They fought hard to be in 1st place, with injured players and tough opponents that were there to win, did not make the playing field any easier, besides the heat and the noise of the dirt bikes and the highway, they played as a team and came together as winners, with school starting the very next day, you had players doing assignments and others wondering who their classmates were going to be, some going to new high schools, typical teenage boys with concerns for every day life and they took the time to come and play as a team, dedication and loyalty can only be some of the words to describe this team.

All of the parent's should be very proud of their children and remember to let them play the game, we are not on the field so please do not try to tell them how to play, if you could do it , then I am sure you would be in that uniform, right?

The big four - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool - are looking for the title in this 2008-09 season.

Which one will be the greatest amongst the great?

Will the current champion be able to renew the title?

Let us analyse the reigning title owner - Man U.

So what defines this season's Manchester United?

• Side-Kick

  Well, it is inevitable to mention Manchester United had an issue to resolve during pre-season: the Cristiano Ronaldo issue, that is. Does anyone really think this matter is over and resolved? No, not by far. And why? - would you ask. Quite simply because although he is still an MU player, his head is already be in Madrid, where the sun shines for the whole year (and I don't just mean the 9 months of the season...) There is so much to be said on this theme, I'll come back to this at a later opportunity, assuring you for now that we will all be debating this again soon.
  

• Recycling In-House Talent

  MU has since the end of last season failed to hire any new player into the club. But this doesn't mean everything is the same.
  
  Assuring the comeback of Fraizer Campbell who had been on loan to Hull City, MU has also promoted two of his young Brazilian players to the main squad: the twin brothers Fabio da Silva (left defender) and Rafael da Silva (right defender). About these two, Sir Alex Ferguson has said: they are sensational!
  

• Quality and Stability

  We have all gotten used to MU's tactic of not hiring much - this is a team that distanciates itself from the rest for another reason: the stability of the coaching team (Sir Alex Ferguson, for one, has been in the club for over 20 years). And even assisting coach Carlos Queiroz' move to head the Portuguese National Team, while it constitutes a great loss, shouldn't be enough to disturb this stability.

In terms of hiring new players, the moto is less is more. As in, a small number of very good (and expensive) acquisitions who will add something (or a lot) of value of the squad, those types of players who will make the difference (like Totenham Hotspurs' striker Dimitar Berbatov, rummored to be on his way to the club). Sometimes this is an investment - perhaps the player will not be an immediate success in their first year in the club, but you can safely bet this will eventually happen.

Whether or not this current state of affairs will be enough to ensure they retain the title, remains to be seen as the 08-09 Premier League unfolds.

In the gentleman's game of golf the first name that pops into just about everyone's mind is Tiger Woods and rightly so. But, before Tiger there was another golfer that still is greater than Woods and his name is Jack Nicklaus. In other sports, there are athletes that are competing to become the best of their sport and even though many of you reading this article will soon learn, there were athletes far better than those that we tune-in to watch and root for today.

1. Jack Nicklaus: Greatest Golfer in the World

   
   
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   Jack Nicklaus was playing professional golf long before Tiger was even a cub and his record of the most won major PGA tournaments still stands to this very day. Although, Tiger Woods is on track to toppling this record as well, as long as injuries doesn't end his incredible career early. Jack has won 18 professional majors, has been the PGA Tour of the Year 5-times, and is a member of the World Golf Hall Fame. He also has posted in 2nd place 19-times, Top 3 finishes 48-times, Top 5 finishes 56-times, and Top 10 finishes 73-times and most of these wins came before Tiger was old enough to hold on to a club.

2. Babe Ruth: Greatest Baseball Player in the World

   
   
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   Babe Ruth played baseball from 1914 to 1935 and was known by other names such as “Babe”, “The Bambino”, and “The Sultan of Swat”, but no matter what we call him he was no doubt the greatest baseball player to have ever set foot on the field. He scored an incredible 714 home runs before retiring in 1935, which stood for another 39 years until Hank Aaron broke the record in 1974. Babe proved that it was possible to rack up 60 home runs in a single season in 1927, in which this record stood strong for another 34 years, until it was finally broken by Roger Maris (1961). Ruth had the 10th highest batting average of .342 in baseball history and he recorded a .690 career slugging percentage and a 1.164 career OPS, which still holds as a record in major league baseball today.

3. Michael Phelps: Greatest Swimmer in the World

   
   
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   The 23 year old, Olympic American swimmer Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer in the world hands down. He has kicked his way to winning an astonishing 14 Olympic Gold Medals and 2 Bronze Medals after combining the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics together. Let's not forget that Mr. Phelps has also competed in the World Championships and won 18 Gold Medals and 3 Silver Medals in those games. The world's greatest swimmer has competed in the Pan Pacific Championships in 2002 and 2006 and accumulated another 8 Gold and 3 Silver medals all the while competing in the 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, 200m backstroke, 4 x 100m freestyle relay, and 4 x 200 freestyle relay. He has broken countless world and Olympic records and is considered to be the greatest Olympian of All-times.

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Greatest Basketball Player in the World

   
   
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   The 7 foot 2 inch center for the Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975) and later for the Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989) stands virtually alone at the top of basketball's elites. Sure, some avid basketball fans will frown at this fact, but when considering that basketball is a team sport and much of a player's greatness derives from their willingness to feed the talents of the other players, then he is the best ever. He scored 38,387 career points, 17,440 rebounds and made 3,189 blocks and was awarded the NBA MVP six-times and won 6 NBA Championships, before retiring in 1989.

5. Pete Sampras: Greatest Professional Tennis Player in the World

   
   
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   Pete Sampras is the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen commands a court. During his long and exciting career, he has collected 14 Grand Slams men's singles titles, won Wimbledon singles title 7-times, won the US Open singles title 5-times, won the Grand Slam Cup 2-times, won 11-times on the ATP Master Series and won on the ATP Tour an impressive 32-times. Pete Sampras was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 17, 2007, after proving to the world he is really the greatest in the world of Men's Tennis.

6. Pele: Greatest Soccer/Football Player in the World

   
   
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   Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) formally played Brazilian Football from 1956-1977 for the Santos (1956-1974), New York Cosmos (1975-1977) and played for the National Team of Brazil from (1957-1971) and scored 1280 goals. His great ball handling skills on the field would become legendary and make Pele a national treasure of Brazil. Check out more about Pele's dominating career.

7. Muhammad Ali: Greatest Heavyweight Boxer in the World

   
   
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   Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.) an Olympic Gold Medallist in the 1960 Rome Games for the Light Heavyweight division and a 3-time World Heavyweight Champion is still the only man to have won the heavyweight boxing championship three back-to-back times in history. “The Champ” competed in 61 total fights and winning 56 times and an unlucky 37 fighters were knocked out by the powerhouse punches by the World's Greatest Heavyweight Boxer - “The Louisville Lip” Muhammad Ali.

Who in the world could possibly disagree with these seven athletes' total dominance of their sports? Bring your best nominations to the table, because I firmly believe that my choices are the greatest athletes in the world - prove me wrong.

For example one interesting fact about the strength of European football compared to the rest, is the fact that European teams have reached the final of every World Cup barring 1950 and 1930. So you can forget about Brazil's 5 World Cups, and Argentina's 2. The European teams generally have made the competition their own.

On the subject of Brazil, their most famous player is called Pele. Or is he? The fact is, that the greatest footballer of his generation is actually named: Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Pele is his nickname, not his real name!

The World Cup has seen many players sent off. But would you believe that it took until 1974 for the first player to be sent off? Carlos Caszely of Chile has the dubious honour of receiving the first red card. Now, it is unheard of to have a World Cup without a few red cards.

Moving away from the World Cup, the first televised soccer match was? Well, it was an Arsenal practise match at the Highbury ground in 1937. An historic fact, considering the importance of TV to the sport.

The immense popularity of soccer in South America is highlighted when you consider the number: 199,854. It is a fact that this is the record attendance at a soccer match, that being the 1950 World Cup game between Uraguay and Brazil in the Maracana Stadium.

Sportsmanship in soccer is something we like to see. And the perfect example of this came from Sir Stanley Matthews, who never received a red card in 33 years of playing the game professionally. If only all players had facts like that.

Indeed another notable fact is that the most cautions in any World Cup stands at 345 in 64 matches, in 2006. And this from the most recent World Cup! Players need to take note of Sir Stan.

Ever seen your team take a beating? Not just a beating, a real beating. Do take note of the game between Arbroath and Bon Accord in 1885. Arbroath won by 36-0, and set the record for biggest victory in professional football. A fact that Bon Accord would like to forget.

One final thing, that should not be forgotten, is the fact that the game of soccer is called football in countries outside America. So much for the soccer title then!

Still, football trivia and facts are very interesting and can be comical. They can tell us a good deal about the game, such as who the strongest football continent is, and can point to trends within the game. They should not be ignored, and facts like Sir Stans deserve recognition.

The Gunner's maestro dominated the experienced German midfield and showed exactly why there are too few superlatives in the English language to describe his ability. The fluidity and aesthetic appeal of the Spanish in this tournament was nothing short of extraordinary - movement and vision encapsulated the aforementioned midfield quartet was arguably the key to success. In a time when football fans seem to call for more value for money through the turnstiles from the so called entertainment business- it was Spain who delivered the goods in every game. Only the second team to win every game of the Euros made Spain undoubtedly worthy winners which of course this begs the question; "Just how will the new European champions fare in 2010 at the next world cup against the traditional superpowers of Brazil and Argentina?"

In my humble opinion, it is a joy to behold the architects of some of the most precise, exuberant and lethal football being played, what's more is that it's these teams who are winning more often than not. In 2008 Manchester United edged out Chelsea in both the Premiership and Champions League, much to the delight of many footballing neutrals who were much more endured to the style and finesse of United than the power and efficiency of Chelsea. The likes of Drogba, Ballack, Lampard and Essien all played vital roles within the 2008 campaign for Chelsea, however it was these powerhouses who were preferred in Mourinho's and then Grant's teams selections over the more technically minded Kalou, Malouda and Wright-Phillips.

The appointment of Luiz Filipe Scolari as new Chelsea coach this summer has sparked rumors of a new Chelsea style, comparable to that of Manchester United, Barcelona, and other such iconic teams associated with the beautiful game. The first signing of Scolari was fellow Brazilian (now Portuguese by nationality) playmaker Deco. In a sensational coup, Scolari may have just found the missing component to Chelsea's title ambitions. The flair, pzazz and audacity of Deco could similarly rake in millions through media interest in a more attractive looking Chelsea team, commercial sales through shirts, and indeed more neutral support - A winner on all fronts for Abramovic, Kenyon, Buck and the rest of the Chelsea hierarchy.

Football is a beautiful game, one remembered for exciting games and gifted players. If the changing face of football is one with this façade, and this looks increasingly likely, it makes for an exciting time to come in the world's most beloved game. Long live the beautiful game.

In my humble opinion, it is a joy to behold the architects of some of the most precise, exuberant and lethal football being played, what's more is that it's these teams who are winning more often than not. In 2008 Manchester United edged out Chelsea in both the Premiership and Champions League, much to the delight of many footballing neutrals who were much more endured to the style and finesse of United than the power and efficiency of Chelsea. The likes of Drogba, Ballack, Lampard and Essien all played vital roles within the 2008 campaign for Chelsea, however it was these powerhouses who were preferred in Mourinho's and then Grant's teams selections over the more technically minded Kalou, Malouda and Wright-Phillips. The appointment of Luiz Filipe Scolari as new Chelsea coach this summer has sparked rumors of a new Chelsea style, comparable to that of Manchester United, Barcelona, and other such iconic teams associated with the beautiful game. The first signing of Scolari was fellow Brazilian (now Portuguese by nationality) playmaker Deco. In a sensational coup, Scolari may have just found the missing component to Chelsea's title ambitions. The flair, pzazz and audacity of Deco could similarly rake in millions through media interest in a more attractive looking Chelsea team, commercial sales through shirts, and indeed more neutral support - A winner on all fronts for Abramovic, Kenyon and Buck.

Football is a beautiful game, one remembered for exciting games and gifted players. If the changing face of football is one with this façade, and this looks increasingly likely, it makes for an exciting time to come in the world's most beloved game. Long live the beautiful game.

West Brom are perhaps the only one of the promoted sides that will believe they should stay up. They have a fair amount of attacking flair and they certainly shouldn't be embarrassed at this level, if they can get their defence right then they should have a decent shot at staying up. On the other hand, it's hard to see which one of the established sides they will finish above. Certainly teams like Wigan, Sunderland, Bolton and Fulham look a lot stronger then they did twelve months ago. MiddlesBoro and Newcastle both have genuine quality in their attack so it's hard to see either of them getting dragged to far in to the battle. The only other teams that could realistically have a shocker are West ham and Blackburn, but after both teams finished so comfortably in mid table West Brom fans shouldn't hold their breath.

It's hard to predict how many goals West Brom's forwards will score this season. Luke Moore has a reasonable record in the top flight and Tony Mowbray will be looking for him to bag double figures as a first team regular (he was never really considered a regular at the Villa). Roman Bednar has looked a good player when playing in the SPL and the championship, it remains to be seen whether he will hack it in one of Europe's top leagues. Ishmael Miller only played a handful of games for city, and even in the matches he did play he was mainly deployed on the wing, so it's hard to judge his top flight potential on his tom there. He has bags of pace and he always looked lively for the Baggies last term. Although Miller is unlikely to get twenty odd goals he should be able to make some sort of impact.

In midfield Jonathan Greening plays as the holding midfielder, which says a lot. The former Manchester United man has played the majority of his career on the left wing. He has perhaps played the best football of his career in recent seasons at West Brom but Premiership midfield's are more unforgiving than Champioship midfield's. Alongside him will be Slovakian midfielder Robert Koren. Koren is a good passer of the ball and a regular goal scorer but his defensive ability is questionable. Teixera is in the same mould as Koren. Chris Brunt is a high energy wide player who scores the occasional wonder goal.

West Brom will be hoping that new signings Zuiverloon and Cech stiffen up a shaky defence, both are versatile enough to play at full back or centre half but is most likely Zuiverloon will play at right back and Cech at left back. The centre half places are likely to be filled by Neil Clement and Leon Barnett (especially after they were given the number six and number five shirts for this season).

In goal Scott Carson has a bit to prove. His form suffered after letting in that goal from Kranjacar's weak shot at Wembley and he will be hurt by Villa's decision not to sign him on a permanent basis.

Who have they signed?

Zuiverloon is a Dutch under 21 international who plays best as an attacking full back, he can also play centre half. He will miss the start of the season after being named in Holland's squad for the Olympics.

Marech Cech has been signed from Porto where he was used mainly at left back. He has also been used as a centre back and a defensive midfield player

Scott Carson was thrown in at the deep end in premiership football, his first game was at Old Trafford whilst at Leeds. After putting in a credible display and only conceding one goal scouts started to watch him. A move to Liverpool followed but he found himself out on a series of loan moves. His best season in terms of performance bizarrely came at Charlton; who were relegated that season. After being thrown in a massive game on his club debut; the same thing happened in competitive international matches when he started England's decisive game against Croatia. The occasion and the state of the pitch got the better of him and have probably ended his international career before it began.

Who should they sign and why?

Although he is much maligned; Hosam Ghali was by far the best player in Derby's struggling side. Tottenham are desperate to get rid and the Egyptian would add much needed strength to West Brom's midfield. They could also do with strengthening at centre half; big Steven Pressley is still looking for a club and reportedly wants a move south. The former hearts captain is getting on now but should have another year or two left in him.

Star Man

Berbatov, he may be gone by the time you read this but the Bulgarian is sheer class. His work rate maybe leaves a little to decide but his touch and his finishing skills are exquisite.

It's a season of big changes at the lane. They have bought a fair few players in and they have let a fair few go. It will certainly be interesting to follow Tottenham's progress this year. Juande Ramos is the first manager in the premiership era (without any affiliation to Arsenal that is) to win silverware at Spurs so it's understandable that the fans believe in him. Spurs, however, have had plenty of false dawns in the past and there is not yet enough proof to suggest this time will be any different.

It's worth noting that Spurs have so far only purchased creative, flair players. With Aaron Lennon also still about Spurs are certainly blessed in that area of the park. It would be fair to say that they still lack a defensive midfielder worthy of a serious push for the champions league places. I have pencilled Ledley King in this position but I'd be surprised if Ramos went the same way. It is likely that Zokora will start most games despite the fact he hasn't played well for Spurs since his first two months at the club.

The additions of Woodgate and Hutton last year stiffened up the defence. Paul Robinson is not a bad keeper but the relationship between him and Ramos was never going to work so they did need to bring in a keeper. Gomes has performed very well for PSV in recent European campaigns and probably caught the manager's eye when the Dutch giants knocked Spurs out of the EUFA cup last season. Brazilian keepers tend to be a bit dodgy, In terms of both temperament and consistency, and Spurs don't currently have an experienced back-up. Reports suggest they are on the case and they may be just as well.

Another position that Spurs are working on is that of the main striker. Dimitar Berbatov probably thinks he's a bit too good for Spurs and unless they break in to the top four he will never be 100% happy. Spurs fans are still sweating on whether he will decide to leave or not. After Robbie Keane's recent departure they are more worried than ever as they would be left with only Darren Bent. There are reports linking them with the Russian duo Arshavin and Pavlychenko but that policy would have to be seen as risky. Russia is a totally different environment to the rest of Europe, both in social and footballing terms. It's certainly hard to think of a great deal of Russians who have made a successful career away from their home land in recent years. With Spurs still smarting from wasting £11 million on Rebrov, they might think twice about signing players from that part of the world again. As yet it is unclear whether Spurs really do have a chance of landing David Villa. Euro 2008's top scorer would prefer to go to Real Madrid or Barcelona but if they can't stump up the cash then he may settle for working with a Spanish manager.

Where will they hope to finish?

Above Arsenal; in other words fourth.

What position would be seen as acceptable?

If they had a good run in both the EUFA cup and the F.A cup then most Spurs fans would settle for sixth.

Where will they actually finish?

As long as Berbatov stays, or they get a worthy replacement, then they should finish in fifth.

Who have they signed?

You will probably be sick to death with most of the press talking about how “technically gifted” Luka Modric is and how he is supposed to be the “new Cruyff”. I know I certainly am. I am also reserving judgement on a player who we have only seen in a handful of international matches, even if he did play well. He has been the outstanding player in the Croatian league for a few seasons but I'm not convinced that's a definite seal of quality. He has good feet, an eye for a pass and makes clever use of the half turn. He is a similar player to Paul Scholes in many respects(he is certainly nearer to Scholes than Cruyff anyway). If he is half as successful in the premier league as the ginger genius than Spurs will get value for their money.

Giovanni Dos Santos has also been given a tag that he may struggle to live up to, he is supposedly the “new Ronaldinho” (the buck tooth Brazillian before he got fat and stopped playing that is). Dos Santos has been used in a few different positions in his career so far but his favoured one is just off the front man. Dos Santos rose to prominence at the under 17 world cup a few years back. He was one of the three outstanding players along with Manchester United's Anderson and Arsenal's Carlos Vela. He then spent a couple of years developing his technique in Barcelona's B team before slowly starting to make appearances in the first team over the past two seasons. He ended his Barcelona career in style by netting a hat-trick on the final day of last season.

Everyone knows about England winger David Bentley following his success at Blackburn and we have already covered Brazilian international keeper Gomes

You might be able to question Defoe's all round game but he guarantees goals. A starring role at Pompey should see him push for an international place

Harry Redknapp's achievements at Portsmouth should ensure him legendary status. In just seven years Portsmouth have gone from a team struggling to maintain their second tier status to F.A cup winners, firmly established in the top half of the premiership. All this at a club whose stadium seats less than 20,000. His budget, however, hasn't been as restrictive as you would think, both Mandaric and Gaydamak have incurred significant personal losses in order to fund Harry's rebuilding job. There are signs that Gaydamak has either run out of money or run out of patience. The signing of Peter Crouch has been offset by the loss of Muntari and Harry has reportedly been told that if he wants to sign Wright Phillips and Kaboul then he needs to off-load more players. That probably means trying to sell John Utaka, David Nugent and Pedro Mendes. If there are no takers for those three then Harry could be left frustrated in his attempts to push Pompey in to the top six.

If Pompey are to have success this year then their little and large partnership of Crouch and Defoe will have to hit the ground running. One interesting sub plot is that they are effectively competing against each other for a spot in the England team, it will be interesting to see if this affects the relationship between them on the pitch. Maybe Defoe will become a bit more selfish in order to make sure he gets more goals than Crouch.

In midfield Niko Kranjacar should supply the front two with plenty of ammunition. He would prefer a role as a central playmaker but Portsmouth's system allows him to cut in from the left. On the other side John Utaka has become unpopular with both the manager and the fans due to his lack of application. In 2006/07 he was one of the French league's top players and on his debut for Portsmouth he looked like Thierry Henry in his Arsenal pomp. What has gone wrong since is anyone's guess but he has the talent to succeed in the English game. The alternative is Glen Little who was the best right winger in the second tier for a spell of about five years (briefly interrupted by an unsuccessful stint at Bolton). He performed well in the top flight for Reading in the 06/07 season but he is now approaching his 33rd birthday and is unlikely to make a major impact this term.

In the centre of the park they have the best holding player outside the top four in Lassana Diarra. Strong, athletic and comfortable on the ball he will prove a bargain at around £5 million as long as he feels settled on the south coast. Alongside him they have Diop who has so far failed to repeat the form he showed in the 2002 world cup with Senegal. He also had a good spell early in his Fulham career. If he can find this kind of form again then Pompey's defence should have a significant barrier in front of them.

Portsmouth's ageing back five should have at least one good season left in them; but with only Glen Johnson under the age of thirty it's the area Harry most needs to replenish.

Who have they signed?

We know all about Peter Crouch who was probably the most under-rated striker in England for a couple of years. It can no longer be denied that Crouch is an effective player but the jury is still out as to whether he can do it against the top sides. He scored a hat-trick against Arsenal in 2006/07 and he has a good record in the champions league which suggests he probably can.

We have already covered Glen Little.

Who should they sign and why?

Harry is after Sean Wright Phillips and if he could pull that one off then it would surely prove a major coup. Although S.W.P hasn't done it on a consistent basis for Chelsea

He would most probably shine once again at a club which gave a guaranteed first team spot. If S.W.P is a little out of their budget then Giles Barnes of Derby might be worth a punt.

Harry could also do with a more youthful centre back, there is a possibility that Anton Ferdinand might be available and because of the West Ham connection Harry should already know him well.

Where will they hope to finish?

Fifth or sixth

What position will be seen as acceptable?

Like so many other teams outside the top four it depends on their progress in the cups.

Where will they actually finish?

They have a small squad so if they take the cup competitions seriously (especially the EUFA cup) it will have a detrimental effect on their league form. I'll say that they'll finish ninth. I think they'll reach the quarter finals of the EUFA cup as long as they field their strongest side.

In mid October last year Wigan looked like relegation certainties. They struggled to score goals and didn't seem to have any quality in their side. Then Steve Bruce arrived and everything started to fall in to place. All of a sudden players like Kirkland, Ryan Taylor and Valencia started to find their form. In January Bruce bought in Wilson Palacios and the Honduran gave Wigan much needed quality in the centre of the park. This summer Bruce has been busy; adding the likes of De Ridder, Kapo and Cattermole to his squad. Wigan are now a totally different team to when Bruce first took charge. They will hope to steer way clear of the relegation dogfight this season.

There are still plenty of problems with Wigan's squad: in attack they lack a striker who will score ten or fifteen goals. Last years top scorer Marcus Bent has left the club after failing to secure a permanent move following his loan spell. Emile Heskey will lead the line well and look to bring Wigan's talented attacking midfielders, such as Valencia and De Ridder, in to play. Heskey's all round play at Wigan has earned him an international recall but he only scored four goals last term. A.Zaki has never played club football outside his native Egypt so he remains an unknown quantity in European football.

Marlon King doesn't look up to it in the premiership and he is likely to move before the window closes.

With limited options in the forward positions; Wigan will look for plenty of goals from their attacking midfield players. Valencia has now settled in to English football after an up and down first season. He is now showing the type of form that he produced in the 2006 world cup, when he inspired Ecuador to reach the last sixteen for the first time.

He has been linked to Manchester united but that is unlikely to happen this season. If, however, Valencia carries on improving at Wigan (and Christiano Ronaldo leaves for Real Madrid) then that transfer might just happen next summer. Kapo made his name under Guy Roux at Auxerre but he has failed to settle since leaving the French club. He briefly shone under Steve Bruce at Birmingham but found himself marginalised when McCleish took charge. Former Ajax winger De Ridder also found himself with limited chances to impress under the former Scotland manager. He has impressed in pre-season games for Wigan and could well be one to watch this season.

In the engine room Wigan have Palacios and Cattermole, which has the making of a good partnership.

Defence is a problem area for Wigan with ageing Mario Melchiot and the error prone Titus Bramble still classed as first team regulars. Paul Scharner is occasionally brilliant but he sometimes goes missing. Emerson Boyce is a good professional who can perform at right back and centre half. Ryan Taylor can play at full back and is able to operate on either flank, his best position is arguably further up the park but he looks to be Wigan's best option at left back.

In goal Chris Kirkland has started to rebuild his reputation after a spell at Liverpool in which he rarely played and was often injured. If he has another good season and stays injury free then he might just convince Capello that he is the solution to England's long term Goalkeeping problem.

Who have they signed?

Oliver Kapo was once seen as one of France's great young hopes. Along with D. Cisse, Kapo was the key player in Auxerre's title winning side but he has failed to repeat that form on a consistent basis. He had disappointing spells at Juventus and Monaco before joining Levante. The Spanish club's financial troubles led to his sale to Birmingham. He can play on the left but he favours the position just behind the main striker.

Daniel de Ridder was trained at the famous Ajax academy where he honed his technical skills. He was always in and out of the team at the Dutch giants, prompting him to move to Celta Vigo. Last summer he won the under 21 European championship with Holland (playing as an over-aged player) before moving to Birmingham, where he showed flashes of brilliance but failed to hold down a first team spot. He obviously did enough to impress Bruce and he is expected to make a bigger impression in English football this term.

Lee Cattermole showed potential during his time at Boro. He is a committed and passionate player. He is strong in the tackle and has a good positional sense. He should significantly improve Wigan in the centre of the park.

Abou Zaki impressed at the African cup of nations. Like many of the Egyptian squad he has good technical ability. He has been the top striker in the Egyptian league (which is by far the strongest of the African leagues) for a few seasons but is unproven outside Africa.

Who should they sign and why?

Wigan desperately need someone to score ten to fifteen league goals for them. It is a hard place to sell so they will have to think outside the box. Ipswich have a young striker called Danny Haynes who looks like he could well make it at the top level. He has good feet, bags of pace and can get past defenders. He would be a good foil for Heskey. Ivory coast striker Baky Kone (currently with Nice) would also fit the bill.

Where will they hope to finish?

Somewhere between tenth and twelfth.

 

What position would be seen as acceptable?

They'll probably be reasonably happy to avoid relegation so I'd say sixteenth

Where will they actually finish?

Seventeenth