younger player, an in-form player, I would say a better player than Ronaldinho. Is he almost five times the player that Ronaldinho is? No, of course not.

That Chelsea are willing to wildly overpay for a player is not new, nor is it really my issue. Roman Abramovich's piggy bank has been broken open for quite a while and the bottom of the pile is nowhere in sight.

But who are Milan to turn down such a sum? Based on various transfer fees being bandied about at the moment, Milan could take their new found Russian oil money kindly granted to them by Chelsea and purchase Arsenal's Emanuel Adebayor, Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and Chelsea's Frank Lampard, with change to spare. And those are just players being discussed at the moment.

As I discussed yesterday, AC Milan have problems which need to be addressed. Signing Ronaldinho will help, but the funds from the potential sale of Kaka would allow a more complete makeover that would surely see Milan back in the top four sooner rather than later.

In sport, money talks. If I was in charge at Milan, I'd take the money, because an offer as wild as this won't come along again.

Ronaldinho has met his match with AC Milan

I would like to take this time to personally congratulate both Brazilian international Ronaldinho and Italian Serie A side AC Milan. I feel this is "a really special moment" that could be the start of something big. It is only natural that "every player dreams of playing in a team as important as Milan, for this club's greatness and the importance of their players." This truly is "already a victory" for both club and player.

How curious it is the two biggest footballing names I've seen associated with weight problems have either signed or are linked with Milanese clubs (according to The H List, Frank Lampard is very fat indeed). Ronaldinho was at his chubby best for the Rossoneri media Wednesday, whipping out that Cheshire grin on cue and bowing politely to the 30,000 some-odd supporters (rubber-neckers maybe?) who turned up to support (or gawk at) the £16.7 million signing.

This really is a perfect match. Milan seem content to sign players creeping up on their thirties, while Ronaldinho seems content to continue his lazy ways in the slow-paced Serie A. Milan have some challenges ahead of them this season, like finishing in the top four, winning the UEFA Cup (an easy task for Bayern Munich last season, right?) and continuing the long process of replacing the geriatrics who make up a good chunk of their roster. Ronaldinho will help to be sure (he scored 89 goals in 190 appearances for Barcelona), but if things don't go swimmingly, don't wait for the former Big Barcelona Sulk to pitch in for the cause.

Frankly, I couldn't picture him trotting out for a Manchester derby for the blue half of the city. He'd be weeping by halftime after 11 Red Devils ran circles around him for 45 minutes. Manchester City were reported to have offered roughly £10 million more than Milan, but it likely would have been money wasted. Fancy footwork only flies in the Premier League when you've got the pace to back it up. Manchester's Mark Hughes may have saved himself some valuable cash when all is said and done.

Speaking of cash, according to a report on ESPN Soccernet, Milan fans "snapped up 5,230 season tickets out of a total of 18,518 sold during the whole of the close-season subscription period." Mr. Berlusconi is smiling, that's for sure.

Carson not really worth that much after all

After many reports earlier in the year had former Liverpool keeper Scott Carson valued near £10 million, he signed with West Bromwich Albion for a paltry £3.25 million, according to The Guardian. The England international, who played on loan at Aston Villa last season, had been linked with a move to Stoke City for around £3.5 million, but the Baggies move could be increased by another £500,000 based on "performance-related criteria," according to the Guardian.

Carson is not the first young English keeper of promise to play for West Brom after time at Liverpool -- Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland played on at the Hawthorns during the 2005-2006 season.

Slow summer days with the Canadian national team, Newcastle United and Bobby Zamora

Yes it must really be summer. A cruise through the news reveals little of any substance, aside from the first few preseason matches and the usual gossip about names we've all heard a few too many times.

On the plus side, I've got my tickets booked for Canada's upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Jamaica and Honduras, being held in Toronto on Aug. 20 and in Montreal on Sept. 6, respectively. These will be crucial games for the Canadians, with six points almost mandatory if they expect to qualify for the next round. To help alleviate my blogging boredom down the road, I'll do a proper preview of the group, which also includes the Mad Scientist (Sven Goran Eriksson, that is) coached Mexico.

Speaking of Canada (in a roundabout way), it appears as though some curious Danes have stumbled upon my little site: news of Dwayne De Rosario's potential move to FC Copenhagen enough to draw a whole ton of interest from over there. If any Copenhagen supporters want to chime in, by all means tell us what you've got to say about your club!

Speaking of supporters, if there are any Newcastle United supporters out there who can tell me what exactly is the club's objectives in the transfer market, I would be grateful. While I understand it's only The Daily Mail, supposedly Kevin Keegan is interested in Argentine "star" Pablo Aimar. Is this who Newcastle wants? Surely Keegan has some sort of plan, some way to repair a fragile squad hastily built by Sam Allardyce, who acted like a kid who just got a raise in their allowance.

Based on what I've seen over the past few seasons (perhaps the past ten years) all it takes to get noticed by Newcastle is a flashy pair of boots. This team has serious problems at almost every position -- bringing in an admittedly talented Aimar may not be the best way to spend owner Mike Ashley's money, especially when he seems rather worried about it right now.

Speaking of dubious ways to spend coin from the coffers, Fulham is looking at West Ham striker Bobby Zamora, according to The Telegraph among others. I think Mr. Zamora's record speaks for itself: 130 games for the Hammers, 30 goals. And would you believe Fulham are reported to be paying a £6.25 million fee?

At a rate of less than a goal every four games, I think it has become abundantly clear that all the hype surrounding Zamora when he was a youngster was just that, hype. He has yet to show he can score at the Premier League level and might be best to find a tamer pasture in the Championship.

And finally today, something that made me smile from The Mirror: a cheeky picture gallery that shows us what Cristiano Ronaldo's life in the dungeons of Manchester United is like. Enjoy!

World Cup 2010 rumor & Dwayne De Rosario to Copenhagen?

This week I tuned in to a podcast that I've been away from for far too long: World Soccer Daily. What the hell was I thinking? This is still, along with the Guardian Football Weekly and Footy Show, mandatory listening for any Canadian football fan.

Anyways, my reward for correcting my negligent behaviour was a pair of juicy rumours.

According to Steven and Kenny, FIFA has confirmed three contingency nations to host World Cup 2010 if things continue to go awry in South Africa. The United States, England and Spain apparently have agreed to host the tournament if South Africa continues to fall behind on development.

This week, Sepp Blatter announced that three nations had been contacted to provide cover in case of a natural catastrophe, but refused to provide the identity of the countries. As well, it was announced that a new stadium under construction in Port Elizabeth will not be ready for next year's Confederations Cup, casting further doubt on the status of the 2010 event.

The second rumour, heard on yesterday's show, which was not confirmed by the player himself (but not denied either), is that Canadian star midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who plays for the Houston Dynamo of the MLS, could be lining up a move to Danish side FC Copenhagen. Such a move would allow De Rosario to participate in the UEFA Cup, for which Copenhagen have qualified, and a chance to play alongside fellow Canada international Atiba Hutchison.

I think De Rosario, two-time MLS player of the year, has proven himself at the MLS level and it's time for him to move on to a higher level of competition. This is great news, I feel, for Canadian fans as an improved Dwayne De Rosario would certainly improve Canada's chances to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, wherever it might be played.