FIFA: In the right.. for once.

Do you know what really grinds my gears? Words like conspiracy, disgrace and corruption being thrown about on social networking sites like there's actually a reason for it. Jingoism also annoys me to an unreal extent, as does ignorance; especially because I'm not one of those people who like to stand back and let certain people believe that what they're saying is unquestionably right. I like to debate.

These words and actions often conjoin in the midst of a debate on foreign policy in our country, but what does this have to do with football? Well, England host world champions Spain on Saturday and instead of the build-up that usually accompanies these matches featuring news outlets educating people perhaps not so familiar with some of the opposition's players, all we've heard about is how much of a corrupt, anti-British, nit-picking governing body FIFA is for not allowing our starting 11 to wear poppies. That's right, the best team in the world are coming to town for one night only and all we can talk about is poppies..

To set the scene, I'm 100% British. I was born in Merseyside, England, in 1990 and have lived in the country ever since. I have no immediate family members that carry a different nationality (my surname has Irish roots, but I only crack that one out on special occassions, usually during the rugby). Remembrance Sunday services were an annual fixture for me when I was growing up, not to mention I actually had a grandparent that fought as a pilot in the very war the debate surrounds - he won an OBE for his service. However, despite all of my connections to the poppy, I believe there's a time and a place for paying tribute to the fallen and football games are not one of them. Not that I believe it's particularly offensive to do so. More because, well, there are better, more honourable places to do it than what essentially is a meaningless friendly match.

Di Canio- Right, also?

The tradition of players wearing a poppy on their shirts being a long-standing annual event is a myth. In fact, the FA have only backed the Poppy Appeal since 2003 despite the charity's origin dating back to 1922, and last year was the first time every shirt in the Premier League sported one. Reason being that the Premier League is a cooperative; ran by the 20 owners of the clubs who probably understand what it means to wear the poppy. Fair enough, right? Well what's to stop certain Italian clubs with alleged links to fascism having similar symbols embroidered on their shirts to mark the deaths of those who fought for their beliefs? This is something that some Italian inhabitants - notably Paolo di Canio - still believe in. Di Canio was blasted for aiming a fascist salute on three occasions towards fans of his then club, SS Lazio, of Rome, during his side's 2005/06 Serie A campaign. Was he right for doing this? In my eyes, no, but it's up for question, and that's exactly what it shouldn't come to: symbolism and politics even arousing the smallest of debates in the football world. FIFA on the other hand have a more assured stance on the matter: the body have promised to keep politics and football separate ever since their formation in 1904. Of course, in relation to the England match on Saturday, this has all been made worse by our press and bumbling football association opening their mouths.

The FA has, almost predictably, made a real mess. Had they have felt strongly enough about what they were fighting for they would have done something courageous: the players could have been made wear poppies regardless. Had they have felt like being clever they would have been able to honour the cause in other ways, even finding a way to put positive spin on the story for themselves. Proposing that each player donates a week's wages to the Poppy Appeal is an idea. After all, whose going to object for the sake of their image being ripped apart in the Daily Mail? If this didn't work they could take it upon themselves to donate all proceeds made from the friendly to Help for Heroes or other worthy charities. Paying respect to the fallen can be done in many ways, but the main duty of the poppy is to raise awareness. Why not cut out the middle man and just help the charity? And if the accounts are looking so bad that they can't even do that, well, that's tough, because had they thought about the problem earlier they could have even staged an un-registered friendly where the players would even be allowed to run around dressed as giant poppies (Joe Hart as a sunflower for the sake of kit clashes). All of the following would have made around 100 times more impact than 11 red flowers on 11 white shirts, yet none of this has happened. Instead, a statement that absolutely honked of a compromise to the British public was turfed out this Wednesday morning.

Cameron- 'Ardent fan'

Amongst others, the match will feature England players wearing poppied-up 'anthem jackets' before the match and black armbands during, a poppy wreath on the pitch prior to kick-off and 500 tickets (probably about the amount that Budweiser representatives alone are allocated per-match) will be donated to members of the armed forces. Happy with that? Some evidently aren't. Who, you ask? Well, you just couldn't write it, could you. It should be seen as no shock that one of the main users of football as a tool for his own cause is all over this one. Enter, Sir David of Cameron.. The man of course who once claimed to be an 'ardent fan' of Aston Villa coincidently months before a general election. This time around Cameron has labelled the decision not to allow English players to wear the poppy as an 'appalling' one and has promised to write to FIFA pleading them to reconsider. Its clearly an attempt in vain given that FIFA aren't likely to see it until tomorrow and FA have made other plans. I can't blame Cameron too much for as he's clearly not educated in the history of football enough to see that mixing football with politics is wrong. But his naivety cannot and should not be used as an excuse for doing this whenever a story relating to football crops up. Using football to gain following: it's the oldest trick in the book. Don't buy it.

My theory is that FIFA didn't want to make a big deal out of the situation: it was a simple no from the off. Officials didn't want to give the poppies the go-ahead only to waste their time in the future devising new rules and researching which wars and beliefs deserve to be given coverage. Why? Mainly because this is football, and however noble the cause is thought to be, millions around the world will watch the game without giving two hoots about our past wars or honouring those who fought in them. It's not selfish, they're watching it solely for the football, so should you. So, if you're reading this and still cannot see where FIFA are coming from, my advice to would be to sit down on Saturday and watch the game rid of distractions, debate and conflict and in its purest form, then attend a remembrance service on the Sunday. You'll appreciate both much more when they're apart.

Blues in twos: Manchester City v Napoli

Amongst the first set of Champions League games to be played this week is an interesting little tie on Wednesday which will see Manchester City come up against Italy's very own Sky Blues in S.S.C Napoli. This will be both sides' debut in the current form of the competition, although Napoli have played in Europe on a number of occasions, mainly in the 1980s (Maradona, titles, bungs, kits sponsored by Mars.. It was all a bit mental). Indeed, the Partenopei were crowned Serie A champions on twice, first in 1986-87 - winning the Coppa Italia in the same year - and 1989-90. Success in Europe came just a year after their last title in the form of a UEFA cup win but the achievement also marked their gradual decline (Maradona + cocaine, more bungs and relegation.. It was still mental, but only if you weren't a fan). City on the other hand have only competed for the European Cup once: in 1968-69 where they were knocked out in the first-round by Turkish side Fenerbahce. Things have drastically changed since, mainly down to money. But this doesn't necessarily apply to just the one side.

Inler- More than a nutter

To take no prisoners for a moment, Manchester City football club have demonstrated just how far a mediocre side can go in the modern game by using fistfuls of English currency to plug gaping holes in their roster. Napoli have done this themselves, but to a much lesser extent, with no signs of over-spending and using Euros. Current stars Marek Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Hugo Campagnaro all commanded fees of above 5 million, while this season has seen Edinson Cavani make his loan move from Palermo permanent for 16 million, and midfielder Gokhan Inler prized from Udinese for 13 million (please imagine the Euro signs. Thanks, Blogspot). That isn't to say that the club is built on marquee signings, though. During the clubs 2004-05 season spent in Serie C, their average attendance of 38,760 ranked 26th in the standings for Europe, beating the crowds of Arsenal, Lazio and Lyon among others. Trouble has never been far from round the corner however, and it was that very season that saw the club file for bankruptcy before being bought out by Italian film producer and Naples native Aurelio De Laurentiis. Despite losing their first attempt at promotion following a 2-1 defeat in the play-offs to local rivals Avellino, they've made short work of every obstacle in their way since. The feat of promotion to Serie B in 2006 was surpassed with ease by another leap up ladder to the top tier just 12 months later. They finished 8th, then 11th, then 6th in 2009-10 and following a top three finish last season, are now regarded as one of the best teams in the country under their current boss, Walter Mazzarri. The cause has been aided by the growth of players like Hamsik, Lavezzi and Walter Gargano, who all came good for Napoli after their moves, and the same crop won't by any means roll-over for City on Wednesday.

Pandev- CL winner with Jose

Napoli have, or had, a wonderful 4-3-3. I say had as it was a slightly unorthodox 4-1-2-1-2 that comfortably beat a 10-man Cesena 3-1 in their opening game of the Serie A season on Saturday. Few sides in Europe can boast a better front three than Napoli with Hamsik, Lavezzi and Cavani, but it fails to accommodate new signings like Goran Pandev, right-midfielder Christian Maggio and former Fiorentina attacking-midfielder Mario Santana. Although the names Napoli host aren't as box office as some of City's, Sky Blues boss Roberto Mancini will be more than aware of the threat posed by their upcoming opponents. Both Lavazzi and Hamsik were scouted as possible targets in the early stages of the transfer window just gone before the board allegedly decided the prices quoted were a little dear and started to pursue Sergio Aguero instead. Putting two players that Mancini wanted down either flanks and having Italy's top marksman, Cavani, attacking through the middle should give Joleon Lescott something to think about at the very least. Despite their habit of switching between three and four at the back, they're also known for having a very disciplined defence. In fact, only one side in Serie A conceded less goals last season: with just 24 beating their impressive 39, champions AC Milan. Although some of their other names that were signed from fellow Italian clubs may escape the minds of the City fans, followers of the league will be more than familiar with the Napoli squad that will walk out against the odds. And that's another talking point: the odds.

Mazzari- Strength to strength 

Mazzarri's side are a massive 9/1 to win, with a draw on at 4/1. Now, certain fans will read this and recall Steven Gerrard coming off the bench for Liverpool last season to notch an impressive 15 minute hat-trick against the Partenopei in their Europa League group K game at Anfield (the game ending 3-1). Its also worth noting that the Napoli squads that included the much talked about front-three only managed one goal in both home and away ties, but there are a number of reasons why things could go differently this time around. Cavani, for example, was only into his third month at the club and showed his best form at the tail end of the campaign. Players like Andrea Dossena, ironically signed from Liverpool, and other new recruits were also only in their honeymoon period at the time; acquired in 2010 by Mazzarri to help strengthen the squad and allow them to compete with the best in their league. Compete they did, and their third place finish highlighted how far the team had come. With every game the team seem to become stronger and wins against the likes of Roma and Juventus have put them up there with Italy's elite.

The truth is, such is their home form that Napoli won't necessarily feel they have to win this game. Last season, captain and defensive stalwart Paolo Cannavaro led his back-line into four months worth of games without conceding at home. Their attendances also - boosted by their loyal 'ultras' - are set to play a massive part in transferring their home form in Italy onto the European scene. This could be highly effective against City, who seemed all but knocked-out after a 2-0 loss in Ukraine at the hands of Dynamo Kiev in last season's Europa League campaign, the 1-0 win in the return leg not enough to keep them in the competition. A win against Red Bull Salzburg helped ease worries that their new big money signings wouldn't be up for braving the cold trips away from home, but they were brought crashing down to earth with a 3-1 defeat just months later to Polish side Lech Poznan, who went on to finish 5th in their domestic league. They also failed to score in their draw with Aris in the round of 32 before the knockout game in Kiev. Whether City will travel better now they're in-form and settled is up for question, but Napoli will definitely fancy their chances of getting a result, whatever they might perceive that to be.

Manchester City v Napoli will be live on Sky Sports 2 at 7:45pm

The Old Firm in Europe- A harsh reality

Speaking on Goals on Sunday yesterday morning, Christian Dailly reminisced about his time spent at Rangers between 2008-09. The defender said that the Old Firm clubs are like any other, in that they want to be playing the best in the world. He accepted that Scottish football seems to be on a downward spiral of late, but its hard for the fans not to believe they can perform in Europe year in, year out. Celtic will look back fondly on their UEFA Cup final appearance in 2003 and Champions League wins against the likes of AC Milan in 2007, whereas Rangers past three seasons ending with the league trophy in their hands, not to mention their 2008 UEFA cup final appearance, has quite rightly enhanced the fans belief that they can perform in Europe. However, this season- like any other- I believe is (for Rangers, was) different, and I think they believe they should be competing with the worlds elite without good reason..

SPL- Ranked 13th 

Aside from their fixtures in the SPL, their main opportunity to do so is of course in Europe. The SPL's thirteenth placing in UEFA's coefficient ranks in 2009 meant that for the 2010-11 season, the two clubs at the top of the table qualified for the Champions League, with 3rd and 4th position qualifying for the Europa League. Another Europa League place is on offer for the side that wins the Scottish cup, which is often passed over to the cup runners-up or 5th place in the league due to clubs in the final usually qualifying for Europe on league position alone. Qualification is needed for each team to progress through to the group stages, but the fans of Celtic and Rangers don't seem to think their team should encounter any kind of problems at this stage. The opportunities to compete with the best are there, but they're rarely taken.

One thing that always astounds me is the naivety on show by some groups of the Old Firm support. Of course, as the old chant goes, every club from Chelsea in Premier League to Rag-Arse Rovers in the Premier brand lager League believes they're the best around. Bookmakers usually offer punters low prices for Rangers and Celtic to see off their opponents in the early rounds of Europe, and the fans more than expect them to do so. Yet once again, both sides slumped to aggregate defeats to Swiss side, FC Sion, and Slovenia's NK Maribor on their way out of Europe. This was seen as an outrage to many, but when stripping the squads down, you have to wonder why this is. One thing that Dailly also said on GOS was that although Rangers have a small squad, the quality of the players that they do have- at which point Dailly mentioned Steven Davis- are world-class. This I believe is simply not the case, and from my reckoning its been a while since either club has recruited a string of players capable of competing in Europe.  

Majstorovic- A good find

I'll start off with Celtic, and what I believe are some of their better players. Former Derby player Kris Commons has hit a string with fans, scoring in 11 of his 14 appearances last season. Influential midfielder Joe Ledley is another player whose career has been spent in the English second tier, and the Wales international seems at home with his surroundings. Some of their other internationals include the 'Derry Pele', Paddy McCourt, Swede defender Daniel Majstorovic and Honduran Emilio Izaguirre. Also, one thing that Celtic have done well with recently is managing to fit new, youthful signings into their first-team. Beram Kayal started over 20 games in his debut season last year, while 22-year-old Ki Sung-Yueng has attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs since his move in August 2009. The question is, are these players capable of bigger things? Despite numerous Celtic players departing to play for their country during breaks, the nations they represent aren't the ones putting themselves about in major tournaments. With Sweden currently standing at 18th in Fifa's new rankings, Majstorovic's 40 caps for his country highlights him as a key figure in a side made up of players from South Korea (33rd), Honduras (50th), Morocco (61st) and of course Scotland (55th). They have the makings of a good team, but with the exception of a few rough diamonds, not one that should be expected to cruise through qualifying rounds.

Davis- World class?

The same goes for Rangers. As mentioned earlier, Davis is thought to be one of the best in the team, but his record alone speaks for itself. A youngster with Aston Villa, the Northern-Ireland born midfielder went onto make over 102 appearances in all competitions before losing his place in the side and moving to Fulham. He failed to settle at Craven Cottage, and moved to Ibrox after just one season. He has since seemed to pick himself up and is now certainly one of the first names on Ally McCoist's team sheet, but many will put this down to playing the likes of  St.Mirren and Inverness week in week out as opposed to Arsenal and Liverpool. Nikica Jelavic is a player I truly believe can play at a much higher level than the SPL, but the same can't be said however for his teammates in Kyle Lafferty, David Healy and Maurice Edu. These are all names that have found their feet in the SPL but also have caps for countries largely considered to be second rate on the international scene. In fact, very rarely do players leave Scottish clubs for both a figure over £1m and a better club. As Celtic seem to be investing in prospects (right-back Adam Matthews was allegedly on Alex Ferguson's radar from a very young age) and Rangers seem to have a good crop of talent emerging from their academy, the trend could be bucked. However, were getting to the point where this does need to happen if the league is to enhance its reputation.

This isn't a dig at either team. I know the money coming through from TV deals and sponsorship is significantly less than some of the figures received by some of the other sides in Europe this season. However, money, the careers of the squad players before there time in Scotland as well as their performances against European opposition all have to be accounted for when facing the reality that some groups of fans are yet to come to grips with. Looking at the Celtic side that defeated Milan in 2007, the starting XI features a number of proven names to accompany some of the Scottish internationals, something that the current side is lacking. Artur Boruc, Aiden McGeady and an in-form Shunsuke Nakamura took to the pitch at Celtic Park that night; playing their part in an incredible victory against a star-studded Rossoneri: Kaka, Pirlo, Nesta and all. Players, and more importantly, the money to buy players of this quality isn't as present in Scottish football, so expectations should slightly lowered as a result.

Celtic- Reinstated

In a recent turn of events, Celtic have been reinstated into this years Europa League following unsuccessful appeals lodged by FC Sion after their coach, Laurent Roussey, fielded a number of ineligible players during their aggregate 3-1 win over the Hoops in the play-off round. If the same level of arrogance that's been apparent in the past seasons qualifying campaigns is still there, one look at the group they now find themselves in should limit at least some fans expectations of cruising through to latter stages. Winners of the 2010 cup, Atletico Madrid might have lost Kun Aguero to Manchester City, but have gained a 2011 winner with Porto in his replacement, Radamel Falcao. Even without Alexis Sanchez and midfielder Gokhan Inler, Udinese showed they were no pushovers when facing Arsenal in the Champions League qualifying round, whereas Ligue 1 side, Rennes, are on the rise to becoming a force to be reckoned with in French football thanks to a host of promising youth players coming through their ranks. Even so, Celtic will be up for the task at hand, and the experience of playing against some of the worlds best could inspire the likes of Scott Brown, Gary Hooper and McCourt to raise their game to the required standard. There can be no question that they're the underdogs, but they should be up to the task of giving it a go. Its not pessimism, its reality.

Tom Cleverley: His journey, and why he can be the new Paul Scholes

Me and a friend of mine had a lot of fun adding words to Tom Cleverley's surname during Leicester City's 2009-10 League One campaign. 'Cleverley done', 'Cleverley thought out pass', 'clever little run'.. you get the picture. On-loan from Manchester United at the time, Tom was just another third tier player with name you could poke fun at. The one game I did see him play- against Bristol Rovers in early 2009- ended in injury. As I recall, he didn't come up with anything special, but I was told he had more in his locker than just an adaptable name. Two years later, those days on the terraces at the Memorial Stadium seem a million miles away as the name in question looks set to play a key role in Manchester United's title defence.

Its fair to say Cleverley's career up to 2011 has resembled more of a game of hopscotch than a hop, skip and a giant leap. Born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, a young Cleverley moved to Bradford, West Yorkshire, where he was quickly snapped up by the Bantams in 2004 to play in their youth side. Only a year later, he joined United as a 15-year-old trainee and, despite being a couple of years younger than his teammates, featured in a number of under-18s matches. A slight blow was dealt at the end of this season however, as while most of his colleagues were given scholarships, the slightly under-built youngster was only offered a part-time deal that would see him balance school work with his football; something clubs tend to offer only players they're not confident will make the grade. Tom appeared to ignore this slight setback and continued his natural progression, the next year seeing him cement his place in the under-18s side and his first appearance for the reserves against Bolton. So far, so good, until a first injury came in 2007 which kept him sidelined for just over seven months. Failing to read the script that so many United trainees have followed, Cleverley returned to pick up where he left off by continuing to shine for the reserves. By now, it seemed like a bit of a joke that this young man was still on their books after all that had happened, and the coaching staff were starting see their player, still not on a full-contract, in a different light.

The Championship- Watford toughened him up

His 2007-08 season that saw 21 appearances- with numerous as captain- and a nomination for Reserve Player of the Year award, put the youngster in contention for first-team football. The following years reserve campaign ended prematurely when -needing a bit of bite- Nigel Pearson's promotion chasing Leicester side signed the midfielder on for what was to be the remainder of their League One spell, where Cleverley contributed two goals and three assists in 15 games before a shoulder injury brought an end to his stay. Word of the teenagers talents traveled fast around the Football League, and it wasn't long until then Watford boss, Malky Mackay came calling; the Scot promising to play Cleverley at every opportunity to win the battle to secure the youngsters services until December. The season in the second tier that followed, Cleverley said in an interview last year, saw him come to terms with the physical demands of the game (and possibly provided inspiration for his new mohican): "The hostility of places like Millwall and Leeds toughens you up.. I went from a boy to a man in the Championship." Mackay saw this early on, and his initial loan was extended; subsequently allowing Cleverley to notch 11 goals in 33 appearances on his way to winning Player of the Year award at Vicarage Road. But although every move for Cleverley has been instrumental to the youngsters progression, last years spell at Wigan, where he played 25 Premier League games of free-flowing football under Roberto Martinez, will stand out as the biggest learning curve to date. Many players came in and out of the Lactics starting line-up in their 2010-11 fight for survival, but Cleverley and midfield partner James McCarthy both held their places longer than most. As we all know, Wigan beat the drop, and Cleverley returned to United.

Passing stats-14 August v West Brom

Here we are then, back to me reminiscing about childish puns in August 2011. Rewind again to August 7th and United's Community Shield victory over Manchester City. Pre-season had been very kind to Cleverley in the run-up to the match at Wembley, and plaudits for his role in a 2-1 friendly win against Barcelona had put him in good stead for a run out against the inner city rivals. This was granted, and the belief repaid after Cleverley's introduction at half-time saw him and his teammates go on to comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2, with the youngster even playing a part in his sides wonderfully orchestrated equaliser. Then came his league debut with a performance in United's narrow-margin win against West Brom; one which without doubt caught the eye on what was otherwise a fairly dull opening to the new season. The midfielders first full 90 minutes saw tackles, passes and even orders barked to his experienced colleges executed to precision. Stats after the game also made for good viewing, with chalkboards (provided by Opta) revealing that out of his 61 attempted passes, 56 were successful; earning him the inevitable 'Paul Scholes mk.2' billing. Of course, Cleverley is his own player, and many thought to be replacements have fallen after being branded with certain tags. But looking at the bigger picture, this story may not turn out like the rest.

Carrick- Now under pressure

Cleverley's maturity even such in such a vital position was picked up upon by many journalists after the game at the Hawthorns, but many forget what stage he is at. Now 22-years-old, certain attributes, like maturity and experience, start to come in as standard depending on the player. Cleverley doesn't just boast a a full season in the Championship to his name, but also a campaign in the league where he's supposed to make a step-up to compete, so in a way, he made it last season. Its taken him just weeks to overtake Darren Gibson in the pecking order for a place in midfield, with Micheal Carrick thought to be next on the hit-list. After spending the last seven years at Old Trafford, he's also knowledgeable of the set-up at United. There's no sense of being star struck or overwhelmed with the history of his club when he walks into training as he's probably experienced all of this at a much younger age. Jonny Evans and Danny Welbeck are others, bred from the same academy, that are aware of their surroundings, but neither are thought to have as much impact in the first team as Cleverley this season. United play Tottenham on Monday. I'd expect more articles and chalkboards the day after.

Championship predictions- 2011/12 season

For competition, the Championship is arguably the best in the world. There's usually one side- 9 times out of 10 the one that's just dropped down from the Premier League- that is looking to break the points record at the top, but the other 23 places are up for grabs. As Blackpool and last years latest success story, Norwich, will testify, the other automatic spot is down to who wants it the most. As for the play-offs, the likes of Cardiff, Leicester and Nottingham Forest will all fancy their chances of a top-six finish, but there always seems to be room for at least two dark horses. At a first glance, the relegation battle looks a little more straight forward than it has in recent years with Doncaster, Peterborough and Watford all focused on just beating the drop. However, there's been a recent trend in sleeping giants starting slow and not having the bite to save themselves (hi, Sheffield United). Here's how I see it at the end of the season:  

1. West Ham United 
2. Leicester City
3. Birmingham City
4. Ipswich Town
5. Nottingham Forest (P)
6. Cardiff City
7. Blackpool
8. Leeds United
9. Middlesbrough 
10. Southampton 
11. Burnley 
12. Reading 
13. Portsmouth  
14. Hull City
15. Bristol City
16. Brighton & Hove Albion 
17. Derby County
18. Millwall
19. Coventry City
20. Crystal Palace
21. Barnsley
22. Watford (R)
23. Doncaster Rovers (R)
24. Peterborough (R) 

Champions- West Ham United

West Ham- a shoe-in even without Parker

Although no one can predict who will be filling the play-off places, the battle for top spot looks to be between a handful of ex-Premier League sides, with the possible inclusion of outsiders, Cardiff. But for me, there is only one team that could potentially walk it. Even with their history (albeit mainly in violence *ducks*), the Hammers have no divine right to coast to the title, but if any side is to do it, it'll be them. The facts are there: 'Big' Sam Allardyce is a Premier League manager and his squad is largely made up of proven Premier League players like Matt Taylor, Kevin Nolan, Robert Green and Mark Noble, with youngsters Freddie Sears and Jack Collison set to challenge for places. Although last seasons leaky defence has possibly been further weakened with the departure of Matt Upson, and with a cloud of uncertainty over the futures of Carlton Cole, Scott Parker and Frederic Piquionne, they are expected to lose a few more key players. But the majority of the squad looks set to stay, and within that they easily have the quality to make a swift return to the top flight.      

Promoted Leicester and Nottingham Forest

Forest- desperate for promotion

Starting with the Foxes, anything below 1st place will be seen as poor preparation for what looks like an inevitable return to the Premier League for the 2012-13 season. Money has been spent, not on transfer fees, but on wages for much desired free agents to bulk-up a squad that weren't far off top-six finish last season. Its easy to forget about the likes of Andy King and Richie Wellens after Sven Goran-Eriksson's transfer binge which saw a string of proven Championship commodities sign up for the revolution at the newly named King Power Stadium. Matt Mills, Neil Danns and David Nugent will be expected to justify their billings, and with even more players rumoured to be on their way, Leicester should secure second place early on. Although not the bookmakers favorites, Steve McClaren's Nottingham Forest are my pick to get the monkey of their backs with promotion via the play-offs. Forest always seem to make the top-six, but seem to lack the cutting edge to beat their competition near the top- something former boss Billy Davies blamed on the lack of funds put into the club. This time round however, McClaren has stated that he's happy with his squad, only adding experience in the form of burly (I was careful) winger Andy Reid, Jonathan Greening and the evergreen George Boateng since his arrival. Knowing they've been down all of the roads before, I fancy Forest to really want it this time round. Also, after keeping the bulk of their squads, Blackpool, Burnley and Birmingham I believe will also be in contention.      

Relegated Doncaster Rovers, Watford, Peterborough United

Failing so far to add any real quality to their squads since spending virtually the whole of last season looking behind them, Doncaster and Watford along with newcomers Peterborough are my picks fill the bottom three. Both Donny and The Hornets are no strangers to a relegation scrap in this league, with The Posh also looking like cannon fodder for teams looking to dominate at home.'Boro' go into the season with a similar squad to the one that finished bottom of the second-tier in 2010, only with around minus 20 goals which left with Craig Mackail-Smith. New signing Nicky Ajose had a great 2010-11 campaign at Bury on-loan from Manchester United, but at 19-years-old, filling the boots of Brighton's new hitman seems a little too much to ask. Watford meanwhile, after Malky Mackay's switch to Cardiff, have Sean Dyche in charge; Mackay's former assistant who is entering into his first spell in management. It been no secret that funds are low at Vicarage Road, and as a result, expectations aren't exactly sky-high. Finally, Donny are down as the bookies favorites for the drop due to looking every bit like a League One side towards the end of last season. A promotion and two mid-table finishes has seen manager Sean O'Driscoll praised by some, but after their close-shave in the previous campaign, few are backing him to do it again. Fellow new arrivals Southampton and Brighton have eyes on the top-half and above, so expect some seasoned Championship sides to be battling it out to stay in the division.     

Top Scorer Rickie Lambert (Southampton)

Lambert- should get 20+

A tough one to call as ever, and one that could change should Sven fancy one last dip into the owners' bottomless pockets, but I'm going for an outsider in Rickie Lambert. The heavyweight scouser has had to wait two seasons to finally get out of League One with the Saints, but my is he primed for it. A grand total of 57 goals in just over 100 appearances for the sleeping giants has more than justified worth in his £1m move in 2009, but key to his success is his teammates. Boasting both ambition and wealth, virtually no clubs have even declared an interest in the likes of Adam Lallana and Dean Hammond, knowing that bids would be rejected. Chances of a move away from St.Mary's for wonderkid Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are looking increasingly slim as the weeks go on, which is great news for Lambert who will benefit from the youngsters crossing. I'm also backing Cardiff's Kenny Miller and Ipswich's Michael Chopra to do well for their new clubs.       

Prospect Jordon Mutch (Birmingham City)

The 19-year-old has featured little for the 'Blues since his arrival in 2008, but with Barry Ferguson, Craig Gardener, Sebastian Larsson and Lee Bowyer all exiting St.Andrews, Mutch has the chance to shine. The Irishman was a regular during a loan spell at Watford last season that was cut-short in January; causing then boss Malky Mackay pleading with City to let him stay. Upon his return, an impressive performance against Millwall in the FA Cup saw him sign a new three-year-deal with the club days later, and 2011-12 is set to see him do the business against Championship sides on a more regular basis. New manager Chris Hughton is said to be a huge fan, using pre-season games to establish Mutch's best position in a midfield that he could potentially control. Keep an eye out also for Brighton's pacey winger Kazenga LuaLua- on-loan from Newcastle- and Blackpool's Matt Phillips.     

League One predictions will be posted tomorrow, so don't forget to follow the blog!

The most hated man in football

Nope. For me, Sepp Blatter doesn't even come close in competition to the man I am about to put under the spotlight...

La Liga fans hate him, Serie A fans despise him, even supporters from his own club eventually turned after growing tired of his involvement in incidents spanning across the past few seasons. Although this is all based on my personal opinion, I don't believe any player in the Premier League is in the same bracket as this man. Last seasons Champions League tie between Barcelona and Real Madrid stands as a perfect illustration of the average English football fans perception of the Spanish game- the brilliance of Lionel Messi in the first leg countered by the theatrics and bad-blood that came in the second. Without sounding too much like Henry Winter, the same goes for La Liga, where fluent passing moves and showings from some of the worlds greatest are marred by shameful actions from the likes of my subject at hand. Forget Robbie Savage, Joey Barton and Gary Neville and all the other players you hate to love or love to hate. In fact, when you think about the players generally considered to be disliked, you'd often have them in your side, playing with passion and kissing your teams badge in the blink of an eye.. Not in this case, however. I'm talking about David Navarro.

Navarro- Valencia's bully

The reason why Navarro is so despised even in his native Spain is not only because of the incidents that make the news, but his way of playing the game. Virtually every run-out for the defender sees a dive, a shirt-tug, or another similar showing of unsportsmanlike conduct which he seems to thrive off. Now, we all know the odd bruiser you come up against on a Sunday morning playing at the heart of the defence. He's 15 stone, 6ft 4" and, discounting his dead-end job, this is all he's got- 90 minutes of playing school bully for Pondweed Town. He's in your ear all game, leaves stud marks on your boots, but if he ever actually got signed up and played professionally, there is no doubt he'd cut out all of this and knuckle down. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Navarro. In the context of a match, its never a two-foot-lunge or a blatant raised arm (although we'll get to that soon enough), it's always something more sly. It almost seems like he practices certain routines before matches to prevent getting caught, and this is one of the reasons why hatred for him is on such a high level; he rarely gets punished for half of the stuff he commits. When he does, however, boy does he come off worse.

Inter Milan v Valencia- 'that' punch

For football fans around the world, I'm sure case study one will be familiar. After four seasons with Valencia's B team and a further five appearing sporadically for the full side, it seemed appropriate that he first made a name for himself courtesy of an incident after the whistle. March 6th 2007, and its ended Valencia 0-0 Inter Milan with tensions at breaking point as the home side have just qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League on away goals after a 1-1 draw at the San Siro. A pushing match breaks out between Inter defender Nicolas Burdisso and Valencia captain Carlos Marchena, with more of the Spaniards teammates piling in. It seemed most of Burdisso's colleagues were down the other end complaining to the referee after two penalty appeals were waved away during the game, meaning the Argentine and Ivan Cordoba are left to fend for themselves. Suddenly, a crowd of suits and coats come rushing over to diffuse the situation- holding back both Cordoba and his raging defensive partner in an attempt to prevent any retaliation. Then, wearing a grey coat after spending the entire game on the bench, Navarro runs up to a defenceless Burdisso- a player he had no interaction with during the match- and lands a full-bodied punch onto his nose, breaking it in the process (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RmC651Ub5M). The Inter players then give chase; Julio Cruz, Cordoba and Douglas Maicon all attempting to trip the sprinting culprit, but to no avail as Navarro makes a clean getaway into his teams dressing room to complete the cowardly act.

The phrase 'cheap shot' wouldn't do it justice. As a viewer, it's one of those moments that makes you wish you were in that changing room when he clocked in, smirk and all. Unsurprisingly, Navarro didn't get away with it, and was subsequently charged by UEFA with 'gross unsporting conduct', the six-month ban from all matches that followed bringing an end to his 2006-07 season. After being fined for failing to control their players in the game, his already cash-strapped club weren't happy- the incident ruining what was supposed to be a night to celebrate, immediately turfing him out to Real Mallorca for the 2007-08 season. Aware that he needed to win back a bit of support, barring the odd scuffle, Navarro generally avoided trouble during his first season at the Balearic Islands side, which wasn't hard after only playing 18 games. With his own club still holding a grudge, he returned to Mallorca on another year-long-loan for the 2008-09 season where he featured prominently. He performed and behaved so well in fact that after two years Valencia were willing to give him another chance. His second stint turned out to be even more eventful than the first.

Messi- 'roughed up' by Navarro

In just his first month back, Navarro had a run in the first team, which is another problem fans from other clubs seem to have with him; when his aggression is channeled, he isn't a bad footballer. Unfortunately, the honeymoon period lasted a mere two months, with Navarro making the headlines yet again with an incident during a match with Barcelona in mid-October. Just 12 seconds into the game, eagle-eyed viewers saw the Spaniard walking over to man-of-the-moment Messi, appearing to have accidentally trodden on his studs before apologising and running away. After the match, what shots from other angles revealed saw Navarro receive a barrage of criticism from journalists, managers and players alike. Spotting his target, the defender did a quick check for potential witnesses before aiming a stamp on the ankle of Messi's right-foot. Admirably, the Argentine simply looked down, checked for damage, dished out a glare and carried on with his evening (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW0Jc9M_YpQ). Now, if your that much of lowlife that you'd even consider doing something like this, if there's one player that you might want to avoid, its the worlds most loved; mainly because your not likely to have anyone in your corner. More seriously, many players have been ruled out for seasons with injuries to the fibula from tackles, with a well timed stamp having the potential to deliver the same impact. In the new year, he was at it again, but this time no one stayed quiet.

Freeze frame- the moment of impact

Minutes into the second-half of a match against Athletic Blibao and Navarro goes up for a header with Fernando Llorente. Both players jump, but with the Valencia's new club captain set to win the challenge, an arm is raised and quickly pulled back by Navarro which leaves both himself and the Bilbao front-man on the ground. Groups of the crowd near the incident are raging, with ones from the other side of the stadium as confused as referee, Cesar Muniz Fernandez, who also had a bad view of the incident. "Can't you see he's in pain?" the referee asked an infuriated Bilbao midfield, who had the view which TV replays were about to display. The footage was shocking: Navarro appearing to deliver a blow to his opponent's head, splitting it open, without receiving any more than a nudge himself on his way to appearing motionless on the floor. It took a fair amount of time for Navarro to respond, during which his eyes rolled back into his head before he was stretchered off for further examination, only to suddenly get up and run back onto the pitch minutes later. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGOLCRC6y74). With the viewers at home now aware of the whole incident, Navarro's quick recovery made things even worse, with the attack seeming premeditated. This then set the tone for a bad-tempered affair in which Valencia came out 2-1 winners, but yet again, the result was to take a side-spot in the aftermath.

Llorente- outed Navarro in the aftermath 

Further light was shone on Navarro's actions when more replays revealed that the Spaniard had dished out yet another unseen elbow in the game, this time to the face of Javi Martinez, causing a bloody nose. Understandably, brooding centre-forward Llorente pulled no punches in the post-match press conference. When asked about the incident that many in the press box hadn't seen, Llorente claimed that Navarro delivered "the performance of his life" and that he "deserved an Oscar" for his antics that aimed to shield the severity of his actions. Another teammate with a clear view, Mikel San Jose also joined in: "David Navarro's attitude is really disgusting. Football is a contact sport and you can give your opponent a blow with an elbow but if that happens you have to own up to it and not throw yourself onto the ground." However, Llorente was to have the last word on the matter: "It's incredible that he should come out smelling of roses. He's got no other game but hitting people." Although Navarro had escaped any kind of punishment for the stamp on Messi, this wasn't to be the case this time. Videos of the defenders past demeanor's appeared on youtube, and overnight, the story went national.

The aftermath saw Valencia hitting the self-destruct button on a number of occasions. Sporting director Braulio Vazquez expressed his disappointment that Bilbao had come across in the manner they did after the game, which few agreed with. Instead of apologising for his actions, in an ambitious attempt to protest his innocence, Navarro claimed that he experienced whiplash and felt dizzy, going onto state that he didn't mean to hurt anyone. No one believed that. Pictures appearing in Valencia newspaper Super Deporte showed his 'bruised' legs, accompanied by an interview with Navarro in which the defender claimed his defenders were kicked during the game. No one cared. Los Che winger Joaquin also failed to his improve his clubs image, claiming that his teammate "hadn't killed anyone," which was supposedly meant to make everything alright. Whether or not Bilbao had been heavy handed was irrelevant, the incident was treated on its own, and it wasn't long until the Spaniard was forced out of the league he had spent his whole career playing in.

In the light of these kind of incidents, most players are usually frozen out, transfer-listed or released from their clubs. But, to a debt-ridden Valencia in the 2009, it must have been so refreshing to have a forgotten player return and slot straight into the starting line-up, knowing that money hasn't been spent to make it happen. Valencia officials and fans must have been aware of the stamp on Messi, yet they needed their club captain to still be playing. Unfortunately for Navarro, the Bilbao match at the end of February saw him on borrowed time. Deciding that their reputation had taken enough of a battering, just three months later, Navarro's contract was cancelled by 'mutual consent'. Now ready to start his first season in the Swiss league playing for minnows Neuchatel Xamaz after joining on a free transfer, Navarro has one last chance to clear up his image. But at 31-years-old, is there any point? Is he even the type? Probably not, so expect a few more headlines in the future.

Make or break- Liverpool under Comolli

Pre-season- it always ends somewhere in the middle of August at 3pm for most clubs, but when it actually starts is up for question...

This is meant to be the period of rest and reflection, but instead, you just feel like there's something missing. Thankfully, this feeling comes and goes over the weekend, the void filled by the round-the-clock action of the transfer window. Since fees have risen, player power has increased, and, more importantly, with FIFA's new Financial Fair Play rulings set to come into effect, the window has become a worthy substitute for matches. The ruling is huge news for the market; prohibiting clubs from operating with money they haven't got. As a result, Premier League teams looking to strengthen were expected to be going for broke this summer on youth prospects. Well, that's what was meant to happen, and still could, but it seems only one club has truly seized upon this opportunity. Ladies and Gentleman, introducing the team that just keeps giving. Liverpool Football Club.          

Dalglish: pro-active in the window

Pessimists and Mancunians seem to have struck up a sturdy friendship this summer, with both parties writing off a title challenge from the red half of Merseyside before the seasons even started. Why? Jealousy, perhaps. Fear is another possible factor. But again, why? When looking at the key differences between the clubs at the top of the pile and the ones down at the bottom, it often comes down to the quality of players. After being allowed to spend over £100m on his squad over the last one-and-a-half transfer windows, few would argue that Kenny Dalglish hasn't been given at least some of the tools to succeed. Following January deals for front-men Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll, this summer saw more arrivals in the form of Jordan Henderson from Sunderland, the inevitable capture of Charlie Adam from Blackpool, as well their newest recruit, Stewart Downing, from Aston Villa. Accounting for the money spent, the caliber of the signings and the key positions that they fill, this is it. This is Kenny getting what he needs to compete with the best.

Of course, there's pressure to deliver from all angles. Not only from the board, but the players themselves have probably been promised a little more than a top six finish. But as far as the new signings are concerned, Dalglish talking up their chances of a title assault in the near future could work their favour; they may all believe it could happen this season. Baring that in mind, there's every possibility they could be the dark horses for the 2011/12 Premier League crown, and for the money spent, you'd have thought so too. Still, whether they sink or swim, the upcoming season will provide the neutrals with numerous talking points, as this summer already has. With every signing, every press conference and every pre-season performance from one of the class of last year, there's a talking point. This week, there was just the one: the signing of Downing for £20m.

Although the price-tag of Dalglish's latest addition to the Reds midfield has already raised a few eyebrows, the more important issue at hand is the signing of Downing adhering to Liverpool's new-found transfer policy. I'm sure many have already picked up on the strategy employed by the club in the last couple of windows: the purchasing of leading British individuals from smaller English clubs. Different? In some respects, yes. Original? Not so much. In fact, the system has worked on a number of occasions for clubs all the way down the league pyramid. One of the firm believers in this strategy is even a key member of Liverpool's board. Enter Damien Comolli.

Clichy: found by Comolli

Deciding to bring an end to his playing career in 1992 following a release from Monaco's youth squad, Comolli continued his relationship with the club in a coaching capacity, leading the French clubs U16 side to a state championship during his three-year-stay. After gaining a degree from the Nice school of law (the school in the city, not just a nice school) and obtaining his French coaching license, it wasn't long until then newly appointed Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger appointed him European scout in 1996. Bringing to light the talents of Gael Clichy, Kolo Toure and countless other future first-teamers during his time at Highbury, he left to seek pastures new in 2004. Following yet another successful stint in the French league during the 2004-2005 season, this time as Technical Director at AS Saint-Ettiene, Tottenham Hotspur came calling. The scout with a reputation for success was made Director of Football, and this was where it all gets interesting.

In a market without inflation for English players, the strategy at first was clear: buy British from clubs willing to sell for the right price. Looking back, it seemed to have worked. Future members of Spurs' 2010-2011 Champions League squad, Micheal Dawson, Jermaine Jenas, Alan Hutton, Jermaine Defoe and Gareth Bale were all players signed by Comolli for modest figures, while the sale of Micheal Carrick to Manchester United generated £15m profit for the club. As always, there were a few that didn't quite make the grade, however, Spurs and Comolli only managed to make minor losses on those that failed to make an impression. The signings of Darren Bent for £16m and David Bentley for £15m stand out as poor deals, but, as an example, Calum Davenport, who only made 15 appearances for Spurs during his three-year-stay at the club, was actually sold for just under £2m more than the amount he was bought for. Similar to the purchase of Luis Suarez, top European players like Luka Modric and Dimitar Berbatov were also brought in to provide balance whilst Comolli was at Tottenham, and should the likes of Bale and Modric either continue to realise their potential or be sold on for £30m+, Liverpool fans have every right to be optimistic about how things could pan out under Comolli.

In a job described as 'having everything to do with the football side of running the club', Comolli has gradually become a valuable asset. Working with a manager seemingly revitalized by modern football, the role of the Frenchman upon arrival in November 2010 was limited a under then boss, Roy Hodgson. Coinciding with the departure of Hodgson and investment from new owners, Fenway Sports Group, Comolli has played a big part in the rebuilding process at Liverpool. Dalglish picks the squad and oversees training, Comolli deals with transfers and oversees scouting, as well as public relations. Although its common for members of the board from a football club to leave the manager to do the talking, Comolli is ever-present in the media. He always talks highly of their transfer policy, goals and long-term plans. Why? Probably because they're part of his model- the one that worked so well at Spurs. As mentioned before, Comolli has a proven track record with signing players, but the risk element is much higher this time around.

Adam: a 'Comolli signing'

Lingering in mid-table following Hodgson's departure at the start of the 2011 January transfer window, the demands of Comolli's job expanded. There wouldn't be time to find the next Clichy or Thierry Henry in the depths of the French academies; they needed players to step right into the side to provide solutions. Everyone knows what happened next: Andy Carroll and Suarez arrived for £22.8m and £35m respectively, with Fernando Torres' departure completing the make-over up-front. The Reds continued to stick to the plan with the arrivals of Henderson and Downing for £20m each, in between the transfer of Adam from Blackpool. Overall, at £7m, the deal for the Tangerine's former captain seems like the only one reminiscent of a Comolli signing at Spurs, only because it carries less risk. So, if the price hike for 'home-grown' players is so apparent, why buy British in the first place?

A debate further stirred by the national teams failings at recent major tournaments, British football isn't currently in a great place. Our home nations are constantly being showed up by the competition in various tournaments, with the FA's plans to 'revamp' English football scheduled to take effect way past the likes of Downing's playing career. With no clear asking price, its natural for fans to wonder how much rumoured targets Juan Mata and Ezequiel Lavezzi would have cost should Liverpool have declared an interest and pursued. Although generally pleased with their summer signings, the same group of supporters will be thinking just what other players could have been bought for the £47m it costed to bring in Henderson, Downing and Adam. Is it a coincidence that all three of Liverpool's top summer targets were British? Not at all; it must have been part of the plan. Sure, there's the 25-man-squad-rule to think about, but with the likes of Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson and Steven Gerrard already making the starting line-up, Liverpool stood to already meet the quota. On the other hand, when you forget about nationalities, Adam, Downing and Henderson all had great 2010/11 Premier League seasons. Maybe its just another attempt to speed up the process- buying players already capable of performing in the league. Either way, results in the next few seasons will be the only way to determine whether it worked.

Make no mistake about it, Liverpool have gone all in for their talent, but if there's one man that can pull this off, its Comolli. He seems confident without seeming deluded, bold without being too expectant; he's Liverpool's youthful board member that they've been looking for. As many are predicting, however, Henderson and Downing could both very easily turn into Bentley and Bent, but that's the fun part, you just never know. Should all not go to plan.. well, its best not to think about it.

Villas-Boas' 'transfer' to change the market?

How much is a manager worth? One of those interesting questions which needs everything laid out in order to make an educated guess. Just by looking at the facts, however, I believe they're under-priced.

It doesn't cost much to 'buy' a manager. Under a two-and-a-quarter year deal, Alex McLeish's proposed move to Aston Villa saw Birmingham City's acting chairman Peter Pannu place a £5.4m price tag on the Scot. His resignation was received by email just hours later, with City having no choice but to reluctantly accept a £2m compensation package for the handing over of McLeish. Pannu has threatened to take the matter to court for breach of contract, but its doubtful as to whether he'll go ahead with it now the dust has settled. To evaluate, it took £2m to land an ex-manager of the Scottish national side, a two time SPL winner with Rangers, not to mention a League Cup holder with Birmingham. Despite their eventual relegation from the top-flight, this doesn't seem much at all. Just a thought, but if Craig Gardner re-signed for Villa from Birmingham, he'd come in at around £5m. Now, who do you think would have more of an impact on the season: a midfielder not 100% assured of a place in the starting line-up, or the manager? At the other end of the spectrum, the price Chelsea have been quoted at to buy out the remainder of Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas' current deal is looking to be set around the £13m mark due to a release clause: £5m less than the purchase of Yuri Zhirkov.

McLeish: a bargain at £2m

The system of course is different to the one that is applied to the signing of a player. Player's tend to regularly demand more wages (player power, ennit) and can be signed for fees. Indeed, that's the general exit route players take; they are purchased. Its unheard of for a players to 'resign' from the club as a payout wouldn't be issued, so they stick around till they are either released at the end of the deal or sold on. With managers, there's two ways of departing: walk or get the boot. Resignations are often the popular choice rather than a fee should another club come calling, however, there's something about the Villas-Boas deal that seems similar to the transfer of a player.

This could be down to a number things, but the media have certainly played their part in making this seem like a big summer-signing for Chelsea. For starters, there's no compensation being mentioned; its all 'fee' and 'price'. The papers are doing their usual, 'ooozzee this Portu-geeezzeeerr, then' fact-files, while Villa-Boas' proposed wage is also attracting the headlines. The wage, in fact, is one thing that can be directly compared with that of a players. A treble winner last season with Porto at the ripe old age of 33-years-old, Boas is THE hottest property on the market. Upon arrival, his new employers had only just scraped into Europe after finishing their league season in 3rd place: their worst position in eight years. Midfielder Joao Moutinho arrived from Sporting Libson along with Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi for decent sums of money, but the rest of Villa-Boas' signings were younger players to accompany the first-team squad that led Porto to 3rd in the previous campaign. Without spending lavishly, the man from Porto had turned the fortunes of his local club around in the space of a year. His wage? £4m a year. To put it into perspective, Milan Jovanovic is on £40,000 more per-week.

Porto: Europa League champions

For what Chelsea are getting, £13.3m may as well be all it takes for any club to land any manager. Villas-Boas matched the hype surrounding his appointment as Porto boss in June 2010 with a treble in the form of the Primeira Liga, Portuguese Cup and UEFA Europa League in his opening season, and at 33-years-old, it doesn't get much better than that. However, this is unlikely to be the end of the trend. Now its been tried and tested, how long will it be before contracts include resignation pay for the club should a manager walk out? Will the option of a resignation be scrapped altogether, replaced possibly by mutual-agreements for termination or fees for a transfer, perhaps? The fees that are being touted around for managers I expect will rise, and sooner or later clubs will start having to pay a fee for a manager. Who knows, maybe clubs will start having reserve managers: teenagers wearing over sized suits (I'm thinking sleeves too long, tie down to the knees) that have shown 'managerial qualities' at three-years-old .. In all seriousness, modern day football is always looking for ways to evolve, and I think this may be one for the very near future. After all, you wouldn't pay a scrubber more than the captain of the ship..

Big player, big move, appropriate fee.

By the time you've started reading this Phil Jones will have probably joined Manchester United. If not, keep reading anyway, because its all about him..

Jones only made his Premier League debut last year at the tender age of 18: standing tall in a home match against Chelsea that saw the usual patch of over-expecting sports writers publish their 24th edition of 'England's stars of the future' for this year, with Jones installed as captain. The Preston-born defender went on to appear a further 23 times in the league with Blackburn as well as making his England u21 debut in an incredible season for the teenager. In addition to this, most of his appearances at the tail-end of last season came from holding-midfield: further enhancing his reputation as a utility man at the back. After what seemed like years of speculation, Sir Alex Ferguson finally took a huge step-forward towards landing a player he's allegedly had eyes on for a while by making an offer for Jones that could rise to as much as £17m. But despite figures for players constantly on the rise, people have questioned whether the burly 19-year-old is really worth the price tag.

From Phil's perspective, the move couldn't have come at a better time. While Manchester United were preparing their bid, Liverpool were looking to tie up a deal of their own for Sunderland winger Jordan Henderson for an astronomical fee of £20m. Now, judging by the success of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, I don't dare question Kenny Dalglish's transfer policy, or what he pays for his players. But to me the figure just seems around £5-7m too much. I imagine Sunderland and Niall Quinn in particular drive a hard bargain which is where the valuation has come from, but the numbers for Luka Modric have come in at around £20m.. Nevertheless, this has definitely taken the limelight off the £17m for Jones and focused it on whether he can make it at Old Trafford. This is the same problem that any player joining the club has to face, and Jones can take comfort in knowing that he doesn't have any added pressure of being the summers biggest 'over-buy'.

He actually shouldn't have to think about this anyway: if he's great, he'll make it. This is the point that I believe everyone has to focus on rather than making early predictions and deciding his future before he's even put on the shirt. At 6ft 2in the physique is there, at 19 age is on his side; he just needs nurturing. Where better to be nurtured than at United? The £17m is what his new club will pay should Jones meet certain requirements, so the initial fee is probably based around the £13-4m mark, if that. Those requirements will most probably include England caps, United appearances and anything else that will see Jones realise his price tag, and then some. So if Sir Alex's new recruit does make future England squads, become a regular in the side and force the extra payments, he'll surely be worth it. Yes?

The two deals this week serve as prime examples of clubs paying over the odds for English players. Whether both Liverpool and United could have found something better abroad is up for question, but the scouting systems at both clubs are fantastic. Countless players graduating from both set-ups have gone on to ply their trade in the Premier League and gone on to represent their countries. To focus on Jones, its hard to think what more he needs to have to warrant a big move. Seemingly a down to earth guy, he will learn how to play at the highest level if he has patience and listens. The only slight reservation he might have is that United can afford this not to work out. Set to make a heavy loss on Bebe and Gabriel Obertan, the fees paid for these young starlets are just numbers on a screen to United. Why? Because one of them always works out. On paper, Jones could easily be the one that made the grade.. So, is he worth it? When adding it up, most definitely.

Welcoming the Welsh and the nonsensical opinions of a minority

Swansea 4-2 Reading

Bloody Welsh.

Hate the Welsh. Always robbing everything from us. Now they're in OUR football league. How dare they.

You wonder how this select bunch of 'fans' that spout the same hypocritical tripe week in, week out don't run rings around themselves by going back 100 yards on every point. Personally, I backed Reading after taking a fondness to the duo of Shane Long and Brian McDermott during their late charge up the table. I even cheered when the Royals began their comeback, and, in fact, I've probably got more reasons to dislike Swansea than most people. I didn't take too kindly to their fans turning Southampton into a pig sty and starting fights through the city centre during a visit in the 2008-09 season, nor did I take lightly to Tranmere's FA cup loss a couple of years back at the hands of the (on the day) lesser team. But I've got nothing at all against Swansea being in the Premier League, and this is why.

1. A deserved promotion- To start off I'm going to have to state that the Swans have more than earned their place in the PL for next season. They've been there or thereabouts for the entire campaign, and if there was a better English team to pip them in the final then they would have done it. The fact is, there isn't, and Swansea are worthy of their titling as a PL side.

2. Healthy competition- Around 50 odd people in England genuinely believe that England v Wales is still a fierce rivalry, but can someone tell me whats wrong in having a bit of added spice to the league should this count for anything? We get enough of a kick out of it in the rugby, so why are people against it in football? It's highly doubtful that Swansea will pose any real threat at the top of the table, so where is the worry in accommodating them?

3. Inconsistencies/ the big occasion- Half of the reason why I'm writing this is down to this one: people only pipe up on the big occasions. Welsh teams have been playing in the ENGLISH Football League for years, with Swansea in particular enjoying fairly recent promotions. I know a number of Saints fans that were backing Cardiff over their rivals Portsmouth when they reached the FA cup in 2008, yet the same group seem to have abandoned that and done a u-turn regarding recent events. No one has had a problem with Welsh teams in the Football League, so how does it completely change when they get to the top tier that is largely made up of foreign elements anyway? I'll cover that one right now..

4. 'Might as well call it the BRITISH Premier League'- Anyone who wants to go heads with me on this one wants to make sure they know the facts as I've been studying this for over a year now. Stats from the 2010-11 season indicate that over 60% of the players in the PL are foreign, virtually all the owners (hidden behind an English board) of PL clubs are from abroad, and only five English managers were in charge of sides. In a compromising stance, the FA brought in the fairly toothless 25-man-squad ruling last season in an effort to combat the rapid decrease in English players performing in the PL. The ruling required clubs to have at least eight 'home-grown' players in their 25-man-squads. The 'home-grown; players had to be registered with clubs that were part of either the FA, OR WELSH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. In a contrast to just four 'home-grown' players starting in Manchester United's 3-1 Champions League final at the hands of Wembley three days prior to the play-off final, in Monday's 4-2 win over the Royals the Swans lined up with just three players of foreign birth.. They can't do much more!

6. The league itself- For me, this is the one that everyone gets wrong, no matter how simple it is to just look it up. The FA don't own the PL; it's a cooperative between the 20 owners of the clubs themselves. The FA have no control over the PL and haven't for over 10 years, which is why the league is absolutely packed to the rafters with foreign talent, coaches and owners. It's centered around making money and is under no obligation to include any English elements.

Now, please enjoy this video of our favorite Welsh imports.