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