In search of the Secret Footballer

I have a confession to make. After being enlightened, shocked and taught a lesson or two about the beautiful game through the Guardian's excellent Secret Footballer blog series, I have decided that I cannot read on without forming a reasonable, perhaps ill-informed yet plausible guess as to I believe the mystery athlete is.

Thankfully, it seems I'm not alone in my inquisitive ways. The blog and subsequent books have spawned great success for both the publication and unnamed footballer, attracting hundreds of thousands of readers and earning great praise from all corners of the sports writing community. Many have attempted to guess the identity of the Secret Footballer and many, I believe, have failed in their attempts.

Now, before I lay out the findings of a very brief yet thorough investigation into his identity, I must state that I do not profess to know anything that would pass by the average football fan. I am not privy to any confidential information regarding the player, nor am I in any way connected to him or his family. I am simply stating the facts.

I also cannot take full praise for the bulk of my findings, as many have already highlighted some of the the points I am about to mention. However, after trawling through tens of blogs that name the player I am about to tout as the Secret Footballer, I believe there's definitely a place for an article which gathers a sizeable chunk of the evidence surrounding the debate in one place.  

To some it will be of no great shock. To others it may still be an uneducated guess, but I hope I've put forward a reasonable argument all the same.

After taking everything into consideration, I have reason to believe that Dave Kitson, ex-Portsmouth, Stoke City, Reading and now Oxford United striker, is the Secret Footballer. Here's where the dots add up.

SF: Born in England, caught his big break whilst playing non-league football

DK: Yes and yes. David Barry Kitson was born in Hitchin, North Herfordshire, and was signed up by Cambridge United following a stint at Arlesey Town. Speaking of his early beginnings in 'I Am the Secret Footballer', his first title under Guardian Books, SF says in the late 1990s he was determined to get out of his home town where "precious little of any interest ever happened". Kitson signed his first pro contract with Cambridge United in 2001.

SF: A married man known to resist advances from the opposite sex

Kitson - A misfit at Stoke

DK: Very much a married man who once announced that his disastrous big-money move to Stoke in 2008 almost cost him his career and family. Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/pqvlaut.

SF: Played under four managers, has been transferred between two Premier League clubs, has fallen out with at least one boss

DK: Ticks all three boxes here. Kitson has played under several managers during his career, which in 2008 saw him transfer to Stoke from Reading in an exchange between two Premier League clubs. It was there that he was drawn into a very public spat with Potters' boss Tony Pulis (more on that later).

SF: Not a keeper

DK: Nope, most certainly a striker. I bring this up because one of the candidates in the SF frame is David James, and SF's admission that he is not a goalkeeper would effectively rule this one out.

SF: Has been involved in a deadline day transfer

DK: Stoke's deadline day move for Portsmouth's Marc Wilson saw Kitson and Liam Lawrence head in the opposite direction, much to the delight of the misfiring striker.

SF: Kicked a changing room bathtub following a particularly stressful game whilst at Portsmouth

DK: Only managed 12 goals in 68 appearances during his two years at Pompey. Considering these were spent in the Championship, a league lower than the level he may have been used to, there's every chance the bathtub might have got it if Kitson had an off game.

SF: Enjoyed holidays in Denmark as a child

DK: Kitson may have dropped a massive hint regarding his rumoured writing persona in January of last year by admitting to a Danish interviewer that he visited the country during his childhood. Perhaps the clue would have been less subtle had SF spent his half-terms in Butlins or Tenerife, but Denmark? Not the most popular of holiday destinations, I'm sure you'll agree.

SF: Earned as much as £30k per week during his stint in the Premier League

Happier times at Stoke

Being a £5.5 million signing to Premier League side Stoke (fairly big money in 2008), one would guess Kitson's salary would be around the £30k mark.

SF: A Tottenham fan who once travelled to Italy to watch his side's Champions League round-of-16 tie against AC Milan

DK: While Kitson has been smart enough not to mention where he was for this particular match, he is indeed a Spurs fan - a fact he shared in an interview with the Daily Mail, found here: http://tinyurl.com/o4jmuoh. 

SF: Was in Fabio Capello's England plans, only to scupper his chances of an international call-up by getting into a spot of trouble before the squad was announced

DK: Performed well for Reading in the 2007/08 season and many journalists (including the one here http://tinyurl.com/o9z8tg4) thought he stood a good chance of gaining his first international cap.

SF says he heard from two good sources at the FA that he would receive the call-up for England's friendly against Switzerland on February 6, but his antics on the night following the good news meant his name hit the national press, only for all the wrong reasons.

A month before the squad was announced, Kitson was charged with drink-driving after apparently driving erratically near his home. This may have been the incident that shut the door on his England career before it could begin.

SF: Was a member of a Premier League side's 'bomb squad' along with at least three others after being frozen out by his manager 

DK: For those unfamiliar with the term 'bomb squad', it refers to a group of players who have fallen out of favour with their boss. They will often train separate to the first team, sometimes in the reserves or sometimes on their own.

Pulis - A bad match for Kitson

Despite being fit for most of his time at Stoke, Kitson only managed 34 games for the club over two seasons. He clashed with Potters boss Tony Pulis on a number of occasions and was repeatedly left out of the side as a result. Now, here's where it really gets interesting.

In 'I Am The Secret Footballer' SF says he was forced to train separately with as few as four squad members. Pulis was notorious for spending millions of pounds on a player, falling out with them or deciding they weren't good enough for the league and leaving them to rot in the reserves.

During Kitson's two years at Stoke this was certainly the case with Michael Tonge (signed for £2 million in 2008, played 12 games over three years), Tom Soares (signed for £1.25 million in 2008, played seven games over four years) and Vincent Pericard (free signing in 2006, played just five games in 2007/08).

While this happens at many Premier League clubs, particularly at newly promoted sides with newfound wealth and nowhere to store their Championship-level cast, Pulis is exactly the type of manager to have a bomb squad of sorts.

If you need any further evidence, see the Stoke careers of Maurice Edu (still contracted to the club after signing in 2011, one appearance), Jamie Ness (still contracted to Stoke after signing in 2011, zero appearances) and Ibrahima Sonko (played for the club between 2008-2011, made 14 appearances including zero over his last two seasons).

SF: Has an alternative taste in music, naming Joy Division, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd among his most played artists

DK: So maybe this won't be the final piece in your own investigation into who the secret footballer is, but I feel that some of the finer details of the matter always help when narrowing down a list of potential candidates.

Leading the line for Oxford

As you'll see in this video http://tinyurl.com/nzafdk9, Kitson has little time for the R&B that blasts around changing rooms before games, claiming to be a fan of bands such as Oasis and The Beatles - and only on CD. Well, this one rules Ashley Cole out at least.

SF: Now playing in the lower leagues after reaching his peak

DK: Currently mounting a challenge for promotion in League Two, three steps down from where he may feel he belongs, Oxford United is Kitson's current side.

SF: Knows an American player, possibly an ex-teammate, very well

DK: Kitson's mention of US international and ex-Reading winger Bobby Convey at the end of the video posted above only gave me another reason to believe that he is behind these wonderful columns. Only just over 30 Americans have played in the Premier League since the turn of the century, and Kitson's friendship with Convey means he has ties to at least one.

SF: Can recall being on the receiving end of a meaty block from Manchester United's Antonio Valencia

DK: As the footage will testify, Kitson was most certainly on the receiving end of a ribbing from the Ecuadorian powerhouse in a game against United at the Britannia Stadium: http://tinyurl.com/ph4lbn7.

Still, despite all the evidence, the biggest question has to be whether Kitson - a man with no written titles to his name - could manage to piece together a well-structured weekly column to rival some of the very best in the sporting world. This is in addition to writing two books which have put countless turgid football biographies to shame.

Although I acknowledge that some of the Guardian's sub-editors may have had a slight hand in the construction of his work, the bulk of the writing must have been done by the player. Why would they put up with him otherwise?

SF's pieces always flow magnificently, provide a perfect commentary to the stories they're telling and throw in words I'll occasionally have to Google.

Do I believe some of the more well known SF candidates such as Danny Murphy, David James or Kevin Davies could achieve the aforementioned feats? No. For me, the Secret Footballer has to be an unknown quantity; a shy yet well-spoken player who has yet to grace the British press with his presence.

After all, considering how far Clarke Carlisle has gone with knowing the difference between 'their' and 'they're', it's fair to say that had the SF already caught the public eye, he may have already received his invitation to MENSA.

A rare interview

All I ask to back up this point is you look at the several video interviews involving Kitson and see for yourself. For a footballer, he's remarkably well-spoken. Like SF he seems very opinionated and is more than happy to share his views on the modern game.
yourself (see: http://tinyurl.com/qdxrq5b).

As for the rest of the published candidates, I've read their columns and can honestly say I've never been bowled over by any of their work. It's also worth mentioning that as they have ties to national publications (Murphy to the Daily Mail, Davies to The Mirror), it's unlikely that The Guardian would take them on whilst they were on the books of one of their competitors.

I am adamant that SF is someone we rarely hear from. His columns are always fresh, bursting with insight and excellent at tackling some of the most delicate areas surrounding football.

I personally believe the Secret Footballer is a player who doesn't face up to the camera every Sunday and, by knowing this is the only media job he has to safeguard, is more than willing to delve into the nitty gritty of modern day football and inform fans about what goes on behind closed doors.

For me, all signs point to Kitson - a man who has enjoyed a modest yet seemingly eventful career as a professional footballer.

Wigan's last stand - The post-mortem

At the time of writing Wigan Athletic are placed 18^th in the Barclays Premier League table, relegated after amassing just 35 points in 37 games. Roberto Martinez’s side have one last league fixture before bringing the curtain down on a season they won't forget for a while. They face Aston Villa at home, a game that had been billed as a relegation decider mere weeks before it became apparent that neither side would have their fate decided by the outcome. After spending much of the season hovering around the drop zone, Villa find themselves safe with 40 points. Wigan will be playing Championship football next season, and while an FA Cup win and the subsequent place in the Europa League will put more than a gloss on a campaign which ended in bitter disappointment, the fans can be forgiven for pondering how, with the highly regarded Martinez at the helm, their side were unable to stay up.

Wigan have in recent years been known to start the season slow before ending on fire, helping them retain their Premier League status. There was evidence this would be the case once again as the side began to make a charge for safety in March; notching up wins against Newcastle and Norwich in the league, as well as thumping Everton 0-3 at Goodison Park. Despite their newfound impetus, April didn't go as swimmingly; the Latics only managing one win in five, with that coming in the FA Cup semi-final against Millwall. Martinez and his side went into May knowing that a similar showing wouldn't guarantee their safety. More of the same ensued and after one win in three league games, their eight-year stint at the top level was brought to an end.

It could have been so very different. Wigan led a Champions League-chasing Tottenham 2-1 at home before conceding in the final minute. They went ahead twice in a ‘must win’ game against Swansea – a side with nothing to aim for after lifting the League Cup and earning enough points for a mid-table finish  – only to come away with nothing after more suspect defending. A win against Tottenham would have put them on 37 points, two behind Sunderland in 17^th but still with something to play for going into the final game, while just one from the match against Swansea would have piled more pressure on the Black Cats. The North East side would have faced Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the hosts still chasing fourth and needing a win, while Wigan surely would have fancied their chances of a victory against Villa, a team with nothing to play for. Again, it could have been so very different.

So as Wigan fans start to discuss a fixture list resembling something across the lines of Doncaster on Saturday and Inter Milan on Tuesday, t

he post-mortem can begin.

Ramis - Absent from January

In Martinez’s defence, towards the end of the season he wasn’t far off not having one altogether. After starting centre-back Ivan Ramis was ruled out of the season at the turn of the year, injuries to fellow defenders Maynor Figueroa, Jean Beausejour and Ronnie Stam left Martinez having to select midfielders Roger Espinoza and James McArthur as his wing-backs for the final games. Now, although Martinez has stressed the impact that injuries have had on his side’s performances, this point only applies to the closing stages of the season. Figueroa was stretchered off in the game against Tottenham in late April, Beausejour’s season ended in the win against West Brom in early May, with Stam suffering a suspected broken leg just days later. It’s worth mentioning that Ivan Ramis succumbed to his knee injury in January, while his partner at centre-back in Antolin Alcaraz has dipped in and out of the side with various problems. However, taking into account the dates of the incidents, it seems the only thing injuries did prevent Wigan from doing was making their end of season surge. For at least three-quarters of the season, they were free to battle out goalless draws with their starting defence intact. So the point Martinez makes about injuries is for the most part invalid.

Kone - A shining light

If there’s one thing Wigan’s relegation couldn't be put down to it’s a lack of attacking prowess. Arouna Kone slotted in 11 goals during his first season in the Premier League, but that was still only enough to earn him third place in the team’s Player of the Year award. First and second were taken up by his suppliers in Shaun Maloney and Callum McManaman respectively, who played either side of the Ivorian as the season drew to a close. Wigan scored 45 goals this season - more than Sunderland, West Ham and Stoke - even managing two goals in their crucial games against Tottenham and Swansea. 

At the other end, Wigan slipped up far too many times to save themselves. Defensive errors marred their progress right until the end, as Arsenal waltzed into their opposing penalty area to put four past keeper Joel Robles in the game that effectively demoted the Latics to the second tier. While it would be harsh to put the blame solely on Martinez, it is his responsibility to organise the defence pre-match. This issue had dogged his side from the start of the 2012/13 campaign right up to the end – the goals against total standing at 71 after the Arsenal game, the highest in the league. Perhaps he could have tried playing someone other than Jordi Gomez – an attacking midfielder by trade – in front of the defence to provide extra cover. Towering centre-back Emerson Boyce played almost the entire season at right wing-back despite offering little in the way of pace, while winger Beausejour was forced into playing on the other side of defence. Trying the pair in their natural positions might have been a start. It’s all ifs, buts and maybes, but these points are more than worth pondering.

FA Cup - Against all odds?

Motivation was less of a problem for Martinez. Wigan retained their focus and fight in an FA Cup campaign

that eventually lasted seven games (including one replay), culminating in a 1-0 win against Manchester City at Wembley to give the club their first major trophy. Sure, the side could only beat what was in front of them, but while their famous FA Cup win will be the talk of this rugby town for years, only twice did they play teams above them in the league. A fantastic win for the club, but a true underdog story for the wider world of football it was not.

In the league they squandered countless chances to see out games and earn themselves a vital three points. Despite their lowly position throughout the season, stats show the Latics would have finished 16^th had they held onto their points from half time in matches, and would have managed 14^th when playing away. It’s not Champions League form, but nor is it the workings of a team dropping out of the division.  

One thing that Martinez cannot be criticised for is his activity in the transfer market. Kone, Maloney, McManaman and James McCarthy are all expected to command fees much higher than the amounts that brought them to the DW stadium thanks to their performances in the season just past. Martinez doesn't get them all right – Mauro Boselli (£6.5 million), Albert Crusat (£2 million) and Stam (£2 million) have been notable flops – but the man they call Bobby has earnt chairman Dave Whelan a fair bit of money over the years. Wigan meanwhile had one of the lowest wage budgets in the Premier League, so there’s little problem there. There is however one part where Martinez becomes unstuck. Wigan’s attacking front three has reportedly attracted much interest from other Premier League clubs, while McCarthy, McArthur, Figueroa are also expected to stay in the league. So if these players really are as good as other managers believe they are, how did they end up taking Wigan down? It’s Martinez’s responsibility to ensure that each part of his side works together in order to get results. So with all the Premier League talent on their side, how did the Latics only manage a paltry nine wins this season?

Whatever happens to the Wigan squad of this year, it’s likely that Martinez will be the biggest departure of them all. The Spaniard is currently the bookies’ favourite to take over from David Moyes at Everton, handing him the chance to manage a top level side with much more financial power, support and ambition than his beloved Latics. Whelan is adamant that he’ll make the step up, but Blues’ chairman Bill Kenwright should be careful before trusting a man who sold his way in and out of the grocery business. Much like he would for a toiletry on his old Blackburn market stall, there’s a sense that Whelan will get his man a good owner. Still, Roberto’s new employer might have to wait for a while until they really know what they've got for their money.      

Why footballers represent big bucks to the rental property market

The sight of an athletic, vaguely recognisable figure twirling the keys to their Bentley whilst being careful not to scuff their brand new trainers is now known as the ultimate godsend in the letting agent's bible.
Behind the designer shades in this case is a footballer and one that's willing to pay big to land the perfect rental property.

Sportsmen of this profession are extremely well paid and will move from city to city if and when their club tells them to. They're often not looking to purchase a house for the risk of having to abandon it just months later. Instead, they pay sizeable figures to put themselves up in affluent areas on a temporary basis. Only the best will suffice, but landlords that can offer such a luxury are in for a huge payday.

Footballers are humans and need a house to call home too - it's not exactly a revelation. So has the property market cashed in on the back of footballers for a while or is the increased exposure of this just a result of the game's rising profile? 

Nature of the modern profession
Simply put, footballers are worth more to the property market than they ever have been due to an increase in player movement.

Around 30 years ago, players would only get through a handful of moves throughout their career. Footballers would often start at their hometown side after being picked up by a scout and would only move for a huge fee. That was until Belgian Jean-Marc Bosman's judicial challenge of football transfer rules allowed players to freely switch to a club at the end of their contracts without a fee changing hands.

This led to an increase in transfers after the law's passing in 1995, with clubs and players forced to get used to going about business almost on a month-by-month basis. The Premier League achieved new heights commercially during this period and this allowed bankrolled clubs to fund more transfers - again, leading to increased player movement. Meanwhile loan deals, allowing an athlete to temporarily play for a club, became a much more acceptable way of acquisition.

So there's plenty of evidence to suggest that the 1990s saw more players moving around, with these superstars possibly seeing rental properties as a more viable option. 

Current situation

Bringing things up to speed, the January 2013 transfer window saw clubs from all four tiers of the English football pyramid spend a total of £120 million - double the outlay during the same period in 2012 and the fourth biggest amount since the window's introduction in 2003. A large number of transfers saw overseas players like Chris Samba (Russia to London) move to the UK, while a number of Premier League veterans also needed new homes after securing their transfers.

Meanwhile, cash-strapped Football League clubs saw plenty of value in the loan market. A total of 39 players moved between the Championship, League One and League Two on short-term deals during January 31 alone. Whether they're Premier League players moving down the pyramid in search of regular game time or League Two journeymen with just £1,500 per week to play with, their attachment to the clubs will end in four months tops - the season's end - which is why they'll have put themselves in a hotel before looking for a suitable house to rent.

Has this long been the case? Not exactly. Transfer fees are always rising in the Premier League, while loan moves are becoming increasingly popular for clubs that lack the finance to buy their new stars but need the talent to challenge for honours.

The end result is more players moving about and, to the benefit of the rental market, more players anticipating a move and choosing to live out of their Louis Vuitton suitcases.

Why not just buy?

Premier League footballers earn around £30,000 week, potentially rising to £200,000 and beyond if they're handy with the ball, so why wouldn't they just buy a property? Well, some do. Club legends like Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea) and Rio Ferdinand have been at their respective sides for well over ten years and it would take some offer for them to be taken elsewhere. They buy mansions and set up sticks somewhere quiet, usually outside of the city to get well away from it all.

For those who are yet to find the club they'd like to finish their career with, they can't afford to call one place home - not just yet. In fact, a study from Xpro, a charity for ex-players of the game, claims three out of five Premier League players are forced into bankruptcy after making bad investments and, on occasion, failing to pay back loans on properties.

It's less of a problem for players earning £80,000 and up. They can afford to buy their assets outright. But for those with an expensive taste on £10,000 and below in lower leagues like the Championship, League One and League Two, mortgages are still required. Their ability to pay off debt often rests on how well they manage their money - so in other words, having a reliable advisor to whisper in their ear.

Most don't take the chance of building up debt or having to shift a property once they leave a club, so they decide to rent instead. 

So there it is. The ever increasing number of player transfers and the development of an expensive taste can be owed to the rising value of footballers to the rental market. This hasn't been the case forever, but it's most certainly the case now. 

Tranmere's Bell-Baggie signs new deal

Abdulai Bell-Baggie will be at Tranmere Rovers until at least 2015 after agreeing a new contract with the club.

The winger joined Rovers on a free transfer last summer after impressing manager Ronnie Moore whilst on trial. He has since scored two goals in 25 games for the Superwhites in their current campaign.

Bell-Baggie, 20, started his career at Reading and counts Rotherham United, Crawley Town, Port Vale and Tranmere's League One rivals Yeovil Town among his former clubs.

He becomes the fifth player to sign up to a deal running until 2015 with Rovers after Cole Stockton Jake Kirby, Danny Holmes and Max Power all put pen to paper on deals earlier this year.

Rovers manager Moore commented: "Abs has done very well for us this season.

"He's an exciting player and one who is capable of winning matches for us.

"When he's on top of his game he's a nightmare for defenders and he's given quite a few full backs headaches this season.

"He's got a great attitude and has fitted in well with the rest of the squad and I'm delighted he'll be here for the next two seasons."

With his immediate future now finalised, Bell-Baggie will be looking to celebrate the news with a typically energetic performance against Oldham on Saturday.

Caretaker taking care of business

After so much hype about a young, talented coach coming to one of the Premier League's biggest clubs, not much can be taken out of Andre Villas-Boas' ten months at Chelsea..

Sure, he never got the time he probably deserved, which is surprising given the situation at hand just over eight months ago. One of few top coaching talents below 40-years-old in world football, Villas-Boas was one of few for a very good reason; he was up to something. His fantastic 2010-11 season with Porto brought a league title, a Taca de Portgual (the Portugese equivelant of the FA Cup) and, of course, a UEFA Cup win, propelling him into limelight. From our country's coverage of the latter stages of the UEFA Cup, we learnt of his age (33 at the time), character, even his lack of a career in professional football. But he was wanted and fresh off the back of the controversial sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, Roman Abramovich's Chelsea came calling. This was for the second time as the London club employed him as a scout between 2004-2007. Paying £13.3 million in compensation to Porto, he was set to shake things up in an attempt to give Chelsea that elusive Champions League win. But, as we all know, something went wrong.  

Villas Boas- gone in months

The losses, they came. The wins came too, but most were about as convincing as three 18-year-olds in Lacoste tracksuits holding up a bottle of Grey Goose, claiming they won't share it for hygiene reasons, when really it's for the risk of the unwitting civilian copping a mouthful of Highland Spring's finest. In the early stages, questions were asked about his selection policies after losses to title rivals Manchester United and Arsenal. The form dipped further, with Chelsea hovering in and out of the top four. Suddenly, his young age that made him seem like a long-term investment became a reason for fans to blast his inexperience. Similarly, his lack of a professional footballing career was picked up on as a weakness more than a unique fact. Nicolas Anelka and Alex left amdist speculation of dressing room fallouts and, soon enough, after an away loss against West Brom, Villas-Boas was sacked not even a year after he started. One of few things he can take out of his experience is that he didn't spend £50 million on Fernando Torres.. but neither did I, neither did you. It serves barely as a consolation.

Roberto Di Matteo was named as caretaker manager in a move that outraged Blues fans. So many questions were asked: Why pay out another hefty compensation figure to sack the man you paid a fee to get? If there was no one lined up, why not just keep Villas-Boas? These never got answered but there are another couple of ways you could look at it. You could take the sacking as a happening determined by events behind-the-scenes, even if you probably won't ever know exact reasons for this. If you think about all of the little things along the line - the rumours of various fallouts that everyone dismissed - you could put the sacking down to a broken relationship between chairman and manager rather than the form. The other? Well, you take Roberto Di Matteo as Chelsea's real Villas-Boas.

Di Matteo- the second coming

At 41, the former Chelsea midfielder is only seven years older than his predecessor. With over four years of coaching experience under his belt - three as a manager - Di Matteo is now viewed as exactly that in the footballing world; a coach more than a player. Although some sections of the press put Chelsea's Villas-Boas/Di Matteo saga in the same category as the one that unraveled at Wolves three weeks previous, you only have to look at the results to see how ill-judged that prediction was. Di Matteo managed his new side to a win away to Birmingham in the FA cup, followed by another victory at home to Stoke in the league before coming up to face the toughest fixture of his managerial career yet: a last-16 Champions League tie v. Napoli, Chelsea needing to better a 3-1 scoreline from their loss in the previous leg to progress. A few days later, to say he passed with flying colours would be an understatement and a lazy use of a cliche. A 4-1 win after extra-time at Stamford Bridge helped overturn what could only be described as a royal hiding in Naples. The performance saw passion, grit and class that fans claim hadn't been seen all season. With the sublime trio of Ezequiel Lavezzi, Marek Hamsik and Edinson Cavani operating in full-flow for Napoli in the 1st leg, it would be harsh to say that Di Matteo had cleaned up the mess left by Villas-Boas. However, nothing can hide the fact that all three took to the pitch for the 2nd encounter. So, overall, at least he's got the fans on his side for another week.

Abramovich- plans remain unclear 

If given the time, there's no reason as of yet why Di Matteo can't turn into a top manager. However, he hasn't got time to do anything but deliver in these early stages. Realistically this is probably it. The 10 games that he has now to turn around Chelsea's disasterous season is the time scale he's working with, that's at best. It's the playing equivalent of having a fairly valuable asset on the bench, who's been moaning a little bit in the press about his lack of games - so have the fans because they want to see him play - taking him and telling him he's starting in the next game due to an injury crisis. He's got a month to prove himself. This isn't necessarily to say that Chelsea have done a bad thing by throwing him into the deep end, though. At least they've given him a chance.

Anyone could be excused for thinking that the decision to appoint Di Matteo was forced on Abramovich; coming in harmony with having to sack Villas-Boas. A decision had to be made straight after the West Brom game to satisfy the fans, who had been speculating about possible appointments for weeks. Whether or not Abramovich thought he was doing this for the supporters is unclear, but maybe he's seen something in Di Matteo as an assistant that many haven't. There has been a lot of joking about on Twitter this week about Chelsea's new boss being a yes man however, early signs, I believe, have been good so far. Another win at home on Sunday against Leicester will see the Blues through to an FA Cup semi-final which could lead to another significant confidence boost going into the last 10 league games and Di Matteo, against all odds, possibly staking a claim for a longer contract. If they give him time, that is. If not, you know I'll be scratching my head.

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!