There were many players that shone for the Sky Blues last year. Firstly, Vincent Kompany was regarded as one of the players of the season as a result of his stellar performances at centre-back. Moreover, the Belgian has earned praise from one of the most consistent Premier League defenders of all time, Martin Keown. The Arsenal legend believes that Kompany is the finest defender in the world’s greatest league.

Yaya Toure is another imposing figure in City’s astronomically expensive squad. In his debut season with the blue side of Manchester, the Ivorian showed much more attacking flair than anyone saw during his time at Barcelona.

Additionally, he is responsible for Manchester City’s defining moments of last season. Firstly, he scored the winner against bitter rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup Semi-Final. The victory amplified the voice of the ‘noisy neighbours’ so much that the idea of Manchester City challenging for the Premier League title this upcoming season cannot simply be dismissed. Secondly, Yaya was also the man to give City their first major trophy in 35 years, thundering the ball past Stoke City’s Thomas Sorensen in the FA Cup final. Consequently, his reputation is growing as large as his bank account.

Another City player that grabbed the media’s attention is David Silva. When he was first signed, skeptics argued that he didn’t have the physical prowess for the Premier League. However, the diminutive Spanish winger made it his stomping ground. Many have praised him for his guile and artistry, giving Mancini’s side an ‘edge’ to their game. Tallying up 15 assists last season proves that he is a valuable asset to the team.

However, some Manchester City fans may be looking for a new hero in Sergio Aguero. The £38million signing has been well received and many see him as an ideal replacement for Carlos Tevez. Encouragingly for City fans, Sergio Aguero has vowed to revolutionise the ‘beautiful game’ stating, “I’m the Che Guevara of modern football.”

If any City fans were watching this year’s Copa America, then they have seen how clinical Sergio Aguero can be. His stunning volley against Bolivia is strong evidence. During the tournament, the 23-year-old was certainly the outstanding player of the Argentinean team. The forward does have a range of skills and everyone connected to the Etihad Stadium will be eagerly anticipating his Premier League debut.

So who will carry the baton at Manchester City? Well, these four players are the most obvious choices. Yet, there could be other players ready to rise to the challenge. The Citizens are a side with strength, and quality, in-depth.

Edin Dzeko is one player who needs to step up. With Carlos Tevez unsettled, the £27million signing could be playing more regularly. Dzeko’s form last season was largely inconsistent, but it will be his performances in this sophomore season that will lead to a fair judgement of the Bosnian.

Adam Johnson has shown fans glimpses of his undoubted potential, but has failed to secure a starting spot. Despite this, the England international was clearly delighted to hear that he remains in Mancini’s plans. If Johnson continues to impress whilst on the pitch, the agile winger could very well be one of the first names on the team sheet.

In addition, Mario Balotelli is another player with exceptional ability. However, as many have heard or seen, he is all too often at the centre of controversy. Plus, his announced dislike for the city of Manchester hasn’t done him any favours. Despite his claims that he is already one of the world’s best, the temperamental Italian is a diamond in the rough. Nevertheless, with more maturity and professionalism, Balotelli could be a real gem.

For all that, what if Carlos Tevez is to stay? What if no club is willing to meet his valuation? Tevez is a top-class scorer and that could warrant him a place in the starting eleven as Mancini prepares his side for a title push. Still, will the City fans still hold him in high regard or will they look past Tevez’s brave façade?

In conclusion, there are many players in the City squad that could become the new hero at the Etihad Stadium. This article has put a focus on the attacking-minded players, but what if it is to be a defensive player? Along with Kompany, Nigel De Jong has been praised for his defensive duties. Furthermore, is there a player that I haven’t mentioned who should be considered? The Community Shield should give us an early indication of who to look out for in the 2011/12 season.

Football fans watching the Community Shield on Sunday witnessed a truly great spectacle. In what was “just another friendly” according to Sir Alex Ferguson, the match itself was fitting for a FA Cup Final. He further stated that he wouldn’t get too “emotional” about the showdown, but his joy was clear to see after Manchester United won the match in typical Manchester United fashion.

From the very first blow of the whistle, Manchester United controlled the match, passing the ball around confidently, whilst Manchester City adopted Mancini’s favoured defensive approach. It was particularly pleasing for United fans to see Ashley Young, their £16million signing, looking comfortable on the left flank despite being pitted against the powerful Micah Richards.

Nevertheless, even though the Red Devils dominated possession, they were rather toothless in attack. The attacking wave kept breaking against the strong levee that was Manchester City’s defence, who were under the captaincy of Vincent Kompany.

Manchester City’s attack wasn’t any better. The experienced Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic easily nullified the Sky Blues’ offensive threat. Plus, without Carlos Tevez’s bulldog-like approach, the City forwards failed to hound down the ball allowing Chris Smalling and Patrice Evra to join United’s attack on several occasions.

However, in an unsuspected twist, it was Manchester City who drew first blood. David Silva, who grew more influential as the first-half grew older, whipped in a delightful free-kick from the right side and there was Joleon Lescott, who rose like the Blue Moon itself, to dispatch the header over the debuting David De Gea. Lescott, who scored similar goals during his Everton tenure, swaggered to the corner flag to celebrate with the delighted City fans. 38 minutes played, 1-0 to Manchester City.

It seemed all too familiar for Manchester United fans. Once again, at Wembley, United had started the game off brightly against their bitter rivals, yet they were the ones trudging back to the centre circle to kick-off again. Post-match, many have argued that De Gea should have dealt with David Silva’s cross. Even though this may be harsh, he certainly was at fault for City’s second goal.

With the wind in City’s sails and Manchester United still reeling from the aftershock, Edin Dzeko picked up the ball and freely smashed a shot from 25 yards out. The shot should have been followed by a routine save, but the young Spaniard failed to react quickly enough to the movement of the ball. As disappointment was written all over De Gea’s face, Dzeko was grinning from ear to ear after a confidence-boosting goal.

Soon after, the referee blew for half-time. Both sides walked down the tunnel and the battle was handed over to the fans. For Manchester City fans, it was joy to behold witnessing their team beating Manchester United for a second consecutive time. On the other hand, Manchester United fans were facing the daunting prospect of watching the Premier League champions lose at Wembley for the third time in 2011 alone. I imagined that the Manchester United message boards were crammed with the words, “WE NEED A WORLD-CLASS MIDFIELDER!”

Sir Alex Ferguson, looking for a positive response, rang the changes with Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley coming on for Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Carrick respectively.

Manchester United may have been down, but they certainly were not out. Displaying their never-say-die attitude, United kept surging forward with City players hesitantly charging out of their positions attempting to snuff out the attack.

As a result, Manchester City conceded a free-kick on their right side. Up stepped the impressive Ashley Young, who delivered a teasing ball into City’s box. Consequently, it was the unlikely source of Chris Smalling who duly punished the Sky Blues after some lacklustre defending. The Manchester United faithful rose from their seats, sensing that the tables were turning. The big screen read 2-1 with just 7 minutes of the second-half clocked.

United’s second goal, shortly after, left football fans purring. The introduction of Tom Cleverley had evidently injected more gusto in Manchester United’s assault and the youngster played a crucial part in the equalising goal.

Cleverley started the move with a short pass to Welbeck, who quickly found Rooney. As soon as Rooney picked it up, he squared it to Nani. Now, if you blinked you missed it. Nani gave it back to Rooney, Rooney with a smart flick to Cleverley, Cleverley with a touch onto the onrushing Nani, Nani with a sublime finish past Joe Hart. My words don’t do justice, but it was Barcelona-esque.

The subsequent celebrations showed just how much it meant to the Manchester United players. This was no longer “just another friendly”. The Red Devils sought redemption over the FA Cup Semi-Final defeat. A win over your rivals is always a sweet victory no matter what the occasion.

Immediately after, Roberto Mancini replaced Mario Balotelli with Gareth Barry in order to weather the United storm. Predictably, ‘Super-Mario’ wasn’t best pleased with the decision, even though his personal highlight was a failed pirouette. The induction of Barry seemed to pay dividends, as Manchester City didn’t become too overwhelmed. However, their attack was now non-existent.

Mancini brought on Adam Johnson in order to provide more attacking flair. The England international’s best chance was a shot, which was well saved by David De Gea. The former Atletico Madrid keeper may have had an underwhelming debut, but the save was crucial nonetheless.

Much didn’t happen afterwards. Both teams were cancelling each other out and penalties beckoned. However, the superb Nani had other ideas. With the seconds ticking towards the final minute of injury time, it was City who had one last chance to pump the ball into the box. After a game of pinball, Rooney cleared the ball down field with Nani being United’s only chaser. The Portuguese winger caused Vincent Kompany to produce a rare mistake, which allowed Nani to rush on goal.

Manchester United fans stood up. This was the moment. Nani, Joe Hart and around 35-40,000 screaming United fans. One touch and he was past the City goalkeeper. One touch and the ball nestled in the back of the net. Jubilation. Nani scored in the 94th minute and the remarkable comeback was completed. Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated gleefully, whereas his Manchester City counterpart looked desolate.

So, for the fourth time in five years, Manchester United lifted the Community Shield and dispelled their Wembley voodoo. Despite the fixture holding no real significance, Wayne Rooney sent out a warning to Manchester United’s Premier League rivals stating, “We are the champions and we are the team to beat.”

After that enthralling contest, the Premier League can’t come soon enough.

Newcastle United’s return to the top-flight last season was largely enjoyable for Toon fans. The Magpies humiliated their closest rivals Sunderland, produced a stunning comeback against Arsenal and, most importantly, stayed clear of the relegation dogfight.

The influence of both Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton certainly aided the Magpies in, once again, making the Premier League their nest. Joey Barton added steel in the Newcastle midfield, whereas Nolan often linked up with the forwards. As a result, ‘Super Kev’ was Newcastle United’s top scorer last season with 12 goals.

However, to the surprise of many, Kevin Nolan was sold to Championship side West Ham United earlier this summer after negotiations over a new contract broke down. Speaking for The Guardian, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew refused to give him a new five-year deal reasoning, “My opinion is that we couldn’t give Kevin a five-year contract, because if Kevin isn’t playing first-team football, he isn’t going to be the leader we want, I’m convinced of that.”

Understandably, many Toon supporters are still extremely disappointed with the decision. It is not only the fans in St. James’ Park that have questioned Alan Pardew’s conviction. Anyone who watched Newcastle United last season witnessed the leadership skills that Nolan possessed.

Therefore, it seems like a double-whammy for the Newcastle faithful to learn that Joey Barton is also to leave. However, the bitterness of the blow is that he is allowed to leave for free. Despite the controversy that surrounds Barton, he was an accomplished player at Tyneside and many recognise his talent. Consequently, teams such as Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Stoke City are now linked with his services.

Giving Barton the boot has attracted plenty of criticism. Willie McKay, Barton’s agent, has expressed his shock stating that allowing his client to leave on a free transfer is “suicidal”. Moreover, former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd believes the 28-year-old is a £6million player and is destined for a bigger club. Barton himself has also spoken out by tweeting, “One day the board might realise, what the shirt signifies. HONOUR and PRIDE.”

For the Newcastle board, relieving Barton of his duties is like pulling a thorn out of their backside. Joey Barton hasn’t exactly been a saint this summer. With the use of Twitter, he has been alongside Jose Enrique in criticising Newcastle United’s transfer policy. Barton was baffled by Nolan’s exit and echoed the Spanish left back’s more recent judgement that Newcastle “will never again fight to be among the top six again.”

These criticisms of the Newcastle board have fractured the relationship between players and directors even further. Both Barton and Enrique have been slapped with fines for their outbursts and the former is now training alone. These arguments can’t be good for overall team morale.

It is not only the players that have voiced their concern over the running of Newcastle United. Mike Ashley, the owner of the club, is certainly no angel of the north. The Toon Army is increasingly growing disillusioned under Ashley’s regime. The departures of Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan and the most likely exits of Joey Barton and Jose Enrique have left fans almost melancholic.

However, Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias, the managing director, have stressed the importance of adding younger and hungrier players, which have a sell-on value, to the Newcastle squad. Subsequently, Newcastle United have bought players such as Demba Ba, who had a successful loan spell at West Ham United, Ligue 1 winner Yohan Cabaye and ex-Rennes midfielder Sylvain Marveaux this summer.

Such experimentation is extremely risky. Newcastle United have replaced two midfielders with plenty of experience in the Premier League with two midfielders that have never played in England before. Furthermore, there also now seems to be a lack of leadership on the field. Who is going to be the man to rally his troops?

As a result, doubt lingers around St James’ Park like a bad stench. With the success of last season, relegation wouldn’t have even been considered for this upcoming campaign, but, with Newcastle’s best players of last season leaving the club, the memories of the 2008/2009 season seems like a recurring nightmare as fans fear that the club may be heading down that road again.

It may not be so catastrophic, but a difficult season could certainly lie ahead. Newcastle United fans would have hoped for a satisfying summer after seeing their team reach 12^th spot last season, but, yet again, the club is in the newspapers for the wrong reasons. Are the problems within Newcastle United going to have a detrimental effect on next season’s performance? Past experience suggests that it is.

Photo by dkodigital

In recent seasons, Sunderland have continuously improved their position in the league table. Under the management of Steve Bruce, the Black Cats have shaken the shackles of relegation and have now become one of the Premier League’s more established teams. Over the past three seasons, Sunderland have climbed from 16^th (36 points) to 13^th (44 points) to 10^th (47 points). I see a pattern emerging here. So, can Sunderland reach the new heights of 7^th next year? Possibly.

With nearly a month gone in the transfer window, Sunderland’s transfer activity has been bustling. The money from the sales of Darren Bent and, more recently, Jordan Henderson have enabled Sunderland to cannon-ball rather than dip their toes in the transfer pool. Consequently, Sunderland have snapped up nine new players to the delight of Steve Bruce. The manager believes the team is improving by stating, “We have used the money wisely, investing it in making the team and the club stronger and better.”

Squad additions have been necessary at Sunderland, because it was a lengthy injury list that hindered their Premier League campaign last season. Yet, the team still rallied to finish 10^th, which is a very respectable position. However, now that Sunderland have more squad depth, they should be able to push for a higher position in the upcoming season. Quantity has been added to the quality.

The idea of Sunderland finishing in the top eight may seem to some like pushing a boundary. In order to even approach this boundary, having experienced players on your side is fundamental. Therefore, the signings of Wes Brown and John O’Shea from Manchester United should be well received by Sunderland fans. Obtaining these two Premier League winning defenders clearly shows that Steve Bruce intends to move Sunderland past their closest rivals. As long as these two defenders remain fit, the Black Cats should have a more formidable defence.

Furthermore, Sebastian Larsson (another new arrival) has expressed his satisfaction at the signings stating, “I was one of the first to sign, and it’s been nice to see that the club has been able to attract players like O’Shea and Brown.” The set piece specialist even believes that Sunderland could break the status quo of the ‘Top Six’. Ultimately, this would require a herculean effort (and probably a stroke of luck) from the Sunderland team.

However, it is goals that win games. Therefore, in my opinion, Sunderland need another striker. The signing of Connor Wickham is a great coup and, according to Steve Bruce, he has “bags of potential.” Nevertheless, the boss also concedes that that the deal has brought an element of risk. The ‘next Alan Shearer’ has never played in the Premier League and there is pressure on him to succeed.

Furthermore, Asamoah Gyan’s venture into another industry is hardly music to the fans’ ears. Nevertheless, Gyan affirms that his focus is on football. Sunderland fans will certainly be hoping that he can spearhead the attack and improve his finishing. Ten goals in your debut season isn’t bad, but there will certainly be more weight on his shoulders if he is to be the target man.

Therefore, maybe adding an experienced striker to the ranks could help spread responsibility further and achieve the goals for the 2011/12 season. Luckily for Sunderland fans, Steve Bruce hasn’t decided to put an end to the summer spree just yet.

Additionally, in order to, perhaps, punch above your weight, a winning mentality must be instilled in the players. However, Craig Gardner, who was signed from relegated Birmingham City, has confidence in his new teammates believing that they are ready to do battle. He states, “I’m sure the lads here have that never-say-die attitude and we will crack on this year.”

In conclusion, all seems bright at the Stadium of Light. Steve Bruce has freely operated in the transfer market, which has resulted in a more balanced squad. Consequently, this could enable the squad to keep up the pace and, as long as the team remains relatively injury-free, there could definitely be an improvement on their Premier League standing of last season. In my opinion, Sunderland should sign another centre forward, but Steve Bruce is the manager and I’m not. As long as Sunderland can walk the walk, the 2011/2012 season could see Sunderland finish in the top eight.

Last decade, a price of around £20million could buy you a footballer who had incredible skill, a deadly finish or the vision of a hawk. In 2003, Barcelona paid Paris Saint-Germain €30million for Ronaldinho, who became an eventual Ballon d’Or winner. Furthermore, Barcelona paid €15million (plus Ricardo Quaresma whose valuation stood at €6million) for Deco, who was influential in Porto’s successful Champions League campaign.

In the Premier League, Manchester United saw potential in a young Wayne Rooney and acquired his signature in a £25.6million deal with his parent club Everton. Two years prior, Manchester United signed Rio Ferdinand for a total of £30million, which, at the time, was a British transfer record.

Nowadays, in the transfer market, £20million is becoming more of a starting price than a hefty fee. Oh, how Trevor Francis (the first £1million footballer) must be turning over in his bed. As he put it, “Football has become awash with money.”

In the Premier League, the financial clout of teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and the emergence of Manchester City as a major spending force have caused inflation in the global transfer market.

Clubs around the world are aware of the spending power that these teams have. However, the financial revolution of Chelsea (under Roman Abramovich) and, more recently, Manchester City (under Abu Dhabi United Group) has had a major contribution in distorting the pattern of the transfer market.

Even though Chelsea’s transfer policy has been more responsible in recent years, the club still forked out a whopping £50million for Fernando Torres in the 2011 January transfer window. Moreover, with a new manager at the helm and the need to revitalise the squad, similar spending could occur this summer.

Since the Abu Dhabi United Group takeover of 2008, Manchester City’s spending spree has surpassed £300million. The money invested has certainly helped City not to be merely “noisy neighbours” anymore, but neighbours that will want to come over and ‘borrow’ Manchester United’s title. Furthermore, with current reported interest in some of the world’s brightest talents (e.g. Javier Pastore, Neymar), it seems that the Manchester City owners are not about to tighten the purse strings just yet.

Transfer activity from such teams has undoubtedly caused a player-price hike. Clubs, which may be regarded as ‘stepping-stones’ in a player’s career, know that they can drive a hard bargain for one of their sought-after stars. Consequently, in 2010, James Milner moved from Aston Villa to Manchester City in a reported £26million deal (including Stephen Ireland). However, does James Milner really belong in the same valuation bracket as Ronaldinho and Deco? I don’t think so.

Nevertheless, it is understandable that teams, who sell their prized assets, want big money to improve the squad with significant replacements. These teams are simply protecting themselves.

Andy Carroll was Newcastle United’s main attacking threat for the first half of the 2010-11 season. So, when Liverpool came knocking on transfer deadline day, the Toon needed the money to strengthen their squad in the future (which they have obviously done so far this summer). Plus, with Liverpool needing to replace Fernando Torres, Newcastle United held the bargaining chip.

What is staggering though is that Liverpool seemed to gladly accept Newcastle United’s terms. £35million pounds, making him the most expensive British footballer of all time, seemed like a fair deal for a man who couldn’t even top the Championship goal-scoring chart of the previous season. Alan Pardew stated, “We have got an extraordinary figure for a 21-year-old, who has done six months in the Premier League.” However, if Andy Carroll turns out to be a star-striker, I suppose Liverpool fans won’t care about the cost.

Additionally, another reason for these inflated prices is the huge transfers that have been carried out before. The most obvious one being Real Madrid’s transaction of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo for an astronomical £80millon fee. These huge transfers have increased the prices, which are now deemed appropriate, for in-form players.

For instance, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis recently warned both sides of Manchester that the Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani is worth as much as £89million. That’s £9million more than the most expensive player in the world. With such a declaration, it now seems silly that Manchester United and City were reportedly preparing to table a £25million bid. Of course, this might just have been a scare tactic, but the Napoli president further stated, “He (Cavani) would have to be annoyed as he is not worth that little.” However, any sane football fan would know that £25million is far from little.

Moreover, the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, in particular, has subsequently led to more player-valuation comparisons, which are killing the art of negotiation. Teams who claim they have the ‘next big thing’ now expect nothing less than at least half of Cristiano Ronaldo’s price for their player. Immediately, potential suitors drop by the number.

Initially, Alexis Sanchez (Udinese winger) was valued around the £30-35million mark. The teams vying for his signature were Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Inter Milan. However, when Gino Pozzo (Udinese’s owner) caught wind of Cesc Fabregas’ valuation, he stated, “If Cesc is worth €40million (£35m), then I say Alexis Sanchez is worth €50million (£45m).” Now, only Barcelona remains with any real interest, and yet they haven’t even met Pozzo’s valuation.

Another reason for the inflation of prices is the role of the media. The case of Gareth Bale will be used to support this reason. Sport journalists around Europe went crazy after witnessing the Welshman tear Inter Milan to shreds, not once, but twice. The highest praise was lavished on the 21-year-old. Ever since, Tottenham Hotspur have demanded £40-45million if he were to be sold.

I will be surprised if any team pays that sum this summer. Yes, Gareth Bale had a good season, but it’s those two performances against Inter Milan that has pushed his price up. Question is, does two exceptional performances justify a £40million price tag?

In conclusion, it now seems that around £40million is the ‘realistic’ price for the players with huge potential and an ever-increasing reputation. Nevertheless, you still hear amongst the football fan masses the words, “He’s not worth £30, £40, £50million.” Truth is, obviously nobody is. However, when a team like Liverpool pay over the odds for Andy Carroll, what is the value of players such as Neymar and Pastore? And look at that, I’m guilty of player-valuation comparison, but I suppose it’s natural to do that. Sir Alex Ferguson stated, “There is no value in the market.” However, with football sadly becoming more of a business, maybe it’s not that there is no value in the market, but there is a new value in the market. Let’s see this summer.

Photo by Gilyo

Andre Villas-Boas has become Chelsea’s seventh manager in eight years, after the club triggered the £13.2million release clause in his contract to Porto. It only took Villas-Boas one season to achieve fantastic success at the Portuguese club, which was obviously enough to convince Chelsea that he is Carlo Ancelotti’s successor. However, the 33-year-old now has the enormous task of bringing success back to Stamford Bridge and there may be a few obstacles en route.

First, one challenge that may arise could be with the owner Roman Abramovich. The owner has shown faith in Villas-Boas by paying the extraordinary release fee, but, looking at Chelsea’s history of owner-manager relationships, one could be forgiven in thinking that Villas-Boas won’t last his proposed three-year tenure. Bookies have already started to take bets on how long the young manager will remain at the helm.

Roman Abramovich has often become too involved in the general running of Chelsea. Hence, Chelsea managers have been replaced like batteries in a remote. The billionaire owner even managed to drive out Jose Mourinho, Chelsea’s most successful manager in history. Decisions made by Abramovich (e.g. £30million signing of Andriy Shevchenko) caused a feud with the ‘Special One’, which was too big to quell.

Moreover, Abramovich craves success, especially romanticising over Champions League glory. Without it, as seen with the latest casualty Carlo Ancelotti, the manager is unceremoniously dumped. Therefore, there is already a lot of pressure on the young shoulders of Villas-Boas. Overall, the question is, will Andre Villas-Boas, the ‘novice’ manager, become a puppet on a string?

In addition, another challenge may come from the squad, especially the senior players. The Chelsea dressing room is known to be too small for the players’ big egos, and ‘player power’ has been put into practice before at the club.

Luiz Felipe Scolari blamed the dressing room politics for his demise as Chelsea manager. Scolari argued with striker Didier Drogba and even saw players quarrel with each other (Deco and Michael Ballack). In fact, these experiences were so depressing for ‘Big Phil’ that the World Cup-winning manager confessed that he couldn’t think about football for two months after his sacking.

Now, many ex-footballers have expressed their concern over the appointment of Andre Villas-Boas. Ian Wright believes that the manager’s success in Portugal won’t warrant respect from the Chelsea senior players. Plus, many of them will remember Villas-Boas as a scout under Mourinho. Has he got the badges to earn respect from the players?

Furthermore, Graeme Souness claims that the appointment is a “huge gamble” and adds that the manager’s age might be a sticking point with some of Chelsea’s veterans. In addition, former Chelsea player, Micky Hazard warns that Chelsea players are “superstars and sometimes very difficult to handle.” Andre Villas-Boas must break this ‘player power’.

However, in his first TV interview as Chelsea manager, Andre Villas-Boas said (in fluent English), “Don’t expect something from one man.” He believes that it is important to create a group dynamic involving the club, the squad and the fans. Therefore, the point stressed is that there is no one leader; it is very much a team effort.

Chelsea fans should be excited about the appointment of Villas-Boas. The sceptics argue that he’s too young or has come from an ‘easy’ league. Nevertheless, the ‘novice’ manager orchestrated an unbeaten season for Porto in the Primeira Liga breaking several records along the way (some formerly belonging to the ‘Special One’). Moreover, he saw European success in the Europa League with the club. Overall, I think this will help reassure Chelsea fans that the team is in good hands.

Furthermore, even though he has no football playing experience, this is a man who gained the attention and guidance from the late great Sir Bobby Robson at the (even more tender) age of 16. Moreover, at 17 years old, he earned his stripes with a UEFA C coaching licence. If Sir Bobby had respect for him, so should everyone involved with Chelsea.

Another reason that Chelsea should be excited with the appointment is that Villas-Boas could go back to raid Porto for the exceptional talent of Radamel Falcao, Joao Moutinho or the comically named Hulk. Additionally, Chelsea are reported to be closing in on Santos wonderkid Neymar. However, this seems to be Roman Abramovich’s player of choice as transfer speculation started before Villas-Boas was even appointed.

If Andre Villas-Boas is allowed freedom in the transfer market, it will allow him to make the necessary changes to rejuvenate the squad. As a result, it could make Chelsea, once again, a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

Therefore, I am curious to see how the 2011-12 season pans out for Chelsea. Will it be a calamity, or is there going to be a congested victory bus in West London at the end of next season?

Andre Villas-Boas: The next ‘Special One’ or the next one gone?

Greetings from the sister site!

Over at Soccer on Dish, we’re back from a summer holiday, and we’re ready and raring to wake up at 5:45 to watch the Community Shield.

But there are a few items you might want to know about:

— Aside from dropping GolTV, Dish Network has added the NBC Olympics Soccer Channel, and it’s all soccer, all the time, and in HD no less! Too bad we can’t get the EPL in HD yet.

— Fox Soccer Channel can help fill the La Liga void with the SuperCopa, which pits Real Madrid and Valencia against each other on Aug. 17 and Aug. 24.

We’ll be back contributing here on the mother ship site, too, and I’m really looking forward to being a part of the live blog for opening day of the EPL. The season finale live blog was tons of fun (especially as a Man Yoo honk). And if you didn’t know and you have a Dish Network account, Setanta is available for free for some users on channel 406 or 852 for 60 days!

So even with the odd name (I don’t JUST talk about satellite. cable people have feelings, too), we’re going to do our best to follow every move on the dial that relates to soccer.

Come on by and say hi!

Well, hello there!

I’d like to thank The Gaffer for letting me out of the cage and onto the Interwebs as a new helper with this little venture. I’ll try not to make a fool out of him or myself (if I can make sure to tag things correctly). As for other people, well, we’ll see what happens.

I’d like to start with something from Fox Football Fone-in this week.

Aside from the horrid cardboard cutout of Nick Webster that haunts me in my sleep, I like the show a lot. Steven Cohen should just do the show solo, since his ex-cohort went to become a pro poker player, but I understand the need for a co-host for “banter.”

Which brings me to Mr. Bretos.

Max cares for the game. He loves to over-pronounce Latino names (“Carrrrrrrrlos RRRRRRRRRuiiiiiiiiiiiiithhhh!” is not spoken in Castillian Spanish, Max.) and every goal is magic. But his love for the beautiful game does come through. It’s obvious he’s drunk the MLS Kool-Aid, and that’s OK. From my previous life being in the media, it’s tough to find fault in something when you’re around it every day.

So when a caller asked how Steven and Max would “fix” the MLS to put it on par with other world leagues, Steven answered quickly: A single table, do away with the salary cap. Simple. Max’s response: “I’m being told by the censors that I can’t answer the question.”

Whaaa?

Show over. Thanks for playing. See you later.

This is the major problem with FSC. It’s not run out of Canada. Do we think Bobby McMahon would say the censors wouldn’t allow him to answer? Likely not. But the L.A. crew are too in-pocket with MLS. It’s really unfortunate. But as Setanta becomes the leading outlet for English soccer in the States, FSC is going to have to be even more in-pocket. Oh well. At least I can listen to Cohen on Sirius at work.

Look for me this weekend during all of the EPL finale games. It should be fun (even if I think the relegation battle is more fun than the top).