It is a well known fact that soccer is a team sport and every team member is as valuable as the other. But naturally, the recognition received by all the players of the team is not the same. As an audience, we rather watch strikers score goals than defenders preventing them. A spectacular last ditch tackle is not met with the same reaction as a spectacular goal.

The strikers or attacking players are always labeled the star of the team whereas the defenders or goalkeepers have to make do with the label “The unsung hero.” But the recognition given by the media or the audience does not truly reflect the value of the player to the team. Yes, we all love to watch goals flying in, but every team will have an underrated player who is vital for the team.

One of those underrated players plying his trade in the Premier League has to be Jussi Jaaskelainen. The Finn is a veteran of 13 seasons in the Premier League, having made 417 appearances in the top flight for Bolton Wanderers and most recently West Ham United. For some reason the Big Finn is so underrated that he is overlooked by most people even while compiling a list of top goalkeepers to have played in the Premier League Era. This may be due to the fact that he never played for top six club or maybe because of his quiet persona. But I find this baffling. In my opinion, he is easily one of the best keepers to have played in the Premier League.

Yes, he has not won anything of note during his time at England. But when you have played for Bolton Wanderers, a club that is run on a shoestring budget, it is hard to criticize him for that. I’ve always maintained that keeping goal for a weak team is tougher than keeping goal for a top team. He was a vital component for a Bolton Wanderers side managed by Sam Allardyce. The Trotters defied the odds and regularly managed to survive in the Premier League, gradually improving every year despite spending very less in the transfer market. He made fantastic saves week-in week-out and his distribution of the ball was very important for Bolton’s style of play.

If you have to point out Jaaskelainen’s qualities, it would be his quick reflexes, handling of the ball, commanding presence, fitness and loyalty. While at Bolton, he reportedly rejected advances from the likes of Manchester United and Galatasaray.

Bolton Wanderers under Owen Coyle eventually got relegated in the 2011/12 season, where Jaaskelainen lost his place to young Adam Bogdan due to some shaky performances. Even though it must have been a tough decision, he decided to move on. His decision to move was understandable. As a keeper of his stature, he deserved more than being a second choice keeper for a Championship team.

Sam Allardyce who became West Ham United Manager came calling and the pair reunited at the Boleyn Ground. Questions arose to whether Jaaskelainen was still good enough to perform at the top level. The manager himself was quoted recently, “When I signed him my fear was not about his ability, as I knew he had ability after working with him at Bolton. But wasn’t sure still had the drive and determination to put that back into this league again.”  But he showed the drive and had a magnificent season playing all of the Hammers’ 38 league games in which the newly promoted club finished a very respectable 10th position. He, along with Winston Reid and James Collins, formed a very strong backline and managed to keep 11 clean sheets. With age, his reflexes may have gotten a little slow but he has improved mentally and his positioning has become better. According to stats he was the keeper who has pulled off the most saves this season – an incredible 156.

He was brought to England for a measly £100,000 in 1997 by then manager Colin Todd, which is a tremendous bargain and he still looks like going strong. Hopefully he can go on for a few more seasons.

After Fulham survived a tough season in the Barclay’s Premier League, slipping to 12th in the league, the speculation continued about the future of Fulham manager Martin Jol. Sacking a manager happens often, but when is the right time for a change? How long should Fulham stick with Jol?

Fulham have been a mid-table club for a long time, so how do they progress forward and be a club that is fighting for a Europa League spot each and every year? Well, I think Fulham should look at the blue side of Liverpool for that answer.

Everton Manager David Moyes has been with the club since the 2001-2002 season, until his decision recently to move to Manchester United. Moyes has brought stability and consistency to Everton for twelve seasons. There is something to be said for sticking with a manager, and giving him a chance to see his vision through.

Everton during the Moyes era has been for the most part fighting for a top ten spot the majority of the time. The rewards of sticking with a manager for Everton showed up back in the beginning for Moyes at the club.

When Moyes first took over in March of the 2001-2002 season, he helped them avoid relegation, and ended the season 15th in the league. The very next season saw Everton go up to 7th in the league.

Now, in the Barclay’s Premier League, there are ups and downs, and Everton in the 2003-2004 season barely stayed in the league ending 17th in the EPL. The management could have at that point moved on from their manager.

Instead, Everton stuck with their manager and were rewarded as the club ended the 2004-2005 season in 4th, which got them into the Champions League. That was the season Everton sold Wayne Rooney to Manchester United, which makes this achievement even more remarkable.

By sticking with their manager, Everton have seriously prospered over his tenure, and as Moyes leaves Goodison Park, he leaves a team that just finished 6th in the league.  The legacy that he built could continue as Everton still have a good amount of talent to push forward.

Now, the current Fulham manager has only been with the club for two seasons.  His first saw Fulham end the season 9th, and this season as stated earlier had the club end 12th in the Barclay’s Premier League.

Fulham were dealt a serious blow last summer as they were forced to sell both Mousa Dembele and Clint Dempsey at the end of the transfer window. Jol did not have enough time to find suitable replacements, and I could argue he still needs to replace those players.

So, I feel it makes perfect sense for Fulham to have Jol back for this season to see if Fulham can push forward under his guidance. Hopefully he will be given the resources he needs to build the club he wants, and to ultimately see his vision for Fulham through.

I understand the supporters that want change who feel the time is now, but I think the frequent change at the managerial position over the years could be one of the reasons Fulham have not gotten out of mid-table. Sometimes patience is needed, and I truly believe Jol needs one more full season with the club before you can ultimately judge the job he has done with the club.

Fulham picked up his option on his contract so I have a feeling he will be the Fulham manager this upcoming season, and I think that would be the right decision. All you need to do is look to Everton to see what some patience did for that club. Fulham could definitely learn something from the club that plays at Goodison Park.

As a Fulham supporter, I’ve experienced several up and down seasons, but the performance on Saturday against Reading at Craven Cottage was disgraceful. Fulham have reached forty points, and should be safe from relegation, but the door is still open, and the club unfortunately did not close it in their 4-2 loss to Reading. As the season has two more matches left for the Cottagers, how will Fulham end this campaign? The best word to describe the state of Fulham right now is uncertainty.

I can stomach a bad loss from Fulham, as long as the effort to win is there. Unfortunately, watching the last match, I can’t help feeling this was a match played with no determination and passion by several of the Fulham players. Their approach seemed to be that they would coast through this match.

Well, huge credit needs to be given to Reading manager Nigel Adkins and his players, who showed the determination to earn their victory at Craven Cottage. It would have been easy for Reading not to show up on Saturday since they have already been relegated. They certainly deserve credit for their play and approach.

With Fulham, I’ve seen them suffer horrible defeats recently but not one to a club that you should beat at home, in front of your supporters who pay very good money to see you play. I think the club and the supporters deserve a better effort from the players than what was on display last Saturday.

The word uncertainty now shows itself for Fulham because Wigan are still alive, and have not been relegated yet. I can tell you that I have seen many Fulham supporters on social media extremely fearful of relegation. I certainly understand the fear, but I just don’t see that happening for Fulham.

I feel it is unlikely that Fulham will be relegated for two reasons. First, I do not see Wigan getting two victories in their last three matches. Second, after the embarrassment at Craven Cottage on Saturday, I actually think Fulham will get a result from either the Liverpool or Swansea matches.

After a club has played so poorly, we often see a positive response in their next match. Players don’t like to be embarrassed, and the Reading loss might be the medicine they need to kick them into gear in these final two matches of the season.

Many Fulham supporters are counting out these last two matches, but I think they will be pleasantly surprised by the effort, and hopefully the results. To put the uncertainty away this season, it’s in the hands of the Fulham players to get rid of the fear of relegation by winning their matches.

Now, the uncertainty for next season needs to be addressed for the club this summer as well. There are many decisions to be made, but one I feel strongly about is the future of Fulham manager Martin Jol. For Fulham to push forward, Jol needs to stay, and he needs the finances to bolster the club this summer. I’m not talking about spending crazy amount of money, but enough to bring quality to the midfield, and also a pure striker. I think eventually you are going to start to see some Fulham Academy players break through, but this should be a gradual process. This mix of money and youth could really insure Fulham’s future in the Premier League.

The state of Fulham right now really is “uncertainty”, as we don’t know exactly what direction they will go. It is in the hands of the manager, players, and management to steer that direction hopefully forward.

Group D

England

Danny Welbeck

Player Profile

The 2011/12 season has been a breakthrough year for young Danny Welbeck. He firmly established himself as a regular starter for one of the biggest clubs in the world, displacing established names such as Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov. He also made his international bow and recently scored a debut goal for the Three Lions as well. This lanky striker has come on in leaps and bounds since his debut as a teenager for Manchester United. There is a reason why Sir Alex regards him so highly as a player. Although not yet the finished article as striker, with his touch often letting him down and his finishing not as clinical as it should be, Danny Welbeck’s tireless running, wonderful work rate, great hold-up, sudden bursts of acceleration and ability to create nuisance for the defenders, is appreciated by all his team-mates. He is not your typical star player who immediately catches the eye, but a player who is valued very highly by his teammates and his manager due to his efforts and importance as a team player. He brings out the best in other players and makes it easier for his fellow players to flourish as evidenced by the form of strike partner Wayne Rooney whenever the pair have line up together at Manchester United this season. He can obviously improve his own technical level but surely this hard working young man, under the tutelage of Sir Alex, will become a complete package as a striker in the years to come.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3.5/5

Just a few months ago Danny Welbeck was undecided on whether to pick Ghana or England to represent at the national level; now in all likelihood he will spearhead England’s attack at the Euros after Wayne Rooney’s well documented moment of madness. It just shows how far Welbeck has made it in the past few years. It is a great opportunity for the young man to prove himself at the big stage. Questions will be asked whether he will be able to handle the pressure of leading the line for the Three Lions but this young level headed player is the best candidate England have at their disposal. Even after Rooney is back from his suspension, the two can strike up a partnership that has worked so wonderfully well at Manchester United. Meanwhile, he will probably start as a lone striker in the first two games and a good show is required from the young man if England is to put up a good show.

Sweden

Rasmus Elm

Player Profile

Rasmus Elm has come a long way from being a young kid who suffered from stage fright and dietary problems which almost forced him to quit the game to a confident young midfielder player who dictates the game. Elm is considered one of the nicest people in the game today and a player who everyone wants to see doing well. Elm, to the delight of a lot of people has done extraordinarily well in the past few years establishing himself as a mainstay with his club side AZ Alkmaar as well as the national side. He is a midfielder player who can pass the ball long or short, take immaculate set pieces, has good technical skills and can score quite a few goals as well. Elm has overcome a lot of obstacles in his life and if he can inspire the Swedes to a good tournament it will represent a remarkable achievement for this wonderful young player.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3/5

Sweden always seem to have a solid team going into a major tournament that can pose danger to even the most of established teams out there. They have a very balanced squad with players willing to work for each other. Elm is certainly one of those players. Elm will most probably be lined up in the middle of the park in a 4-4-2 formation alongside evergreen midfielder Anders Svensson or Kim Kallstrom. Sweden will most certainly be dependent on Elm to control the game and provide quality service up front for the capable strike duo of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Johan Elmander to pounce upon. Placed in a group with a French side in transition, a very weak England side and underdogs Ukraine, Sweden should be expecting a place in the knock out rounds. But if they are to do so, they will have to rely on players such as Rasmus Elm perform to their full potential.

France

Yann M’Vila

Player Profile

Yann M’Vila has become one of the most talked about young midfielders in Europe these days.  This supremely talented young midfielder player is an imposing figure in the middle of the park. People would expect M’Vila to be an aggressive player who commits a lot of fouls and have a bad disciplinary record due to the role he occupies but interestingly enough M’Vila received only 2 bookings in the whole of last season and his fouls per games average was only 0.8. These stats should not be surprising as M’Vila is a supremely accomplished ball winner and has wonderful positional sense. He makes winning the ball from the opponent look ridiculously easy. He is a master at breaking up attacks and they way he anticipates where the opposition will pass in order to make an interception, is simply magnificent. He also plays a big part in his team’s creative aspect as well, he is more than capable of providing a defence splitting pass after winning the ball. He is simply an invaluable asset to his club side Rennes and he has developed into a vital component for the Les Bleus as well.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 4/5

Despite injury worries, M’Vila even at 21 seems to have already established himself as the undisputed defensive midfielder for the French national team. France has been longing for a good defensive midfielder after great players such as Didier Deschamps, Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira did such a fantastic job in that position for the Les Bleus. M’Vila now seems to be the long term answer for the French team’s midfield problems for years to come. He is a sure starter for France in the middle of the park, most probably alongside Cabaye or Diarra, but his recent injury in a friendly game may have jeopardized his chances of taking part in the first group game against England. However, Coach Laurent Blanc has assured fans he will be back for the remaining games. With France in very good form and possessing bright young players such as M’Vila, they might just spark a surprise by flying under the radar and going all the way.

Ukraine

Andriy Yarmolenko

Player Profile

Promising striker Andriy Yarmolenko has wowed Dynamo Kyiv fans with some dazzling performances this season. Yarmolenko is a tricky player with very good dribbling skills and has pace to burn. His finishing can improve but he is still young and has a lot of time to develop as a player. He is also a versatile player who is equally effective on the wings. Yarmolenko was tagged the next “Andriy Shevchenko” by the Ukrainian media such is the hype surrounding this young player. He certainly possess the credentials to be as good as the Ukrainian hero and legend Shevchenko but he needs to control his temperament and needs work hard on some of his flaws to reach the dizzying heights that Shevchenko has achieved in his illustrious career. Yarmolenko is undoubtedly one to watch out in the Euros and expectations will be high in front home crowd which should certainly provide motivation for this talented young man to prove himself.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3.5/5

Although backed by home support Ukraine’s chance of qualifying into the next rounds seem faint. Ukraine has an ageing squad containing players mostly based at home, who have not tested themselves regularly against the best teams in Europe. That being said Ukraine also possess some great players in Shevchenko and Voronin, and fans will be hoping they can roll back the years and put up a creditable show.  Andriy Yarmolenko is Ukraine’s next big hope. It remains to see if he has temperament to deal with the massive expectation of the home fans but he certainly has the talent to make a positive impact. He will most probably be lined up on the wings with Ukraine deploying a 4-4-1-1 system. He will be required to provide service for veterans Shevchenko and Voronin and grab a goal for himself as well, if Ukraine is to achieve the aspirations of heading into the knock-out rounds.

This is the 4th and final part of the series. Hope you guys liked it. Thank you for reading. Wishing you a happy and enjoyable Euro 2012.

Group C

Croatia

Ivan Perisic

Player Profile

Talented left sided midfielder Ivan Perisic has progressed tremendously into one of the game’s finest young players in the last 3 years. Perisic is a good dribbler, has a fine left foot and is not too shabby in the air, but most impressive of all his abilities has to be his knack of scoring goals. In his short but already impressive career, he boasts a remarkable CV. He was the top scorer in the Belgian Pro League with his time at Club Brugge and was duly awarded the Player of the Year in Belgium in the 2010/11 season, and this year he became a German League Champion with current club Borussia Dortmund playing an important role in their surge to the title. Bigger clubs are already starting to take note of this young man’s development and a good tournament at the Euros will do his already growing reputation a world of good.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3/5

Ivan Perisic is one of the few young players present in an ageing Croatian side at the Euros. Croatia coach Slaven Bilic usually prefers to go with a more experienced starting line-up. It was evident in the qualifying stages where Perisic was used only sparingly, mostly as a substitute. It will be interesting to see if Bilic has developed enough faith in younger players like Perisic to trust them with a starting role. But even if Perisic does not get a start, be sure that he will make a huge impact as a substitute, a role he has fulfilled so admirably this season with his club side Borussia Dortmund.

Italy

Mario Balotelli

Player Profile

What is there to be written about Mario Balotelli that has not been said already in the media? It is a clichéd thing to say about Mario Balotelli but he is an eccentric, unpredictable, temperamental, petulant, arrogant, controversial but extremely talented young man. There may not be enough adjectives in the Oxford Dictionary to describe the personality of ‘Super Mario’. His antics have been glamorized to such an extent by the media that his prodigious talents are seemingly ignored. People are more interested in his antics than his deeds on the football pitch. Such antics both on and off the pitch have led most fans to adore him and some fans to vigorously hate him which almost often encourages him to do something crazy to get himself into the limelight. Mario Balotelli is a wonderfully talented footballer. Blessed with phenomenal strength, pace, power, technical skill, finishing ability and a powerful shot, Balotelli is a complete striker, all at a tender age of just 21. His potential is just terrifying. But what is more terrifying (well at least for his manager) is his petulant behavior and lack of discipline. There is a great chance that Balotelli might just throw away a potentially wonderful career which would be a great shame but if he can just somehow convince himself to concentrate only on football and keep his behavior in check he will undoubtedly become a world class player.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 4/5

Balotelli due to ill-discipline has not nearly represented Italy as many times as he should have. Strict disciplinarian Cesare Prandelli was reluctant to take Balotelli to the Euros but must have thought he is a risk worth taking because of Balotelli’s ability to impact a football match. Balotelli will probably be lined up along side another volatile player in Antonio Cassano in a 4-3-1-2 formation. It is a fearsome strike force from which fans can certainly expect some goals and a lot of fireworks. Prandelli has asked Balotelli to ‘grow-up’ in order to fulfill his potential and if he is able to do so by keeping discipline, he might finally make the headlines for the right reasons. Italy have an outside chance to win the Euros and they certainly need Balotelli on his best behavior in order achieve the slim prospect of going all the way.

Republic of Ireland

James McClean

Player Profile

From the obscurity of playing in the League of Ireland at Derry City to the bright lights of Premier League appropriately at the Stadium of Light, and then a ticket to participate at the Euros for the Republic of Ireland. The rise of James McClean from being practically an unknown in the football world to one of the most exciting young players in Europe has been spectacular to say the least. A confident young player with very good dribbling skills and a penchant of scoring vital goals, McClean has terrorized even the most established of defenders in the Premier League this season. Voted Sunderland’s Young Player of the Season he has established himself as a very important member for the Black Cats this season, turning in some magnificent performances.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 2.5/5

A team assembled on the principle of hard work and determination rather than skill, Republic of Ireland stand virtually no chance in many people’s eyes of getting into the knock out rounds, in a group containing football powerhouses Spain and Italy. In order to have any chance of qualifying they will need all their players to perform at their level best and hope players like McClean provide a spark of genius. James McClean’s selection for the Republic of Ireland team was marred by controversy as Ulster Loyalists vehemently opposed his inclusion, but that should be the last thing on McClean’s mind ahead of the biggest tournament in his life. He will most probably start on the bench with Trapattoni most likely to go with McGeady and Duff as his preferred wingers. McClean will surely be used as an impact player and due to his relative anonymity opposition defenders may not know what’s coming at them. It has been a fairy tale season for this young man and he will certainly be hoping add a final chapter on this fairy tale season by giving a good show at the Euros and maybe causing a few upsets on the way.

Spain

Jordi Alba

Player Profile

Jordi Alba emergence as one of the best young left backs in Europe has been remarkable this season.  Quick, solid in defence, dangerous going forward, good crossing ability and possessing great tenacity, Alba is everything you look for in a full back. He has had a very impressive season with Valencia this term winning many admirers on the way with a certain Barcelona and Manchester United being heavily linked with the young full back. Spain certainly looked to have found a long term solution in the form of Alba at left back for years to come. A good tournament will certainly speed up his ambition of playing for one of the best clubs in the world and establish him as a star for the future.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 4/5

It would take a madman to criticize a team which has won the Euros and the World Cup back to back and point out weaknesses in that team. But if one area of weakness had to be pointed out in the all conquering Spain team it would have been the left back position. Joan Capdevila with all due respect did a great job for Spain but he was never able to convince the media or the fans. Now, that Jordi Alba has emerged and made the left back position his own, Spain look a near-perfect team which is horrifying for the opposition teams. Jordi Alba looks like the undisputed left back for Spain and he might just hold on to that position for years to come. Spain fans will be hoping Alba can reproduce his club form at international level and if he does Spain certainly look overwhelming favorites to win, with all the world class talent at their disposal.

Group B

Denmark

Christian Eriksen

Player Profile

Blessed with exceptional technical abilities, wide passing range, good dribbling skills, great vision and a fine striker of the ball, Christian Eriksen at 20 is destined for a big future. Eriksen has developed tremendously into a fine playmaker in the last couple of years. Contributing with some virtuoso performances, he has had an excellent season with Ajax, helping them lift a second consecutive league title. Comparisons with the legendary Danish midfielder Michael Laudrup by the media have been inevitable and if he keeps on performing the way he has been over the last two years, there is every possibility that he will be able to match those lofty comparisons.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 – 4/5

No one is giving Denmark a chance of qualifying from the dreaded group of death but if they are to qualify a lot will depend on the young shoulders of Christian Eriksen. He is a sure starter for Denmark and he will most probably be deployed as a creative playmaker in behind the lone striker Nicklas Bendtner with support coming from wingers Dennis Rommedahl and Michael Krohn-Dehli. He will certainly thrive at an opportunity to test himself against some of the best teams in the world. England fans will remember how he tormented the English defence in a recent international friendly and if he can reproduce such inspired performance against the big boys, then who knows unlikely as it may seem, Denmark might just sneak into the knock-out rounds.

Germany

Mario Götze

Player Profile

Germany currently posses such an embarrassing riches of talented young players at international level it almost seems unfair. Likes of Toni Kroos, Andre Schurrle, Marco Reus, Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels, Holger Badstuber, Lars Bender are just some of the fantastic young players the Germans have at their disposal. Even with a squad containing a list of such wonderfully talented young footballers, one player who stands out is attacking midfielder Mario Gotze. This 19 year sensation has to be one of the top 5 young players in the world today. He has already achieved so much in his young career playing a pivotal role in helping Dortmund win back to back Bundesliga titles. He was also awarded the European under-21 player of the year in 2011. ‘Baby faced’ Gotze is not the most imposing figure but when he runs at defenders with his magnificent dribbling skills and with such poise and grace, he certainly strikes fear into the hearts of even the most established and experienced defenders, which is an absolute joy to watch. Gotze is already a star and will get only better in the future.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3.5/5

Talented as Gotze is, it is astonishing that he will most probably not be handed a starting berth. Such is the strength and quality of the German team. Mesut Ozil will most probably be favoured over Gotze for player maker role at the Euros. Gotze can be deployed on the wings as well but Muller and Podolski will be the players who will most likely be preferred by Joachim Loew for a starting spot. However, fans will not be deprived of the pleasure of watching Gotze at Euros as he will most certainly be used in some capacity. He will surely be brought on as replacement for Ozil, Muller or Podolski if things are not going according to plan or to make an impact on the game, which he is more than capable of. Even if he is entrusted with a starting spot he will not look out of place having delivered some mature performances whenever he has started for Germany.

Netherlands

Kevin Strootman

Player Profile

The meteoric rise of Kevin Strootman, from second division side Sparta Rotterdam to becoming a key player for both PSV and the Dutch national team has been phenomenal. Holding midfielder Strootman is a commanding presence in the middle of the park possessing exceptional ball retaining qualities, vision and wide passing range. Strootman’s positional sense is also very good as evidenced by his ability to take up good positions and make space to receive the ball even in a crowded midfield. He plays the vital role as the connecting link from defenders to attacking players and he keeps the ball ticking along.  Such qualities have not gone unnoticed as some the top European teams keeping close tabs on his rapid development as one of the best young holding midfielders in the game.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 3.5/5

Bert van Marwijk prefers a system of two holding midfielders for Holland. With all probability Mark van Bommel is a sure starter, so it will be interesting to see whether Nigel de Jong or Kevin Strootman get starting place alongside van Bommel. Kevin Strootman is a player, who can keep the ball ticking along which allows more freedom to players such as Wesley Sneijder or Rafael van der Vaart to do the creative work. He will be a completely different proposition to de Jong who is a more of a tough tackling ball winner. It is now upto van Marwijk if Strootman will get place in the starting line-up but if he does, Strootman possess all the qualities to do a very do job for Holland.

Portugal

Nélson Oliveira

Player Profile

Nelson Oliveira is one of the bright young prospects to emerge from Portuguese football and is very highly regarded by both club and country. Oliveira has impressed at the youth level guiding Portugal to a runners’ up finish at the U-20 World Cup finals held in Colombia, where he also picked up the Silver ball award for being adjudged the second best player in the tournament. He certainly has the looks and the potential of developing into a fine player in the future. Having already broken into the Benfica first team he will be hoping to make a mark for Portugal as well.  He will gain vital experience at the Euros which can only aid in the development of this potentially world class striker.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 2/5

He has virtually no chance of being handed the starting berth at the Euros with illustrious names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Helder Postiga and Hugo Almeida ahead of him in the pecking order for the position of the striker. However, he can be used as a wildcard by manager Paulo Bento as he is pretty much an unknown quantity outside of Portugal and can spring a surprise or two for the opposition defenders. Making it to the Euro squad represents a huge achievement in itself for Oliveira and if he can contribute with goal or two if he is called upon it can act as a catalyst towards a successful career for the young man.

The European Championships is one of the most prestigious international tournaments in the world of football. It only pales to the World Cup in terms of popularity. It is a stage where legends are made, where dreams are fulfilled, and where acts of genius on the pitch are immortalized. Since its inception in 1960, there have so many great moments that will live long in the memory of the people. Marco Van Basten’s impossible volley against the USSR in final of ’88, Antonin Panenka’s unique penalty to win the cup for Czechoslovakia in ‘76, legendary USSR goalkeeper Lev Yashin guiding his USSR team to victory in the inaugural tournament in ‘60, French maestros Michel Platini and then Zinedine Zidane with supreme grace and craft inspiring their French team to the cup in ’84 and 2000 respectively, super-sub Oliver Bierhoff’s brace winning it for the Germans in ’96, underdogs Denmark in ’92 and Greece in ’04 triumphing against all odds. All these moments have their unique place in history.

The Euros also provides a platform for young players with burgeoning reputations to shine. It is a great opportunity for young starlets to prove their worth and launch their careers towards success. Stars such as Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Dennis Bergkamp, to name a few, paved their path towards super stardom by impressing at the Euros.

Here is a look at one young player from each of the 16 participating teams most likely to make an impact for their respective country at the Euro 2012.

Group A

Czech Republic

Tomas Necid

Player Profile

Towering striker Tomas Necid is one of the brightest young talents to emerge from Czech football. Currently plying his trade in the Russian league with CSKA Moscow, Necid is considered a hot prospect by both club and country. He is very good in the air and has predatory instincts in front of goal. He made a name for himself by becoming the top scorer of 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, scoring with four goals in as many games.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 – 2/5

Although considered a bright young talent, it seems very unlikely he will get a starting berth. With the Czechs deploying a system with only one up top, experienced Milan Baros or compatriot Tomas Pekhart look more likely get the nod to start ahead of Necid. This however does not rule out his involvement in the tournament as he will surely be used as an impact substitute. His physical presence and strength will certainly cause a problem for opposition defenders. He is undoubtedly capable of chipping in with a goal or an assist which might prove invaluable if the Czechs are to qualify for the next round.

Greece

Kyriakos Papadopoulos

Player Profile

Strong and athletic defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos has to be one of the most promising young defenders in the world today. On the back of a very strong season for Schalke 04, Papadopoulos’ stock has risen incredibly with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal keeping close tabs on him. Strong tackler and blessed with good positional sense, he defends with so much maturity which belies his tender age. It is sometimes easy to forget that he is only 20 years old. His potential is frightening and the experience of playing in a big tournament like the Euros will only make him better.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 – 4/5

Kyriakos Papadopoulos is most likely to start at the heart of the defence alongside the more experienced Avraam Papadopoulos. Kyriakos Papadopoulos certainly has to perform to his level best in order to keep the dangerous Polish and Russian attack at bay. Having already established himself in the national team with some impressive performances and crucial goals in the qualifying rounds, Papadopoulos is certainly already one of the most important members of the current Greek squad. He unquestionably has the talent to succeed and he needs to back it up the Euros by putting up a strong defensive display for Greece which he most probably will.

Poland

Robert Lewandowski

Player Profile

What a season it has been for Robert Lewandowski. Aged only 23 he seems to have the world on his feet. Having scored 22 goals in the Bundesliga this season he helped Borussia Dortmund to a league and cup double. He is already considered one of the best strikers in Europe. Blessed with incredible touch and technique, he is always capable of a moment of brilliance when you least expect it. He is good in the air and is a very prolific finisher. He seems to be the complete striker. No wonder top clubs are eying him up and no wonder Dortmund are desperate to keep hold of him.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 – 4.5/5

He is no doubt Poland’s most important player. He will most probably start as a lone striker for Poland, a role he fulfilled for Dortmund so impressively. The co-hosts will be heavily reliant on this young man for goals and if given the right service he will deliver. He already has 40 international caps to his name in which he has scored 13 goals. There is every possibility that Robert Lewandowski will become one of Polish football’s all time greats. He needs to start off by scoring goals and helping Poland put up a good show at the Euros. Backed by home support there and bags of talent there is no reason why the young Pole will not be able to do so.

Russia

Alan Dzagoev

Player Profile

Young creative midfielder Alan Dzagoev is one of the most exciting prospects in world football. Awarded the best young player in the Russian Premier League in the year 2008-09, Dzagoev has gone from strength to strength becoming one of the finest young playmakers in the world today. He is a very important element for both club and country. With an ability to change a game with a defence splitting passes and with a decent goal scoring record Dzagoev is certainly a dangerous player for opposition defences to deal with.

Probability of making an impact at the Euro 2012 – 4/5

Dzagoev is already a vital part of the national team. His potential was realized early at national level and he was given his first cap at the tender age of just 18. He is most likely to start just in hole behind the two strikers. It is undoubtedly be the job of Dzagoev to provide the creative force for the Russian attack. With Russia having a decent attacking line-up containing Andrey Arshavin and Aleksandr Kerzhakov, Dzagoev will no doubt enjoying playing the “trequartista” role. If Russia is to qualify to the next round, they will certainly require Dzagoev to have a good tournament.

One thing people cannot contest is the impact the Premier League has had all over the world. The Premier League is undoubtedly the most popular league in the world. It is estimated that the Premier League is broadcast to 600+ million viewers in over 200 countries. It is no secret that its influence is immense. The Premier League affects the lives of millions of people and has become a culture outside England. The global impact the Premier League has had is unrivaled by any other soccer league in the world.

When Didier Drogba smashes in a goal or Michael Essien executes a crunching challenge with perfection, it is greeted by huge cheers in the streets of Abidjan and Accra. Park Ji-Sung is considered a hero in South Korea for his exploits at Manchester United. Former stars such as Jay Jay Okocha and Lucas Radebe have achieved so much in the English game that they have brought pride to Nigeria and South Africa respectively. Children all around the world have their favorite Premier League team and players that they dream of emulating.

It is no different here in the small nation of Nepal, which is thousands of miles from England. We do not have any players of our own plying their trade in the English Premier League with whom we can idolize or worship, but the impact of the Premier League still remains huge.

So, what it is like watching the Premier League in Nepal? Most people know Nepal as the country which is home to Mt. Everest or as the land of the brave Gurkhas. Nepal is not a country that can be immediately associated with soccer. The state of soccer in Nepal is not great. Currently ranked 153rd in the world, the facilities present for soccer players is terrible compared to the European Nations or many Asian countries.

The domestic league is stop-start and not properly managed. Most of the local league matches are played in the same stadium as there exist few quality venues. The infrastructure for the development of young players is also weak. Parents do not encourage their children to take up soccer as a profession because of the lack of scope and the money that footballers earn is not enough to sustain a living once you retire.

You might think with such poor state of affairs that people are not really interested in soccer. Well, you’re wrong. People in Nepal are massive soccer fans. Soccer is without a doubt the most popular sport in Nepal. It is not due to lack of interest or talent that soccer has not been able flourish in Nepal; It is down to bad management and lack of infrastructure. Once you experience the passion of soccer mong the people whenever the National Team plays, you’ll see how the stadium will always be jam-packed and the atmosphere created by the fans is electric.

Nepal may not be able to produce a player good enough for the Premier League any time soon, but the popularity of the Premier League in Nepal cannot be matched by any other league. There is a huge fan base of famous clubs and players such as Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. These are the most popular names on the lips of Nepalese soccer fans. Every act of genius in the Premier League is well appreciated in Nepal.

The passion among the fans of the clubs they follow cannot understandably be compared to the fans in England, but this is not to say the fans in Nepal are not passionate about their clubs. The sentiments that fans in Nepal share are not too dissimilar to those of fans in England. There are Chelsea fans genuinely worried about their next managerial appointment. There are Arsenal fans who are frustrated by the trophy drought that their team is suffering.

Fans here love their club and they cannot stand criticism from rival fans. There are always arguments among friends every week defending their club. It’s wonderful to see the passion come out in support of their clubs. Viewing the Premier League in Nepal has been made possible thanks to the ESPN STAR group. The timing of matches is also favorable in this part of the continent. The traditional 3 o’clock kick-off in England corresponds to 7:30 pm in Nepal, which I find is a good time to watch a game. If there is a late night kick-off, people make it a point to stay awake until three in the morning and watch their beloved team play even if it means waking up tired for school or work the next day.

Every weekend is eagerly anticipated and the any match played in the Premier League keeps us glued to the screen. The atmosphere created in the grounds, the fast paced games, tackles flying in left and right — it’s why we simply love the Premier League. We get unbounded joy when our team wins and inconsolable disappointment when the team loses. It is amazing to see how the English Premier League affects lives of so many people of a small nation like Nepal which is thousands of miles away. The people here are very thankful to the English Premier League for providing us so much joy and entertainment throughout the years. To answer the question of which is the best league in the league. For the people of Nepal without a shadow of a doubt it is the English Premier League.

With the Premier League title race being so tightly contested between the two Manchester clubs, and the chase for the fourth and final spot for Champions League looking equally enthralling, one could be forgiven for forgetting about the relegation battle being fought at the foot of the table. People might argue it is too early to be talking about a relegation battle with 9 games left and 27 points still up for grabs. But the nature of the Premier Division is such that, even a team looking comfortable in mid-table currently might suddenly be sucked into a relegation fight if they have a poor 2 or 3 weeks.

A quick glance at the bottom half of the table will suggest that the bottom 5 teams will be the ones scrapping for every point on offer, and ultimately survival come the end of the season. The five teams – Wolves, QPR, Blackburn, Bolton and Wigan — are separated by only 6 or less points. Aston Villa at 15th place are 5 points clear of Blackburn at 16th with a game in hand.

Bottom half of the table (as of March 23, 2012):

The league table does not lie. The current teams which are in the bottom 5 are there because they deserve to be. All of them have lacked consistency this season and have been woeful at times. Out of the combined 144 games these 5 clubs have played this season, they have managed to win a total only 29 games combined. In these games the teams have managed to score 160 goals this term which is a decent return, but a good team starts from the back and this is where the problems begin for each of the 5 teams. They have conceded a massive total of 284 goals combined.

Here is an analysis of the survival chances for each of the 5 teams in the relegation danger zone:

Blackburn Rovers

Their season so far – The unrest and uncertainty surrounding Blackburn Rovers has been well documented. Currently under the new ownership of Indian poultry giants Venky’s, Blackburn Rovers look like a club in real crisis. The new owner’s decision to sack respected manager Sam Allardyce in December 2010 and appoint Steve Kean had not gone down too well with the fans.  The decision to sack such an established manager in the English game when Rover’s were lying a respectable 13th in the league was widely criticized by respected figures such as Sir Alex Ferguson. After such a shaky start, the Indian owners would have hoped for a better future but things have gone from bad to worse.

Steve Kean was able to keep Blackburn in the Premier League with an amazing 3-2 victory away to Wolves in the last game of the season. But this season the club has been surrounded by a lot of negativity. It has been a very difficult situation for Steve Kean who has faced the full wrath of the club’s own fans. With fans organizing mass protests against Kean and the Venky’s for their running of the football club. and results on the pitch being very poor, Kean has been victim of some vicious abuse. You can’t help but feel sorry for Kean. He is trying to remain defiant and fighting everyday in order to win over the fans. But the only way he may be able to win over the fans is by winning games on the football pitch which just has not happened in a consistent manner. The Venky’s have reaffirmed their faith in Kean despite coming under a lot of criticism and the club’s fans have become disgruntled by this. When The Venky’s took over Blackburn, big names such as David Beckham and Ronaldinho were linked to the club but with the caliber of signings Kean has made over the summer and winter transfer windows, the funds that seemed to be abundant when The Venky’s took over are just not there.

The one thing you can surely see when you go and watch a Blackburn game (other than an angry mob fans) is goals. In the 29 games Blackburn have been involved in this season, there has been 102 goals. But the bad news for Blackburn is that they have conceded 60 of them which makes them the team with the second worst defensive record in the league this season. However, having scored 42 goals, it shows that the team knows their way to goal. Their season has been erratic to say the least. They have had some extraordinary results as they beat Arsenal 4-3 albeit against an Arsenal side which was heavily depleted. And Rovers even recorded a more impressive 3-2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.  But a 7-1 reverse to Arsenal and consistent losses against lesser teams have left the team spending most of their time in the relegation zone. Finally, they are starting to pick up some form and are just 5 points clear of the relegation zone after a very long time near the bottom.

Blackburn has some very talented players in Junior Hoilett, Steven N’Zonzi, Martin Olsson, Yakubu and Scott Dann but the rest of the squad seem to lack the quality to produce consistent performances on a regular basis. Even Hoilett blows hot and cold too often and Dann has not played up to his potential this term. The Rovers defensive line looks awfully weak. The likes of Gael Givet, Grant Hanley and Scott Dann have looked out of sorts. Their attacking line-up looks more promising as Hoilett, Pedersen, Formica, Rochina and even holding midfielder N’Zonzi have weighed in with some very important goals and assists. But the man they have to thank the most for keeping Blackburn afloat and with a big chance of surviving has to be Yakubu Aiyegbeni. His 14 goals have proven to be vital and he has certainly been the star player for Rovers this season.

Their key player in the battle against relegation – Yakubu Aiyegbeni. The Nigerian has been one of the star strikers in the Premier League this season. Discarded by Everton, he has grasped the opportunity to prove himself in the top flight again with both hands. Blackburn has been heavily reliant on Yakubu’s goals and he has sometimes won points for Rovers single-handedly. He has scored braces against Arsenal and Manchester United. He has even managed to score 4 goals in a game against a mean Swansea City defense. Even Steve Kean would not have expected such a return from the striker but he will surely be ecstatic with his form this season. Kean will be desperately hoping that Yakubu keeps his scoring boots on from now until the end of the season to help save Blackburn from the ignominy of relegation.

Chances of survival – Blackburn has the second worst defence in the league and the sixth best scoring record in the league this term. It is easy to see where their problems lie. If Steve Kean can somehow tighten the screws in the defense, with the loss of Christopher Samba and Ryan Nelson, and if Yakubu can maintain his impressive scoring run, then there is every possibility that Blackburn will move up the table. But improving a defence which has been playing very poorly the whole season will be no easy task.

Kean needs results and fast. The pressure on him keeps on growing from the fans and if the results do not improve anytime soon the owners will have to bow to public pressure and replace Kean with someone more capable. They have done exceptionally well in the month of March remaining unbeaten, picking up two vital victories in the process. In April, they will be facing Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham. They also have to face the likes of Norwich City and Swansea City who have had an excellent season. If they can sustain their recent form and pick up some unlikely points against these teams in April, there is every possibility that they will stay up.

Bolton Wanderers

Their season so far – When Owen Coyle was appointed the manager of Bolton on January 2010, replacing the unpopular Gary Megson, the feel good factor had returned back to Reebok Stadium. Coyle took up the reins at the Reebok Stadium with a burgeoning reputation as one of the most promising young managers in the English game. He had the initial backing of the fans as well, due to his association with the club as a player, helping the club win promotion to the top flight back in 1995. In his first season back at the club as a manager, he achieved the goal of keeping Bolton in the Premier League with a 14th placed finish. The following season he further enhanced his reputation by guiding Bolton to another 14th placed finish, only 3 points off 8th placed Fulham, playing some attractive football in the process which endeared him to the fans. But, this season he must be wondering where it has all gone wrong for him. His reputation has taken a battering with Bolton performing woefully, especially at home. Most people think the only thing that is preventing him from getting the sack is his good rapport with the fans and the good relations he enjoys with club chairman Phil Gartside.

Bolton’s season has been dismal to date. The club has the worst home record in the league and the second leakiest defense. Coyle has not been helped by the club’s precarious financial situation. The funds that he has received however have not been used wisely, as the signing of David N’Gog for £4 million would testify. The signings of Darren Pratley and Nigel Reo-Coker have hardly been inspiring even though they came in for free. Their cause has not been helped by long term injuries to Stuart Holden and Chung-Yong Lee, arguably the players of the season for Bolton last season. But the biggest loss undoubtedly has been the loss of full-time England international defender Gary Cahill to Chelsea this January.

There have been some promising signs this season as Bolton have recorded some impressive victories — 4-0 away to Q.P.R, 5-1 against Stoke City and 3-1 against Liverpool. Unfortunately, other than those impressive performances, Bolton has been very poor. They have not been able to replicate such performances on regular basis. At home, they have managed to record only 3 victories much to the frustration of the fans. Zat Knight and David Wheater have been very shaky in defence and it almost seems impossible for them to shut out opposition strikers for 90 minutes. Their long serving goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen looks a shadow of the player he was a few seasons ago, making uncharacteristic errors and has recently been ousted by the young and inexperienced stopper Adam Bogdan. The problems lie up front as well as Kevin Davies and David N’Gog have contributed only 4 goals combined while Ivan Klasnic has been decent, scoring 8 goals but he always seems to have persistent injury problem and cannot get a good run of games. Martin Petrov and Chris Eagles have looked solid but are too inconsistent on the wings. However, new loan signing Ryo Miyaichi looks exciting and has performed very well in recent matches.

Their key player in the battle against relegation – Mark Davies. Bolton’s star man has undoubtedly been Mark Davies. Davies has been the engine and creative force in a poor Bolton midfield. Even though he has been able to score only three goals this season, most of the creative work for Bolton has been done by him. He covers a lot of grass and is not afraid to get stuck in. His performance against Liverpool was exemplary and his goal against Wigan showed that this boy has a bit of quality that Bolton so badly need. Owen Coyle will be hoping for some more performances of such class. Bolton will need him fit from now until the end of the season. Fans will be hoping his level of performance will be more consistent and the manager will be able to use him efficiently.

Chances of survival – As mentioned earlier their defence needs to improve rapidly and with the loss of Gary Cahill it looks more difficult. U.S. International Tim Ream has been brought in to re-enforce the backline but he is still inexperienced in the Premier League despite a promising start. Their midfield and attacking line also lacks quality. Mark Davies looks a good player and young Ryo Myiaichi has added that much needed spark in attack. Martin Petrov and Chris Eagles need to be more consistent. David N’Gog has never looked good enough for the Premier League and Kevin Davies does not have the legs anymore. Other attacking options are Ivan Klasnic who is very prone to injury and young Marvin Sordell who is still learning his trade in the top flight. Bolton fans should be worried, with the lack of quality and depth within the squad.

However, Owen Coyle is a good manager and has been known to get the best out of his players. He has not been able to do that this season very effectively but if he can inspire his players. Bolton seem like a different squad, as they showed with wins over Stoke and Liverpool, playing attractive football. Unfortunately these kinds of performances have been few and far between this season and they have mostly looked uninspiring. The first priority for Coyle will be to improve his defense and keep it tight at the back. It would have been a tough ask for any manager to keep Bolton up with the squad that they have and the long term injuries suffered by their key players.  March will be a big month in deciding whether they survive this season. They face three of their direct relegation threatened rivals in QPR, Blackburn and Wolves this month. Having already beaten QPR under controversial circumstances earlier in the season, it is vital that they garner as many points from the other two games in order to stand a chance of survival and pull away from the relegation zone. The devastating collapse of young midfielder Fabrice Muamba recently against Tottenham in the F.A. Cup Quarterfinal tie will certainly have left everyone associated closely to Wanderers in a state of shock, and whether they can fully recover mentally and concentrate on the job in hand will be a huge question. But such an event will have had made the team grow closer. If Coyle can somehow inspire his players to get the required results on the pitch and retain their Premier League status, it will be a fairy tale ending to what has been a tumultuous season and a wonderful gift for Muamba as well.

Queens Park Rangers

Their season so far – Queens Park Rangers, promoted to the Premier League after winning the Championship, would have expected a tough season ahead in the Premier League. So it has proven to be as currently they lie just above the relegation zone only on goal difference. What make their season look worse is the fact that other two teams that have been promoted (Norwich and Swansea City) this season have made a fantastic start to life in the Premier League. There are many obvious reasons that have affected QPR’s season. The change in the ownership of the club with Tony Fernandes taking over in the boardroom and the weeks of uncertainty leading up to the change, is the most obvious one.

After starting the season reasonably well under Neil Warnock, QPR lost their way after failing to win in 7 games consecutively. Neil Warnock was shown the door. Established manager Mark Hughes was named the manager to replace him. There is a sense of optimism at Loftus Road with the appointment of Hughes. Mark Hughes has signed six players in the January transfer window with marquee signings of Bobby Zamora, Djibril Cisse and Taye Taiwo among them.

Hughes, however, has had a very tough start to life at QPR, winning just two games in ten. He is desperately hoping that his newly assembled team will be able to gel and put some points in the bag as soon as possible. The squad on paper looks very strong with the likes of Shaun Wright Phillips, Adel Taarabt, Joey Barton, along with new acquisition Zamora, Cisse and Taiwo all in their books. But the players have yet to settle down and some critics argue that these players are past their prime. Veteran Heidar Helguson has been their top scorer much to the surprise of everyone. Their best player in the Championship last year, Moroccan Adel Taarabt, has found it hard to adapt to life in the Premier League. In midfield, the trio of Barton, Faurlin and Derry has performed fairly well this season but like any other team struggling at the deep end of the Premier League table, QPR have found it hard to get a string of good results together.

Their key player in the battle against relegation– Bobby Zamora. Recent arrival Bobby Zamora has been one of the most in-form strikers in the Premier League for the last few seasons. Having come back from a broken leg which he suffered last season, his performances for Fulham in the first half of this season were fairly impressive. But he never really enjoyed a good relationship with manager Martin Jol. So it was no surprise that Mark Hughes came calling when he found out that the striker was available. Such is the faith that Hughes has in Zamora’s quality that he was tempted to shell out £6 million for a striker in his early thirties. Zamora is a quality striker. Even if his goal scoring record is not that great, he creates a lot of chances for his teammates. His experience will prove vital in QPR’s battle against relegation. If Zamora can come up with some goals and assists that will help QPR maintain their Premier League status, the £6 million spend on him will be money well spent.

Chances of survival – With a new manager in place and revamped team, it will take some time for results to come. Unfortunately for QPR, time is exactly what they are against. They need immediate results in order to move up the table.

They arguably have a squad with more quality than any of their main relegation rivals. In the likes the Shaun Wright-Phillips, Adel Taarabt, Bobby Zamora, Jamie Mackie, Taye Taiwo and Joey Barton, they have quality their relegation rivals Bolton, Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn can only dream of. But this team looks good only on paper at the moment. Recent results show that only having big name players will hardly do the job on the pitch. New signings are yet to settle in and get used to the style of play. Even the manager, who is new, has so far failed to transmit the ideas he has to the players. This team is more than capable of moving up the table but only if the new players can adapt to their new surroundings. The recent comeback victory against Liverpool would have done them a world of good but there is still a lot of work to be done. Therefore, Mark Hughes will need to find a formula to make this team gel and if they do there is every chance Loftus Road fans will be treated to Premier League football next season.

Wigan Athletic

Their season so far – Roberto Martinez is one of the most likeable managers in the English game today. He is well respected in the game and has done some fantastic work with limited budgets at Swansea City before moving on to Wigan. At Wigan Athletic he has done a fairly decent job considering the finances at his disposal. In his first season at the club, he managed to save Wigan from the drop with a 16th placed finish. In his second season at the club he again managed to retain Wigan’s Premier League status, avoiding the drop with another 16th placed finish with final day drama. Again this season Wigan are fighting to avoid the drop but are currently in last place in the Premier League.

Keeping Wigan in the Premier League is no easy feat and Martinez has done a commendable job of it but the problem for Wigan fans is that the club has hardly made any progress in terms of moving up the table since 2009. Every season the club is embroiled in a relegation battle. They have not been able to use the retention of their Premier League as a springboard to greater things the following season. The squad looks mediocre at best. This season, it is the same story as the last two seasons. They have spent most of their time at the foot of the table.

This campaign has been very frustrating for the fans. Wigan is trying to play attractive football but due to the lack of quality within the squad they have not been able to implement such a style effectively. Franco di Santo and Jordi Gomez with 4 goals each have been the club’s top scorers so far this season. This shows the plight of the Wigan players in front of goal. In total they managed to score only 25 goals this term which is the lowest among the 20 teams in the division. Their defensive record is also one of the worst in the league having already conceded 54 goals this season. With such stats it is not difficult to see why they are near the bottom of the table. The midfield also lacks creative spark. Watson and McArthur have looked very ordinary in midfield. Victor Moses has looked good but has only shown flashes of what he can do.

Their key player in the battle against relegation – Victor Moses.  The former England Under-21 international and now Nigeria International has a lot of talent and quality. But he can run at defenders at pace and is a constant threat down the wings. He has the potential to be a very good player and has already proved himself in the Championship with Crystal Palace. He shows glimpses of brilliance at times. Unfortunately for Wigan, such glimpses are not produced by him on a consistent basis. Much like Theo Walcott, his decision making is horrendous and he always seems to take the wrong option. He takes unnecessary shots and his deliveries into the box are well below par. If Martinez can somehow find a way to finely polish Moses into a gem, it can only benefit Wigan’s survival cause. Moses himself should try to mature into more of a team player. If this can be done, goals will certainly flow for Wigan and unlikely as it may seem Wigan may write another escape story.

Chances of survival – Wigan has struggled to score goals and has looked very shaky at the back. It is hard to see with strikers such as Franco di Santo and out-of-sorts Hugo Rodallega where the goals are going to come from and even if they do score, the defense does not look strong enough to be able to hold onto any kind of lead. In Figueroa, Alcaraz and Caldwell they have some established defenders but the open style of play Martinez wants the team to play leaves them vulnerable to concede goals. Ali Al-Habsi has been one of the few consistent performers in the league for them so far. Victor Moses has the spark but can be very frustrating with his awful decision making. Jordi Gomez and Ben Watson are decent players but they are no Xavi or Iniesta, and to expect them to play beautiful passing football in the rigorous hustle and bustle of the Premier League would be foolish.

Credit should be given to Martinez for trying to play attractive football but the squad is not good enough to win matches by playing only beautiful football and they need grind out results more often. Their fixture list is not looking kind as they still have to face Liverpool and Newcastle. In April they face Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United back to back. Trying to play attractive football just will not work for Wigan as they are not good enough to do so. Martinez really needs to adopt a more Stoke City like approach in order to progess further in the league. They need to scrap for every point on offer especially against the teams in mid table. Martinez has done well for Wigan but this is the time he really needs to change his philosophy and try win games even if it means by playing ugly. Another 16th placed finish will do for the fans this time around but even that is looking improbable at the moment.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Their season so far – Life is not easy for a Wolverhampton Wanderers fan. The final day drama of last season’s relegation battle will testify to this. Requiring a win to be sure of safety, they faced their fellow relegation battlers Blackburn at Molineux. Fans would have expected the team to perform and get the required result in order to extend their stay in the Premier League. But the events which followed could not have been predicted by anyone. To the astonishment of the home fans, Wolves found themselves three down at half-time. Things were starting to look bleak, as results elsewhere were going against them. Birmingham City was drawing against Tottenham which meant that it things stayed the same at end of 90 minutes, Wolves would get relegated to the Championship. But things changed and how. Wolves pulled one back from Jamie O’Hara. Then in the 87th minute of the game, Stephen Hunt scored what proved to be Wolves’ most important goal of the season. The score was still 3-2 in favour of Blackburn but by virtue of a better goal difference than Birmingham, Wolves would be safe. This compelled Birmingham to push players forward and eventually they lost out to Tottenham 2-1 at the end. As the final whistle blew, euphoric players and home fans celebrated as if they had won the league.

That joyous moment now looks like a distant memory now. The man who led Wolves to their great escape, Mick McCarthy, has recently been shown the door. The team is struggling for form and they cannot put up consistent performances much to the frustration of the fans. Their team looks poorer than they looked last year. Luckily for them there are 4 teams who have been equally as bad and they still have a big chance of escaping relegation. Under Mick McCarthy, they started season in a bright fashion as in August they picked up 7 points from a possible 9 and won their League Cup tie as well, finishing the month as joint league leaders. But, things started to turn ugly for them as they have made a tremendous slide down the table. Mick McCarthy was given the boot eventually when his team suffered an embarrassing 5-1 home loss against West Bromwich Albion. Now, assistant manager Terry Connor has been promoted to the role of head coach from now until the end of the season.

Wolves has a decent attacking line but their defending on occasions has been atrocious. The games against West Bromwich, Fulham and Manchester United are some good examples of how bad their defending can get. It is no surprise that they have the worst defensive record in the league. Wayne Hennessey is a very good young keeper but one who is guilty of concentration lapses at critical moments of the game. He plays out of his skin sometimes, saving Wolves time and again, but due to some loss in concentration he is also susceptible to making goalkeeping gaffes which have cost Wolves some valuable points. Roger Johnson, Christophe Berra, Richard Stearman and Stephen Ward (who looks more interested in attacking than defending) have not been good enough and have managed to keep only 2 clean sheets until now. Their attacking line looks more promising though as in Jamie O’Hara, Stephen Hunt, Matt Jarvis and Kevin Doyle they have players who can create and score goals. Unfortunately, like any other team struggling at the foot of the table they have failed to find consistency and at times these players go missing at crucial moments. The only player who looks consistent has been Steven Fletcher and his 10 goals this term have proven to be very important strikes.

Their key player in the battle against relegation – Steven Fletcher. It will be no surprise, if Wolves eventually manage to stay in the Premier League it will be down to Steven Fletcher’s goals. His goals have proven vital and the points they have managed to put up on the table have been largely down to his contribution in front of goal. With the defense unlikely to improve anytime soon, Fletcher will need to put up more match winning performances. It is a huge burden on the shoulders of this young balding striker but fans will be hoping he will be able to continue his rich vein of form. His job of scoring goals can be made easier by the teammates around him. Matt Jarvis can deliver from the wings and Jaime O’Hara can also create a couple of chances. With the in-form Kevin Doyle, Fletcher has a good striking partner and if he can set up some goals for Doyle it will relieve a lot of pressure on himself to score goals. But, Doyle has not been clinical enough in front of goal and Jarvis and O’Hara have not been able to put consistent performances this season. At the end of the day it is expected that Fletcher will have to be one who will drag Wolves from the danger zone to safety this season.

Chances of survival – With the experienced manager Steve Bruce available in the market, the appointment of Terry Connor has been widely criticized. Connor is not a familiar name with general football fans and it is looking increasing unlikely that Wolves will be able to salvage their season. Their performances have largely been uninspiring and fans have also become disgruntled. Now at the foot of the table having been mauled by Fulham and Manchester United, things are starting to look very bleak. The defense needs to improve rapidly and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey will have to work on his concentration in order to keep more clean sheets. Things look better in the attacking front but they have been heavily reliant on Steven Fletcher. Other players such as Jarvis, O’Hara, Hunt and Doyle need to weigh in with more goals.

Connor is well respected in Wolves’ circles but the fans will be skeptical of whether a man who has no previous Premier League experience will be able to guide Wolves to safety. Connor has made the worst possible start to his life as a Wolves manager, having earned only one point from the 4 games he has managed, conceding a total of 14 goals in the process and scoring only 2. But, you never know in football. Connor knows the club very well and Wolves look a decent side on paper. If he can improve the defensive line and get the likes of Matt Jarvis, Stephen Hunt and Kevin Doyle playing at a consistent level along with Steven Fletcher, there is a slight hint of possibility that they might play Premier League football next season but things do not look promising at the moment.

Conclusion

The relegation battle may not be as glamorous at the Premier League title chase but the teams that are currently involved at foot of the table will fight tooth and nail to be able to hold on to their Premier League status. It’s no secret on how important staying in the Premier League has become nowadays due to the financial incentives involved with the TV rights. Things can change very quickly in football but the 5 teams that have involved at the moment will most probably be the ones there at the end of the season. All of the 5 mentioned teams have been awful but if I had to put my money on who will down this season I would go with Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves. But relegation battles are never straightforward and we can expect many twists and turns in the coming weeks. This is what makes the Premier League relegation dogfight so wonderful, for me at least.

Who do you think will be the three teams that will get relegated this season?

[polldaddy poll=6069453]

Almost a year ago to the day, Fulham were in the Europa League Final to face Atletico Madrid in Hamburg, Germany. Fulham ended up losing 2-1 on a late goal by Diego Forlan. However, this tournament will always have special meaning to the club. Many media members and fans of other teams don’t respect this tournament. Ask Fulham fans what they think about this league. One year later the Europa League still matters to Fulham and their fans.

This year Fulham did not have any European football, and it felt like something was missing. Last season was an incredible journey that culminated one year ago yesterday. The final didn’t end up the way that fans hoped for, but the ride to get there left memories that could last a lifetime.

When I hear fans of other clubs not thinking much about the Europa League, it disappoints me. The football I watched last season was excellent against great competition. Of course it is not the Champions League, but the games mattered tremendously to a club that works hard to maintain its place every season in the English Premier League.

Think about the teams Fulham had to beat to get to the Final on May 12th, 2010. They took down in order: Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg. These victories led up to a final against Atletico Madrid. Diego Forlan was the difference scoring two goals in a 2-1 loss.

Looking back one year later, it could be easy to focus on the loss. But, the journey to get there was very fulfilling to fans that follow Fulham. In fact many of these fans want them back there next season.

Fulham currently sit 10th in the English Premier League, and it is unlikely they will get into the Europa League with their place in the league. Their only chance is with the Fair Play League. Last month England was in second and so was Fulham. There is still a chance that Fulham can sneak into the Europa League. We should find out in the coming weeks if the club makes it back to the Europa League.

Fans of other teams might rather they didn’t play in the Europa League, if they could not get into the Champions League. On the flip side, if you check the messageboards and Twitter, you will see Fulham fans are hoping they can make it back to a tournament they almost won one year ago. The Europa League still matters to Fulham and their fans.

Photo by Johnb/uk

Derby County Football Club finished 19th in the Championship this season. It is a club with a rich history and very loyal fans. I had the pleasure of getting in touch with Chief Executive, Chairman of Football and President of Derby County Football Club Tom Glick.

He came into the club on January 28th, 2008 when General Sports and Entertainment purchased the team. It was a very tough situation as the club was in the process of being relegated from the English Premier League. Four years later the club is still in the Championship. What are their plans for next season? Do they have aspirations of getting back to the English Premier League? I asked Mr. Glick those questions and many more that span his entire career with Derby County Football Club. Here is my Q and A with Tom Glick.

You came to Derby County during a very difficult situation. What have you learned from being relegated that will help you once you someday return to the English Premier League?

TG: We knew before we got here how competitive the Premier League is. It’s the best league in the world after all. The brief time we spent there showed us that preparation and being ready for it is by far the most important aspect of competing when you are there. Recruitment has to be spot on; picking players with the right ability, mentality and character. Derby County did not enjoy good preparations ahead of the 2007/08 Premier League season and ultimately we paid a very heavy price for that. Clubs like Stoke City have shown what can be achieved by making good acquisitions year on year. West Brom will be another good example of this; they will survive this season and build from good foundations. I can assure all Derby County supporters that WHEN we return we will be better equipped and will be there with the intention of staying there and making an impact.

Was the relegation period your most difficult time with the club, or has there been a time since then that has been more challenging?

TG: The entire experience has been challenging, but it has only served to make us hungrier and more determined to be successful. This really is a special football club and there are no supporters in the country who deserve a winning team more than our fans. Being relegated on 11 points was a horrible thing to endure and I think it left a scar that has taken a while to heal. The last decade has been tough for Derby County; the good seasons have been the exception rather than the rule. Our aim is to bring sustainable and long lasting success. I can’t hide from the fact there have been times during this season that have been as tough as anything I have experienced in my professional life, which is over 23 years in sport. However, we see signs in the squad for great optimism going forward, with players like Fielding, Brayford, Barker, Bailey, Cywka and many others. My job now is to work with the manager to bring in better more experienced players to bolster the team and the squad, particularly centre forwards.

Do you feel there was a learning curve for you since you had no prior experience working in football prior to coming to Derby County?

TG: Yes, because it’s important you learn and grow in every job you do. I’ve learned quickly about the mechanisms of the game in England and looked to immerse myself in the culture of it; on and off the field. My contacts and network in the game is certainly better and I’ve looked to grow that for the benefit of doing this job better for Derby County. However, I also feel that having worked in professional sports my entire career, over 23 years in fact, that my knowledge and expertise on how to lead this Club was already in place.

Eighteen months ago you mentioned in an EPL Talk podcast interview that your long term ambitions were to be the best run club both on and off the pitch. Do you feel now you are headed in the right direction?

TG: Definitely! We have made huge strides off the pitch in the operation of the Club and I think supporters have seen the benefits of that. We have excellent ticket packages, be it season tickets or other offers that make it affordable for fans of all backgrounds and ages to follow the team they love. Our revenues are up; there is only Leeds United in the entire Football League that generates more revenue than we do. Financially we are in great shape and in many respects an example to other Clubs to follow. However, on the pitch we recognize that we have to do better and put together a side that excites our fans. That is going to take extra investment this summer and that’s what our owners are going to do. They have already invested heavily in this Club but are not satisfied with where we are in the Championship and want to be challenging for promotion from next season. That will take better, more experienced players and we intend to go and get them.

In this podcast you stated that your plan was to get back to the Premier League. You stated that you were going to to do it sensibly and you were not going to rush to do it. Are you feeling any pressure now to change that philosophy and speed up the timetable?

TG: We don’t feel pressure and we will be sticking by our plan and running Derby County in a sensible and responsible way; the Club needs that. What we have recognized is that extra investment is needed to be more competitive and we are prepared to show that ambition. At the moment we make a loss that is covered by our owners. Next season we will make a bigger loss because of the extra money we will be spending and again that money will be covered by our owners. That’s how we run this Club; we don’t leverage debt and leave Derby County with a yoke around its shoulders. As for timing; we obviously want to be there sooner rather than later, but we are committed for the long term and will be seeing this job through.

Recently you have offered a money back guarantee to the fans if they are not happy with the transfer activity of the club. Why do you feel it is necessary to make this offer?

TG: Because we wanted fans to judge us on our actions not our words. Our season ticket holders are the life-blood of our Club. Every penny of their season ticket is invested into the Club. Every penny of every shirt, programme, pie and soft drink bought goes into running this Club. And when there is a short fall, which there is, the investors put their hands in the pockets and make up the difference so we don’t incur extra debt. We don’t take them for granted and we know it is incumbent on us to deliver a winning side for them; that’s what we intend to do. As Chief Executive I feel I have two responsibilities to our season ticket holders. Firstly, make their package affordable and good value; our season ticket prices are among the best on our division for value. Secondly, I have to make sure we have a good side that is successful. So far we haven’t delivered on the second and we intend to put that right, starting this summer.

You have stated in recent interviews that you will need to spend more money this summer to upgrade the club. Why is this summer transfer window going to be different than say the last two years?

TG: We have spent time getting our house in order and Nigel (Clough) deserves great credit for that. He inherited a squad that was too big and too expensive; our wage bill would not have been responsible or sustainable post parachute payments. We also had a lot of players who were dead weights. By that I mean earning large sums of money but not contributing in return. We are now at a stage where we need better experienced players to lead the undoubted young talent we have acquired. We have lost a lot of games and points because we have conceded a lot of late goals this season. We’ve also lost a lot of game by just a single goal. We believe added experience and players with a proven track record at Championship level or above will make us a side that can compete for the playoffs; that’s our aim next season.

There seems to be some confusion regarding ownership. GSE based on what I have read is an ownership group with several investors. Do you think Derby is being run similar to how FSG are running Liverpool? Would that be a fair comparison?

TG: Well we would be flattered with a comparison to FSG, because I consider them to be one of the best run sports organizations. We are certainly both North American ownership consortiums. Derby County has a stellar group of individuals on the ownership group, who also have other sports ownerships in North America – Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Timberwolves, Vancouver Whitecaps — although independent of each other. We are working hard to realize the commercial opportunities of our club, assemble a winning team, honour the Club’s heritage and be an active participate in the communities where our supporters live and work. FSG has done that with the Red Sox and I fully expect them to do the same with Liverpool.

Please could you explain Derby County Ltd and how this company, set up by the investors, impacts Derby County Football Club, and what it would mean for the club if the Ltd company went on to purchase an American franchise as was rumored last year with the Detroit Pistons?

TG: The company has been established solely for the purpose of operating Derby County Football Club and its facilities Pride Park Stadium and Moor Farm Training Ground. We are singularly focused on that and have much more to do. There are no current plans to purchase and operate other clubs.

How do you balance wanting to be financially responsible, with a need to spend money in order to upgrade the club and win?

TG: There are many examples, in our division, of teams who can be run responsibly and still compete. Take this season for example; three of the current top six either spend less or the same as us on wages. Other sides in the top half spend less than us on their team. Increasingly we are seeing in the Championship that spending big, particularly on wage bills, doesn’t guarantee a top six finish. This season two of the biggest spenders are Middlesbrough and Sheffield United; both have been at the bottom end of the table for the entire campaign. We believe our model is in the best interest of Derby County and without being too grand, in the best interest of the game long term. I believe more and more owners will start to question the strategy of making huge, unsustainable losses to chase the Premier League.

In regards to player development, do you have any input on what players to buy, or is that the sole decision of Nigel Clough?

TG: Nigel and I have an excellent working relationship and we work closely together on a daily basis. When it comes to ‘football decisions’ and policy as regards to players, Nigel is of course the person at the Club with the biggest say and most influence. But we have good people throughout the Club who assist Nigel and myself, be it players recruitment, training, fitness, medical and academy.

You have mentioned in interviews that you believe that manager Nigel Clough is the right man to bring Derby County forward. Why do you feel that way?

TG: Nigel is a bright, dedicated, passionate individual who is steeped in the game and wakes up every day looking to make Derby County a better Club. Like myself, we have had to learn and grow in his role and we believe he continues to learn and improve every season. It’s been a tough couple of seasons and Nigel’s leadership during this time has been crucial to us. Nigel is our guy and we have been consistent with that; we see no need to say anything different.

There have been many strongly substantiated rumors about discord in the dressing room. Is there any truth to this speculation?

TG: I don’t comment on rumor or speculation, I deal in reality and facts. I see the players first hand on a daily basis and watch all of our games. There is no doubting their commitment to Nigel or the team.

You are strongly behind Nigel Clough. Do you think he and Johnny Metgod would be better supported by someone with experience rather than Taylor, Garner & Crosby? Why not a Director of Football to guide and support Nigel in this early stage of his development as a manager?

TG: Yes, we are reflecting on our current performance and the skills and depth of talent at the Club with an eye on better buyer, seller, developer and manager of talent. We currently have a talented and committed Manager and coaching staff. If we can add something to that and improve, we will do that.

With regard to the above question, do you fully trust the judgement of the current staff to spend a substantial amount wisely in the summer when they don’t have experience as spending large amounts on players?

TG: Yes. While we have been generally conservative in the amounts spent on player purchases in the last two seasons, our staff know talent. We will work closely together to ensure we make the right deals financially and to convince our targets that Derby County is a place they will enjoy their football and will achieve success.

Where do you see Derby County one year from now in the Championship?

TG: We intend to be in the playoff positions in the Championship; that is our aim. We will be buying better, more experienced players this summer and we believe we can recruit a team that will challenge for promotion.

I want to thank Alison Gregory who contributed to this article. I also want to thank Tom Glick and Matt McCann, who is Communications and Media Manager for Derby County Football Club, for making this interview possible.

Looking at the table and seeing Fulham currently in 18th position halfway through the season it makes sense to be concerned as a Fulham supporter. The next thing many fans are going to look at are the reasons why Fulham are in the relegation zone. I plan on sharing my points on why I believe Fulham are where they are, and where I think they will end up. However, I feel strongly that a change of manager would be a mistake. Mark Hughes should not be sacked.

First, I feel Hughes should stay is he has not had the proper time to really make a fair judgement on him. Hughes came to Fulham only a few weeks before the season began. It takes time to implement a new system. Half a season to me does not seem like a long time for his style of play to completely show itself as a failure or a success.

Second, another reason for Hughes to stay is he should have the chance to build his squad. The January transfer window is about to open soon. Hughes will have the opportunity to find players to fit into the system he has brought to Fulham. He has already brought in 3 players this summer in Mousa Dembele, Rafik Halliche, and Carlos Salcido. However, I think he needs more reinforcements to play the style he wants Fulham to have.

Third,  Hughes should stay because is not playing with a full squad now. Injuries I believe are a big part of the reason Fulham are currently in 18th. Losing Bobby Zamora to an injury early in the season has become a much bigger issue than I thought. He has been out since September 11th, and won’t be returning until February. Fulham really do not have anyone to hold the ball, and really control the defender outside of the box like Zamora. He is a huge physical presence that really helps open up scoring opportunities for the other players.

Also, losing Dembele twice to injuries has hurt the progress of the club as well. In a very short period of time Fulham fans have seen glimpses of a player that I think has the potential to be a star. He got hurt originally on September 21st against Stoke City in a League Cup match. He came back several weeks later but it looked like he was not 100%. He then got hurt during the last international break.

For a team of the size of Fulham, losing those players is a big deal and has to considered a reason for the slow start of the season. Teams like Chelsea can overcome injuries to star players, but it is not as easy for a club like Fulham.

Fourth, another reason Hughes should stay is because of the style of play he has brought to the club. It is a much more adventurous and offensive approach to football from the more defensive style Fulham were playing under Roy Hodgson. We have seen glimpses of what this style can bring very early on in a draw with Manchester United. Hughes’ approach also has shown Fulham to be more aggressive on the road. Fulham under Hughes are not playing for a draw, they are going for the win.

It is easy to point the finger at the manager when the club is losing. I don’t blame fans for wanting him to be replaced. They are voicing their displeasure on the situation with Fulham. In many situations I think it is vital to switch the manager. However, with Fulham I just don’t think sacking Hughes is the correct decision now.

I believe to fully evaluate Hughes you need to wait to see where the team is after the return of the injured players, and when new players have been brought in to help the club. I feel we will know the direction of Fulham in March.

I got a glimpse of what Fulham’s style of play was with a complete squad in September and it really impressed me. I look forward to seeing what Fulham can do when Zamora and Dembele again play together.

So I think Fulham are where they are partially because of the injuries, and the lack of scoring up front. If you want to put some of the blame on Hughes for the lack of scoring I guess it could be warranted, but some of that blame should be placed on the players as well.

To put this all in perspective think about this fact from the table. Fulham have only one more loss this season than Arsenal and Chelsea who are currently third and fourth in the league. That is not bad for a team that is currently sitting in the relegation zone. It also tells me they are not far off from turning it around.

Where will Fulham be by the end of the season? This is a bold prediction, but I am still thinking top 10 or possibly as low as seventh. I have a feeling when Fulham are at full strength, games that would have been draws will become victories.

Manager Mark Hughes I believe still could be a huge asset to the future of Fulham. I just think he needs more time to prove himself.

This summer I have followed Roy Hodgson’s journey to Liverpool. Hodgson’s move to Anfield has taught me some valuable lessons. First, every individual should do what is best for themselves and what is in their heart. Second, a manager has the right to change his mind. Roy Hodgson introduced me to the reality of being a manager in the Premier league.

Shortly after Fulham lost in the Final of the Europa League, the talk began regarding Hodgson possibly leaving Fulham for Liverpool. Hodgson took Fulham from the brink of relegation just a few years ago to the Final of the Europa League. When Liverpool came knocking on his door he had a decision to make. Should he stay at Fulham or go to Liverpool?

Fulham would be a comfortable situation for Hodgson if he stayed. He had a team that was pretty much the same club that went to Europe last season. If he went to Liverpool, it would be a new challenge, and a chance to rebuild a giant club in football.

In the end his move to Liverpool was the right decision for himself. Fulham fans can be disappointed, but would you want someone as your manager who wants to be someplace else? Hodgson followed his heart to Anfield. He wanted to be the manager of Liverpool.

Hodgson also taught me the lesson that a manager has a right to change his mind. At Hodgson’s press conference in being introduced as Liverpool manager, he was asked if he would be pursuing Fulham players to bring to Anfield. Hodgson stated he would not raid his former club. Hodgson was sincere and I bought this statement.

The harsh reality of football is that a manager has to do what is best for his club. Liverpool are in the process of signing Fulham left back Paul Konchesky who is reportedly at Anfield for a medical. If Konchesky does become a Liverpool player than Hodgson would have taken away a player from his former club. He would be raiding Fulham.

What I have learned is that a person has the right to change his mind. Hodgson is doing what he thinks is best for his club. It is up to Fulham to either reject the advances, or get the best deal for Konchesky. If a deal is made, and it is fair then both clubs can benefit.

Roy Hodgson has taught me some valuable lessons this summer. I think Hodgson made the right decision for himself in leaving Fulham. I also learned that a manager has the right to change their mind when they are trying to better their club. As a Fulham fan it is tough to deal with, but it is the reality of the football world we live in.

The New England Revolution are struggling right now in Major League Soccer. They are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference with 7 points. This seems like a strange time to be confident, but Revs fans should be encouraged by the youth movement with the club. There are three rookie players who are starting to make an impact with the Revolution. They are Seth Sinovic, Zack Schilawski, and Zak Boggs. I will give you some background on these 3 young guns below.

Seth Sinovic is a left back who played college soccer at Creighton. He was drafted in the second round of the MLS Super Draft this year. He has already been a starter for the Revs this season. He is a left back that so far has been very solid on defense. What I have also noticed is his ability to push forward and help out in the attack for the Revolution. At 23 years old he is still a very young player. It is very encouraging to see him getting so much experience so early in his career.

Zack Schilawski is a forward that played his college soccer at Wake Forest. He actually was on the national championship team in 2007. He was drafted 9th in this year’s MLS Super Draft. He is a forward for the Revs. So far, Zack has scored 4 goals for the Revolution. He even scored a hat trick against Toronto FC. What was great about this performance is the variety of the goals scored. He was able to score a goal off of an assist from a fellow Revolution player. He was also able to score a goal with a rocket shot that got by the goalkeeper. He has already show the ability to finish and strike to score. To be a great scorer those qualities are probably very important. He has only played in 8 games for the Revs.

Zak Boggs had a different journey to the Revolution. He played college soccer at three different schools. Most recently he played at the University of South Florida. He was also drafted in the second round of the MLS Super Draft this year. He is a forward for the Revolution. In his first start for the Revolution he scored 2 goals against the Columbus Crew. You will notice Zak if you watch the Revolution. He has been very active up front in a short period of time.

In concluding, the Revolution are not winning many matches lately. There could be few factors involved in the lack of wins. Shalrie Joseph has taken a leave of absence from the club. He is a huge force in the midfield for the Revolution. I think the Revs are still adjusting to life without him. The Revs have also introduced many new players to the club. It will take time for the Revs to get their continuity working on all cylinders. The positive for Revs fans is the youth are getting the experience they need now. It is a long season. In my opinion, the future looks bright for the club. I think the “Youth movement could really help the Revs contend by the second half of the season.”

Russ Goldman is a Fulham blogger who posts regularly on his website www.cottagersconfidential.com. His website is a part of sbnation. This is a network of 250 sports blogs. There are several soccer related sites and many more to be added soon.

Fulham are on the brink of history. On Wednesday, they will be playing in the Europa League Final against Atletico Madrid. Win or lose this match, Fulham will leave some sort of historical mark. The question is which historical direction will Fulham go?

If they win this Final, I would compare this season to the 2001 New England Patriots. No one in the beginning of that season picked the Pats to win the Super Bowl. I don’t even know if any experts had them making the playoffs. This team was not made up of superstars. It was more about the “team” than the individual players. The quarterback was a 6th round pick in his second year. His name was Tom Brady. What the Pats had was a belief that they could win. They also had an incredible head coach named Bill Belichick. Each week Belichick put the Pats in a position to win. They were underdogs I believe in every playoff game. They beat 3 teams who were all favored to beat them to winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy. All 3 of these wins were victories that went down to the wire. Each time the Pats figured out a way to win. In concluding, this was an unexpected Super Bowl winner.

For Fulham, they are not made up of superstars. They are made up of players that play a very disciplined style of football. The club is extremely well drilled. They do not beat themselves. Their manager Roy Hodgson like Belichick puts his club in positions to win each week. During the Europa League, Fulham had tremendous victories over Shakhtar Donetsk, Juventus, Wolfsburg, and Hamburg. They were not favored in any of these match-ups. Somehow they found a way to win. They would also win in dramatic fashion. The second legs against Juventus and Hamburg were dramatic endings. Fulham would be an unexpected Europa League Champion.

I see many similarities between the 2001 New England Patriots and this current Fulham Football Club. If they lose this comparison would make no sense. To be compared to a champion you need to be one.

If Fulham lose the Final they could be compared to the Middlesbrough Football Club of the 2005/2006 season. That particular club got to the UEFA Cup Finals against Sevilla. They lost this match 4-0. Shortly after the match Steve McClaren left Middlesbrough to become England Manager. Three years later, Middlesbrough were relegated to the Championship.

For Fulham, losing this match isn’t devastating, but they will be compared to a club that lost their manager to England and then 3 years later was out of the English Premier League. Ironically, Roy Hodgson has been mentioned as a potential England manager someday. For Fulham Fans let’s hope he stays with the Cottagers for a long time.

I have heard and read many comments regarding the lack of importance of the Europa League. For a club like Fulham, the Europa League has provided them with European Football. I personally think this tournament is viable and has offered great competition. Look who Fulham have beaten to get to the Final.

They first beat Shakhtar Donetsk. In my opinion they are the most talented club to play in this tournament this year. They won the UEFA Cup last year. Fulham beat them 2-1 at Craven Cottage. They then tied them away 1-1.

Fulham then beat Juventus. The Italian giants are a legendary club. They might be having a down year, but beating them is a great accomplishment. Juventus won their home leg 3-1. Fulham then beat Juventus 4-1 at Craven Cottage to move on to the Quarterfinals.

Fulham then beat Wolfsburg. This club happens to be the defending German Champions. In the first leg, Fulham beat Wolfsburg 2-1 at Craven Cottage. In the second leg Fulham won 1-0 in Germany. They would then move on to the Semifinals.

Fulham then beat Hamburg. This club is very talented with great players up front. They have players like Ruud van Nistelrooy and Mladen Petric. In the first leg, the score was a 0-0 draw. In the second leg at Craven Cottage, Fulham came from behind to win 2 – 1. They scored two goals in the second half to move on to the Finals.

I accept that some fans just don’t think this Final is that important. I wouldn’t tell that to the Fulham Fans and the players. I think they were pretty excited. If you don’t believe me please check out this video from Fulham.theoffside.com entitled “Post match Festivities at the Cottage.”

No matter what happens on Wednesday, Fulham’s accomplishment has been remarkable. The only question left is their legacy in the Final. Will Fulham become the 2001 New England Patriots or the 2005-06 Middlesbrough Football Club?

Russ Goldman is a Fulham blogger who posts regularly on his website www.cottagersconfidential.com. His website is a part of sbnation. This is a network of 250 sports blogs. There are several soccer related sites and many more to be added soon.

Editor’s note: View an online magazine celebrating the final in Hamburg between Fulham and Atletico Madrid.

It was Saturday morning and I needed to run a few errands with my 2 year old son. I thought I would take him to Patriot Place to walk around and get some exercise. Patriot Place is adjacent to Gillette Stadium where the New England Revolution play. The Revs would be playing FC Dallas later that night.

My son during his walk made it clear he wanted to go to Dunkin Donuts. As we walked in I noticed many people wearing FC Dallas gear. I had to ask the gentleman behind me in line if he was a player for FC Dallas. He told me he did play for the club. He mentioned they were playing the Revolution last night.

This player couldn’t have been more approachable. We talked for a few minutes about the upcoming game. We talked about the fact that Shalrie Joseph was out for the Revolution. He thought Joseph being out would help his club last night . He also mentioned that he was a former player for the Revolution. He also stated he played in midfield.

This gentleman was just pleasant to me and my son. He said that he had three of his own. He was telling this to a perfect stranger. It was only about 5 minutes long, but it left a very positive impression on me.

As I left Dunkin Donuts, I wished the player good luck tonight and shook his hand. He then told me he was Daniel Hernandez.

I am not going to lie and tell you I knew this player. I am a Fulham blogger and mostly follow the EPL. I do watch Revolution matches, but was not familiar with him.

Eight hours later I turned on the Revolution vs. FC Dallas match on television. The announcers were talking about this former Revolution player to watch out for in the midfield. They were talking about Daniel Hernandez. The announcers mentioned he was wearing the captain’s band.

FC Dallas and the Revolution played a 1 – 1 tie. I won’t remember this game in a week. I will remember meeting the FC Dallas captain.

What was great about this short meeting was how this player and his teammates held themselves in public. They came off as “regular guys” who just happen to be professional athletes. I wish more players had the class of Daniel Hernandez and the rest of the FC Dallas Squad.

Russ Goldman is a Fulham blogger who posts regularly on his website www.cottagersconfidential.com. His website is a part of sbnation. This is a network of 250 sports blogs. There are several soccer related sites and many more to be added soon.

Below are the 5 Reasons why I think Fulham can conquer America republished here:

1. Americans love a great manager of a club. In American football, baseball, basketball and hockey the manager or coach is under the microscope of the fans of their teams. For example I will use Bill Belichick the Head Coach of the New England Patriots. In my opinion he might be the greatest coach in NFL history. He is constantly under scrutiny and is a polarizing figure. Belichick though is a 3 time Super Bowl champion ,who whether “you like him or hate him” has the respect of the media and the fans as a great head coach. As a fan I know the Patriots are always going to be well prepared and be put in the best situation to win. Roy Hodgson has put his club in the best position to win every week. As a fan their is not more than you can ask from your manager. I think Americans would be intrigued by Hodgson’s history with the team and how he dug them out of possibly being relegated in 2007 – 2008 season. They will also appreciate how he started to rebuild Fulham on defense. Americans love a team that plays strong defense in any sport I would argue. It is a major key to victory. What also makes Hodgson appealing is his personality. In interviews and during games the man seems under control and confident. Roy would be a huge hit in America.
2. Fielding a strong international squad. As stated in the EPLtalk.com article America is a melting pot of many nations. What is great about Fulham is that the team like the EPL in general have an international makeup to its squad. The strikers are Bobby Zamora fom England and David Elm from Sweden. In the midfield you have Damien Duff from Ireland, Danny Murphy from England, Clint Dempsey from the United States, and Dickson Etuhu from Nigeria. In the back on defense you have Chris Baird from Northern Ireland, John Pantsil from Ghana, Brede Hangeland from Norway, and Aaron Hughes from Northern Ireland. Finally you have Mark Schwarzer in goal from Australia. Americans tend to be attracted to players they can relate to. The makeup of this team has someone for every fan.
3. Americans love to get behind the underdog. I think Americans like to get behind a team that doesn’t have all the money in the world to spend on players. I think Americans are attracted to teams that have a strong work ethic and have to try harder to work with what they have. A team like Fulham reminds me of the 2001 New England Patriots. They did not have the most talent, but they played together as a team. Another team I would compare them to is the Minnesota Twins in baseball. This team does not have a huge payroll, but year after year they field a team that contends for their division. I think Fulham can be a team that contends for a Europa League spot consistently each year. They are not going to be a Champions League Team. I know if Americans watched Fulham beat Manchester United earlier this year they would be hooked on this team. The underdog beat one of the best teams in the world. Americans definitely would be behind a team like Fulham.
4. An American Player on the team and a past that has had several Americans on the squad. This goes back to the melting pot theory. Americans can relate to a team that has one of their own on it. Clint Dempsey is a very good player for Fulham. He is I would say a star on the U.S. World Cup Team. As we go into the summer many Americans will be watching the World Cup. Since Clint Dempsey plays for Fulham it will give fans a chance to see a prominent Fulham player. This could very well attract new fans to the club.
5. Fulham selected Fenway Sports Group as exclusive North American Agency. The Fenway Sports Group I have written a few months back about. This sports marketing agency could be a huge help with the growth of Fulham. Their main responsibility is finding corporate sponsorships including on the jersey for the 2010 – 2011 season. This organization is closely affiliated with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have to be considered one of the best marketers of there brand in American Sports. This marketing has helped the Red Sox funnel money to pay for players. There is no question that marketing has had a huge positive effect on the Boston Red Sox. The result is they have won 2 World Series titles in the last 6 years. I think this firm could potentially help market Fulham better and build its brand. This could help the team have more money to spend on players.

I think these are 5 very good reasons why Fulham could become a favorite in the United States. I do think at some point they need to plan a summer preseason trip to America again. Seeing the team in person would definitely help build fan interest as well. They did come several years ago for a summer trip.

Maybe you don’t think it is important for a team to breakthrough in America? I certainly can see that. If you are a fan of Fulham you want to see them compete every year in the EPL. The more fans of the team can mean more money which can be used to upgrade the team. I am of the mindset the more fans the better wherever they come from.

In the United States, it didn’t used to be easy to see your favorite English Premier League team each week. Your team might not be shown on broadcast television each week. You might not be able to find your team online either. These challenges however I believe have made me a more dedicated fan of Fulham. Over the past few years I have had to work hard to follow Fulham.

My journey began with the NFL Network and Comcast. I am a diehard fan of the New England Patriots. Several years back Comcast made subscribers purchase the sports and entertainment package to get the NFL Network. That package also included Fox Soccer Channel. I had been a casual fan of the EPL, but nowhere near the fan I am today. I have Comcast to thank for my push into the EPL. The team I grew to follow was Fulham.

My journey of watching Fulham faithfully started in the 2007 season. Fulham were going through a relegation battle. I was completely involved in the week-to-week situation with Fulham. The problem I was having is I could not watch Fulham each week. They were not on FSC each week. At that point I went online and was frustrated by the options.

Websites like ESPNSoccernet.com and Fulhamfc.com became very valuable to me. I started by following gamecasts on my computer. These were updates every couple of minutes of the game action. I kept thinking to myself this is what baseball fans must have felt listening to games on the radio before television. These gamecasts were good, but I still could not watch every game each week.

The next step was listening to the games online through the Fulhamfc.com website. To be honest, listening to the games with the Fulham announcer were very good. It helped me appreciate the experience of being a fan. All of these frustrations just made me want to get into Fulham even more.

Last season I either listened to or followed updates of the Fulham games that were not on Fox Soccer Channel. I was hoping that soon there would be options to watch all of the Fulham games.

This season began with the improvement of options of watching Fulham each week. First, ESPN2 announced they would be covering a game or two each week of the EPL. This was great news and the coverage has been great. I have watched more than a few Fulham games on ESPN2 this season. Fox Soccer Channel also was putting more Fulham matches on their channel.

However, as we progressed into the middle of the 2009/2010 season I still could not watch Fulham each week. That was about to change with the announcement earlier this year that Fox Soccer Channel would be having a sister station called Fox Soccer Plus. This new channel would be showing more EPL games that they took over from Setanta. I thought this was great news. I would finally be able to see the games each week.

Unfortunately for me I have never seen Fox Soccer Plus. When it launched March 1st, my cable provider had not picked up the channel. It still has not picked up the channel. I have emailed and called Comcast several times. Each time they have thanked me for letting them know about my interest. No representative has been able to tell me if or when they will be adding Fox Soccer Plus. Would my journey of watching Fulham each week be delayed again? The answer to this is absolutely not!

Since Fox Soccer Channel and its sister station were taking over the majority of the EPL games they got from Setanta, another site would be changing. Now, many of these matches were going to be on a revamped version of their online channel, FoxSoccer.tv.

Now I have read all of the problems many people have had on Foxsoccer.tv since its re-launch. All I can talk about is my own personal experience. The very first game that was scheduled after March 1st on Foxsoccer.tv with Fulham for some reason never aired. The day of the game it magically disappeared from its schedule. I was disappointed by this, but I was going to check the following week.

That following week I decided to buy a “day pass”. The first five minutes of the Fulham match had no audio. Eventually after the five minutes the audio and video were together. The rest of the match I had no issues with the service. The next week I again bought a “day pass” and had no problems with the service. After the second match I watched I bought a monthly pass. I have watched several games now from Fulham and other teams. For me, Foxsoccer.tv has provided the games I want to watch with very good streams.

Again I know people have had problems with FoxSoccer.tv. As time goes by and they improve their service hopefully these issues that others are having will be less and less. In my opinion, all fans of the EPL should be able to watch every game of their favorite team in America.

Since Fulham are playing in the Europa League how would I watch these matches? Many Europa League matches have been shown on GolTV. The coverage of these matches have been great. I would recommend GolTV for any fan of football.

However, there have been several Europa League games that were not shown on GolTV. I was alerted to a website on a Fulham fans messageboard that would be showing the Europa League matches. This site was UEFA.com. Let me tell you the streams on this site are excellent. For fans having issues with Foxsoccer.tv watching Champions League matches, you should check out UEFA.com. They have a pricing option for watching each game and a price for replays.

I have come a long way since looking at gamecasts each week on the internet. I am now watching Fulham each week on the Internet and broadcast television. I am hopeful that my journey of watching Fulham each week has been fulfilled.

I now need to watch every game because I report on the team as a blogger. My website Cottagers Confidential launched last month. This is a website for fans of Fulham. It is a part of sbnation.com. It is important that I have the most up to date information on Fulham. My readers deserve that type of coverage. Please feel free to check out www.cottagersconfidential.com .

I wanted to write about my personal journey so fans of other teams know they are not alone in there frustrations of watching the EPL every week. In my opinion, the options are growing to watch matches. Let’s hope it gets to the point that every fan of each team can watch their club with no frustrations in the United States.

Russ Goldman is a Fulham blogger who posts regularly on his website www.cottagersconfidential.com . His website is a part of sbnation. This is a network of 250 sports blogs. There are several soccer related sites and many more to be added soon.

Rewind four months and a return to the increasingly bitter feud between Landon Donovan and David Beckham, a talented axis by which much of LA’s attacking play is based, which was threatening to derail the Galaxy’s season. Eleven draws in their opening 13 games suggested all was not well in the camp.

But fuelled by an increased sense of unity, with bitter spats put to one side, the Galaxy have slowly got their act together. Not that this had everything to do with Beckham and Donovan. The Galaxy defence has tightened up considerably from last season, conceding just 31 goals – half of last year’s total  –  and seven clean sheets in their last nine regular season games gave a solid platform for success.

If you are solid at the back, simple logic tells you that it only takes one flash of inspiration at the other end to earn you the victory, hence David Beckham’s pinpoint cross for Donovan in the build-up to the winning penalty conversion against Chivas USA last week.

Credit has to go to Beckham; he still hasn’t been forgiven by many Galaxy fans for his extended loan to AC Milan and his apparent lack of loyalty to the cause. But he has ridden the wave of abuse he initially received upon his return from Italy to concentrate on what he is good at: playing football. And don’t forget his appearance against Houston Dynamo this weekend will be at the expense of his beloved English national team. However, credit also to the rest of the squad for ignoring the Beckham circus that accompanies their star player and focusing on the task in hand.

There is still plenty of work to be done. The Dynamo are seeking their third title in four years and often save their best performances for this time of year. Even if Galaxy fall just short, it seems a safe football bet that if you asked their fans back in the July chaos whether this would have been seen as a successful season, they would have said yes.

Luzhniki Stadium

If European footballers were to be asked about the away venue they would least like to play at, Russia would probably top the list. ‘A tough place to go’ is about the size of the cliché, with both clubs and national teams wary of the distance, temperatures and the teams that thrive on home soil.

Germany therefore have a tough assignment in their crucial World Cup qualifier in Moscow on Saturday. Luckily for them a draw, usually considered the extent of travelling teams’ aspirations, would represent a good result, providing of course, that they beat Finland in the final match of their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Is this reputation of Russian infallibility at home deserved? It has partly been acquired in unison with a reputation for being poor travellers themselves, as the factors go hand-in-hand. The long trips away, often in close season, do not suit Russian teams. Nonetheless, the national team’s home record is an impressive one.

Russia have won 19 of their 26 home major qualification matches since the turn of the century, drawing seven times and losing none. They have scored 61 goals in that time, conceding just 12. They have failed to score on only three occasions.

It should be noted that they have hosted few of Europe’s elite teams in that time – goalless draws against Portugal and Croatia and a 2-1 win against England apart – but it is still a record to fear.

The unfamiliarity of a trip to Russia has been increased by the fact matches are often played on the artificial turf of the Luzhniki Stadium. The Germans know they have a tough task ahead of them and that, like all other teams, a point would be a successful return.

The Magpies have hit the headlines in England due to their proposed takeover by rich Middle Eastern businessmen and the installation of Sven-Goran Eriksson as Director of football, so the arrival of Akinbiyi is not likely to make waves.

The high-profile arrival (and subsequent instant departure) of Sol Campbell was seen as the ultimate representation of the club’s lofty ambitions, but the purchase of Akinbiyi is a coup in itself and will certainly represent better value for money.

Akinbiyi’s failure at the Robertson Stadium is something of a mystery. More was expected of a player who made just two starts in his time with a club, producing a total of 261 minutes on-pitch.

Akinbiyi’s transfer fees have totalled nearly £16m and was last season a fringe player in a squad that gained promotion to the Premier League. In between his two spells at Burnley he played for Sheffield United in the top flight.

Despite his varied success with English clubs he is known as an expensive mistake in the English media, having failed to make an impression after a big-money move to Leicester City in 2000. Dynamos boss Dominic Kinnear saw enough to pick him up in April, suggesting a regular first team role was on the cards.

Instead the Nigerian international was kept on the bench by Brian Ching and Kei Kamara and was forced to join the Notts County revolution when room was made for designated player Luis Angel Landin.

However, a dangerous alternative scenario exists. Defeat in San Pedro Sula will leave the US sweating over their automatic qualification spot, as Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras could all edge them out on the final round of World Cup qualifying matches on 14th October. A showdown for a top-three place against Costa Rica, who beat the States earlier in the campaign, would be a tense affair.

A play-off berth with the fifth-placed team in the CONMEBOL table is guaranteed, but this two-legged clash in November is best-avoided: Argentina currently sit in fifth place in the South American World Cup 2010 qualification table. Any of the other prospective opponents would provide a stern test for a team that has struggled away from home in qualification so far.

This travel-sickness makes the trip to Honduras a nervous one for fans of the Red, White and Blues. The three trips to Central America have produced just one point, in El Salvador – and that courtesy of two late goals – with seven goals being conceded in the process. A 1-0 win at Trinidad and Tobago is their only win, which doesn’t inspire total confidence ahead of an assignment at a team that has won all four of its home matches, hitting the net 12 times.

It seems strange that a team that has gained 22 points from a possible 24 is not yet guaranteed World Cup qualification. Whilst it is true that England, Netherlands and Spain have perfect qualification records, Germany might feel like they have also done enough already. In fact they face a tense climax to their qualification campaign.

Russia are one point adrift, having won all of their matches aside from their 2-1 reverse in Dortmund last October. Group 4 has therefore been something of a mismatch, which fortunately is not a common theme throughout the groups.

Although the three European qualifiers have booked their tickets to South Africa with time to spare, Groups 1 and 2 have four teams still in with a chance of qualifying, whilst five teams in Groups 3 and 7 are still in the hunt.

This means that for every ‘anti-football’ defensive display provided by Andorra or San Marino there is a competitive fixture between two well-matched teams. It is Germany and Russia’s bad luck that they are a level above the other teams in their group.

Joachim Löw and Guus Hiddink’s outfits face a showdown in Moscow on October 10th, after which both teams have one game left to play. Few teams return with anything more than a point from a trip to the Russian capital and a defeat could prove crucial for Germany, as Russia travel to Azerbaijan four days later to play a team with one point to their name so far.

Germany host Finland on the same day, the team who have denied Löw’s men a 100% record thanks to a 3-3 draw in Helsinki last September. Even a point in Moscow will make that final fixture a tenser affair than appeared likely and German fans will be recalling their qualification for the 2002 World Cup with some trepidation.

Then they needed a victory against the Finns to beat England to the automatic qualification spot, but were held to a goalless draw in Gelsenkirchen. A comfortable play-off win against Ukraine secured a finals appearance which stretched to the final, but Germany cannot look so far ahead yet, as with the seedings system still to be confirmed, France and Portugal remain possible opponents with similar World Cup betting odds.

Jozy Altidore is Hull City’s big summer signing. The US international might only be on a season-long loan deal, but the fact the Tigers have the option of signing him permanently at the end of the campaign for £6.5m reveals the size of role that Hull boss Phil Brown envisages for the former Red Bulls hitman.

Brown was interested in Michael Owen and Bobby Zamora, Premier League regulars who led their line for their respective clubs last season. Once Owen moved to Manchester United and Zamora decided to stay at Fulham, Brown moved for Altidore, who no doubt caught his eye in the recent Confederations Cup.

It is a safe bet Altidore will be used as a lone front man. Brown likes to use playmaker Geovanni behind a strong centre forward – last season usually Daniel Cousin or the on-loan Marlon King – and the American’s pace and power makes him the ideal foil for the guile of the Brazilian.

So what can Altidore expect from his time at the KC Stadium? Probably a relegation battle. Hull won only two of their last 29 League games and survived with 35 points and goal difference of -25. They will surely not replicate last year’s flying start and a long struggle against ‘second season syndrome’ beckons.

Altidore has been joined by muscular midfielder Seyi Olofinjana and promising defender Steven Mouyokolo, but the lack of spending concerns fans who see the loss of defensive rock Sam Ricketts as big one.

Altidore might well struggle for service in the coming campaign, which might not be a bad thing for a player who has found goalscoring easy for most of his career. His all-round game will undoubtedly develop and if Hull do stay up, it might well be due to the goals of their new striker.

Michael Ballack is the most high-profile German in England and it will be interesting to see how the national captain performs under Carlo Ancelotti, who wanted to sign Ballack for AC Milan in 2006.

It is fair to say that Ballack has not delivered his best for Chelsea, largely due to injury, but the recent signing of a contract extension suggests he has unfinished business at Stamford Bridge. A clear bill of health could see him become a central figure in the Blues’ challenge for domestic and European silverware.

The only other German in line for Premier League football this season – Robert Huth was relegated with Middlesbrough – is Savio Nsereko. The West Ham United youngster is at the other end of a national career from Ballack but there are high hopes that Nsereko, 20 later this month, will have a similar impact for Die Mannschaft.

Uganda, the country of his birth, still hope he will become a full international for them, but Nsereko’s progress at youth level for Germany suggests he will continue his progression for the country that started him on his club career.
West Ham paid Brescia £5m, possibly rising to £10m, for the services of Nsereko. This large sum reveals a great deal of faith on the part of the Hammers, especially as the club were destabilised by financial concerns at the time of the big-money transfer earlier this year.

Gianfranco Zola has warned the English press not to build up his starlet too much, but expectations are high for a player at a club known for giving youth its chance. Nsereko will predominantly be used on the left wing, although a role as striker cannot be ruled out. He’ll certainly be hoping to help West Ham upset the Premiership odds this season!

Dempsey is the American most likely to make an impact in the forthcoming Premier League season, certainly of the outfield protagonists. It remains to be seen whether Eddie Johnson has a future at Craven Cottage, whilst Jonathan Spector is yet to make a proper breakthrough at West Ham United.

The US goalkeepers’ union is back up to four thanks to Marcus Hahnemann’s move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, although he will struggle to dislodge Wayne Hennessy. The battle for the goalkeeper’s spot at Aston Villa between Brads Friedel and Guzan should be won for another year at least by the older man. Tim Howard will be as reliable as ever at Everton.

Dempsey was allegedly the subject of a recent £4m bid from Everton, but Roy Hodgson’s apparent rejection of such a sizeable bid from a top-five club reveals how highly he rates a player who has scored the most Premier League goals for the club.

He was a regular starter last season and will again be a central figure in the Cottagers’ plans for the forthcoming campaign. The manager is yet to strengthen his team’s forward line and clearly expects Dempsey to again pose a goal threat to go alongside the all-action defensive duties that he performs across the midfield.

Dempsey is likely to miss the season opener at Portsmouth on 15th August thanks to his national team’s crucial World Cup qualifier in Mexico earlier that week, but he is sure to reclaim his starting place later in the month.

There is speculation that Dempsey will be joined at Craven Cottage by Jozy Altidore, another player who excelled at the Confederations Cup.

This is perhaps down to the club’s history of signing American players, the same reason why Everton, another favourite destination of US stars, were rumoured to be interested when he left Villarreal in January for a loan spell at Xerez. All eyes will in the meantime be on Dempsey.

Snobbery in football has traditionally been the preserve of the English and this characteristic has never been more apparent than when US football is under consideration.

This reached its peak when David Beckham joined Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007. The former England captain was deemed to be throwing his international career away, leaving the bright lights of the European football scene behind for a footballing ‘backwater’. That was the most generous English press assessment of his high-profile move.

Beckham’s most notable English predecessors in MLS – top flight journeymen nearing the end of their career – had established the view that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was taking a serious step down in his career.

The by-product of Beckham’s move was that MLS suddenly got more exposure in UK – major channels made documentaries on a league that many fans expected to be little more than a circus thanks to their knowledge of a predecessor, the NASL. Live matches and highlights became more accessible, albeit late at night.

This has enabled British football supporters to see the reality of MLS, although attitudes have been changed most by the national team – a regular, if slightly unadventurous presence at World Cups – and individuals who ply their trade in England and Scotland.

Many of the leading names of the national team in recent years – Claudio Reyna, DaMarcus Beasley, Clint Dempsey and Brian McBride – have had successful top flight British careers, whilst others have excelled in Europe, particularly in the Bundesliga. Many of the American goalkeepers to grace the Premier League would challenge for a place in the England national team.

The Red, White and Blues’ run in the Confederations Cup suggests they can be more than just bit part players in South Africa next year. By then Brits might just be giving US football the respect it deserves.

A fifth place finish in 2007/08 under the stewardship of Felix Magath promised much, but moving from European qualification to champions in one year is a big step for a club that had never before lifted the national title.

The size of this accomplishment can be put into context by looking at the recent winners in England, Spain and Germany. Only four clubs have won the Premier League title since its inception in 1992. There have been five Serie A and La Liga winners in the same period.

Of the ‘one-off’ winners in those countries, Blackburn Rovers, Lazio, Roma, Atlético Madrid and Deportivo de la Coruña, only Blackburn were real surprise packages.

Rovers are often remembered for ‘buying’ the title in 1994/95, assembling a squad of big money signings thanks to a wealthy benefactor, with the team breaking up soon afterwards. It is often forgotten that although they did suffer relegation in 1999, they were runners-up the year before they lifted the title.

An English club winning the Premier League title for the first time, a few years after enjoying promotion, is impossible to imagine – any club other than United, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal finishing in the top four would be considered a major surprise.

To say that there is a more significant role of money in English football compared to Germany is flippant. Bayern Munich are not short of cash and have been as hard to topple as United. The vast millions now available to Manchester City will not transform them into title-challengers.
Before Wolfsburg there had been, as in Italy and Spain, five German champions since 1992. This proves it is not a weak league that is easy to prosper in, although newly promoted Hoffenheim’s stunning start perhaps suggests otherwise.

Whether the Wolves become one-off champions or serial contenders remains to be seen, so don’t be too quick using your next football bet to back them in the long-term, but their achievement should be recognised as the historical one that it is.

England’s 6-3 defeat by Hungary three years later was more significant in the development of football. It was the watershed moment when a non-UK team won at Wembley for the first time to prove the inventors of the game didn’t have a divine right to excel at it, the warning, still dangerously ignored, that superior overseas technique is to be learned from, not scoffed at.

The fact that England’s superiority complex was not pricked until the ‘Magical Magyars’ taught them a lesson says everything about the way the American humbling – the ‘miracle on grass’ – was viewed.

It was excused as a one-off, a freak occurrence that did not deserve investigation. Whilst unexpected outcomes are a treasured part of sport, the failure to recognise its significance set the tone for England’s displays at virtually all subsequent overseas World Cups: the Three Lions arrive with an inflated opinion of their own ability and invariably depart early without learning from the reasons for their early exit.

However, concentrating on England’s role in this match diminishes the Americans’ achievement. Beating a team containing Billy Wright, Tom Finney and Stan Mortensen was a remarkable feat for a team that had scored two goals and conceded 45 in their previous seven international fixtures.

The match became the blueprint for football upsets. The US goalkeeper, Frank Borghi, played the game of his life, keeping his team in the match with a string of fine saves. The favourites miss a host of good chances, hitting woodwork but not net, and a breakaway goal is stoically defended in the closing stages.

The match was barely reported in either nation, which is reflective of how Word Cups were treated by them in that era. America did not qualify for another tournament until 1990, whilst England didn’t think it worthy of their presence until that 1950.

The humiliation inflicted on them by Joe Gaetjens’ goal only reinforced that arrogant viewpoint. 1966 changed all that, but England are still waiting for the international tournament that proves they are one of the football world’s big players.

This is compared to only four English football grounds, including Wembley, to have a capacity above 50,000. There is clearly a lot of work for the FA to do if their bid to host a forthcoming World Cup is to be taken seriously.

Germany’s biggest football stadium is Signal Iduna Park, home of Borussia Dortmund. Most football fans know it as Westfalenstadion, but the modern commercial necessity for stadiums to have sponsorship agreements has resulted in a recent name change.

However, the ground has managed to keep a traditional feel by retaining a standing area for league matches (international fixtures are fully seated). This results in a sizeable capacity of 80,552 for Borussia home matches, with an obvious by-product being an excellent atmosphere.

The Südtribüne terrace that holds nearly 25,000 standing home supporters is the largest standing area in European football and is held up as the example of how standing on a large scale can be viable in top level club football. The ground hosted the 2006 World Cup semi final between Germany and Italy, which the hosts lost 2-0 after extra time.

Germany had better luck in the nation’s second largest football stadium in 2006, winning a quarter final penalty shootout against Argentina at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. Hertha Berlin’s home ground has a capacity just under 75,000.

Famous for hosting the 1936 summer Olympics, the 2006 World Cup final and the German cup final, the Olympic stadium, with it’s uniform bowl shape and traditional running track, is one of the most Europe’s most recognisable stadiums. With Hertha closely involved in this season’s title race, the stadium could soon have the Bundesliga trophy in its cabinet for the first time.

Munich’s Allianz Arena (capacity 69,901) is one of the world’s best modern stadiums. Distinguishable by its lattice shell exterior, the arena is seen as an architectural masterpiece, although it was shrouded in controversy before its opening in 2005 when leading figures were charged with corruption concerning construction contracts.

Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich share the ground (as they did at Munich’s Olympiastadion, now the fourth largest German stadium used for football).

The last Bundesliga stadium with a capacity above 60,000 is FC Schalke 04’s Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen. Like Westfalenstadion it accommodates standing supporters for league matches, but the most notable fixtures (the 2004 Champions League final and five 2006 World Cup fixtures) to have taken place at the ground have been in front of the smaller all-seater capacity of 54,000.

The Veltins-Arena is notable for its retractable roof and sliding pitch, which makes it a useful venue for other events such as ice hockey, speedway and rock concerts.

Juergen Sommer became the first American stopper to play in the Premier League when he signed for Queens Park Rangers in 1995 after serving a lengthy apprenticeship in the lower leagues. Plenty have followed and it seems the number one shirt has been the most hotly-contested in the national team’s recent history.

The proportion of goalkeepers in the list of American Premier League players is startling – Ian Feuer, Brad Friedel, Guzan, Marcus Hahnemann, Tim Howard and Kasey Keller have all featured in the Premier League – and most have made a decent impact.

Friedel’s career in England was held up by work permit problems and when he did finally sign for a Premier League club, Liverpool, in December 1997, he struggled to settle. His tough spell at Anfield ended with a move to Blackburn Rovers in November 2000 and Friedel has gone on to become a Premier League legend.

Only three non-British or Irish players have made more appearances in the Premier League and Friedel’s 182 consecutive appearances was a record. His longevity is a testament to his consistency, as was his move to Aston Villa at the age of 37.

Friedel’s long-term replacement for both club and country could be Guzan, a similarly imposing figure with a flair for shot-stopping. If he succeeds to the extent Friedel, Keller and Howard have, he will be able to reflect on an excellent career.

Of course goalkeepers have not been the only notable US imports. Reliable right back John Harkes was a Premier League regular throughout the 1990s, whilst Carlos Bocanegra became the rock which Fulham’s defence of recent years was built around. Claudio Reyna was one of the most consistent holding midfielders during his years at Sunderland and Manchester City.

Attacking players have not fared quite as well. Most notably all-time leading cap-holder Cobi Jones failed to settle at Coventry City after arriving in the wake of the 1994 World Cup; indeed, successful American goalscorers in the Premier League can be counted on one hand.

Joe-Max Moore had his moments at Everton, but the most successful outfield import has undoubtedly been Brian McBride. A tough, uncompromising target man with an excellent eye for goal, McBride became a Fulham legend after a brief spell at Everton (some clubs clearly have a predilection for recruiting from MLS).

Clint Dempsey continues to wave the US flag at Craven Cottage and it seems a good football bet that the adaptable forward man will be remembered in similarly high esteem to McBride.