This article appeared in the Otago Daily Times on Friday, August 12.
Football season. Again. England's streets have been trashed by rioters this week but hopefully the beautiful game can now take centre stage. Sports editor Hayden Meikle looks into his Premier League crystal ball.
Who will win:
Odds are it will be a team from Manchester. Sadly. City has splashed the cash for two seasons now and won the FA Cup last season. United romped to a record 19th title last season, has rebuilt in key areas, still has Sir Alex Ferguson pulling the strings and will start as the favourite.
The next Fergie:
Luis Andre de Pina Cabral e Villas-Boas. Usually known as Andre Villas-Boas, the new Chelsea gaffer is just 33 years old. Comes from Porto, where he became the youngest manager to win a European title. Has zero experience as a top player. A genius? Or doomed to fail?
King Kenny:
Guide me, o thou great redeemer. To Liverpool fans, Kenny Dalglish can do no wrong.
He's spent his share of dough, mainly on midfielders for some reason, but you can't put a price on his mana.
Worried Wenger:
Arsenal fans are a strange bunch.
They worship the ground Arsene Wenger walks on, scoff at any other club that dares to spend more than $2 million on a player and don't seem to care that they haven't won a trophy in six years.
'Appy 'Arry:
Oh, and then there's Spurs fans.
They know they won't win the title. They know their best players hunger for a transfer to Chelsea or Man United. But they hope and they dream and they love Harry Redknapp. Bless 'em.
Welcome back:
Norwich City (six years) and QPR (15 years) return to the Premier League after long absences.
Interestingly, both were foundation members in 1992-93.
Nice effort, boyos:Swansea City, in its centenary season, is about to become the first Welsh club to play in the Premier League.
The big transfers:
Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid to Manchester City, 38 million [$NZ75 million]), Stewart Downing (Aston Villa to Liverpool, 20 million), David de Gea (Atletico Madrid to Manchester United, 17.8 million), Phil Jones (Blackburn to Manchester United, 17 million), Ashley Young (Aston Villa to Manchester United, 16 million), Jordan Henderson (Sunderland to Liverpool, 16 million).
The big guns:
Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure spearhead Manchester City. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic form the league's best defensive pairing but Manchester United is still all about Wayne Rooney.
Luka Modric (Spurs, possibly to end up at Chelsea) is the silkiest playmaker in the league.
Expect Fernando Torres to bounce back from last season's slump and start banging them in for Chelsea. Luis Suarez is Liverpool's Uruguayan Kenny Dalglish. Arsenal has two fine midfielders in Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri but both could soon be wearing different strips.
The wildcard:
Joey Barton has been in and out of prison - for punching a man 20 times - and has made a habit of slagging off and assaulting team-mates. His latest controversy has been caused by comments made on Twitter. But he's a fair player, and it seems Newcastle is going to hold on to him.
The nutter:
Mario Balotelli is an Italian striker for Manchester City, and a certified oddball. Earlier this year, it was revealed his car had been impounded 27 times. Once he was stopped by police and had 25,000 in cash sitting on the front seat. In the pre-season, he was one-on-one with an opposing goalkeeper and tried (unsuccessfully) to do an outlandish spin-and-shoot move.
A manager's nightmare.
The Kiwis:
All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen is still playing in the heart of the Blackburn Rovers defence. New Zealand under-17 star Tim Payne is trialling with Blackburn.
Winston Reid is still at West Ham, but the Hammers were relegated last season.
The young brigade:
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (from Southampton) and Jack Wilshere will look pretty and win nothing at Arsenal. Phil Jones (from Blackburn) and Tom Cleverley are part of the new era at Manchester United. Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge will flourish. Jordan Henderson (hopefully) is Liverpool's new Stevie G.
New gaffers:
Alex McLeish still has plenty of doubters after leaving Birmingham to become the manager of nearby rival Aston Villa. Martin Jol turns up at Fulham, eager to restore his reputation after failing at Tottenham years ago.
Financial fair play:
No-one seems to know much and no-one seems to care much about this. Apparently Uefa is trying to bring in some new rule to make sure the clubs adhere to basic financial common sense.
Yeah, right.
The verdict:
Do not - repeat, DO NOT - assume this is any more than a wild guess: Manchester United 1, Manchester City 2, Chelsea 3, Liverpool 4, Tottenham 5, Arsenal 6, Everton 7, Aston Villa 8, Sunderland 9, Stoke 10, Bolton 11, West Brom 12, Newcastle 13, Fulham 14, Wolves 15, Blackburn 16, QPR 17, Wigan 18, Swansea 19, Norwich 20.
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