Showing posts with label premier league. Show all posts
Showing posts with label premier league. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 May 2012
366/134 - Getting ready for the Premier League finale...
Click here for today's Day of Judgement Project 366!
PREVIEW: Last day of the Premiership season
And so, finally, we get to the last day of the Premiership season.
As a Newcastle fan, it's been an incredible nine months that has seen the team rise up the tale o already be guaranteed European football next season (all be it the Europa league)- and,if results do go our way we could still end up in the Champions' League. I'm not holding my breath though. I predict that Spurs will win and snatch 3rd place from Arsenal who will falter against Wigan. ewcastle's result is then irrelevant, but I predict a draw against Everton.
Still, a momentous season that has, quite rightly, seen Alan Pardew voted Manager of the Season. Fingers crossed that he's able to keep the squad together for the next campaign.
At the bottom of the table Wolves and Blackburn are already down, and the final relegation place will be between Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa (though Villa would be very unlucky to go down). I think Bolton, currently in 18th are unlikely to get anything more thana draw at Stoke and will end up in the Championship for next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if the were some twists and turns and Maths involved at various points in the afternoon.
As for the title, it's a straight fight between the Red and Blue halves of Manchester. City have won both the derbies this season (the 6-1 win at Old Trafford being one of the highlights of the season) and Manchester United have thrown away an 8-point lead in the past month. So the momentum is against Fergie lifting the trophy again.
It has been one of the most exciting contests in recent years and is probably the closest battle for the title since the climax to the 1989 season, when Arsenal snatched the title from Liverpool with the last kick of the ball.
Manchester City haven't won the title for 44 years and only have to beat to QPR to make amends for those decades of hurt (let's be honest, Manchester United are going to beat Sunderland but they're not going to get into double figures and that's what it will involve).
I hope it's all not all over by 3.15. I hope for twists and turns and surprises. I hope that next season can be just as exciting. I hope that Alex Ferguson ends the season trophyless. I hope Newcastle do snatch a Champions' League place!
As a Newcastle fan, it's been an incredible nine months that has seen the team rise up the tale o already be guaranteed European football next season (all be it the Europa league)- and,if results do go our way we could still end up in the Champions' League. I'm not holding my breath though. I predict that Spurs will win and snatch 3rd place from Arsenal who will falter against Wigan. ewcastle's result is then irrelevant, but I predict a draw against Everton.
Still, a momentous season that has, quite rightly, seen Alan Pardew voted Manager of the Season. Fingers crossed that he's able to keep the squad together for the next campaign.
At the bottom of the table Wolves and Blackburn are already down, and the final relegation place will be between Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa (though Villa would be very unlucky to go down). I think Bolton, currently in 18th are unlikely to get anything more thana draw at Stoke and will end up in the Championship for next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if the were some twists and turns and Maths involved at various points in the afternoon.
As for the title, it's a straight fight between the Red and Blue halves of Manchester. City have won both the derbies this season (the 6-1 win at Old Trafford being one of the highlights of the season) and Manchester United have thrown away an 8-point lead in the past month. So the momentum is against Fergie lifting the trophy again.
It has been one of the most exciting contests in recent years and is probably the closest battle for the title since the climax to the 1989 season, when Arsenal snatched the title from Liverpool with the last kick of the ball.
Manchester City haven't won the title for 44 years and only have to beat to QPR to make amends for those decades of hurt (let's be honest, Manchester United are going to beat Sunderland but they're not going to get into double figures and that's what it will involve).
I hope it's all not all over by 3.15. I hope for twists and turns and surprises. I hope that next season can be just as exciting. I hope that Alex Ferguson ends the season trophyless. I hope Newcastle do snatch a Champions' League place!
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Cissé's amazing goal
Cissé's amazing goal that keeps Newcastle in the hunt for a Champions' League place:
Monday, 23 April 2012
Premier League Manager of the Season
The football season (soccer!) is coming to an end and, alongside who will win various trophies or be relegated or promoted, the question has to be:
Who should be the Manager of the Year?
More often than not it's an accolade that's been awarded to the manager of the team who wins the Premier League and, while that seems logical, it doesn't necessarily say who has been the best.
Yes, it's a great achievement to win the Premier League but whether it's Mancini's Manchester City or Ferguson's Manchester United they will have done it with established Premier League squads, packed full of internationals all on huge salaries and with an enormous budget to support and add to their current players.
Alex Ferguson has had a mixed season with notable failures along the road - not only was Man U's first half of the season poor on their own terms, but their exits from various cup competitions, including Borg European trophies, suggests a manager who is no past his best. Surely, Ferguson's days at Okd Trafford are numbered?
Roberto Mancini has continued to transform the blue side of Manchester under great pressure and expectation from the wealthy owners. He has assembled an impressive squad who have made advances on previous seasons but his position is still under threat and, unless they do win the Premier League in the next few weeks, he has failed to win any cups of make an impact in Europe.
Harry Redknapp was having an amazing season with Spurs, right up until the point when Capello left the England job and he became the red hot favourite to take over the national team. Spurs could still finish in the top 4 and qualify for next season's Champions' League, which is an amazing achievement, but, I think it's fair to say, they have back pedalled this season and there must be many who are now less certain at the prospect of Harry being the England manager.
Arsene Wenger's season has been too mixed, with, at some points, fans calling for his head on a silver platter. Kenny Dalglish's domestic cup success has been eclipsed by a cataclysmic descent in league form. Roberto di Matteo has done well but only been in charge for a small proportion of the season.
That leaves one serious candidate, and my choice as Manager of the Season...
Newcastle United have exceeded all but the most most die-hard of fans expectations and have played with style and flair. They've certainly qualified for Europe and, as I write, have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions' League. They have sustained their performances throughout the season and, while their cup performances weren't good, their league form has gone from strength to strength despite limited finances and continued uncertainty about the ownership of the club. This is only their second season back in the top flight, and Pardew's only been in charge for a year and a half. A fantastic achievement. I just hope the FA steer clear and don't try to lure him to Wembley...
My manager of the year, by a long way, has to be:
ALAN PARDEW
Who should be the Manager of the Year?
More often than not it's an accolade that's been awarded to the manager of the team who wins the Premier League and, while that seems logical, it doesn't necessarily say who has been the best.
Yes, it's a great achievement to win the Premier League but whether it's Mancini's Manchester City or Ferguson's Manchester United they will have done it with established Premier League squads, packed full of internationals all on huge salaries and with an enormous budget to support and add to their current players.
Alex Ferguson has had a mixed season with notable failures along the road - not only was Man U's first half of the season poor on their own terms, but their exits from various cup competitions, including Borg European trophies, suggests a manager who is no past his best. Surely, Ferguson's days at Okd Trafford are numbered?
Roberto Mancini has continued to transform the blue side of Manchester under great pressure and expectation from the wealthy owners. He has assembled an impressive squad who have made advances on previous seasons but his position is still under threat and, unless they do win the Premier League in the next few weeks, he has failed to win any cups of make an impact in Europe.
Harry Redknapp was having an amazing season with Spurs, right up until the point when Capello left the England job and he became the red hot favourite to take over the national team. Spurs could still finish in the top 4 and qualify for next season's Champions' League, which is an amazing achievement, but, I think it's fair to say, they have back pedalled this season and there must be many who are now less certain at the prospect of Harry being the England manager.
Arsene Wenger's season has been too mixed, with, at some points, fans calling for his head on a silver platter. Kenny Dalglish's domestic cup success has been eclipsed by a cataclysmic descent in league form. Roberto di Matteo has done well but only been in charge for a small proportion of the season.
That leaves one serious candidate, and my choice as Manager of the Season...
Newcastle United have exceeded all but the most most die-hard of fans expectations and have played with style and flair. They've certainly qualified for Europe and, as I write, have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions' League. They have sustained their performances throughout the season and, while their cup performances weren't good, their league form has gone from strength to strength despite limited finances and continued uncertainty about the ownership of the club. This is only their second season back in the top flight, and Pardew's only been in charge for a year and a half. A fantastic achievement. I just hope the FA steer clear and don't try to lure him to Wembley...
My manager of the year, by a long way, has to be:
ALAN PARDEW
Sunday, 11 March 2012
OPINION: Football finances
Football (soccer) finances in the UK have been a mess for decades now. Clubs overspending on players who receive gargantuan salaries, underwritten by sugar daddies as hobbies, few clubs, in their current state, are sustainable.
Television money, instead of helping the situation, has made things worse with the bulk going to hyper-inflate the greed of players and their agents and most times, it seems, a club gets into financial difficulty there's an outcry and everything is done to keep the club going. New owners, new money (often temporary and with no guarantees) and just a few years until the same problems happen.
Other clubs, like Manchester United, are in so much debt that if they were any other business they would have been buried long ago.
The troubles at Rangers, probably the biggest UK team to go into administration, have, surely, given a number of clubs a wake up call. It is only a matter of time before a major club, or two, ceases to exist.
Yes, it would be sad if some clubs go to the wall but if they are not sustainable then that should happen. A few clubs going out of business would be a good thing for football because it might mean that the rest get their Ccounts in order and learn to live within their means, or, at least, within reasonable overdraft facilities.
But is the current system sustainable in the long term? I don't think so.
I maintain that the UK, not just England, can only really sustain 16 top flight teams. Too many at the bottom half of the Premier League spend heir time going up and down between the Championship and the Premier League. It could probably be argued that there are only 10 or 12 genuinely Premier League teams. This is a nonsense and, added to the financial chaos that is found at man clubs, it is not a sensible way to continue.
I think it's time that the F.A. took a look over the Atlantic and seriously considered a franchise system.
A franchise system would require financial certainty and propriety, and would be a positive way to ensure no more Rangers or Portsmouthhs happen.
Yes, those teams who don't make the cut will be upset but, hey, that's life. the clubs could continue as semi-professional or amateur teams and, consequently, have a much stronger and safer future.
As part of the franchise system, I think it's important that we move to a UK league. Having separate leagues and FAs for each constituent part of the UK is just a nonsense.
So I'd suggest a Franchise Premier League would have 3 London clubs, geographically spread around capital and neighbouring counties, a Welsh team, a Northern Irish team, possibly 2 Scottish teams, a team in North East of England, 2 or 3 North West teams, a southern team and a south west team. One team in East Midlands and 2 in the West Midlands.
And that's it.
If a club develops financial problems they lose their franchise, simple.
A franchise system would demand greater financial openness.
And, to help the clubs, I'd suggest an "average salary" cap for the first team squad.After all, it is the greed of the players that has caused many, if not quite all, the financial woes of clubs.
Television money, instead of helping the situation, has made things worse with the bulk going to hyper-inflate the greed of players and their agents and most times, it seems, a club gets into financial difficulty there's an outcry and everything is done to keep the club going. New owners, new money (often temporary and with no guarantees) and just a few years until the same problems happen.
Other clubs, like Manchester United, are in so much debt that if they were any other business they would have been buried long ago.
The troubles at Rangers, probably the biggest UK team to go into administration, have, surely, given a number of clubs a wake up call. It is only a matter of time before a major club, or two, ceases to exist.
Yes, it would be sad if some clubs go to the wall but if they are not sustainable then that should happen. A few clubs going out of business would be a good thing for football because it might mean that the rest get their Ccounts in order and learn to live within their means, or, at least, within reasonable overdraft facilities.
But is the current system sustainable in the long term? I don't think so.
I maintain that the UK, not just England, can only really sustain 16 top flight teams. Too many at the bottom half of the Premier League spend heir time going up and down between the Championship and the Premier League. It could probably be argued that there are only 10 or 12 genuinely Premier League teams. This is a nonsense and, added to the financial chaos that is found at man clubs, it is not a sensible way to continue.
I think it's time that the F.A. took a look over the Atlantic and seriously considered a franchise system.
A franchise system would require financial certainty and propriety, and would be a positive way to ensure no more Rangers or Portsmouthhs happen.
Yes, those teams who don't make the cut will be upset but, hey, that's life. the clubs could continue as semi-professional or amateur teams and, consequently, have a much stronger and safer future.
As part of the franchise system, I think it's important that we move to a UK league. Having separate leagues and FAs for each constituent part of the UK is just a nonsense.
So I'd suggest a Franchise Premier League would have 3 London clubs, geographically spread around capital and neighbouring counties, a Welsh team, a Northern Irish team, possibly 2 Scottish teams, a team in North East of England, 2 or 3 North West teams, a southern team and a south west team. One team in East Midlands and 2 in the West Midlands.
And that's it.
If a club develops financial problems they lose their franchise, simple.
A franchise system would demand greater financial openness.
And, to help the clubs, I'd suggest an "average salary" cap for the first team squad.After all, it is the greed of the players that has caused many, if not quite all, the financial woes of clubs.
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