Papers: Tevez saga ongoing

You can have Tevez for £6m
West Ham have told Kia Joorabchian he can have Carlos Tevez for £6million. That is the minimum the Premier League will allow Hammers to be paid for Tevez’s registration. But Joorabchian looks sure to reject West Ham’s proposal and press ahead with his High Court action. That could take months and wreck Manchester United’s hopes of landing the Argie striker before the transfer window shuts on August 31.
Mark Irwin, The Sun

In a seemingly endless trail of Premiership clubs interested in moving for United striker Alan Smith, Newcastle are the latest club to emerge as favourites to sign him for £6million (Daily Mail).

The same paper reports that United are resigned to Gabriel Heinze leaving Old Trafford this summer but remain "adamant he must move abroad to further his career rather than travel 30 miles to Liverpool".

Elsewhere, Reds legend and Sunderland boss Roy Keane tells The Sun that he's ready for the managerial mind games that come with life as a Premier League boss. Says Roy: "Ferguson and Mourinho do it lots. I enjoy watching it and am relishing the challenge — the intensity. You need an edge."

Round up by Ben Hibbs

from:www.espnstar.com

This is Rooney's year

Wayne Rooney has been tipped to have a "great season" next year after his first uninterrupted pre-season with the Reds since joining in 2004.

Rooney finished up as United's joint-top goalscorer last term, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo with 23 goals. It followed a run of 11 goals in 16 games in the final three months of a campaign which began with some questioning his form.

But, according to Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson, the 21-year-old striker will benefit immeasurably from the freshness of having a rare close-season rest and full preparatory work ahead of the new campaign.

"He just loves football and loves training and he will be a big player next year, believe me," Sir Alex told The Sun.

"He will have a great season, because he's had a proper pre-season for the first time with us. He will be fine. Nothing bothers Wayne. He is incredible, a very strong character."

Rooney's insatiable hunger for football has left a lasting impression on the United boss, who describes the forward's appetite for training as "unbelievable".

"He's exceptional. He gets up and is the first in the training ground every morning," adds the boss. "We like the players to come in for breakfast and he is in at 8.45am, the first there. Unbelievable."

from:www.manutd.com

MANCHESTER, England, July 29, 2007 (AFP) - Cristiano Ronaldo could have gone in one of two directions at Manchester United last season.

Derided and despised by English supporters for his part in the World Cup sending off of United team-mate Wayne Rooney during Portugal's quarter-final penalty shoot-out victory in Gelsenkirchen, Ronaldo could quite easily have packed his bags and jetted off to Real Madrid or Barcelona, the two Spanish giants who desperately fought for his signature.

The persuasive powers of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who jetted out to Portugal to convince Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford, were enough to keep the Madeira-born forward in the Premiership.

And Ferguson's mercy dash proved crucial with Ronaldo scooping both domestic Footballer of the Year awards last season as he inspired United to their first Premiership title since 2003.

This time around, United start the campaign as favourites to retain their title having splashed out more than 50million pounds on new signings Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson.

But even if United add to that shopping list by landing West Ham's Carlos Tevez before the August 31 transfer deadline, Ronaldo is certain to be the key man again.

His goalscoring feats last season, when he bagged over 20 goals from a wide position, proved crucial for United and he has already displayed matchwinning form on the club's pre-season tour of the Far East.

Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes will all be major figures again, but even Ronaldo's United team-mates acknowledge that the 22-year-old has become their pivotal player.

Defender Wes Brown said: "Ronaldo is looking sharp again and he can get even better. Mentally, he has got it and he's the sort of player who always wants to do better the next season.

"I know he's young, but in the first few games of pre-season, he has shown he is ready and firing for the new season. He's a very hungry player and he wants to win things.

"He knows that last season was a great achievement for us to win the League back but he wants more and I'm sure he wants to win other things like the FA Cup and the Champions League, so he will definitely be trying his hardest again this season."

United launch the defence of their title when they face Reading at Old Trafford on August 12 and manager Ferguson admits he expects the toughest challengers to be the usual suspects - Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

He said: "I expect Arsenal to improve and I don't think they'll suffer too much without Thierry Henry. His time had gone and I think Arsene Wenger knew that. They need more goals, but they've got Emmanuel Adebayor and they'll have Robin van Persie back, so they're not too bad, are they?"

"Liverpool have bought a group of players, right enough. Fernando Torres is athletic and he's brave and he'll run the channels for them, which he did well for Atletico Madrid. Chelsea have strengthened too, so it will be a tough league again."

Ferguson defiant over Heinze

GUANGZHOU, China, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Gabriel Heinze that Manchester United remain confident they will not be forced to sell him to Liverpool - despite the Argentinian's decision to enlist Anfield solicitors in a bid to force the move.
Ferguson, speaking after United wrapped up their Far East tour with a 3-0 win against Chinese outfit Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on Friday, insists that United intend to stop Heinze moving to Liverpool.
The Argentinian full-back believes he has the right to negotiate a 6.8 million pound move to Anfield, but having made plans to take action against United, Ferguson has urged the defender to ensure he has the correct advice.
Ferguson said: "We're aware that he (Heinze) is taking legal advice, but that's good. I just hope it's good advice because we are confident about our position."
"It's straightforward for us because he has been instructed to return for pre-season training on August 6. That will have given him three weeks rest following the Copa America, but we expect him back a week on Monday."
Goals from Wayne Rooney, Nani and Lee Martin completed the win against Guangzhou in sweltering conditions in Guangdong Province.
Nani's first-half chip was his second in two games since his 17.3-million-pound arrival from Sporting Lisbon.
But despite his impressive start at United, Ferguson expects the 20-year-old to make more improvement before the start of the season on August 12.
He said: "After his injury during the European U-21 Championships, the first thing we had to do with Nani was give him some football in order to get him up to our level.
"But he is nowhere near our level at the moment and he will need at least a couple of weeks' more work before he shows a real improvement. He has the skills, though, and real speed and two goals in two games is a good start for him."
Ferguson admitted that United's four-game tour of Asia had been a perfect preparation base for the club's defence of their Premiership title, despite the tough conditions in the Far East.
"It was very, very hot out there and that contributed to the slowness of the play, but Guangzhou made it difficult for us and I was happy to go in 2-0 ahead at the break," said the United boss.
"This trip has been good for us, though, because all of the players have had plenty of football and I am happy about our preparation levels for the start of the season.
"Everything about the tour has been a success from my point of view, from the football to the reception we have had wherever we have been. It has been excellent."

from:www.espnstar.com

England vs India: 2nd Test, Day 2

Can Sidebottom and England salvage a losing situation? (Action Images / Lee Smith)
England vs India: 2nd Test, Day 2
by Julian Guyer
NOTTINGHAM, England, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Zaheer Khan took four wickets as India maintained their grip on the second Test at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.
Khan's return of four for 59 in 21 overs, his best against England, came as the hosts were bowled out for 198, with India needing fewer than 11 overs on Saturday to wrap their opponents' first innings.
At lunch India were 40 without loss, a deficit of 158.
Openers Dinesk Karthik (20 not out) and Wasim Jaffer (15 not out) came through 16 testing new-ball overs in conditions that had offered early assistance for swing and seam bowling provided the ball was pitched up.
But well though Ryan Sidebottom, on his Nottinghamshire home ground, James Anderson and Chris Tremlett bowled, they couldn't take a wicket.
That left England contemplating the prospect of having to bowl to the likes of India's star-studded middle order, featuring captain Rahul Dravid, former skipper Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, in conditions that were becoming increasingly good for batting.
Khan's haul improved upon the four for 79 he took during the second innings of the drawn first Test at Lord's where India clung on with one wicket standing before bad light and rain cut short play on Monday's final day.
Anil Kumble, the only other India bowler used on Saturday, took three for 32 in 12.3 overs.
England started the second day on 169 for seven, all their top order batsmen out, with India's seam attack exploiting helpful conditions for swing bowling following Dravid's decision to field first after a wet outfield meant no play was possible before lunch on Friday.
Tremlett, dropped on four, resumed on 16 not out with Sidebottom unbeaten on nought.
Kumble posed problems for Tremlett, who made a pair on his debut at Lord's and, in Saturday's fifth over, he bowled him for 20 as he misread a quicker, straighter delivery and played for turn instead.
But Khan, who last season was the second most successful bowler in English first-class cricket with 78 wickets for Worcestershire, had Monty Panesar edge full length delivery to Laxman for one.
Kumble then wrapped up the innings when he bowled Anderson for one with Sidebottom 18 not out.
from:www.espnstar.com

Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson
Club:
Manchester United
Appointed:
06/ 11/ 1986
Date of Birth:
31/ 12/ 1941
Previous Clubs:
Aberdeen

St Mirren

East Stirlingshire
Honours:
Manchester United
2005-06
Barclays Premiership runners-upLeague Cup Winners
2003-04
FA Cup Winners
2002-03
Barclaycard Premiership ChampionsLeague Cup runners-up
2000-01
FA Carling Premiership Champions
1999-00
FA Carling Premiership Champions
1998-99
UEFA Champions League WinnersFA Carling Premiership ChampionsFA Cup Winners
1997-98
FA Carling Premiership runners-up
1996-97
FA Carling Premiership Champions
1995-96
FA Carling Premiership ChampionsFA Cup Winners
1994-95
FA Cup runners-upFA Carling Premiership runners-up
1993-94
FA Carling Premiership ChampionsFA Cup Winners
1992-93
FA Carling Premiership Champions
1991-92
Division One runners-upLeague Cup Winners
1990-91
European Cup Winners Cup Winners
1989-90
FA Cup Winners
Aberdeen
1985-86
Scottish Cup WinnersScottish League Cup winners
1984-85
Scottish Premier League Champions
1983-84
Scottish Cup WinnersScottish Premier League Champions
1982-83
European Cup Winners Cup WinnersScottish Cup Winners
1981-82
Scottish Cup Winners
1979-80
Scottish Premier League Champions
St Mirren
1976-77
Scottish First Division Champions
Alex Ferguson succeeded Ron Atkinson as Manchester United manager on 6th November 1986 and in his first full season guided United to a League runners-up position. This was nothing compared to the success he was to later enjoy at Old Trafford as he built a team capable of matching the best in Europe.
Born in Govan, Glasgow, Ferguson made his league debut for Scottish Second Division side Stranraer in 1957 having joined from amateur club Queen's Park and having represented his country at Youth and Amateur levels. He joined St Johnstone on a part-time basis in 1960 whilst completing his apprenticeship as a toolmaker for a typewriter manufacturer. He went on to score 19 goals in 37 league appearances for St. Johnstone before an exchange deal took him to Dunfermline Athletic as a full-time professional in 1964.
He gained his first taste of European football with the Fife club and moved to Rangers, the team he supported as a boy, in 1967, spending two-and-a-half years at Ibrox before joining Falkirk where he began to take on coaching duties. His final playing days were spent at Ayr United as a part-timer as he pursued business interests before being appointed to his first managerial position at East Stirlingshire in July 1974.
He moved to St. Mirren in October that year and promptly guided the Paisley club to the First Division Championship, in 1976-77. This led to a number of offers from the bigger clubs in Scotland and Ferguson accepted the manager's job at Aberdeen in 1978.
It was with the Granite City club that he really began to make a name for himself as The Dons eclipsed their Old Firm rivals taking three league titles, four Scottish Cups and a League Cup in eight seasons. Ferguson's greatest achievement at Pittodrie came in 1983 however, when he led Aberdeen to victory over Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners Cup.
The untimely death of Scotland manager Jock Stein in 1986 led to Ferguson taking over the national team temporarily for the World Cup finals in Mexico. He turned down the opportunity to remain in charge of Scotland on a permanent basis however, as well as several other lucrative offers, to move South of the border and manage Manchester United.
He was charged with returning the glory days to Old Trafford and United fans were expectant having waited over twenty years since their last league title. His first three years at United did not bring the success that he had enjoyed in Scotland however and it seemed at one stage that his tenure in Manchester may be short-lived.
Victory in the 1990 FA Cup final replay over Crystal Palace however began an incredible run that saw United win countless trophies as they dominated the English game. A European Cup Winners Cup followed in 1991 and a League Cup in 1992, as United were edged into second place in the League by Howard Wilkinson's Leeds United.
The following year saw the inauguration of the Premier League and Ferguson drafted in the mercurial French striker Eric Cantona, a League Championship winner with Leeds and a precocious talent. He was instrumental in helping United end their twenty-six year wait to capture the elusive League title, with Ferguson becoming the first man to manage teams to Premier League titles on both sides of the border.
1993-94 saw United and Ferguson repeat their success of the previous year, this time going one better, winning the League and Cup double. They almost made it an unprecedented treble but lost out to former boss Ron Atkinson and Aston Villa in the League Cup final.
Blackburn Rovers pipped the Reds to the league title in 1994-95 and Ferguson also tasted defeat in the FA Cup final, at the hands of Everton, but after a year of near misses United were triumphant once again, on both fronts, as they won another Double in 1995-96.
Another League title followed in 1996-97 before Arsenal stole the limelight, winning the Double themselves in 1997-98, coming from behind to snatch the Premiership trophy from the holders. This served only to stir Ferguson and his team into action as the 1998-99 season brought United an incredible treble. Despite losing his long-time assistant Brian Kidd halfway through the season, Ferguson - with the help of Kidd's replacement, Steve McClaren - led the Red Devils to victory in the League, the FA Cup and the European Champions League in an incredible two-week period, the like of which may never be repeated.
It earned him the respect and recognition - not that he didn't have that already - from his fellow managers as he was voted as the LMA's Manager of the Year by his peers.
Controversially, United did not defend the FA Cup the following year and they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Real Madrid. They made a successful defence of their Premiership title however, beating Arsenal by an incredible 18 points.
The following season brought United's seventh league title in nine years as they clinched the Premiership crown yet again, this time with a record five games to spare, making Ferguson the most successful manager in the history of English football.
Alex Ferguson became Sir Alex in 1999 (having already received the OBE and CBE honours in 1983 and 1995 respectively) as his achievements in football were recognised. It is largely thanks to his success in the transfer market that he has achieved so much in English football.
Signings such as Peter Schmeichel, Dennis Irwin, Eric Cantona, Paul Ince, Andy Cole, Jaap Stam, Roy Keane, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have all made significant contributions to United's success during Ferguson's time in charge. Alongside young players like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Wes Brown, whose talents have been nurtured at Old Trafford, these players helped United produce an almost unchallenged level of performance that enabled them to dominate the domestic game in a similar fashion to the Liverpool side of the 1980's.
Having spent nearly £50million on two new players in the summer of 2001 - Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Sebastien Veron - Sir Alex took to the training field. Having served his apprenticeship as a coach at Derby and Old Trafford, Steve McClaren accepted an offer to become the manager of Middlesbrough. Having planned to retire as manager of United after the 2001/2002, Ferguson felt it would be unfair to recruit an new assistant for a single season and appointed Jim Ryan as his number two, taking on more of the coaching responsibilities himself.
Midway through the campaign, as speculation continued unabated as to who would replace Sir Alex, the United boss had a change of mind and signed a new three-year deal to stay on at Old Trafford.
Hoping to lead his team to Champions League glory once again, as well as a record fourth straight Premiership title, Ferguson was disappointed to end the year empty handed. Despite drawing both legs of their semi-final with Bayer Leverkusen, United went out of Europe's most prestigious competition on away goals.
To make matters worse, the league title was won by Arsenal - who completed another domestic double - and Liverpool snatched second place and automatic qualification for the following season's Champions League proper.
Nevertheless, Sir Alex's desire for success remains as strong as ever, as do his efforts to promote the work of the LMA and improve the lot of his fellow managers and the English game itself.
Prior to the beginning of the 2002-03 season, he appointed a new assistant, Carlos Queiroz, the Mozambique-born former Portugal and South Africa coach, and smashed the British transfer record to sign Rio Ferdinand from Leeds United for a fee believed to be over £30million; signally his intentions for the new campaign.
Several injuries to key players at the beginning of the season, which led to a number of operations, hampered United's chances of regaining the Barclaycard Premiership title. However, an amazing run from the turn of the year saw Fergie's side claim 45 points from 17 games as they fought back to reverse Arsenal's lead at the top and snatch the championship, helped in no small way by the prolific Ruud van Nistelrooy who scored an amazing 14 goals in nine consecutive games towards the end of the season.
The Gunners had knocked them out of the FA Cup, while Liverpool beat them in the Worthington Cup final, but United's league form was just too good as Arsenal faltered in the final run-in.
Having breezed through the two group stages of the Champions League, United appeared to have a good chance of going all the way to the final, to be held at Old Trafford. But paired once more with defending champions Real Madrid, Sir Alex's side could not contain the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Luis Figo and Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick in the second leg to ensure the Spanish side's progression to the last four.
Immediately after claiming his eighth Premiership title in 11 years with United, the manager set his sights on repeating 1999's European glory and began to plan the Champions League challenge for the following year.
At the LMA's Annual Dinner, Sir Alex picked up two awards, having been named as the Barclaycard Manager of the Year and, unsurprisingly, the Premier League Manager of the Decade.
In January 2004, with a year-and-a-half of his deal remaining, Sir Alex signed an extension which will see him move onto a 12-month rolling contract.
Later that year he was celebrating a record fifth triumph in the FA Cup, as United beat Millwall 3-0 in Cardiff - having seen off Arsenal in the semis - to lift the famous trophy. Young Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo was the star of the final and it brought some consolation to Ferguson after a disappointing season in Europe and in the Premiership, where they finished third behind Arsenal and Chelsea.
Shortly after the end of the season, Ferguson signalled his intentions for 2004/05 with the £7million capture of Alan Smith from Leeds, while former assistant boss Carlos Queiroz returned to his post as the Scot's number two following his sacking from Real Madrid.
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However, the duo, along with the purchase of superstar Wayne Rooney, could not help Ferguson and his team collect any silverware in the 2004/05 season.
The season started badly for the Red Devils with defeats to their two nearest rivals Arsenal and Chelsea in the FA Community Shield and first game of the Barclays Premiership respectivly. Things did not improve for the men from Old Trafford.
If anything, rather than any defecit in strike power, Sir Alex's biggest problem was that he had too many strikers to choose from. With Wayne Rooney, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Alan Smith, David Bellion and Louis Saha all vying for places up front, a strong forward partnership - like the one between Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke in their time at Old Trafford - was hard to come by.
Despite this, United still managed good, though ultimatly unsuccessful, runs in the Carling and FA Cup - losing to Chelsea in the Semi-Finals of the Carling Cup and to Arsenal in the Final of the FA Cup.
Once again, Sir Alex was unable to inspire his team to emulate the European success of the 1998/99 season as the Red Devils crashed out in the Last 16 to finalists AC Milan.
But towards the end of the season, action on the pitch were overtaken by events off it. Despite the best efforts of protesting fans, American businessman Malcolm Glazer seized control of the United board.
In the 2005/06 season the tensions which had been simmering under between Ferguson and his captain Roy Keane finally came to the fore, resulting in Keane leaving the club by mutual consent.
Previously, Keane had criticised the team during a pulled interview on official club station MUTV after a disastrous 4-1 defeat away to Middlesbrough. Ferguson likes to keep a tight ship and was presumably unhappy with the media storm which came from Keane's comments.
In November 2005, Keane left the club, with Ferguson stating that the move was for the good of the club. United struggled without his leadership on the pitch, though they did recover in the latter half of the season, winning the Carling Cup and securing second place in the league.
Ferguson began the 2006/07 season under some pressure, but ended it as a champion once again. His decision to sell prolific striker Ruud van Nistelrooy paid off as it allowed United to play much more flowing football, and they lead the Premiership for most of the campaign, winning his ninth title with two games to spare.
They also reached the FA Cup final and Champions League semi-final, but were denied the chance for another treble or double by defeats to Chelsea and AC Milan respectively. Despite those disappointments, Ferguson had proved his doubters wrong and further cemented his reptutation as one of the game's truly great managers. And still he

From:http://www.4thegame.com/club/manchester-united-fc/manager-profile/1400/sir_alexferguson.html

2007-08 English Premiership guide (Part One)

LONDON, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Team-by-team guide to the English Premiership season, which kicks off on Saturday August 11 (all figures in pounds, one pound = two dollars).
ASTON VILLAManager: Martin O'NeillLast season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGHManager: Gareth SouthgateLast season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLEManager: Sam AllardyceLast season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITYManager: Sven Goran ErikssonLast season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAMManager: Alan CurbishleyLast season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAMManager: Lawrie SanchezLast season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGANManager: Chris HutchingsLast season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLANDManager: Roy KeaneLast season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAMManager: Steve BruceLast season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBYManager: Billy DaviesLast season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
To be continued ... LONDON, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Team-by-team guide to the English Premiership season, which kicks off on Saturday August 11 (all figures in pounds, one pound = two dollars).
ASTON VILLAManager: Martin O'NeillLast season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGHManager: Gareth SouthgateLast season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLEManager: Sam AllardyceLast season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITYManager: Sven Goran ErikssonLast season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAMManager: Alan CurbishleyLast season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAMManager: Lawrie SanchezLast season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGANManager: Chris HutchingsLast season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLANDManager: Roy KeaneLast season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAMManager: Steve BruceLast season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBYManager: Billy DaviesLast season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
To be continued ...
LONDON, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Team-by-team guide to the English Premiership season, which kicks off on Saturday August 11 (all figures in pounds, one pound = two dollars).
ASTON VILLAManager: Martin O'NeillLast season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGHManager: Gareth SouthgateLast season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLEManager: Sam AllardyceLast season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITYManager: Sven Goran ErikssonLast season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAMManager: Alan CurbishleyLast season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAMManager: Lawrie SanchezLast season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGANManager: Chris HutchingsLast season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLANDManager: Roy KeaneLast season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAMManager: Steve BruceLast season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBYManager: Billy DaviesLast season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
To be continued ... LONDON, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Team-by-team guide to the English Premiership season, which kicks off on Saturday August 11 (all figures in pounds, one pound = two dollars).
ASTON VILLAManager: Martin O'NeillLast season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGHManager: Gareth SouthgateLast season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLEManager: Sam AllardyceLast season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITYManager: Sven Goran ErikssonLast season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAMManager: Alan CurbishleyLast season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAMManager: Lawrie SanchezLast season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGANManager: Chris HutchingsLast season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLANDManager: Roy KeaneLast season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAMManager: Steve BruceLast season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBYManager: Billy DaviesLast season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
To be continued ...
LONDON, July 28, 2007 (AFP) - Team-by-team guide to the English Premiership season, which kicks off on Saturday August 11 (all figures in pounds, one pound = two dollars).
ASTON VILLAManager: Martin O'NeillLast season: 11th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (West Ham) 4m
OUT: Steven Davis (Fulham) 4m, Gavin McCann (Bolton) 1m, Aaron Hughes (Fulham) 1m, Jlloyd Samuel (Bolton) free, Lee Hendrie (Sheffield United) free, Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls) free, Stephen Henderson (Bristol City) free, Robert Olejnik (Falkirk) free, Chris Sutton (retired)
OUTLOOK: Martin O'Neill has been a winner for too long to accept another season treading water at Villa Park.
After an initial surge of positive results following his arrival last year, Villa quickly reverted to type as O'Neill began to realise the extent of the task facing him.
His side mixed moments of class with the mediocre displays that have characterised much of the last 20 years at Villa Park and it was frustrating enough for major surgery to be deemed necessary.
The Irishman off-loaded a host of under-performing players and then spent a sizeable chunk of his transfer budget on West Ham duo Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood.
Neither former Hammer is a guaranteed hit but Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ashley Young and John Carew at least give O'Neill a variety of attacking options as he targets a top six finish.
KEY PLAYER: Gabriel Agbonlahor. The lightning-quick winger has illuminated Villa Park with flashes of tremendous skill and is ready to become a real match-winner.
MIDDLESBROUGHManager: Gareth SouthgateLast season: 12th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Luke Young (Charlton) 2.5m, Jeremie Aliadiere (Arsenal) 2m, Tuncay Sanli (Fenerbahce) free
OUT: Mark Viduka (Newcastle) free, Stuart Parnaby (Birmingham) free, Abel Xavier (LA Galaxy) free, Danny Graham (Carlisle) free
OUTLOOK: The phrase mid-table obscurity could have been invented for Middlesbrough and comfortable survival remains the realistic limit of Gareth Southgate's ambitions.
Middlesbrough don't have the resources to compete with the big guns but chairman Steve Gibson is a generous enough benefactor to ensure they are always capable of attracting enough good players to stay afloat.
Southgate has been relatively quiet in the transfer market but he made a curious move by replacing Mark Viduka with French striker Jeremie Aliadiere, who never threatened to break into the first team at Arsenal.
There is no shortage of young talent at the Riverside Stadium however with the like of Lee Cattermole, Stewart Downing, Adam Johnson and James Morrison all impressing after coming through the ranks.
Southgate must get the best of these young prodigies if he is to break that cycle of anonymity.
KEY PLAYER: Jonathon Woodgate. Has enjoyed a new lease of life since moving to his hometown club and is firmly established as one of England's best centre-backs.
NEWCASTLEManager: Sam AllardyceLast season: 13th in Premiership, UEFA Cup last 16, FA Cup third round, League Cup quarter-finals
IN: Joey Barton (Manchester City) 5.5m, David Rozehnal (Paris Saint Germain) 2.9m, Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough) free, Geremi (Chelsea) free
OUT: Scott Parker (West Ham) 7m, Titus Bramble (Wigan) free, Antoine Sibierski (Wigan) free, Alan O'Brien (Hibernian) free, Lee Clark (retired)
OUTLOOK: The marriage of Big Sam to the club with perennially big expectations has the potential to be a match made in heaven.
Allardyce had long made it plain that he craved the opportunity to prove what he could do at a club with greater resources and potential than Bolton. Now he has that chance.
Newcastle have the support and stadium of a Champions League outfit and the rewards of realising that potential would be huge.
Allardyce has the tools to raise to the challenge. Although he established Bolton as a Premiership force with a brand of football that rarely pleased the purists, he is likely to be far more expansive now he has a wider range of talent.
Joey Barton's signing is something of a gamble given his notoriously short fuse, but Allardyce came up trumps when he persuaded Michael Owen not to ask for a transfer.
KEY PLAYER: Michael Owen. After two injury-ravaged years on Tyneside, the England striker owes the Toon Army a prolific campaign.
MANCHESTER CITYManager: Sven Goran ErikssonLast season: 14th in Premiership, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup second round
IN: Rolando Bianchi (Reggina) 8.8m, Martin Petrov (Atletico Madrid) 4.7m, Gelson Fernandes (Sion) undisclosed, Geovanni (Benfica) free
OUT: Joey Barton (Newcastle) 5.5m, Sylvain Distin (Portsmouth) free, Stephen Jordan (Burnley) free, Trevor Sinclair (Cardiff) free, Nicky Weaver (Charlton) free, Nathan D'Laryea (Rochdale) free
OUTLOOK: Sven Goran Eriksson's decision to make a striker his first City signing showed he had been paying attention during his year away from the game.
Eriksson is back in management after his ill-fated reign as England coach and has wasted little time bolstering an attack that hit a Premiership record low of 10 home goals last season.
Rolando Bianchi arrives with a hefty price tag and Bulgaria winger Martin Petrov could add a creative spark, but the likes of Georgios Samaras and Darius Vassell must also shoulder some of the burden.
New Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra risked a tidal wave of opprobrium when he appointed Eriksson, but the Swede will surely be motivated to prove his army of critics wrong.
And suggestions that he is using City as a stepping stone to a more high-profile job will be rendered irrelevant if he fails to make an impact at Eastlands.
KEY PLAYER: Rolando Bianchi. Eriksson expects the Italian, who finished as one of Serie A's leading scorers last season, to breathe new life into City's moribund attack.
WEST HAMManager: Alan CurbishleyLast season: 15th in Premiership, UEFA Cup first round, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup third round
IN: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool) 7.5m, Scott Parker (Newcastle) 7m, Julien Faubert (Bordeaux) 6m, Freddie Ljungberg (Arsenal) 3.5m, Richard Wright (Everton) Free
OUT: Nigel Reo-Coker (Aston Villa) 8.5m, Marlon Harewood (Aston Villa) 4m, Paul Konchesky (Fulham) 2m, Tyrone Mears (Derby) 1m, Teddy Sheringham (Colchester) free, Roy Carroll (Rangers) free, Shaun Newton (Leicester) free
OUTLOOK: No other club manages to be in such a perpetual state of chaos as the Hammers and this close-season at Upton Park has been no different.
It took until mid-July before West Ham's Premiership status was finally secured when Sheffield United's legal challenge over the Carlos Tevez affair was brought to a close.
But Tevez has remained a weighty problem for the club's hierarchy, who found themselves embroiled in dispute with Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian over who should get the transfer fee due from Manchester United for the striker.
While that soap opera has dragged on for weeks, Alan Curbishley has been busy continuing a costly overhaul of his squad as he handed massive wages to the likes of Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker.
That expenditure was necessary as he tries to meet owner Eggert Magnusson's demands for European football. But with Julien Faubert ruled out for six months through injury, another roller-coaster ride is already underway in east London.
KEY PLAYER: Scott Parker. Will be desperate to recapture the form he showed under Curbishley at Charlton after under-whelming spells with Chelsea and Newcastle.
FULHAMManager: Lawrie SanchezLast season: 16th in Premiership, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Diomansy Kamara (West Bromwich) 6m, Steven Davis (Aston Villa) 4m, Chris Baird (Southampton) 3m, Lee Cook (QPR) 2.5m, Paul Konchesky (West Ham) 2m, Aaron Hughes (Aston Villa) 1m, David Healy (Leeds) undisclosed
OUT: Heidar Helguson (Bolton) 2m, Mark Crossley (Oldham) free, Matty Collins (Swansea) free
OUTLOOK: Lawrie Sanchez has embarked on the most surprising spending spree of the close season as he tries to convince Fulham's fans he is the right man to lead their club.
Although Sanchez ensured the London club avoided relegation at the end of last season, the dour style of his team meant his appointment on a permanent basis wasn't greeted with universal approval.
The former Northern Ireland coach needs to make his mark quickly to win over the Craven Cottage faithful and has turned to several of his former international charges to help him.
Sanchez splashed out 20 million pounds on virtually an entire new team and, although Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara was his biggest investment, it is four Northern Ireland stars who will form the spine of the team.
If Fulham are to avoid a repeat of season of struggle, Sanchez knows Chris Baird, Aaron Hughes, Steven Davis and David Healy will have to shine. His future could depend on it.
KEY PLAYER: Antti Niemi. The veteran goalkeeper is still one of the most consistent in the Premiership and could be in for a busy season playing behind a shaky defence.
WIGANManager: Chris HutchingsLast season: 17th in Premiership, FA Cup third round, League Cup second round
IN: Jason Koumas (West Bromwich) 5.3m, Carlo Nash (Preston) 300,000, Andreas Granqvist (Helsingborgs) undisclosed, Titus Bramble (Newcastle) free, Antoine Sibierski (Newcastle) free, Mario Melchiot (Rennes) free
OUT: Lee McCulloch (Rangers) 2.25m, Arjan De Zeeuw (Coventry) free, Matt Jackson (Watford) free, John Filan (retired)
OUTLOOK: It could be a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire at the JJB Stadium this season as Wigan face up to another fight for survival.
The club's dramatic escape from relegation on the final day was barely a week old when manager Paul Jewell's resignation ended the euphoria.
Losing a man whose ability to keep calm under pressure was crucial in the close weeks was a real blow, but it is the decision to hand his assistant Chris Hutchings the reins that could prove fatal.
Hutchings hardly looks an inspiring choice to build on Jewell's good work. His previous experience of management came in identical circumstances at Bradford when he replaced Jewell, only to be sacked after five months with his team already sliding towards the drop.
Signing error-prone defender Titus Bramble and erratic midfielder Jason Koumas was a brave, or possibly fool-hardy, way for Hutchings to start his bid to erase those bitter Bradford memories.
KEY PLAYER: Henri Camara. One of the league's most frustrating talents, the Senegal striker fluctuates between unstoppable and unwatchable.
SUNDERLANDManager: Roy KeaneLast season: Championship winners, FA Cup third round, League Cup first round
IN: Kieran Richardson (Manchester Utd) 5.5m, Michael Chopra (Cardiff) 5m, Greg Halford (Reading) 2.5m, Paul McShane (West Bromwich) 1.5m, Dickson Etuhu (Norwich) 1.5m, Russell Anderson (Aberdeen) 1m
OUT: Stephen Elliott (Wolverhampton) undisclosed, Arnau Riera (Falkirk) free
OUTLOOK: Life in the Premiership has been chastening for Sunderland but Roy Keane's inspirational presence should ensure a far more fulfilling experience this time.
Keane represents one of the more intriguing stories of the season. The former Manchester United midfielder took to management impressively as he hauled the Black Cats from the foot of the table to promotion.
His calm, considered touchline presence is a million miles from the ferocious image he cultivated at Old Trafford.
The enigmatic Irishman's positive approach worked wonders last season but now he has to prove he can cut it at the highest level with a club who have twice set the record of the lowest number of points in a Premiership campaign.
His signing of Michael Chopra raised eyebrows for the size of the fee as well as the striker's Newcastle roots. But Keane has always marched to his own beat and he will believe he can help Sunderland eclipse their local rivals in the national spotlight.
KEY PLAYER: Carlos Edwards. The Trinidad winger has pace to burn and enough tricks to suggest he will be a tricky customer for top-flight defenders.
BIRMINGHAMManager: Steve BruceLast season: Championship runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup fourth round
IN: Fabrice Muamba (Arsenal) 4m, Olivier Kapo (Juventus) 3m, Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow) 2.7m, Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough) free, Daniel de Ridder (Celta Vigo) free, Richard Kingson (Ankaraspor) free, Rafael Schmitz (Lille) season-loan
OUT: DJ Campbell (Leicester) 2.1m, Stephen Clemence (Leicester) 1m, Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester) free, Julian Gray (Coventry) free
OUTLOOK: Steve Bruce is on a mission to make amends for his past mistakes as he aims to prove he has learned the lessons of relegation two years ago.
Bruce tried to establish his side as a genuine Premiership force by signing a string of stars on big contracts. But those high-earners failed to deliver and Birmingham slumped into the Championship.
Relegation left Bruce fighting to save his job and he was within a game of being sacked last season until victory at Derby sparked a promotion charge.
With his St Andrews' stock on the rise again, Bruce has made some intriguing transfers moves that contrast with his previous purchases.
Fabrice Muamba, Olivier Kapo, Garry O'Connor and Stuart Parnaby may not be household names but they will play with a hunger to prove themselves that is certain to be invaluable as Birmingham scrap to stay up.
KEY PLAYER: Gary McSheffrey. A genuine star in the Championship who has to show he can make the step up to the highest level.
DERBYManager: Billy DaviesLast season: Third in Championship, promoted via play-offs, FA Cup fifth round, League Cup second round
IN: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich) 3.5m, Claude Davis (Sheffield United) 3m, Tyrone Mears (West Ham) 1m, Lewis Price (Ipswich) undisclosed, Andy Todd (Blackburn) free
OUT: Lee Camp (QPR) 300,000, Ryan Smith (Millwall) 150,000, Lee Grant (Sheffield Wednesday) free, Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley) six-month loan
OUTLOOK: If Billy Davies can ensure Derby's return to the top-flight is more than a brief cameo appearance he will have justified the flattering comparisons with Sir Alex Ferguson.
Davies had the same Glasgow upbringing and football education as his Manchester United counterpart and the similarities don't end there.
Like Ferguson, the Rams manager is a firebrand with the single-minded determination to impose his will on a club until he gets the success he desires.
The way the Scot transformed Derby from relegation strugglers to play-off winners in just one season underlined his growing reputation, but now he faces his toughest challenge.
Derby are firm favourites to go down and, unable to match their rivals' big spending, Davies has to rely on his ability to cajole another miracle from his over-achievers.
KEY PLAYER: Giles Barnes. The teenage midfielder has already attracted interested from a host of top clubs and now he has the chance to show what all the fuss is about.
To be continued ...


from:www.espnstar.com