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PREVIEW
OF THE 2001/2002 FOOTBALL SEASON
Christopher
Iles gives his view on the approaching season
I'm no
football expert - these comments are just made for fun, rather than as a
serious attempt at prediction, and should be read accordingly.
Premier
League
Not at all competitive at the top; there is no reason to suppose Manchester
United are going to get beaten. Arsenal and Leeds do not look to be going
forward, which suggests runners-up will be either Chelsea or Liverpool - most
likely the latter. Chelsea should improve on last season, now that Claudio
Ranieri has had time to settle there.
Of the others, Fulham are sixth favourites, but seem unlikely to me to finish
that high. They are obviously a good side, but strike me as being somehow a
bit lightweight to finish in the top half. Spurs are possibly overrated
through having a new high-profile manager, as the team doesn't look up to
doing better than last season. Ipswich and Charlton, with their surprise value
gone, seem likely to slip back, while Blackburn don't seem to me to be as good
as most predictions suggest, and could be down near the bottom. Newcastle and
Aston Villa, on the other hand, are overdue a good season.
Everton and Middlesbrough should improve - Everton were unlucky with injuries
last season and Middlesbrough have finally got rid of Bryan Robson. The
relegation scrap will most likely be between West Ham, Bolton, Leicester,
Southampton and Derby. West Ham, Leicester and Southampton all went to pieces
in the closing stages of last season, and not much has happened to suggest
they will do better this time around. Derby were only just up to staying in
the division last season, while Bolton have failed in previous attempts to
make the grade. If pushed, I'd suggest Bolton, Leicester and Southampton to
go.
Nationwide
Division One
Manchester City must be the weakest promotion favourite this season. Last year
they were a defensive disaster area, so the number one priority should have
been to work on an organised and disciplined defence...instead they appoint
Kevin Keegan as manager, and Keegan's silence since his appointment does not
exactly suggest he's the world's most motivated manager at the moment. They
would be interesting as a long-shot for relegation, under the circumstances.
The rest of the obvious challengers all have problems of one sort or another.
Coventry would have been the clear choice before losing John Hartson to
Celtic. They still just about earn the vote, but now only because of the
weaknesses of the others. Watford are interesting, but I have my doubts about
Vialli as manager; his track record at Chelsea can be interpreted as good or
bad. Birmingham have developed the habit of just missing out, and the same
manager and squad that have failed in the last few years try again. Wimbledon
and Preston don't seem good enough or well-financed enough, Wolves have a
decent chance at the playoffs but no more, while Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday
and Nottingham Forest all need another year.
The bottom of the division is too close to call; newly promoted Rotherham and
Walsall do not seem capable of surviving in this division over the long-term,
but may be capable of making it to safety this year. Stockport, Crewe, Grimsby
and others have shown how to do it, but may find themselves in trouble this
season, along with perhaps Crystal Palace and Portsmouth again.
Nationwide
Division Two
The interesting candidates here are Huddersfield and Cardiff (though neither
wholly convinces me), in another division where there are reasons to oppose
most of the fancied teams. Reading, Stoke and Bristol City are underachievers
who have been in this position for the last few years, and there is no reason
to suspect this will change. Wigan fall into a similar category, but would
help themselves if their chairman sacked managers on a slightly less frequent
basis. QPR and Tranmere are in too much need of rebuilding after being
relegated, though neither should do badly. Interesting outsiders are Notts
County, Port Vale, the newly cash-rich Oldham, and Brighton.
The jump up from the Third Division is difficult at the moment; while Brighton
and Cardiff should be able to cope, Chesterfield and Blackpool may well be
caught out and go back down where they came from. Northampton, Colchester,
Cambridge and Wrexham may also have a difficult year, though Swindon should
not struggle quite so much..
Nationwide
Division Three
A strong division. Hull are worthy favourites; they have money to spend this
time around, and made the playoffs last year without any. Bristol Rovers
should never have gone down in the first place and should run them close,
while other strong candidates are Luton, who seem to have bought well in the
close season, and Darlington, who are well-financed and can be backed at a
surprisingly long price . Hartlepool and Leyton Orient look likely to make the
playoffs again, though the championship (and perhaps promotion) may be just
beyond them. Recent League newcomers Cheltenham, Macclesfield and
Kidderminster may not be far away either, while the real newcomers
Irthlingborough Diamonds are the strongest new additions to the League since
Wycombe, and should do well, but haven't proved good over the years at
actually winning things, and seemed to go up more because Yeovil threw it
away...
Swansea have financial problems and look overrated. Plymouth are big enough to
be surviving comfortably a division or two higher, but for whatever reason
don't look to have the team to match. Mansfield and Rochdale look like
mid-table sides.
At the bottom, the likes of Carlisle and Torquay seem to have mastered the art
of survival by narrow margins. I look elsewhere for my two candidates for
relegation. Oxford are a long-shot; they were perhaps the worst side in the
League last year, despite playing a division higher. Changes have certainly
taken place...they have a new manager who could potentially be very good, but
their new chairman has named the recently-completed stadium after himself, in
the manner of a megalomaniac dictator, which does not bode well for the future
of a club with decidedly shaky finances. They have shown recently they know
where the relegation zone is, and could collapse completely if they get off to
a bad start. The more likely of the two are Halifax, whose support is just
about as small as they get, whose financial position is probably even worse
than Oxford's was, and who give the impression of being a club that is
existing on borrowed time.
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