After the match at the Hawthorns this evening there will be just the one game left for each side in the Coca-Cola Football League Championship and with the automatic and play-off places still very much up for grabs, it looks like it will go right down to the wire. But who will secure their place in the top flight of English football for next season, and how will they fare against some of the best players and teams in the world?

It is a typical assumption that the sides
promoted from the old 'Division One' will be high contenders for relegation the following season. Pundits will forever be proved wrong, but looking at the current top eight in the Championship I cannot see much hope for the optimistic contenders wishing to be part of the 2008/09 Premiership campaign.

West Brom look set to secure promotion with a win in tonight's clash with Southamption and the betting odds are firmly stacked in their favour. Tony Pulis' Stoke are the favourites in the race with Hull to acquire the remaining automatic spot with their final match at home to struggling Leicester, while the next six teams will be left to fight it out in the nerve-racking play-offs. Hull and Bristol City have both secured places and will be favourites to succeed in the mini-competition, while the final two places will be fought out between Watford, Crystal Palace and Wolves - though Ipswich and Sheffield United do have an outside chance.

And while chasing and securing promotion is very exciting, not to mention the massive increase in finance from TV rights, I think it will all be doom and gloom for these sides next season. The winner of the play-offs will no doubt be favourites to finish in the bottom three next season, and I should imagine the other promoted side besides West Brom (probably Stoke) will be a close second. Tony Mowbray's side, I feel, are the most appealing side to prove to be an exception to the rule. However, I still cannot see them mirroring the likes of West Ham and Reading, both of whom looked Premiership quality in their first season back in the top flight (though both indeed found it difficult in their second).

Of course, each manager will have the chance to strengthen his squad during the summer and I'd expect them all to be striving to find that '20-goal-a-season-striker'. That is unless West Brom already think they have that in 34-year-old Kevin Phillips who only scored four goals for Aston Villa last season and, let's face it, isn't really that good anyway. The problem the sides will face, however, is that players may not be particularly excited by the prospect of a relegation scrap all season.

But there is always hope for newly promoted sides, though I think they will have to pin it on their fellow strugglers performing worse than themselves. Under Gary Megson, I cannot see Bolton finding the form they hit under Big Sam and I firmly believe they will be in the thick of things at the bottom next season. The only other sides who my money would be on to struggle next season would be Middlesbrough - though given a couple of signings could quite easily rise to a safe mid-table side - and Fulham, but they look set to drop divisions this season.

You can never quite say what will happen next season and we will have a much better indication after the summer transfer window when the season is underway, but for now I'm sticking to Isaac Newton's hypothesis that "Whatever goes up must come down".

Following a traumatic two years in the life of golfer Darren Clarke what a great boost it would be if he can force his way into Nick Faldo's Ryder Cup squad to face America at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, September 16-21.

 

In August 2006 the Northern Irishman lost his wife Heather to breast cancer at the age of just 39. And following a break from the game he bravely made himself available as a wildcard selection to Europe's Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam for the tournament the following month.

 

 He went on to pick up a creditable three points on the way to a European victory against the Americans at the K Club.

 

However since that emotional event, Clarke admits he lost some love for the game as he failed to light up the European Tour and slipped down the order of Merit standings as a result.

 

Clarke looked a million miles away from being considered for this year's Ryder Cup - which would be his sixth successive appearance - as current captain Faldo will pick the top five players from the world rankings and the top five from the European Tour rankings with two wildcards to make up the 12.

 

However, with players such as Colin Montgomerie probably requiring wildcard selection, Clarke has taken up the challenge with some hard work on the course and was rewarded with victory in the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai, China, to move him up to 14^th in the current European rankings.

 

Clarke's last win on the European Tour was five years ago at the WGC-NEC Invitational and he is hoping this latest title success will put him in the running for this year's Ryder Cup, although he accepts he still has a lot to do.

He said: "If I qualify for the Ryder Cup team that would be fantastic. That is back as a realistic goal now.

"I have given myself a bit of a boost but there is still a long way to qualify for the team.

"There is nothing that helps your confidence like wining, whatever way you do it, and it feels good.

"My focus is to keep playing as good a golf as I can and I do desperately want to be at Valhalla, but we will see."

There is no doubt Clarke has the experience and know-how when it comes to defeating the Americans so you would not bet against him lining up in Europe's colours once again this autumn, possibly as a wildcard pick, but hopefully through his own merits.

That well-known phrase 'luck of the Irish' appears to have manifested itself into a real-life phenomenon on the banks of the River Wear in Sunderland these days.

 

For ever since the Drumaville Consortium, made up of Irish businessmen, took control of affairs at Sunderland FC with Irishman Niall Quinn at the helm and fellow Irishman Roy Keane appointed as manager you could argue there has been an element of luck at the Stadium of Light which the club has not witnessed for years.

 

Before the new regime came in Sunderland had been a typical 'yo-yo' side as they bounced between the Championship and Premier League. Too good for the second tier of English football, but they were woefully short in quality when it came to coping with the top flight and have the worst-ever Premier League points tally of 15 as a millstone around their necks as a result.

 

However since the new consortium from Ireland arrived in summer 2006 things have picked up dramatically. They quickly appointed former Manchester United and Republic of Ireland skipper, Keane, as manager and he wasted no time in guiding the club back to the Premier League as champions at the first time of asking last season.

 

No luck involved there as they comfortably brushed many Championship teams aside on their way to the top, despite losing the first four games of the season before Keane's arrival.

 

However it was always going to be tricky keeping Sunderland in the Premier League, despite Keane being handed around £40million to bolster his squad in preparation, as many in the football betting world tipped them for another quick-return to the Championship.

 

The opening match against a Tottenham side that fancied its chances of breaking into the elite 'top-four' clubs this season summed up Sunderland's season down to an absolute tee.

 

Backed by a vociferous home following and willing to battle and scrap for every ball the Sunderland players ensured the Spurs players - who undeniably had more quality - could not live with the opposition's will not to lose the game. They were rewarded with an injury-time winner from Michael Chopra and that set the tone for the campaign.

 

Keane, his players and fans at the Stadium of Light will rightly argue they have adopted a never-say-die attitude and will battle 'til the bitter end in their quest to get something from a game, but the number of late or last-minute goals they have scored is astonishing.

 

Ten goals have been scored with under eight minutes remaining which have helped the club yield an extra 13 points on their current tally of 39 with two matches remaining. Without them the Black Cats would be on 26 points and virtually doomed to the drop.

 

Personally I have been kicked in the teeth twice this season as I witnessed them pinch three points of my Middlesbrough side with a late equaliser at the Riverside and a last-gasp winner in the Wear-Tees derby at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

 

Keane claims his side have witnessed more bad luck than any other Premier League side this season with regards to things going against his team such as injuries to key players and poor refereeing decisions.

 

Personally I think he just needs to take a look 25 miles down the A19 at Middlesbrough if he wants to see a side where Lady Luck appears to have deserted town as several late goals have cost them eight extra points this season, not to mention injury problems and some horrific decisions from match officials.

 

Credit where it's due, though, Keane has done very well to get Sunderland up and keep them in the Premier League, while even Derby look like taking their worst-ever Premier League side crown too! True they are a determined bunch, but whether they are lucky or I'm just envious I don't know?

 

What I can say is Murphy scored their winner against Boro on Saturday. And I'm not bitter!

With 36 games of this latest Premier League campaign now gone, the big question is not who will win the title....but how Middlesbrough still find themselves in danger of relegation?

 

Boss Gareth Southgate must have bruises all over his forehead by now as I imagine he has probably banged it against the wall on numerous occasions even before a ball was kicked this season.

 

Mark Viduka's defection to Newcastle for a big juicy pay packet was quickly followed by his strike partner Yakubu being offloaded to Everton after doing an impression of a cardboard cut-out on the pitch in the first two games of the season. That was 30 goals from the previous campaign already missing from the line-up.

 

That left Boro relying on summer signings Tuncay Sanli - who had never played in England until August - an unproven Jeremie Aliadiere and a very suspect Dong-Gook Lee. A £6million swoop for Mido from Tottenham helped swell the striker options but he was not even fit following a summer of virtual inactivity.

 

In defence star man Jonathan Woodgate and his trusty partner Emanuel Pogatetz were both missing due to injury and Southgate was relying on youngster David Wheater to keep out the Premier League's marksmen.

 

It was no surprise that Boro struggled for the first half of the season and were set to be embroiled in a battle to beat the drop as the sat in 18^th position following an encouraging 1-1 draw at Reading on December 1.

 

That was the match that showed the signs things could turn around and the birth of Jekyll and Hyde Boro came about!

 

In December with Pogatetz back and Wheater showing England form a brilliant Boro inflicted top-of-the-table Arsenal's first defeat of the season on them with a stunning display in a 2-1 victory at the Riverside, secured a comfortable 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Derby, and won 1-0 at Portsmouth, who have aspirations of European qualification.

 

Sandwiched between those wins there were a Riverside defeat against a mid-table West Ham and a Boxing Day 3-0 battering at fellow strugglers Birmingham.

 

December basically summed up the second-half of the season as Boro turned on the style against the big clubs and either struggled to beat the lesser sides or actually lost to them.

 

Attractive, flowing, passing football was witnessed one week as Boro ground out a home draw against the likes of Liverpool, while relegation candidates Reading turned up and stole the three points against a nervous and toothless-looking outfit.

 

Even home wins against doomed Derby, Fulham and Wigan were far from convincing as Boro clung on to pick up the vital three points, before they went to high-flying Aston Villa and picked up another draw but should have won.

 

Another draw at Arsenal - where Boro again should have won - was secured while Tuncay, Aliadiere and record January signing Afonso Alves were starting to settle in and show what they could do in attack.

 

Moving into April and again four matches that have highlighted everything that is wrong at Boro. A fantastic performance against title favourites Manchester United at the Riverside with two goals from Afonso Alves guiding them to a 2-2 draw was then followed by a creditable 1-1 draw at Tottenham as Boro wrecked a fair few football betting coupons.

 

A home win against Bolton would guarantee Premier League football for another season. But again Boro slipped into their bad old ways and crashed to a frustrating 1-0 defeat.

Another chance for safety came at Sunderland in the Wear-Tees derby and, despite scoring an early goal; Boro capitulated and eventually lost out to a last-gasp effort in a 3-2 defeat.

 

There we have it then just four points clear of danger with two home games - against Portsmouth and Manchester City to come - and six points left to play for when safety should have been assured weeks ago!

 

The big question worried fans are wondering is which side will turn up for those games?

The side Sky Sports pundit Alan McInally described recently as one of the best footballing outfits outside of the top four? Or as fellow pundit Charlie Nicholas described, the 'fakers' who get rolled over by the Premier League lesser lights?

 

Fortunately both Pompey and City are higher up the table so hopefully the players will adopt their 'underdog' heads and turn on the style as they have done on numerous occasions this season.

 

However the frustration for the fans is why does it take better opposition to get Boro's players to do the business on the pitch? Is it complacency against the lesser teams, or are they just lazy and can only get motivated for playing against the big guns?

 

Is Southgate and his coaching staff to blame? Surely a manager should be able to motivate his players for every game and not have to wait for them to be totally written off before they pull their fingers out?

 

Whatever the answer to his great mystery let us hope we do not have to spend a few seasons in the Championship before we put our fingers on it.

With three clubs reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and a host of surprises cropping up along the way you'd be forgiven for thinking that a revival has begun in lower league football. But one look at the lower half of the Premier League table should inform you that those who come up to the most lucrative league in the world rarely seem able to cut it. Every season, apart from the 2001-02 season, at least one promoted club has returned back from whence they came. In fact in 1997 all three were relegated.

 

Photo by Ofey

So we come to this season and the group of teams that have risen to the top of the Championship. Already questions are being asked of the teams looking for those three precious spots at the top table of English football. Let's take a look at the six teams who occupy the automatic and play-off positions as of the 25^th April 2008:

1.      Stoke City: Haven't been in the top flight for 22 years and a club that made a loss of £3m last season suggests they will not have the financial muscle to stay up.

2.      West Bromwich Albion: Have become a yo-yo side in recent years having spent three years in the Premier League and twice being relegated. Proven in the FA Cup to struggle against top sides, losing to Portsmouth in the semi-final, most likely to stay up if promoted though.

3.      Bristol City: Haven't been in the top division for 28 years, have the smallest ground and the fewest employees at the club. Still relying on the players that took them to the Championship two years ago and haven't made a profit for 14 years as a business.

4.      Hull City: Biggest city in Europe never to have a club in a top flight division. Geographical placement could mean they struggle to attract new players like Sunderland have. Do have a good fan base and a decent financial backer though.

5.      Watford: Twice they have tasted the top division, twice they have finished bottom of the league. Still have a lot of the same players they had the last time they were in the Premier League who proved then that they can't cut it.

6.      Crystal Palace: Have graced the Premiership four times and each time they have gone straight back down. Poor financial set-up with the club running at a lose previously, having to rely on home grown talent this season that probably wouldn't have the experience to cut it in the big league.

 

The brief look at the promotion contenders maybe a gloomy one and there is every chance that at least one of the clubs will stay up but with the gap between the Premier League and the Championship continuing to grow we shouldn't hold out for a competitive league next season. It already seems set in stone that the big four (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) will be the top four till the end of time and with a lot of other well established clubs racking in the money from the new television deal it seems newly promoted sides will continue to struggle.

 

Looking at the teams that were promoted last season (Birmingham, Sunderland and Derby) it's fairly obvious to see where they are going wrong. A lack of Premier League quality players means that all three sides lack goals and are often very shaky at the back. This is taken to the extreme in Derby's case who are set to become the worst Premier League team in history having only won once this season and have managed to concede a staggering 75 goals so far . Every Championship club will be dreading becoming the laughing stock that Derby have but it could well be a reality next season when you look at the likes of Bristol City and Stoke, two sides who lack even the financial muscle of Derby.

 

Once again in football it all comes down to money and with the new television deal done between Sky and Sentanta the Premier League clubs .The new television deal means that each top flight club will receive, on average, £45m per season from the new contract. Contrast this with the Championship clubs who receive just £1m per season and it's no wonder they struggle when they come up.

 

David Gold, Birmingham City chairman, realises that this new deal means we will have a less competitive league on our hands, both in the Premier League and the Championship: "The major issue and the reason to get promoted now is to get relegated. The reality is that the real difference is that if you can be in the Premiership with this new money, the gap between the relegated teams and the others in the Championship becomes huge." The clubs that go down this season will receive £11m per year for the first two season's now which could well mean that team's who come down this season will bounce straight back and we could well end up with clubs yo-yoing between divisions.

 
The dilemma comes when you realises money doesn't always buy success and the nightmares some clubs have faced after splashing the cash to maintain their Premier League status. Take Bradford City for example, spent big in their second season in the top flight which, after relegation, nearly cost them dearly. Now they find themselves in the bottom tier of English football.

The Championship is synonymous with the idea that anybody can beat anybody but in the Premier League that is a fantasy where teams in the lower half of the table are happy if they just take a point off one of the big four. Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd sums up the Championship nicely when he said: "The way this league is going, it could be that you'll need the highest amount of points ever to avoid relegation and the least amount to win promotion." The latter tells a story. The culture shock that the newly promoted teams face after coming through a league where anyone can gain promotion is monumental and some fail to cope with it, a reality that more and more will continue to face as the gap continues to widen between the two leagues.

It's the main talking point in cricket right now and it made its bow last night in rather spectacular fashion. I am of course talking about the Indian Premier League. The tournament which is causing much debate as to the effect it will have on the game of cricket.

Brendon McCullum smashed an incredible 13 sixes on his way to unbeaten 158  for his new side Kolkata Knight Riders. It was the highest ever Twenty20 score and was achieved in front of a sell-out crowd of 55,000.

They weren't the only people in attendance though as many acrobats, singers, dancers and even cheerleaders where on hand to add extra excitement to the evening.


The involvement of such 'gimmicks' is where the controversy starts in my opinion. Is this really the future of cricket? When the Twenty20 World Cup comes to England, will there be cheerleaders at Lords? I don't think the members would take too kindly to that, or even the Barmy Army for that matter. It just wouldn't seem right.

What surprises me most about the players involved in the IPL, is their honesty when it comes to admitting they are doing it almost solely for the money. They are earning around £100,000 a week during their stay in India and boy don't we know it. Every interview where a player is asked whether they would consider playing in the IPL they respond 'Have you seen how much money they are getting? Of course I would.'

                                                     And there was me thinking they played too much international cricket, a line that I'm sure I have heard in interviews before. This isn't the case any more I guess, now money has become such an important issue to cricketers. If the wages per week were halved, I think the international players out their would be halved - at least.

Don't get me wrong, there are of course some positives to come from the IPL. It will be entertaining. McCullum's innings proved that. Some of the world's best cricketers have come together and I would find it hard not to enjoy a Sachin Tendulkar hundred, no matter how much I may disagree with the circumstances in which it was achieved.

Speaking of Tendulkar leads me onto my final point. Often referred to as 'The Little Master', he is the darling of Indian cricket. Every run he scores is cheered like it has won a test match and every time he is dismissed there is a huge sigh around the ground in disappointment. Some are at the match purely to see him.

However, consider this scenario - Delhi need one more win to secure victory in the final of the IPL against Mumbai. Tendulkar is on strike for the latter and fails to walk after clearly edging a Glen McGrath delivery to second slip. The umpire says not out and Tendulkar goes on to win the game for his team.

The interesting point here would be the reaction of Delhi fans to Tendulkar. Would they boo or criticise a man they worship in the same way Arsenal fans might boo Ashley Cole when he plays for Chelsea? It would be fascinating to see and would go a long way to showing exactly what effect the IPL can have on the beautiful game of cricket.

This season's FA Cup has produced a string of shock results which has without doubt produced one of the more memorable tournaments, but don't expect the excitement to continue at Wembley.

Portsmouth are the heavy favourites to lift the famous trophy, but all the indications are that the showpiece won't be a classic Trevor Booking and his FA cohorts are hoping for.

It's all too easy to use the cliche it will be a 'cagey affair', but a lack of goals certainly looks like being the order of the day on May 17.

Harry Redknapp's Premier League boys, marshalled by Sol Campbell, have been rock solid this season conceding less than a goal a game, while in attack they have been regular scorers without being razor sharp. But with the prolific Jermain Defoe cup-tied 'Harry' will have to choose from the unpredictable Kanu, John Utaka, and the goalless duo Milan Baros and David Nugent.

It will hardly have Dave Jones shaking in his boots and his well-marshalled defence are a tough nut to crack having conceded just over a goal a game in the Championship this term.

The Bluebirds have hardly been free-scoring themselves although they do possess recognised goal-getters in the form of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and the injury-prone Robbie Fowler. In Joe Ledley and Peter Whittingham they do have the necessary talent to carve out opportunities, but trying to run through top-flight heavyweights Campbell and Sylvain Distin will almost be a 'Mission Impossible'.

It really is hard to make a case for an open game packed with goals and when you look at some of the recent stats, a goalless draw or a 1-0 scoreline simply is a must for any die-hard punter.

Four of Pompey's five games in the FA Cup this term have ended 1-0 including the semi-final win over the Baggies, while Cardiff's semi-final also ended with a 1-0 triumph over Barnsley. 

Four of the FA Cup finals from 2000 have also had just one goal or less in them - so a low-scoring game is a 'mortgage job' if you pardon the cliche!

I am busy previewing all the groups at Euro 2008 on the sports betting blog Laytheodds.com at the moment. While I was going through the teams I couldn't help noticing the resurgent force of Turkey under Fatih Terim and I really fancy them to get into the quarter-finals.


They have two young players who I have heard particularly good things about - Galatasaray's Arda Turan (14 above) and Fenerbahce's Gokhan Gonul (18) - the outstanding right back who played well against Chelsea recently.

Here's my Euro 2008 betting analysis of Group A - I'll be back with a more in-depth look at these two and several other young players who could make the breakthrough into  world class this summer.

Group A (Czech Republic, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey)

To me, this is the second toughest group to come out of last November's draw as it pits World Cup semi-finalists Portugal together with three improving nations with relatively young squads.

Group A could be very tight as three of the four teams are well organised defensively and will not concede goals cheaply. Czech Republic had an outstanding record in qualifying with star goalkeeper Petr Cech beaten only five times in 12 matches, while Portugal and Turkey allowed only 10 and 11 respectively - less than one per match.

Switzerland, however, appear to be leaking goals alarmingly in their friendlies as the 4-0 home defeat to Germany illustrated recently. The Euro 2008 odds on the Swiss have been lengthening as Kobi Kuhn's side are now on a run of four defeats after a struggling England side condemned them to Wembley woe on the back of home losses to Nigeria and the USA.

But Kuhn has been experimenting and, with home advantage, I expect the Swiss to pick up when the tournament begins as they can play without fear of failing to live up to expectations. It helps them that they kick off the tournament against the Czechs, a solid side lacking in creative spark if they are without Tomas Rosicky.

The fitness of the Arsenal midfielder is coach Karel Bruckner's main concern because he has no-one else at his disposal capable of the subtelty of pass or run required to slice open a packed defence. I think the opening game could be, as so many are, a draw.

Turkey take on Portugal later on opening night and the Turks are likely to set up to play on the counter-attack by hoping to draw Luis Felipe Scolari's side out. But it is a tough balancing act to surrender possession to a team containing wizards like Ricardo Quarsema and Cristiano Ronaldo and not come unstuck. I don't feel as though Turkey have the necessary experience to survive and it should be a routine victory for Portugal.     
     
Can the Czechs bounce back with a win against Portugal next ? This could be a disappointing game as Bruckner will be looking for a draw to keep them in the hunt going into the last game against Turkey while Portugal would probably settle for a point if it's still tight after 75 minutes. The referee could be key in this game as Czech Republic will have to stop Portugal's dribblers from getting within range of Cech's goal. Another draw looks to be the best bet, but at what cost for Bruckner's boys? Will they be in suspension trouble for the last game ?

Switzerland will fancy their chances of defeating Turkey in the next Group A tussle, but I believe it will be Fatih Terim who  engineers the win with an astute use of his talented squad. Turkey have two or three jokers in their midst who are ideal for exploiting a plodding Swiss defence when they lack the protection of defensive midfielders. Turan, Sahin, Basturk and Nihat could be too canny for the Cantons on a day which I think will effectively eliminate the hosts.

Both matches in the final round of the groups kick off simultaneously and going into these matches I have got Portugal on 4 points, Turkey 3, Czech Republic 2 and Switzerland 1. The Swiss are in a tough position and know nothing less than a win against Portugal will do. Again, I feel as though they will be cannon-fodder for Scolari's men who will be looking to clinch top spot in the section and progress in style. This could be an entertaining game, but ultimately Portugal's class will tell and they will seal their passage.

In the other match, Turkey could be in trouble unless Terim selects a strong side capable of defending their second position. But if the Czechs are depleted they will have every chance of clinching the draw they need - or better, and qualify for the last eight.

It's over six months now since England squandered their last chance to qualify for Euro 2008 on that soggy night at Wembley and still Steve McClaren has, unsurprisingly, not yet found a new job.

But neither has Terry Venables. England's former assistant, whose reputation prior to taking the number two role had been decent at club and international level is now also on the managerial scrapheap, tarred with the same brush that has painted McClaren as a failure.

The 65-year-old Londoner's CV is impressive, although it shows that his career reached it's peak in 1996 and has been on the slide since. Cutting his teeth at Crystal Palace, Venables took the Eagles to two quickfire promotions - climbing from the Third Division to the First. He was tempted to QPR and tasked with the challenge of taking them up, which he achieved in his second full season - one year after his young side almost upset the odds by taking Tottenham to a replay in the FA Cup

The glory continued as QPR finished fifth in their first season back in the top flight and Barcelona came knocking - his reputation having even impressed them within the Nou Camp's inner sanctum.

He remains the last English coach ever to have achieved anything significant for a top foreign club side as Barcelona won the League, League Cup and lost the 1986 European Cup final on penalties during his three seasons there.

He was out of work for less than two months after his inevitable Spanish sacking and was snapped up by Spurs.  Success came at a slower rate for Venables at White Hart Lane although allegations over his business dealings kept him in the headlines. But the Tottenham faithful remember his time fondly after he brought stars such as Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker to the club and won the FA Cup in 1991.

In just over two years in charge of England Venables steadily rebuilt fragile national pride in the wake of World Cup qualification failure and then came Euro 96. Looking back, to get the performances he did at the time out of Gascoigne and Tony Adams was remarkable, but the team ultimately fell short on penalties in he semi-finals to the eventual winners Germany.

Home advantage accepted - I rate still rate Euro 96 as England's best performance in a finals tournament since 1966 - better than Italia 90 in the brand of football played and fluency of the team.     

Forced out of his coach's role by FA pressure over the High Court case he was fighting, Venables never got a crack at the 1998 World Cup. But seemed on course to achieve his final career aim when he took Australia to a play-off with Iran four years later.

But it was not destined to be and here we are six years later and another chance presents itself to El Tel.

South Africa, hosts in 2010, are  rudderless after Brazilian World Cup-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira quit to look after his poorly wife.

His resignation takes effect May 2 but he'll continue as technical advisor, and his two assistant coaches - Jairo Leal and Pitso Mosimane - will remain.

Parreira said he would help officials find a new coach who will try to build South Africa into a credible force for the 2010 World Cup.

Venables, after missing out on the Republic of Ireland job in the New Year, is still on the market and must be hankering after this opportunity - it could be his last. - SB

Despite Man Utd's slight slip up on Saturday and Chelsea's win at Everton on Thursday to close the gap to three points the game at Stamford Bridge is nothing more than a painful day in waiting.It's fairly clear to anyone who has watched the majority of the season that Manchester United have been the better side, and this coming from an Arsenal fan who watched his side's season capitulate in the blink of an eye. But when it comes to Chelsea they have certainly been doing just enough to get by in the era of Grant, I think its safe to say that luck has been on the side of the Blues for a few games this season with the home game against Middlesbrough coming to mind. Chelsea, while processing the stars that they do, have failed to impress me nearly every time I have watched them this season with players like Drogba and Joe Cole being the saviours for the side on a number of occasions.

 

Things have certainly changed at the Bridge, in the days of Mourinho you kind of expected Chelsea to score at some point in the game and you knew that against most teams they were never going to concede. Now they look shaky at the back, without Drogba they lack much of their goal threat and since the Mourinho left the players no longer look interested. The likes of Drogba and Lampard have been cruising through the season waiting for what the summer may bring, a move away from the Blues. With the squad Avram Grant has you would expect Chelsea to be up there with United and Grant has done that but where he has failed, and Mourinho succeeded, is with his tactics. When things aren't going Chelsea's way the man look clueless, his substitutions are ones that have many of

the fans shaking their heads at. Aside from bringing on Nicolas Anelka against Arsenal it's hard to think of a change which has worked. While the Chelsea players mind may be on the Champions League  Semi-final it will still be lurking at the back of  heads that  this Saturday will be do or die.

 

Whilst down in London Chelsea have been scarping by in Manchester teams have simply been blown away by United this season. I can't remember a side looking like they are going to score every time they go forward since the Arsenal invincible's. Frankly United have been awesome, strong at the back whilst playing some magical stuff further up the field. They may have dropped off the pace slightly in the past few weeks but I don't think anyone expected them to keep it up right until the end. They no possess something they haven't had since the treble winning squad of 99 which is not only a great team but a great bench as well, back in 1999 Ferguson had players like Teddy Sheringham and Old Gunnar Solskjaer to bring in when things were going against them. Now Ferguson has the likes of Nani and Anderson to call on, both players who can change a game in a heartbeat.

Photo by Wallyg

Now we have come to the crunch part of the season with United still left with Chelsea on their coat tails and this Saturday's massive game. Despite Chelsea's formidable home record and their gluttony of stars I can only see this going one of two ways, either a predictable draw or a heart wrenching lose for the home side. It's ironic that it comes down to games like this where sides can win the title at the home of their closest rivals, Arsenal did it in 2002 at Old Trafford and in 1989 at Anfield. United will have bitter memories of being spanked 3-0 by Chelsea at the bridge for them to lift the title and they won't have forgotten it. Patrice Evra has stated his desire to win the title at Stamford Bridge and what a way to cap off a majestic season it would be. That is why I am going for a United win to once and for all end the stuttering dreams of Chelsea for this season at least.

In just 79 days time, the European Championships will be underway with joint hosts Switzerland taking on the Czech Republic. The continent will stop - or maybe just 'sky plus it' - and it looks set to be a magnificent spectacle. But who is your money on to lift the Henri Delaunay Trophy? I took a look at Spain, a side renowned for not fulfilling it's potential, and why they could well be on course for their gold medal in over 40 years.

They have become infamous for prematurely exiting major competitions, but this summer I think La Furia are going to put the record straight. Many will have grown tired of pundits saying this before every competition, and though they are led by controversial character Luis Aragonés, the Spanish national team must not be underestimated. Particularly with the squad consisting of such Premiership stars as Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas and the deadly Fernando Torres,

In saying that, I do not think for one minute that their fellow members of Group D (Greece, Russia and Sweden) will misjudge their ability. I do, however, think that their recent performances could mislead their opponents into a false sense of security.

Because really; could any side that concedes three goals against Northern Ireland actually pose a threat to Italy, the current holders of the famous trophy?

In this case, I think so. Why? Because no matter how many they concede, Spain can score more than any other side in the tournament.

And it isn't just the likes of Torres and David Villa who will be tormenting the opposition defences. Dani Guiza of RCD Mallorca currently sits second top goalscorer in La Liga while seventeen-year-old Bojan Krkic has featured on a regular basis for F.C Barcelona this season making 26 appearances, though he has not yet won a cap for the national side. These four have conjured 71 goals between themselves since the start of the 2007/08 campaign and don't rule legendary Real Madrid striker Raúl out of the equation either. The frontman may be celebrating his 31st birthday in late June, but he has found his old form again for  Los Merengues this year and has looked unstoppable at times.

Goals, therefore, will be the key to Spain's success. Never mind this tactical 4-5-1 business; Luis Aragonés should go all out attack.

But Luis, as he is known in his home country, is the only thing stopping the side from looking unstoppable. The coach has not won a major trophy since lifting the 'Copa del Rey' with Atlético Madrid back in 1992 and only won 6 others in a 30 year managerial spell in the Spanish league (1974-2004).

However, the 69-year-old is set to be replaced as national manager after the European Championships and there is no doubt in my mind that he will want to go out with a bang. He has been in the game for over 50 years and, given his age, may not go on to coach another side. So he has everything to play for, and will surely be motivating his side to do their best for him - providing he finds his false teeth and isn't suffering from alzheimer's.

So, Spain look strong. But that isn't the only reason I'm backing them for success. Their rivals do not look up to much; France did not look overly impressive against England in a friendly back in March and Italy's squad average age is about 42! Germany, odds on favourites in the Euro 2008 betting, do look like strong contenders for the trophy however, and they have my backing to reach the final.

But it will be Iker Casillas to lift the trophy in Vienna on June the 29th if my prediction is correct, and in the meantime let's hope he and his team-mates can make the Englandless European Championships worth watching.

Martin O'Neill has always been praised as one of the top managers in British football, but does he get the credit he deserves? I took a look into his track record at current side Aston Villa to find out what he's doing right, and why the Midlands side could be one of the teams to watch out for in the future of English football.

Since finishing runners-up to Manchester United in the inaugural Premiership season 16 years ago, The Villans hovered in mid-table anonymity under the stewardship of much maligned former chairman Doug Ellis. However, with the motivational O'Neill at the helm and his backing from the new board, I think the club may well be on the verge of adding to their proud history.

Upon appointment, O'Neill admitted that 'Trying to restore it [Aston Villa] to its days of former glory seems a long way away' but also added 'why not try?' Followers of the club were optimistic, and the former Celtic boss hasn't disappointed. He may not have picked up any silverware during his 20 month spell, but I think he has got the club right where he wants it.

Despite fairly strong finishes in the top flight under the likes of John Gregory and David O'Leary, Villa were a side that clubs looked forward to playing against. But I believe O'Neill has changed this, and there are not many teams that go to Villa Park expecting to come away with anything. The mental aspect of football is very well documented in the modern game, and the man seems to be something of an expert in the matter. For example, his ability to produce a team that is greater than the sum of it's parts stands out against the free-spending habits of his contemporaries. This was evident in his five-year reign at Leicester and this season in steering his thin squad on the road to a UEFA Cup qualifying place.

Villa are now recognised as one of the top teams in the game and football fans are beginning to take note of their progress. So much so that England boss Fabio Capello will travel to Birmingham in order check the progress of some of his stars.

Their push for a UEFA Cup spot is still very much alive after an emphatic win in the Birmingham Derby today, and this should help them in the up-coming transfer market. O'Neill's phone will surely already be ringing with agents offering their clients to the club should they secure the European berth.

The summer is a time where chairman Randy Lerner needs to splash the cash in order to match O'Neill's and Gareth Barry's ambitions, and they should think big. Barry may be excited by the prospect of Liverpool's Peter Crouch, but also less inspired by the prospect of West Ham's John Pantsil, both of whom have been linked. Last year the gaffer attracted such quality as John Carew and Ashley Young to the club, but this time around he needs to go one step further.  He is the right man to do this, and given a few big signings,  I would certainly advise checking the betting odds on a top-five finish for his side next season.

Fans of other dark-horses Everton and Portsmouth may disagree, but I do not see Moyes and Redknapp being able to keep up with the pace of O'Neill. They, along with the other remaining Premiership clubs, should take note of Aston Villa's motto. They should be 'Prepared'.

The Villa faithful are thankful that the F.A overlooked O'Neill for the England job and they have become rapturous in their praise for what he has done for the club. Only Manchester United have scored more goals at home in the Premiership and no team has scored more away. Few who looked at the small roster of players on the squad page for the pre-season friendly against Inter Milan would have believed they would reach such dizzy heights. But producing teams that overachieve is the hallmark of O'Neill's career to date and with the promise of more quality and depth amongst the personnel, Villa's fans have every reason to be optimistic.

The mouth-watering Champions League semi finals are on the horizon and it is a time to follow your instinct in the tournament markets.

The four teams appear so closely-matched - reflected in a winner's market that sees the contenders currently bunched between 2.76 and 4.9 - and the five remaining fixtures will surely be extremely tight affairs.

The seemingly annual Chelsea-Liverpool showdown is a case in point. Their six recent Champions League encounters have produced three goalless draws and three one-goal victories, of which the Reds have claimed two.

My gut feeling tells me to go with the Blues, in both this clash and the final. There is such a fine line between success and failure at this stage; we could so easily be looking forward to another Arsenal-Chelsea battle.

This is the round that Rafa's European Midas touch will go missing and, as I suggested below in relation to the Premier League run-in, Manchester United are also in danger of running out of steam.

It is a bad time to hit a sticky patch and the Red Devils are are certainly less convincing than they were a month ago. However, the same is true of Barcelona, who have all but surrendered the La Liga title race with a run of one league win in eight.

United will just edge the second semi final to finally set up the all-English final that has seemed so likely in recent years.

I am convinced the much-maligned Avram Grant will have some silverware to show for his troubled first season efforts, although he is probably under most pressure to deliver the goods in this pressure-cooker of a competition.

As a Spurs fan thankful for the Blues' non-performance in the Carling Cup final, I reckon Chelsea will be in the perfect frame of mind to banish that memory in the biggest showdown of the season.  

I have to admit I didn't know much about Mauro Zarate before he joined Birmingham City on loan in January.

In truth, I didn't know a lot more until after he announced himself to the Premiership with his second and third goals of his spell in the Blues' 2-0 home win over  Manchester City. Then I did some research.

It seems like I may not have been the only one. Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz made the short trip to Wigan Athletic last week to see their match with Birmingham City, reported as a mission to spy on the Latics' Luis Antonio Valencia and Wilson Palacios.

Really ? Hasn't he seen both these players in action before ?  Palacios came on as a substitute in both Premier League matches against United for his old club Birmingham before he followed Steve Bruce to Lancashire. Valencia saw action against Man Utd both last season and this and neither player is an unknown commodity at Old Trafford.

But Zarate is, or was, relatively undiscovered and Queiroz would probably not have seen him 'live' until last Saturday, taking into account his career path and limited opportunities at St Andrews so far.

The 21-year-old was building quite a tasty reputation in Argentina with Velez Sarsfield before his shock move to Qatar's Al-Sadd in June - shortly after he'd helped the Argentina Under-20 side lift the World Youth Cup in Canada.

Zarate's repertoire of goals for Velez can be seen on Youtube and it's fair to say he doesn't get many headers, but his ability to dribble and strike the ball with either foot is clear.

After scoring the winner for Argentina's kids this summer he was expected to follow team-mate Sergio Aguero to a club in one of Europe's big leagues, but it never materialised and he was snapped up by Al-Sadd.

A sad loss ? His quirky agent, described by Birmingham City's MD Karren Brady as looking like a ginger-haired extra from an Austin Powers film, said the two-year deal "was not ideal in footballing terms but it will give him and his family financial security."

So they took the loot and ran. Fair enough, at least it means there are likely to be fewer  unwanted complications for him than Carlos Tevez endured in getting him to his rightful stage - a Champions League club.

Tevez is a friend of Zarate and you can imagine the Old Trafford forward's dilemma when the younger player inevitably asked him to put a word in at his employers to see if they wanted a nimble, two-footed goalscorer with a penchant for outrageous free-kicks. Still, it seems like he did! - SB  
 

The Premier League trophy is almost certainly heading back to Old Trafford, but I reckon there is a twist or two in this rollercoaster title race.

A glance at the Premier League betting shows United heading towards odds on territory, with Chelsea still worth a bit of interest at 8.06. The Blues are still in the hunt and the remaining fixtures could yet force the battle for glory into the final day of the season.

United undoubtedly have the harder run-in. Blackburn and West Ham have previous in upsetting the Red Devils and Wigan away on the last day makes a tricky trio with the pressure on. Avram Grant's men must travel to improving Newcastle before finishing with the visit of battling Bolton.

These matches are of course punctuated by the clash between the two at Stamford Bridge nest Saturday lunchtime. Chelsea's home record needs no introduction and they can be backed to prevail in this head-to-head.

United's superior goal difference means they must drop at least three other points, which is not impossible to imagine as they have been forced to chase games recently. Reproduction of the perfomances given against Middlesbrough and Arsenal might not yield a similar points tally.

Both title challengers have massive semi finals to think about, although neither should be too distracted. The Champions League betting might be more wide open, but those who have backed the Londoners to regain their domestic crown should not give up hope just yet. 

From one extreme to the other. A day relaxing in front of the snooker is the perfect preparation for the somewhat more explosive action taking place in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The light-heavyweight clash between Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe is yet another reminder that British boxing is at the top of its game. David Haye eased past Enzo Maccarinelli in last month's WBO cruiserweight battle of Britain, but it is on Calzaghe's shoulders that domestic hopes principally rest.

The followers of Ricky Hatton and Clinton Woods might have returned from those fighters' title bids disappointed but the Welshman's travelling army look set for a more successful Stateside visit.

It is a fascinating match-up between two classy fighters. 'The Executioner' made 20 successful world title defences at middleweight over a golden 10 year period and deserves his status as a modern-day legend.

He relishes dismantling southpaws - ask Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver - but Calzaghe has the attributes to avoid going the same way.

Lightning quick hand speed and a heavy punch will test the wily 43 year old to the limit, who appears in danger of underestimating the Newbridge fighter. Calzaghe's CV might not include the same names that feature on Hopkins' vanquished list, but he rises to every occasion and an undefeated 44-0-0 career record is not to be sniffed at.

Calzaghe needs to get the jab that accounted for Mikkel Kessler in such devastating fashion in December in good working order, although finding similar fluency in unfamiliar territory is a tough ask.

However, he is experienced enough to prosper on his American debut and will not be hurt by the step up in weight that undid Hatton in his clash with Floyd Mayweather.

This is sure to be a cagey contest that can expected to go the distance. Despite the influx of 9,000 or so Brits there are apparently tickets still available for the fight, although Hopkins, like Mayweather, does not need to rely on crowd support.

I hope to get a flavour of a boxing-obsessed public on my forthcoming holiday to the Philippines, where the odd bet is also known to be placed. A Calzaghe win on points is the outcome that will give me some more spending money.   

Two years ago (well, actually it was April 29, 2006,) England's chances of winning the World Cup went splat. Or should that be crack!

I'll always remember where I was when, amid Chelsea's second consecutive Premiership celebrations at Stamford Bridge, Man Utd striker Wayner Rooney chased a lost cause in the penalty area and went down painfully under the challenge of Ricardo Carvalho.

United were 3-0 down and to all intents and purposes there was no point risking injury with the silverware gone and a very important summer's international football looming. But it isn't Rooney's nature to hold back - at least it wasn't then - and the ensuing diagnosis of his broken metatarsal ruined my bank holiday weekend. 

The rest, as they say, is history. He did come back and stamp his footprint on the World Cup (and all over Carvalho's tackle), but England's staccato performances without a fully-fit talisman up front had already convinced the world that the Three Lions were heading back down the Yellow Brick Road without what they'd come for.

Oddly enough, picking up an injury that would rule him out of Euro 2008 is not a concern for Rooney this summer - or five of his United colleagues who are all going flat out for the Premiership finishing line with no thought of saving a bit for June.

But what of the other big names around Europe ? Spare a thought for those who have already been ruled out of their countries' plans by injury.

Eduardo (Croatia) is gone, Ruud van Nistelrooy (Holland) is more touch than go and who knows what sort of form Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic) can get himself back into as he battles the injury curse.

I'm already getting excited about the tournament and with my flights booked (prior to England's failure) am ready to party with the rest of Europe minus the worry of scrambling for tickets or avoiding troublemakers who make it tough to be English abroad.

Euro 2008 Betting-wise, I am ranking Spain, Italy and Portugal among my 'five or six' who have the most quality in the tournament. But after what happened in Portugal four years ago, I wouldn't rule out 11 of the squads from taking the trophy in what looks like quite an open championships.

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