Never has the Premiership started with so little fanfare. All eyes are on Bejing - but not mine. The sheer gaudiness of the Olympics, and the blatant use of sport for political purposes has devalued the whole circus for me. I'm just trying to enjoy some of the wonderful individual sporting achievements that are flowering inside the 'tarty' tent. I really enjoyed reading David Tang's Diary piece in this week's Spectator. Just about the only bit of honest reporting about the Opening Ceremony I've read.
So who's going to be top and bottom dogs this season. I predicted Chelsea for Champions last year, and they took it to the wire, despite having a manager who knew he was going to be sacked at the season's end. I reckon Scolari will deliver the title, with Man Utd and Liverpool fighting it out for the runners up spot. The Arsenal, Villa, Spurs and Everton will battle it out for European slots. Cannot see Portsmouth, West Ham (Sorry Iain) or Man City threatening.
Stoke and Hull will go straight back down, though I expect Stoke to make a half decent start. But who will join them. I reckon that West Brom will just about do a Sunderland and survive. So its pick one from Wigan, Bolton, Middlesborough, the Black Cats again and (in my opinion) the Bentleyless Blackburn - with my money on Wigan.
First managerial casualty will be at Newscastle, where a tearful Keegan will blast the club for lacking ambition, and declare that he's leaving management for ever - and appearing on Big Brother instead.
4 comments:
I think that the British performances today have completely overshadowed the footie .. and quite right too!
"The sheer gaudiness of the Olympics, and the blatant use of sport for political purposes has devalued the whole circus for me."
As compared to the pure sport-driven athleticism of the Premier League?
Come on Glyn do you really think that millionaire mercenary footballers employed by billionaire plutocrats are somehow more worthy of consideration than Olympic athletes?
I'll enjoy those terrible polluted Olympic Games while you can boast of the sporting purity of teams owned by Russian Gangsters, crooked Thai politicians and dodgy American businesmen!
unixman and anon - Nothing at all against the athletes. Bolt's run yesterday was one if the most stunning performances I've ever seen. But I remember saying the same thing about Ben Johnson! However, the Opening Ceremony was principally a brass political statement put on for political purposes.
The reason I like the Premiership is because the best football in the world is played in it. But I share your distaste for the way ownership of the game is going, and I rather admire the way Platini is trying to bring some common sense back into the game. I try to seperate the sporting performers from the hanger-on who manipulate and abuse them.
Shwmai Glyn,
Wedi gyrru ebost atat gyda rhai cwestiynnau am y Blaid Geidwadol.
Edrych ymlaen i glywed nol wrthot yn fuan.
Wrth fy modd gyda'r blog gyda llaw.
Dal ati!
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