Alex McCarthy's Blog, page 2

How would Yugoslavia look today?

I stumbled across an interesting hypothetical the other day: What would Yugoslavia’s team look like if the country still remained today?

For those of you that are wondering the significance of the question, Yugoslavia was a country formed in the First World War in 1918. Its eventual demise in 2003 was a result of the ‘Yugoslav Wars’ from 1991-99, which started the slow process of its six constitutes breaking free and declaring independence.

First of the six to break free was Croatia and Slovenia in June 1991, then Macedonia a few months later, Bosnia & Herzegovina then escaped in March 92’ before the remaining two constitutes, Serbia and Montenegro, finally departed united in 2003, before going their separate ways three years later. Sounds very boy-bandish doesn’t it? I think that would make Robbie Williams Croatia.

11 years later, those nations represent a far cry from their former Yugoslav staple and ex-Aston Villa forward Savo Milosevic (I still remember him partnering Dwight Yorke for Villa), who Villa fans kindly nicknamed Miss-a-lot-evic for his frequent barren spells.

Given the talent at the six countries disposal, below is a starting eleven consisting of the nation’s having a reunion of sorts.

Sammir Handanovic (Inter Milan & Slovenia)

Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk & Croatia)

Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea & Serbia)

Nemanja Vidic (Inter Milan & Serbia)

Aleksander Kolarov (Man City & Serbia)

Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia)

Mirajem Prjanic (AS Roma & Bosnia)

Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona & Croatia)

Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich & Croatia)

Stevan Jotevic (Man City & Montenegro)

Edin Dzeko (Man City & Bosnia)

And the quality doesn’t stop there. The bench is a quality-laden with an array of stars like Ivan Perisic (Wolfsburg & CRO), Goran Padev (Napoli & MAC), Mirko Vucinic (Juventus & MON), Nevan Subotic (Dortmund & SER), Asmir Begovic (Stoke & BOS), Nemanja Matic (Chelsea & SER), Josip Ilicic (Fiorentina & SLO) and Dejan Lovren (Southampton & CRO) waiting in the wings.

The above FIFA team isn’t bad is it? Not at all.

With a combined population of just over 20 million, which is under a third of England’s, it’s an impressive collection of proven stars, which play for the very top sides in Europe to vouch for their calibre.

Great Britain by contrast, though politically run in just a tad slightly less oppressive manner, has five constituents (let’s say for the sake of this that the Republic of Ireland haven’t broke away). Truth be told however, apart from Gareth Bale and Seamus Coleman, would anyone else from the other nations really have a chance at breaking into England’s team?

In the athletic domain, we compete under the Great Britain collective. Scotsmen Andy Murray represents Britain in the Davis Cup. It’s not inconceivable that the football team could in theory exude the same make-up.

The Yugoslavian national team was ranked as high as 6th in the FIFA rankings back in 1998, though England fans will know how misleading they can be. Whether the independent countries have only really truly flourished since going their separate ways is up for debate. Without delving into national agendas or infrastructures, they have undoubtedly produced a world-class ensemble worthy of gracing any World Cup and genuinely competing.

Bosnia and Croatia are the only nations at this year’s finals but both have made auspicious if not respectable starts. With all England’s advanced training centres and top of the line academy systems which should equate to success, they appear an ostensible notion. These countries have amassed wide ranging talent without elite leagues in their home country or any fast-track routes to the main stage for young players.

Maybe there isn’t a special formula for producing players after all…if you got them, you’ve got them?

2014 FIFA World Cup - The Predictions

The World Cup is finally upon is! For all of Brazil’s golden sands, voluptuous women, feral favelas and politically alienated people, as from tomorrow till July 13th it shall play home to arguably the greatest sporting showcase on Earth – The FIFA World Cup.

Everyone has an opinion on the World Cup, and I am no different to the common man (give or take some very pale skin and some glass ankles). I would just like to state, I BELIEVE England can win. There. I feel all the better for saying it. We have the most exciting squad I can remember since Euro 96, and if Hodgson is daring enough, England have the quality to hit at least the semis.

Hopes and dreams aside, below are my predictions for how the World Cup will play out. Please, feel free to hit me with your views too.

Group A

Brazil

Croatia

Mexico

Cameroon

I see this being a tighter contested group than some may think, but I fancy Brazil on home soil to sweep through top. With Modric, Rakitic and Mandzukic in the Croatian side and Lovren at the back, I see them having more quality than the spirited Mexicans and an athletic Cameroon outfit, whose power seems to wither in correlation with Samuel Eto’o’s age.

Group B

Spain

Netherlands

Chile

Australia

First off, I think the Aussies will be lucky to come away from this World Cup with a point. Reigning champions Spain still have such an excellent array of talent that I think they’ll possibly be winning the whole thing, let alone this group. Which leaves Holland and Chile to battle it out for the second qualification spot. Sure, Holland have Robben, Van Persie and Sneijder who are all serious players, but the last Euro’s showed they aren’t the most functional unit. Their defence has had question marks for years, and although the arrival of Bruno Martins Indi is a big boost, I believe a resilient, determined and slick Chile team have the edge in this one, especially given the tournaments location in South America.

Group C

Colombia

Greece

Ivory Coast

Japan

Whilst this is probably one of the less star-studded groups, I think all of the games will prove to be exciting ones. Colombia’s potent attacking force, even without the injured Falcao, and wing wizardly in the shape of Rodriguez and Cuardrado should see them overpower the other teams here. Euro 2004 winners Greece finished second to Bosnia in qualification for the tournament (on goal difference) and overcame Romania in the playoffs. I see the Greeks ending where their finances are – rock bottom – propping up a dogged and progressive Japan side, and my pick for second place, the Ivory Coast. Though the centre of their defence isn’t the best, the likes of Yaya Toure, Drogba, Bony, Aurier, Doumbia and Traore means they have more than enough quality to trouble teams.

Group D

Uruguay

Costa Rica

England

Italy

The group everyone cares about! I can’t bat aside my bias, I just can’t. We’re going to finish top after beating Italy, drawing with Uruguay and defeating Costa Rica. Much like Australia, I don’t see Costa Rica getting out of the blocks. I believe Italy and Uruguay will come down to a winner take all match on the final day and Suarez, Cavani and co. will pip them. Not only because of the South American heat advantage, but the Uruguayans are a dogged, classy unit who can really dominate games. Italy aren’t as strong as they have been in my opinion, with Pirlo and Balotelli (who is rumoured to be under threat from Ciro Immobile) the only real, stand-out players.

Group E

Switzerland

France

Ecuador

Honduras

The Swiss won a relatively pedestrian group in qualifying, but for as good as goal machine Josip Drmic is, Senderos and Djourou are still making the cut in defence. Frank Ribery’s injury will have hurt France’s chances in the grand scheme of things, but in this group with new leading lights like Pogba, Varane, Griezmann and Mangala they’ll be confident of progressing top. What I learned about Ecuador and Honduras from the England friendlies is, they’re ill-tempered little guys aren’t they! I didn’t see much in the way of quality from the latter though, and with the Valencia’s, Montero and Caiceido in attack, I expect that to be enough to secure second-place for Ecuador.

Group F

Argentina

Iran

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Nigeria

Argentina are the obvious pick here. That needs little to no explanation. Iran’s hopes lie in 140 cap Javad Nekounam and Charlton youngster Reza Ghoochannejihad, who has 10 goals in 14 caps. The majority of their squad plies their trade in the Iranian league and I can’t see them competing with the Nigerian’s physical style or Bosnia’s organisation. I think Bosnia will pip a Nigeria side whom aren’t what they have been in recent years to the second spot. Ahmed Musa is a bright spark for the Nigerians (raaaaapid!) but they are too unpredictable to sustain any real form. Bosnia have the talented playmaker Miralem Pjanic and Man City forward Edin Dzeko which offers their rigid side some all-important cutting edge.  

Group G

Germany

Portugal

Ghana

America

This will be another very interesting group to watch. The Jurgen Klinsman managed American’s have come a long way in the last decade or so and sport a fresh, exciting blend of players much in the mould of England. With both the Ayew brothers and Kevin Prince Boateng coming out of retirement, Ghana are also considerably stronger. However, I don’t think you can look past the power of the top two. Germany will finish top for me, as they have more strength over the field in comparison to Portugal. Still, any team in the world with Ronaldo has every chance!

Group H

Belguim

South Korea

Russia

Algeria

Contrary to popular belief, Belgium are not underdogs by any stretch of the imagination. Neither Germany nor Portugal would fancy the prospect of facing them in the last-16 I promise you that. Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku (my golden boot pick), Kevin De Buyne, Vincent Kompany, Thibaut Courtois are just some of the players at their disposal. Russia, managed by Fabio Capello, are also always a strong unit who will have too much for the Koreans and an Algerian outfit who sport Valencia star Sofiane Feghouli.

That means my last 16 would look like this:

Brazil Vs Chile

Spain Vs Croatia

Colombia Vs Uruguay

England Vs Ivory Coast

France Vs Bosnia

Argentina Vs Ecuador

Germany Vs Russia

Belgium Vs Portugal

I think for the majority, these results speak for themselves. England would most definitely face a tough time against the Ivory Coast, but I feel England have more threats and better ball retention (something I wouldn’t say against most nations) than their African counterparts. Although it would pain me to see Ronaldo go home early, I think we saw in qualifying Portugal aren’t overly formidable bar their Ballon D’or winning skipper. I think Belgium would pip them.

Quarter finals:

Brazil Vs Spain

Colombia Vs England

France Vs Argentina

Germany Vs Belgium

End of the road for Brazil I’m sad to say, if they cross paths with Spain. Spain’s dictation of the play and possession based game isn’t really too effected by the searing heat. Their shutting down may be, but I still believe they have more quality than the hosts…though you never know what the home atmosphere could do. I can’t see a Ribery-less France coping well with Argentina’s plethora of attacking talent either, which is no insult at all really because who will? I dithered over Germany and Belgium for a while, but I just think the chocolate specialists (they’re famous for that, aren’t they?) can combat the Germans at their own game, and Lukaku can trouble Hummels and Mertesaker probably a lot more than an ageing Klose can Kompany and co. (not that I’d EVER disregard Klose).

Semi-Finals:

Spain Vs England

Argentina Vs Belgium

The end of the road for the Three Lions sadly. You could make cases for Colombia or Ivory Coast knocking out England, but you can equally, if not more so, argue for England in those games too. With Spain, I’m afraid we are miles away from their vast talent and team coherence. Miracles can happen, but Spain are so irrepressible and well-oiled it’s a crime they’ve now acquired a natural goal scorer in Diego Costa, too. The same notion applies to Belgium really. As much of a great outfit they are, I don’t think they will be able to play with the tempo the Argies will, who have a relentless, fast attacking unit.

Final:

Spain Vs Argentina

This is tough. Even having picked Argentina, I still have a nagging feeling inside Spain will win it. Oh well, it’s done now! My instincts tell me a South American side will be victorious this summer, and I still believe that to be the case. The conditions will definitely influence the play, but only if the Argentines take the game to Spain. If Spain are allowed to play at their own pace, it’s goes without saying it’s hard to oppress your own tempo. I also believe Argentina are more than capable of scoring against Spain. If they did, Spain would have to chase the game and break stride, leaving themselves open to Argentina’s blistering counter attack courtesy of Di Maria, Messi, Aguero, Lavezzi and company. It’s only one scenario, but it’s plausible in my eyes.

So there it is - my World Cup predictions! Maybe the England optimist has affected my judgement, but rather than being fashionably pessimistic about our chances, I’ve done my best to look at the squads objectively and take the players and conditions into account. That’s how I arrived at my conclusions and the waiting is almost over to see how true they may render.

Have a great World Cup everyone…and COME ON ENGLAND!!

My Wrestling Utopia

I’m sure every wrestling fan has an idea how things can be supposedly better. The IWC (internet wrestling community) are seemingly never happy with the product no matter what swerves or action is presented. Unless of course, one of their darling indie stars is thriving.

Still, every storyline and character is scrutinised and second guessed to the limit in the fans pursuit of entertainment. In reality, it’s a strange paradox to present, because the WWE has made and harboured all of the fans who moan about it.

I too, am one of those fans. If you’re a fan bred through of the attitude era, then unfortunately, you’re going to be disappointed in the main if that’s your yard stick. The product adapts as indeed the company does too which in turn gives fans a different kind of expectations.

Without divulging too far into the PG era, it’s not just an in-ring and storyline combatant, but a profit vehicle the WWE simply can’t say no to. A Mick Foley for instance, wouldn’t be able to make his now legendary name in today’s WWE where the company is almost totally bereft of hardcore matches, resistant to blood being spilt and a character as warped as Mankind. They certainly don’t encourage falling off a cell, let alone even chair shots to the head.

Yet, if it wasn’t for people like Foley, the PG era probably wouldn’t exist today. It was the lessons the industry learned 15-20 years ago that paved away for the profit hungry conglomerate that stands before you today.

In my opinion, the structure of the shows has disintegrated into a mess. For years Smackdown has been valued far beneath the company’s inaugural flagship show Raw, thus devaluing the World Heavyweight Title in the process. I was pining for the titles to be unified for a long time before the company finally went with it late last year.

 If the two shows aren’t separate entities, then the whole roster split and opposing titles is a fruitless endeavour. The whole point of the original draft in 2002 where Vince McMahon presided over Smackdown and Ric Flair over Raw, was that in essence, it continued the war that WWE and WCW had been fighting, except it was now in house and profitable for one company. They competed for superstars, invaded each other’s shows – it worked.

I didn’t think a year ago I’d say this, but the brand extension needs to return.

Primarily, to cater for talent that is truly going to waste. Raw really doesn’t need to be three hours. Decent stuff happens at the top of every hour which is quickly followed by rematches, comedy skits (allegedly) and rehashed feuds (Santino and Emma Vs Summer Rae and Fandango felt like a best of 27 series).

Below, I propose who I would feature on what show, before breaking down why. For the sake of current ongoing feuds, let’s imagine that this is six months down the line.

Raw                                                                 Smackdown

                                         Main event                                                                                                   

Daniel Bryan                                                    John Cena

Seth Rollins                                                      Roman Reigns

Cody Rhodes                                                    Rusev

Cesaro                                                               Bray Wyatt

Dolph Ziggler                                                    Randy Orton

Wade Barrett                                                    Sheamus (I’d prefer heel )

                                           Mid-Card

Sammi Zayne                                                  Dean Ambrose

Adrian Neville                                                  Big E

Jack Swagger                                                  Alberto Del Rio

Ryback                                                             Titus O’Neill

                                         Tag-Teams

The Uso’s                                                        Wyatt Family

The Ascension                                                Big Show/Kane

Rey Mysterio/Sin Cara                                  Kofi Kingston/Xavier Woods

                                    General Managers      

Ric Flair                                                           The Authority

One thing you’ll notice is a lot of the experience and veterans are on Smackdown, and the newer, fan favourites have been compiled on Raw. Smackdown needs an injection to its viewership, and having some big names on the show regularly would certainly do that. Smackdown has a big man roster compared to Raw too, but it’s important not to make this too disproportionate for the in-ring prospects.

I’ve only included Kane, Big Show and Mysterio in the tag divisions (which look as scant on paper as they are in reality) as they are coming to the end of their careers and I do not believe they can draw/hold a main event spot any longer. I also haven’t included the likes of Jericho and RVD due to their part-time status.

The main event slots are decided on fan support, character potential and drawing ability. There’s a nice balance of three heels and faces on the Raw side and since Cena is never going to turn, you’d position him and Reigns as the top faces, with Wyatt serving as a tweener of sorts (a heel who fans support like a face) with Rusev, who is a one dimensional foreign heel by all accounts (who I would see Amrbose usurping for his spot before long), supports an ideally mental Orton and brutal Sheamus.

There’s obviously going to be more talent to fill the rosters than the names I’ve provided, but these are the superstars who would be in title contention. I still think Bo Dallas’ character will eventually evolve into a feud/alignment with his real-life brother Bray Wyatt – that’s got legs.

The two shows could conceivably have an annual PPV where they square off. There could be Champions Vs Champions in some cases, and various things on the line in other instances (a pick from NXT for instance?).  I’d still love to see a triple threat between the members of the Shield down the line at some point too…maybe a ladder match with a shot at a title of their choice on the line too? I can imagine the spots now!

My ideal world would be to vacate both world titles and put them up for grabs in six-man ladder match for Raw and a six-man hell in a cell for Smackdown – on one PPV. It’s an exciting draw-worthy start to both franchises and provides immediate rivalries to be built off. It tells the audience straight away who the heavy hitters are, who they should consider real contenders, which some of those superstars could use.

Though in reality, I’m not sure the WWE would even do that at Wrestlemania! Though as of the next money in the bank PPV, both matches have happened before. (six-man HIAC, Armageddon 2000).

You could go over the top and say the tag-teams then engage in TLC matches but there is such a thing as overkill, space it out. The mid-card has potential for some exciting matches too, with a great balance of superstars making for a broader range of matches.

I’d love to see Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler go at it in an Iron Man match for the World Title. The fans would too, and that would be a special headline event. Sadly, I can’t see the WWE as a company agreeing or seeing the fan potential in that. Don’t get me wrong, Cena excelled in his recent Last Man Standing match with Bray Wyatt, and that’s because he’s WWE’s go to guy for the marquee matches. Much like his Three Stages of Hell match with Ryback last year.

Enough of my fantasy booking, the point is the roster right now saturates the talent and suppresses the superstars who the IWC, for the main part, and certainly live crowds, really want to see prosper. With this solution, WWE could conceivably revitalise Smackdown with credible, proven talent while Raw provides a renowned platform for these emerging gems to take off. The company really could do both, instead of periodically forcing John Cena down our throats.

It’s honestly not his fault his character hasn’t evolved properly and he is booked continually the same, exact way.

The WWE would probably think having taken a look at those lists that Smackdown was by far the superior show, and whilst I’m huge fans of Wyatt and Reigns (and Orton 03-09), Raw is the kind of show that guys in my age demographic (26) would gravitate to. If the company is so bothered about merchandise and keeping kids watching, they can have one show for that instead of the current diluted product that flirts between serious reality esque storylines and Adam Rose.

I know which show I would watch… Well, both. But you know what I mean.

Can Southampton ever grow?

With the ink barely dry on Rickie Lambert’s move to boyhood club Liverpool, Southampton’s squad appears on the cusp of capitulation following manager Mauricio Pochettino’s move to Tottenham last week.

The Argentines departure from the St Mary’s hot seat looks set to be the catalyst for a mass exodus at the south coast club, with leading lights like Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Jay Rodriguez all coming under particular intense transfer speculation.

What kind of message does this send other youngsters like James Ward-Prowse, Sam Gallacher, Callum Chambers and Nathaniel Clyne? A new manager must surely be the boards first and foremost priority and installed in the swiftest of fashion.

Southampton has been in this kind of position before. In the last 10 years, whenever a young star has emerged from the traffic light heavy city (the most in Europe I’ll have you know), the Saints have always moved them on. Profit before progress, and budget over belief.

Of course, there was a time where Southampton’s finances dictated such a philosophy. The original Gareth Bale transfer to Tottenham (a recurring theme here from Spurs) was for £5m with add-on’s eventually making it up to £10m. Due to Southampton’s severe capital demise, they agreed on an immediate cash settlement of £2m to help them stave off administration, which they would eventually slip into anyway.

So, £7m Bale ended up moving on for. Worst of all, Southampton missed out on their alleged 25% sell-on clause after they allowed Tottenham to buy their way out of that with the £2m, roughly costing them £21.5m – ouch.

Arsenal forked out and initial outlay of £17m for Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in 2006 and 2011 respectively, both of whom have gone on to be established England internationals and Champions League performers. 10 years ago, Southampton had a similar decision as one that currently looms over them.

Wayne Bridge burst onto the scene in 1998 and within a season had become Southampton’s Mr Dependable, exciting left back. Bridge set a record (since broken by Frank Lampard Jr) of consecutive appearances played in England’s top flight (113).

Interest from England’s elite was obvious, and with the Saints flirting with relegation and lower-mid table sabbaticals, it seemed those at St Mary’s could do precious little to stop the England international moving on. He eventually moved to Chelsea for £7m plus Grahame Le Saux and whilst initially viewed as the first-choice left back at Stamford Bridge, the arrival of Ashley Cole signalled years of understudy duty for Bridge for club and country.

He did move to Manchester City for £10m in 2009, however after 18 months in the first-team and a phantom handshake, Bridge fell down the pecking order again and his career dissipated.

Manchester United and Chelsea are now locked in a battle to secure Southampton’s latest prodigy, Luke Shaw. Sanctioning a move for a 32-year-old striker to return home to his roots, for his last big pay day and for a decent £4m fee, is understandable to anyone with any kind of business acumen or heart.

Still, Lambert provided 13 league goals and 10 assists last season – he was an important part of Southampton’s set-up, no question. He’s someone who will need to be replaced, and last summer’s acquisition Dani Osvaldo is a prime example of someone whose big money deal doesn’t directly equate to ready-made success.

Shaw has a decision to make. As well as the international stars previously mentioned, the likes of Nathan Dyer, Mike Williamson, Chris Baird and Leon Best have all been moved on down the years and have gone on to become (to varying degrees) accomplished top-flight footballers.

If Shaw is the heir to Ashley Cole’s prestigious throne, a precedent has been set where Southampton shall cater to his career aspirations and move him on, instead of believing they can develop that platform for him.

If the Saints had retained some of their players down the years, they could surely be competing in and around the 4th place berth, and whilst the clubs finances and infrastructure may not have supported such ambition in those darker years, the same cannot be said now.

Whether key men like Lallana and Shaw are allowed to move will determine how people like Morgan Schneiderlin and Dejan Lovren view the club moving forward. The last few summers were the first in many years where no stars were allowed to leave and in fact considerable money was spent on adding stars like Victor Wanyama, Gaston Ramirez and indeed, Lovren – costing a combined £33m.

Following their highest league finish in 11 years, the time to build and believe is now. Though it seems almost set in stone that Lallana and Shaw will seek to move on for Champions League football, it will be a long way back if the Saints allow them to do so. Developing and harnessing an English spine in a climate like the Premier League is no small accomplishment, the opportunity to build on that is coated in a lucid small-club outlook.

Southampton’s successful and attractive season brought many of their talents into a brighter spotlight and brought the club to a crossroads as such. Can they progress and emerge just like their flourishing stars have? The answer lies within their transfer business this summer.

World Cup XI – Foreigners in their own country

GK       Fernando Muslera (URU) – Buenos Aires, Argentina – 27, Galatasaray (60 caps)

RB        Gotoku Sakai (JAP) – New York, USA – 23, VFB Stuttgart (8 caps)

CB        Pepe (POR) – Marceio, Brazil – 31, Real Madrid (57 caps, 3 goals)

CB        Bruno Martins Indi (HOL) – Barreiro, Portugal – 22, Feyenoord (14 caps, 2 goals)

LB        Jeffrey Schlupp (GHA) – Hamburg, Germany – 21, Leicester City (1 cap)

RM       Raheem Sterling (ENG) – Kingston, Jamaica – 19, Liverpool (2 caps)

CM       Jonathon De Guzman (HOL) – Ontario, Canada – 26, Villareal (8 caps)

CM       Kevin Prince Boateng (GHA) – Berlin, Germany – 27, Schalke (11 caps, 2 goals)

LM        Lukas Podolski (GER) – Gliwice, Poland – 29, Arsenal (112 caps, 46 goals)

FW       Diego Costa (SPA) – Lagarto, Brazil, 25 - Atletico Madrid (1 cap)

FW       Peter Odemwingie (NIG) – Taskent, Uzbekistan – 32, Stoke City (55 caps, 9 goals)

Other players.

RM       Panagiotis Kone (GRE) – Tirana, Albania – 26, Bologna (14 caps)

CM       Thiago Motta (ITA) - Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil – 31, PSG (19 caps, 1 goal)

RB        Anthony Vanden Borre (BEL) – Likasi, Zaire – 26, Anderlect (24 caps, 1 goal)

CB        Johan Djourou (SWI) – Abidjan, Ivory Coast – 27, SV Hamburg (43 caps, 1 goal)

CB        John Brooks (USA) – Berlin, Germany – 21, Hertha Berlin (3 caps)

CM       Sammir (CRO) – Itabuna, Brazil – 27, Getafe (4 caps)

The transfer market can be a cruel, auspicious place where the affluent and opulent thrive and the poor scrape to survive. In this day and age, even international football can feel the scrupulous burden as nations jockey to best equip their sides for their patriotic people.

It’s fair to say FIFA’s rules aren’t as stringent as they once were. To cut a potentially long story short, after the age of 18, a player could in theory go and live in any country they wanted, and after five years, assuming they take up citizenship with that country, they would be eligible to represent them. Anyone.

The easier route is to have family ties to a certain country. These ties can stretch to paternal grandparents, and if they or the player’s parents hold nationalities elsewhere other than that of their birth, they could also play for that nation.

Even if a player has already played a friendly match for a certain nation – no problem. Providing that before their 21st birthday they haven’t played a competitive game then it’s no harm done.

Traditionally, these rules will rely on the integrity of the nations to pick practically and a players desire to play for his country of birth. Over the last couple of decades, countries have started taking advantage of these bylaws to strengthen their sides. Brazilians have popped up all over the place, even breaking into strong sides as with Deco (Portugal), Cacau (Germany) and Alex (Japan) who have garnered 180 caps between them for their adopted countries.

Every player has a different story. Some move from their country of birth at a young age whereas others simply don’t think their home nation, which is traditionally a top one like Brazil, will ever cap them, so they accept the next best option.

To some, it’s just a personal preference. Owen Hargreaves could have picked Wales, England, Canada or Germany when deciding his international future. For some reason, the injury plagued midfielder picked the Three Lions, a country which he had never set foot in before.

After being subject of the boo-boys initially, Hargreaves industry and sheer determination whilst in the white of England won fans over, and he even went on to be named England player of the year in 2006 in addition to England’s best player at the 2006 World Cup.

Fast-forward to today, and Diego Costa is the new man jumping ship and making the headlines. We decided to take a look at a team of players who will be representing their adopted homes this summer and try to understand their reasons a little better.

Fernando Muslera – England are faced with the task of beating an Argentinean in the sticks if they hope to get past Uruguay this summer. Argentina really doesn’t want us to win do they?

The 27-year-old Galatassary shot-stopper will be looking to add to his 60 caps this summer despite originally hailing from Buenos Aires. Both of Muslera’s parents are Uruguyan, and whilst it’s not clear why his safe hands were conceived in Argentina, he returned there shortly after his birth.

After impressing for Uruguayan giants C.F. Nacional whilst on loan, he managed to turn heads in Europe which led to a switch to Serie A side Lazio. After over 100 appearances in all competitions in Rome, Galatasaray procured his services for a believed fee of around €12m.

Did you know? – Muslera was ranked the sixth best keeper on the planet in 2011 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics.

Gotoku Sakai – Japan and America haven’t always been the closest of friends, but Japan will be grateful to America for playing host to the birth of this flying full-back.

Sakai was born in New York City to a Japanese father and a German mother, who decided to migrate back to Niigata, Japan when their son was two years of age. The adventurous full-back would go on to play for local club Albirex Niigata and worked his way up through his home town clubs ranks.

In 2012, VFB Stuttgart took an interest in the now 23-year-old and signed him on loan before making the deal permanent a year later. Sakai has 8 caps to his name currently and will compete in his first major tournament since the Olympics in London back in 2012.

Did you know? – Sakai was featured in influential football website IBWM’s (In bed with Maradonna) list of 100 most exciting young players in world football 2013, alongside names like Neymar, Paul Pogba and Julian Draxler.

Pepe – The forever calm and composed Pepe spent the first 18 years of his life in his native Brazil before packing his bags to try his luck at a career in Portugal with his friend.

Though his friend, Ezequias, enjoyed the mildest of success, the 6”2 centre-back was a hit. Three years at Maritimo led to three very prosperous years at Porto which resulted in a €30 switch to arguably the biggest club in the world in Real Madrid. Not a bad call by Pepe then.

Pepe has 13 honours to his name in his career, as well as making the ‘Euro team of the tournament’ in both 2008 and 2012 for Portugal. The aggressive Real Madrid stopper has acquired 57 caps in his career after making his debut against Finland.

Did you know? – Back in 2006, then Brazil boss Dunga contacted Pepe to try and secure him for his birth nation. Pepe however, rebuffed his advances and declared he would turn out for Portugal upon being granted Portuguese citizenship – which he duly did.

Bruno Martins Indi – The tough-tackling 20-year-old broke through into the Feyenoord first-team in 2010 and hasn’t looked back since, racking up 102 league appearances and 14 caps for the Oranje. Although Portugal have secured imports like Liédson and indeed Pepe to their ranks in recent years, Martins Indi will go down as one that got away.

The commanding defender, who can operate at left-back or in the centre, has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United since Louis Van Gaal’s appointment at Old Trafford. The Dutch have been desperately seeking a powerful force to aid the spine of their defence ever since Jaap Stam’s retirement after Euro 2004, and Martins Indi has been touted as a defender who ”could be Oranje's first-choice left-back for the next 10 years,” by Feyenoord boss Ronald Koeman. He wasn’t a bad defender by the way.

Did you know? – Martins Indi only spent 10 months in Portugal before his parents decided to head for Holland, yet owns a dual passport.

Jeffrey Schlupp – The rapid left-sider moved to England in time to attend secondary school in Milton Keynes after spending his youth in Hamburg, Germany. Schlupp joined the Leicester academy in 2005, aged 12, and went on to make his debut in 2010 where he scored a hat trick against Rotherham. Some impression.

Schlupp started out as a striker but began to establish himself on the left-side of the Foxes XI. At 21 years of age, Schlupp has settled in at left back and appears to be in serious contention for a starting berth this summer in Brazil. Schlupp was called up to Germany’s U19 side on one occasion, but didn’t make an appearance. Due to his Ghanaian parents, Schlupp was able to make his debut for the Black Stars last November against Gabon to add to an exceptional year for the versatile youngster, where he also won the Championship with Leicester.

Did you know? –Schlupp spent January 2013 on trial with Manchester United and featured in several U21 games. Despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s initial interest being a compliment in itself, the spell didn’t materialise into a move.

Raheem Sterling – Liverpool’s flying winger was just five years old when he left Maverley, Jamaica where his grandmother had been raising him. After swapping for the Caribbean for London, he and his mother built a life in the nation’s capital, which led to Sterling signing academy forms with Queens Park Rangers. Liverpool shelled out £600,000 for the tricky wide man at 15, and in March 2012 then Liverpool boss, now England boss Roy Hodgson, handed him his Liverpool debut aged 17 years and 107 days.

Hodgson also handed Sterling his first England nod, though he was an undeniable pick for the plane this summer after a stellar season at Anfield. Sterling, not 20 till December, was a major catalyst behind Liverpool’s resurgence to Premier League title contenders and will be seen as a sure-fire starter in many eyes.

Did you know? – Contrary to Internet rumours of multiple children with different women, Sterling only has one daughter named Melody Rose. She was born when Sterling was 17-years-old.

Jonathan De Guzman – Swansea loanee De Guzman spent the first 12 years of his life in Canada with his Phillipino father and Jamaican mother. Quite the mixed bag, De Guzman would join Feyenoord’s youth team in 1999, and by 2008 when he had become a firm fixture in the starting XI, De Guzman was granted Dutch citizenship.

Controversially, whilst De Guzman’s international future was still up in the air, he appeared on a Canadian talk show the very week before being granted Dutch citizenship, claiming he hadn’t decided his international future and wanted to concentrate on his club football. I think what he was trying to say was, the Dutch government hadn’t decided his international future yet. After spells in Spain with both Mallorca and then Villareal, the Ontorio-born star has enjoyed the last two seasons on loan at the Liberty Stadium becoming a firm fan favourite.

Did you know? – De Guzman has a brother who is also a professional footballer, Julian. He has 70 caps for Canada and currently plies his trade for Xanthi in Greece. These are the first of two sets of brothers to represent different countries on our list.

Kevin Prince Boateng – And rather promptly here is the one half of the second set of brothers in the team. Kevin’s brother, Bayern Munich’s Jerome, has amassed 37 caps for Germany as opposed to older brother Kevin, who chose to follow in his uncle Robert Boateng’s footsteps and represent Ghana. Rather reminds me of Christian and Max Vieri who played for Italy and Australia respectively.

Though capped at German U21 level, its alleged Boateng believed that following a debilitating tackle on Michael Ballack, the German FA were unlikely to ever select him. So despite making Ghana feel incredibly second best, they offered him a place in their squad for the 2010 World Cup to which he duly obliged. Coincidently, the box-to-box Schalke man faced off against Germany and his brother Jerome at the tournament. You couldn’t write it eh?

Did you know? – Boateng actually retired from international football in November 2011, aged 24, citing fatigue from the copious amounts of travelling it required. In October 2013, Boateng reversed his decision and went on to score the winning goal that sent Ghana to the World Cup finals, at the expense of Egypt.

Lukas Podolski – Podolski sneaks on this list by virtue of a technicality, in a way. Though he was born in Gliwice, which is definitely in Poland, it was actually a city in Germany until 1945. After WW2, and before Podolski’s birth, it became part of Poland and that is where Podolski resided until he was two-years-old. Consider yourself a history buff, go on.

112 caps later, the former Koln and Bayern Munich man is third in the table for most German caps ahead of heroes like Michael Ballack and Jurgen Klinsmen – and he’s only turning 29 in June. Interestingly, second in the table is Miroslav Klose, another Polish-born forward. Podolski now operates from Arsenal’s left hand side and should be credited for his contribution to the run-in of the Gunners season.

Did you know? – Back in 2008, Podolski scored against his birth nation Poland in a 2-0 win for Germany. Podolski claims they were never interested in him until he played for Germany U21’s, which helped him make his decision.

Peter Odemwingie – Stoke striker Odemwingie was actually born in Uzbekistan, which was a part of the Soviet Union at the time. At two-years-old, the pacey front-man moved to Nigeria with his Nigerian father of the same name, and his Russian mother. The car-park lurker would however head to Russia in time for his secondary school education, staying there till the age of 17 where he was a part of CSKA Moscow’s youth team.

Upon finishing his studies, Odemwingie returned to Nigeria and proceeded to bang the goals in for Nigerian Premier League side Bendel Insurance. His prolific exploits took him to Belgium and France before once again returning to Russia, signing for Lokomotiv Moscow for just over £8m.He netted 21 times in 75 games before heading to the Premier League for West Brom, and later Cardiff and Stoke.

Did you know? – Odemwingie had a trial for Blackburn Rovers in 2004 whilst plying his trade for Belgian side La Louviere. Then boss Graeme Souness rejected the chance to sign the forward after taking two separate looks at him. Rovers went on to finish 15th that season, and Odemwingie played Champions League football with Lille. Smart decision.

Diego Costa – Here’s an interesting one. The Atletico Madrid goal machine made his Brazil debut in March 2013, and won two caps in friendlies for the famous yellow and green. However, upon being granted Spanish citizenship in the summer of that year the Spanish FA applied to FIFA to have Diego Costa play for them. In February 2014, sure enough, Costa turned out for Spain against Italy.

Incredible really. Costa has turned down the chance to represent his homeland at a World Cup they’re hosting. Sounds like every kids dream, but the Brazilian FA have suggested Costa’s actions might be financially motivated and are insulted by this flagrant snub. It will be interesting to see how the Brazilian fans take to Costa this summer, if their reaction is anything like Luis Filipe Scolari’s, then it will be hostile, at best.

Did you know? – Costa isn’t the first player to perform this kind of U-turn. Ferenc Puskas famously played for Hungary but also represented Spain and his former Real Madrid teammate Alfredo Di Stefano starred for Argentina, Colombia and Spain. Seems Spain have a little history with this sort of thing doesn’t it.

Newcastle United: How could Pardew spend his £60m on English players

The transfer market is a strange, distorted animal. There are so many variables that determine a fee or a player’s availability that it’s hard to understand  any consistency or read any correlation in the market.

Any precedents set are usually superseded by another in swift fashion. Trevor Francis was the first million pound Englishmen in 1979, while Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid last summer for a world-record £86m. The point being, the market evolves. In a day and age where oil tycoons and Sheiks buy world-class players like penny-sweets, it’s a buyers’ market.

No matter what the club’s resources, we fans always believe we know better. Every window transfers come and go which you would think make the world of sense for your club, they’re almost logical, yet the opportunity seemingly passes by and all that remains are a managers excuses and a rival one player stronger. Champ Manager isn’t real life, sadly.

As a Newcastle United fan, I can assure you the litigious Alan Pardew (litigious means someone who is readily the subject of legal action, by the way) has cut an increasingly lugubrious figure with every passing window.

After the inspired, Graham Carr recommended signings (Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Demba Ba) helped lead Newcastle to fifth place back in 2011/12, to say the club have floundered in the market since would be a grievous understatement.

Despite a very obvious opportunity to build on a squad who had so narrowly missed out on fourth place, Vurnon Anita – a decent squad player by all accounts – was the only first team addition to the ranks. The Magpies had done half the job by keeping their star players, however failed to add real depth to the squad with European competition and cope with what came to be an additional 14 games.

None-to-surprisingly after a terrible first half of the season, a panic-ridden January followed. Chelsea activated top-scorer Ba’s £7m release clause causing United to purchase five Frenchmen (none of whom were strikers) to make sure they survived another year. They secured Premier League status after defeating QPR in the campaign’s penultimate fixture, but the powers that be at St James’ Park didn’t appear to learn their lesson.

To be concise, what followed was the embarrassing appointment of Joe Kinnear to preside over transfers. A grand total of £0 was spent in transfer fees, two loan signings were acquired – one dreadful, one first-class, and the sale of arguably the Toon’s best player to PSG.

Now, I don’t know what Kinnear did at his desk every day, but I suspect it wasn’t sounding out potential signings, let alone English ones. No suitable back-up plan to the obvious Cabaye departure were made, and if there was it certainly weren’t executed. I can only imagine in between windows Kinnear sat around counting his money in disbelief. One of many erroneous acts from ever the fan-favourite Chairman, Mike Ashley.

The Geordies secured a ninth place finish last season despite being fifth on Boxing Day and some direbolical form in the second-half of the season. It’s been reported Pardew’s position in the United hot-seat is safe for the time being and he will be handed a £60m kitty to rejuvenate and progress the club.

How much say Pardew actually gets in the targets is debateable, but below I have made a British list of my own to show, in theory, putting together a home-grown core that the fans can relate to isn’t too unrealistic at all, especially with £60m behind you.

Goalkeepers

Tim Krul is undeniably one of the top keepers in the Premier League today. At 26-years-of-age, the Dutchmen’s time for a big move is probably upon us. In my opinion, Krul could easily cut it as the No.1 for a top-four club and Newcastle could expect to make a 10-15m profit on someone the Toon paid just under £200,000 for. With no ready-made replacement at the club, Newcastle would really need to open the cheque-book.

Alex Smithies, 24, is a Huddersfield academy product who has made a name for himself in league-football. Smithies has been linked with a few moves to England’s top-flight down the years but with several years’ experience behind him and likely to be available at a reasonable price, now could be the right time to move. Another option is the 29-year-old David Marshall. Fresh off being relegated with Cardiff City, Marshall was one of the precious few bright spots in the Bluebirds season, providing a highlight reel of excellent reflex saves. The Scot proved to all potential suitors he can be a worthy last line of defence in the Premier League should he wish for an immediate return there.

Centre-backs

Defence is a very delicate area for Newcastle. There is currently four options at St James’ in Captain Fabricio Coloccini, Mike Williamson, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and hometown boy Steven Taylor. At 33 next January, Coloccini is in the twilight of his career, but his experience and overall quality is vital to the heart of Newcastle’s defence. Mike Williamson appears to only be effective in an aerial duel and is a liability. Yanga-Mbiwa has failed to convince since his move from France and despite his impressive physical attributes, his positional sense and anticipation are more than questionable (as showcased in the early season loss at Everton). What Steven Taylor boasts in passion and heart he sadly lacks in composure, making the centre of defence a very vulnerable area for Pardew’s men.

Jamaal Lascelles, 20 and Eric Dier, 20 of Nottingham Forest and Sporting Lisbon respectively would be my primary targets. Lascelles has just enjoyed his first break-out season in the Championship and has reportedly been attracting interest from Everton, a team who through Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott in the past have taken excellent gambles on young, Championship centre-backs. Dier had a six-month loan spell with Everton in 2011, but has since then made his Lisbon debut and played in European competition. It would appear both men would be available at a reasonable price, especially Dier who is known to want to return to England one day. Watford’s young Irishmen (though English born) Tommie Hoban, also 20, has shown significant promise in his 27 Championship appearances thus far. A tall, yet footballing centre-half, Hoban won Watford’s young player of the year in 2012/13.  A more pricey, yet intriguing option is the recently relegated Steven Caulker. Though Cardiff failed to avoid the Premier League’s trap door, they’re unlikely to want to take a loss on the £8m they shelled out for the 22-year-old from Spurs last summer. The tall and commanding Harry Maguire, 22, has also been impressive in League One with Sheffield United for a few years now, though it could be argued he represents a greater risk having not even played in the Championship.

Full-backs

When fit, this is actually a strong area for the Magpies, at least going forward. Davide Santon and Mathieu Debuchey are certainly players who wouldn’t look out of place in a top six outfit. After them however…not so much. Massadio Haïdara, Paul Dummet, Ryan Taylor and occasionally Vurnon Anita are the next best options, which are quite steep declines on the aforementioned counterparts.

Not too many ‘cheap’ options knocking about in these areas. Joel Ward, 24, of Crystal Palace, Aaron Cresswell, 24, of Ipswich and Nathaniel Clyne, 23, of Southampton are probably the best money for value options. Even then, I would think all three of them are leaning towards £5m. Ward and Clyne have both proved they have the ability to thrive in the top-flight, with Ward excelling in ground-covered and tackles made stats while Clyne, when able to oust the impressive and bound-to-be expensive Callum Chambers, has put in numerous energetic and adventurous displays which showcase his frightening pace. Cresswell has been a stand-out player in the Championship for some time and last season alone he grabbed 13 assists from left-back, leading to understandable comparisons with Leighton Baines and his dead-ball ability. Swansea’s Welshmen Ben Davies, 21, has been impressive since deputising for Neil Taylor following his broken ankle, leading to speculation Spanish champions Atletico Madrid were sniffing around. I’d imagine he’d command a fee of at least £7m at this stage and I’m not convinced he’s going to be much better than Santon – though time will tell. Ashley Cole is going on a free…money isn’t the be all and end all to him - just ask Arsenal.

Martin Kelly, 24, is mooted to be a potential option on-loan from parent club Liverpool. John Flanagan’s rise to prominence coupled with Glen Johnson’s cemented place mean opportunities could be limited for the one-time England international. Micah Richards, 25,  is also said to be available, and he has the ability to be England’s top right-back when playing regularly. His wages could be a stumbling block, but an athletic and hard-working presence like Richards would be welcomed into the north-east.

Centre-midfielders

Tiote, Sissoko and Anita make up the core of Newcastle’s engine room and whilst they have undeniable qualities, the problem appears to be that they are all too similar, and very mildly creative. The invention from the middle of the park has been non-existent since Cabaye’s departure to PSG back in January and the hopeful acquisition of Remy Cabella, 24, from Montpellier is meant to address that. The young Frenchmen is supposedly already the subject of a £6.5m bid and would add an extra dimension to and industrial midfield.

Will Hughes, 19 of Derby County, Ravel Morrison, 21, of West Ham United and Nathaniel Chalobah, 19, of Chelsea are all exciting young Englishmen who could be available. Hughes would prove to be the most expensive target with a lot depending on whether Derby can beat QPR in promotion to the Premier League this Saturday in the Championship Playoff final. Hughes sports excellent technique and vision and has caught the eye since making his Derby debut at aged 16. Though rumours persist Morrison can be a bit of a problem child for clubs (which is why Sir Alex washed his hands of him), the young QPR loanee does boast incredible footwork and the knack for popping up with classy goals – a desirable trait for any midfielder. It’s his attitude though which appears to have made him available. Chalobah is a deeper, ball playing option who has a vast array of passes in his locker to kick-start attacks. His talents were probably best show-cased on-loan at Watford two seasons ago, however Chelsea would be keen to send him out for Premier League experience or even part ways with the Under-21 international if the price was right. Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel and David Luiz are substantial road-blocks to his first-team aspirations.

Jordan Mutch equipped himself well in a dour season for Cardiff City and makes well-timed runs into the oppositions box reminiscent of Kevin Nolan. At 22-years-of-age, he too could be a wise, reasonable investment. Jack Rodwell and former Magpie James Milner are also said to be available as the revolving City door strikes again. Both players hold undoubted quality and would be welcomed on Tyneside with open arms, particularly Milner who work ethic in sticky times for Newcastle could never be questioned. Just how astronomical the pair’s wages might be is another prudent consideration to factor in, especially given Rodwell’s injury history. Newcastle have also been linked with Jonjo Shelvey in recent weeks, who has just enjoyed a fine season with Swansea. After the Swans purchased the former Charlton man from Liverpool for just shy of £7m last summer, I can’t see that being a cheap endeavour at all.

Wingers

Hatem Ben Arfa is by far and away the most exciting wideman to grace St James’ in recent memory, certainly this century. I don’t even think that’s a remotely rash statement. However, the Frenchmen, known to be a difficult personality from his time in Marseille, is now very publicly at odds with the boss. With confirmation that Pardew will reprise his role next term, it seems that HBA’s days are numbered. After being loaned-out to relegated Norwich, Jonas Gutierrez is another name that appears to be heading for the exit leaving the enthusiastic Gouffran and the frankly awful Gabriel Obertan. An injection of pace and imagination is now necessity in the ranks and there are many English options materialising.

Tom Ince, 22, soon to be clubless and Nathan Redmond, 20, of Norwich are both quick, nimble and tricky wide men who aren’t afraid to attack full-backs. Both carry the HBA trait of utilising the opposite flank to their strongest foot (Ince – left foot, Remond – right foot) enabling them to cut in and go for goal. Ince in particular, has a very impressive eye for goal and netted 31 league goals in 100 Blackpool outings. A loan spell with Crystal Palace has proved frustrating thanks to the form of Yanick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon, but being available on a free transfer makes it almost a no brainer. Redmond only moved to Norwich for an initial £2m last summer, but the Canaries relegation means Redmond could be available for a reasonable fee and his direct dribbling would excite a weary fan-base. Wilfred Zaha is likely to be available on at least a loan deal, manager-to-be Louis Van Gaal is unlikely to find a spot for the Crystal Palace academy graduate in his new-look, glazer bank-rolled outfit. For all Zaha’s skill and pace, it’s debateable how much of an end product the England international really has at the moment. His loan spell at Cardiff did very little to dispel that theory too. Rumours have also circulated about Andros Townsend’s availability, with Tottenham said to be frustrated with the 22-year-old. I’d be surprised if they let him go on the cheap, but he’d certainly be worth a gamble on Newcastle’s desolate wings.

Strikers

This is another absolute must invest area for Newcastle United. With Loic Remy apparently moving onto bigger and better things, Shola Ameobi’s imminent release, and Papis Cisse breaking his knee-cap off the back of a very disappointing season, the famous black and white have literally got zero proven goal scorers.

Saido Berahino, 20, of West Brom, Jordan Rhodes, 24, of Blackburn Rovers and Troy Deeney, 25 are three realistic, attainable targets for Newcastle. Rhodes was brought to Blackburn for £8m from Huddersfield in 2012, and the Scot international bagged 51 league goals in 89 game since. Standing at 6”1, he’s more adept to the traditional expectations of a Newcastle number nine. Blackburn would probably expect more than their initial outlay for Rhodes, which might be a stretch too far for potential suitors in the Premier League, who surely would have taken a chance on him by now if the price were right. Deeney’s 25 league goals this year have led to suggestions a host of Premier League clubs (Aston Villa, Burnley) are in the running for his signature. It’s speculated Watford could want up to £8m for the coveted front-man – but then again goals are an expensive commodity.

Berahino is a different kind of proposition. The pacey striker is a channel outlet that Newcastle have lacked in recent years (bar Remy this year) and he is comfortable at taking players on, which is an exciting and unusual prospect for United fans. After a well-publicised falling out with teammate James Morrison, it appears West Brom are prepared to let their young star seek pastures new and it would be the ideal signing to spark a revival in the worst front-line in English football in 2014. Newcastle probably do need a big money option and just for the record, I’d have big Andy Carroll back on Tyneside any day.

So there you have it, my overview of the English market and how it could potentially apply to Newcastle United. This truly is a sleeping giant in English football, with 69 years passing since its last piece of silverware (try that Arsenal). The Toon boast one of the top 10 average attendances in the whole of Europe last season, and need to provide their loyal fans with some kind of direction and ambition.

I can see their idea behind tapping into the French market. But it seriously appears as though Ashley was more concerned with saving a few pennies than long-term transfer goals. In moderation, the idea had some legs. The club’s identity isn’t that of a French sabbatical camp, it should be of English heart and attacking football – both of which have been dangerously diluted in recent years.

Realistically, not every club can secure established, big-name signings. I’m not saying continental buys are bad either, but within reason. The French heavy squad Newcastle finds themselves with at the moment is just not serving its purpose. For instance, Arsenal had a huge influx of French players once upon a time (Henry, Anelka, Vieira, Pires, Petit, Wiltord) but when you’re consistently in the top-four and winning doubles, fans aren’t concerned so much.

Is the French core on Tyneside good enough? The lack of progress is alienating fans from what made the club such a fun watch during the Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson eras, and the transfer strategy, or lack thereof, is at the heart of it. If Ashley had such foresight when dipping into the French market, he’d know English players command the highest fees. Young, English purchases are makes market sense and are fan friendly. If caught young or in a lower league, the players can be moulded and progressed together to benefit the club and potential be sold at a massive profit. I.e Kevin Phillips, Leighton Baines, Steve Finnan, Danny Murphy, Ashley Young, Lescott and Jagielka just off the top of my head.

The time is now for Pardew if he is to ever truly win the fans over and have them believe he understands the club. Right now, it just seems like he’s along for the ride any blame falls absolutely anywhere else but his doorstep. After £60m, I’d like to hear him talk.

Early bird catches the worm

With Manchester City’s name barely etched on the Premier League trophy, their title rivals have wasted no time at all in hunting out their targets to help them dethrone the newly crowned champions next term.

City clinched the title on the final day of the 13/14 campaign by defeating West Ham 2-0 at the Etihad for their second title in three years. While the Citizens were nursing well-earned hangovers, their rivals were busy moving in on major transfers 24 hours after the final ball of the season was kicked.

Chelsea

Chelsea appear to have wrapped up the £32m transfer of Atletico Madrid goal-machine Diego Costa after a season of insipid rumours regarding the incompetent firepower at Stamford Bridge. Demba Ba, Fernando Torres & Samuel Eto’o managed 19 league goals between them over the course of the season, whereas Romelu Lukaku, who was loaned out to Everton for the campaign, raked in 15 goals.

Boss Jose Mourinho hasn’t pulled any punches in attributing his team’s shortcomings to his forwards lacking a certain killer instinct.

He said: “Our strikers are good strikers, no doubts about that, but … they are not the kind of players in five square metres, with three or four players around, they can get ball, they can dribble on, they can see the space, they can make the shot.

"So when the team is in a difficult situation they are not able normally to resolve the situation for us," Mourinho concluded.

That’s quite a damning verdict. Eto’o would certainly refer to his trophy cabinet and precocious record in front of goal to counter that. 233 goals in 452 games, over a goal every other game for the likes of Inter & Barca, indicates a truly world-class player when at the apex of his powers.

At 33, he sadly isn’t in his prime any longer and lacks the sharp, cutting edge which tore defences across Europe. He has the quality, sure, but his injection of pace is not what it once was. Mourinho would have known what he was getting when he acquired a then 32-year-old Eto’o last summer.

Though a proven goalscorer elsewhere for perceived smaller clubs, Demba Ba was never considered nor intended to be a starting striker for Chelsea. He’s not the gala name that Fernando Torres and his £50m price tag represented upon his arrival. Sadly however, Torres has never truly clicked in a Chelsea shirt.

After watching the Spaniard score and be named man-of-the-match in the Euro 2008 final, he was without question one of the best forwards in world football. A seemingly confidence shot Torres, through no lack of effort it must be noted, has simply failed to replicate such form in his spell at Stamford Bridge and he can’t be relied upon to score goals.

Is 25-yer-old Diego Costa the answer then? 37 league goals in 65 Atletico appearances is a commendable record and the Brazilian-born (and capped twice) now Spanish international has the physical qualities Mourinho so readily enjoys in his lone-forward.

Why not Lukaku though? This deal is almost the final signal that Lukaku’s future lies away from west-London. In two seasons, the powerful Belgian has bagged 32 top-flight goals with what could be argued as weaker supporting casts. All of that, before his 21st birthday too by the way (which is today, 13/05/93). Imagine what he could do with Oscar, Hazard and co?

None of Chelsea’s three forward’s enjoyed more than three league starts on the bounce last season, which isn’t a fair chance or serious indicator of their capabilities in my opinion. Spending the amount of money they are on Costa though, essentially means he will be coming in and will be the main man. A young, blossoming striker like Lukaku will not come back to play second fiddle after proving himself a worthy goalscorer in this league.

Manchester United

It’s been reported that Old Trafford officials submitted a £27m bid for Southampton’s Luke Shaw, which would be a record for a teenage defender in the UK, following the last Premier League game of the season contested between the two sides on Sunday.

Hot on the heels of that news, it emerged that Shaw had usurped long-standing left-back Ashley Cole in the England squad for a spot on the plane to Brazil this summer, prompting Cole to announce his international retirement. For me, Cole is bar none, the best left-back in world football for the last decade. He’ll easily go down as one of the England greats, if not its greatest ever left-back, which despite Cole now being 33-years-old, shows what a tremendous compliment this inclusion is for the bright-eyed rookie.

Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra are heading out of Old Trafford after a combined 20 years’ worth of service to the club, and obviously leave a palpable void in ability and presence within the club. Shaw is a tremendous, and English, step in the right direction for the Red Devils who despite finishing seventh still hold a magnetic power when attempting to attract players to their club – continental football or not.

United remain an affluent club, and if reports coming out of the red-half of Manchester are accurate, this transfer will merely be a drop in the ocean.

With the World Cup looming under a month away, United appear intent on wrapping up their business nice and early to prepare for next season, which must be successful. In 2011, United wrapped up all of their transfer business by the end of June, bringing in Phil Jones, David De Gea and Ashley Young (and moving on Gabriel Obertan I must add) who went on to contribute to a title-winning season. Good omen.

Some adroit and inventive quality in the middle of the park is central to any progress United wish to make this summer. Paul Scholes retirement hasn’t really been addressed, and a void that vast won’t be plugged by the likes of Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverley or Darren Fletcher, who are all decent players in their own rights and roles, but cannot bring to the table what Scholes did.

Juan Mata is definitely a first-rate addition to the ranks, but he is deployed in a role more advanced than the true centre of the park, box-to-box game Scholes revelled in. You might rightly think, who can really replace Scholes?

Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and even Ross Barkley have all been linked with moves to United, and would undoubtedly add another dimension to Louis Van Gaal’s impending team. It’s crazy that they had the answer all along in Paul Pogba….

Liverpool

So close, but yet, so far. Funnily enough and in optimistic news for Man U fans, Liverpool finished where United did this season, last season. Initially, failure to qualify for Europe for a club as historically successful (I’m sure you’ve heard) as Liverpool seemed stagnant and overall short of expectations. However a season on, it could be deemed one of the best things that could have happened to them.

A number of things appeared to click for the Anfield outfit. Luis Suarez’s eventual submission in his quest to leave the club, the real emergence of Raheem Sterling, Coutinho adapting to English football, Daniel Sturridge finding confidence as a valued star – all appeared to mix to make a cocktail for success. Of course, the form of Steven Gerrard was absolutely inspirational and no doubt reverberated around the team, particularly Jordan Henderson whose Liverpool career was reaching a flop or not cross roads given his £20m fee and indifferent displays.

Liverpool’s attacking play was the key factor behind the surge in fortunes. Suarez topped the goals and assist stats, with partner Sturridge coming second in the goals to net a combined 52 league goals of the Scousers 101 total. It appears however manager Brendan Rodgers wants more options in the final third.

A reported £20m bid has been made for Southampton skipper Adam Lallana who is said to be keen to try his hand at Champions League football next term. Lallana, 25, has secured his place in England’s World Cup place this summer, completing a quite meteoric rise in reputation over the last 12 months.

St Albans-born Lallana has deserved all his plaudits this year with a series of deft yet productive displays orchestrating behind the Saints front-line. At his age, it is the perfect time for him to take a big-money move and he cannot be accused of not being an excellent servant at St Mary’s. Lallana was part of Saints sides who won promotion from League 1, the Championship and won the Football League trophy (St Johnstones Paint trophy).

Where he quite fits in at Liverpool, I’m less sure. Competition for places is a desirable trait if you’re looking at it from Rodgers’ point of view, but Lallana will be seeking minutes and a starting berth. At the point of Rodgers seemingly favoured midfield diamond, there is only one spot between Sterling, Coutinho and indeed Lallana. Though Lallana is known to sometimes operate from the left of a front three, Sturridge and Suarez are two definite starters leaving once again, one open spot to the aforementioned three.

It will be interesting to see where he fits in, but with a Champions League campaign looming, Liverpool’s ranks are definitely in need of some more depth and quality if they’re to cope with the additional fixtures they evaded this term. It’s pleasing to see Rodgers using his initiative and adding to his bunch early with a player that will fit effortlessly into the all-football ethos Rodgers has installed.

Summary

Given its World Cup season, it’s to be expected that some moves would be made before the countries get their grips on the players. It’s said Roy Hodgson has forbidden any of his players discussing transfers while they’re away on international duty, so it’s logical Liverpool and United have acted so quickly. I wonder if these moves were always the three clubs intentions, or if after one made the move, the others reacted accordingly.

One thing it does suggest is that Arsene Wenger doesn’t want to be waiting until deadline day again to squeeze out last minute deals. The Arsenal boss strikes me as a man who won’t be rushed or forced into anything he doesn’t want to do, January proved that. These three deals represent significant added quality to three of their main rivals, two of which blew them away in fixtures last season. Arsenal cannot afford to fall further behind and Wenger must be bold, ambitious and active to avoid any repeats of seemingly endless summer traditions.

It’s also inevitable oil-rich City will make expensive moves sooner or later. The rest of the Premier League know they must act quick if they hope to bridge the gap.

Greg Dyke's 'B Team' proposal - What you need to know

A controversial plan by the FA chairman, Greg Dyke, to introduce Premier League B teams into the Football League by 2016-17 to boost England’s chances on the international stage is to be debated by football league clubs in July.

Dyke has remained firm in his assertion England should be aiming to win the 2022 World Cup, and without such radical reforms the English game will continue to deteriorate in the face of the global powerhouse, the Premier League.

Make no mistake, English football and the Premier League are not the same entity. The commission, headed by Dyke, believe the ‘blocking’ facing players aged 18 to 21 becoming first-team regulars in the top flight as the key issue affecting the development of young English talent. In the Premier League in 2012-13, only 32% of players were qualified to play for England, a stat which further diluted to 28% when confined to the top four clubs.

Essentially, they believe there isn’t a significant gateway for players to establish themselves in the Premier League. Many might argue, why hand it to them? If they’re good enough, like those who have come before them, they will flourish and show their quality.

Football isn’t as black and white as that. Some players need an opportunity and can excel with experience. Look at Ryan Shawcross (Man Utd), Steve Sidwell (Arsenal), David Bentley (Arsenal), Fraser Forster (Newcastle) and particularly Rickie Lambert (Liverpool), all of whom started their career with top six clubs (generous to Newcastle there) and had to go elsewhere before carving out established Premier League careers and apart from Sidwell, England caps.

The four key points from the commission’s proposal are:

• A new ‘League Three’ to be introduced in 2016-17, combining the top half of the Conference and 10 Premier League B sides.

• A beefed-up homegrown players’ rule requiring 13 members of the 25-man squad to have been trained in England as youngsters by 2020-21.

• A more strictly enforced work permit system that would prevent Premier League sides from having more than two non-EU players with certain international recognisable requirements, I.e number of caps etc.

• A new loan system that will allow Premier League clubs to loan up to eight players to a strategic and sole partner below the Championship.

Whilst I’m sure the proposals are far more intricate and layered than these vague outlines, there is a lot left to be desired. If there are to be ten Premier League B sides, what about the other 10? Is it not unfair on them and their youth production? There is no indication as of yet as to which 10 premier league clubs would have B teams or what the criteria would be.

Dyke cited support for the plan from Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City. Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Martinez have both publicly backed the plan, whilst Arsene Wenger has spoken of his belief that this plan could help pay more attention to developing players at a young age.

 The clubs will be asked to pay around £2m each per season to Football League and Conference sides in return for running a B team. Before Dyke gets ahead of himself though, he will have to convince two-thirds of Premier League clubs to formally back the plan if it is to succeed.

The higher number of homegrown players in the Premier League squads seems favourable in theory. I’m all for seeing as many high quality English players on the pitch as possible. The problem lies with the balance. For instance, there is absolutely no need for players like Angel Rangel (Swansea & Spain), Jose Fonte (Southampton & Portugal) and Mikel Arteta (Arsenal & Spain) who are uncapped foreigners over-the-age of 30, to be regular starter for their clubs. Why could an Englishmen not fill that void? This lends some credence to the arguments regarding more stringent work-permit measures.

However, the league cannot be swept rid of foreigners completely or hastily, as the likes of Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Eden Hazard and Luis Suarez are some of the most exciting players in world football. They bring up the standard of the league and thus the wider public’s interest in it. It could also be said that playing against players of that quality is beneficial to the Englishmen cutting their teeth.

Which brings me nicely to my next point. A ‘League Three’ wouldn’t necessarily do much for the technical development of the blossoming academy products. Though a harsh introduction to lower-league football can give a player much needed resilience and heart - much like Frank Lampard claimed in his autobiography his loan spell at Swansea did early on in his career – the standard might prove counter intuitive.

In principle, I can’t see how a ‘League Three’, some four league below the Premier League, would serve as a ready-made pre-cursor to the top-flight. The Championship is considered a different world to the top division, let alone a gap of four leagues.

The last point on the commission’s doctrine suggests clubs being able to send up to eight players out on loan to a single club, below Championship level. There is logic to the idea in terms of their being a dialogue with a single club and the players growing together. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily expect Arsenal to send their emerging gems to Exeter. Not only is it geographically non-sensical, but Exeter are a team who play direct and are physically imposing, which doesn’t best prep a young Gunner for the first-team at the Emirates.

The more broad-minded fan might think that in isolation, those kind of loans can install key characteristics in green players, and that’s been the general industry practice to this point. I can see the value in sending players by the batch, but I think eight is way too much. Assuming the parent club expects their eight to be starting regularly, that’s just too much of a takeover and it steals the clubs identity. Maybe four, possibly five players is conceivable, but it’s still flirting with becoming a glorified reserve team.

It also opens itself up to tons of complaints from rival managers for those who don’t have the luxury of a parent clubs budding stars. I can already hear Neil Warnock complaining. Realistically, there’s only 20 Premier League clubs and assuming they look at League One & Two as the only leagues that could provide even a sample of the relevant experience, then that’s 28 other teams spread through those leagues who won’t enjoy the privilege of Premier League assistance. What kind of compensation will be offered on their part?

England manager Roy Hodgson has already said he will “strongly advocate” all findings and recommendations of Dykes proposal. It’s easy to see why this is such a tangible development for England, with ‘B Teams’ in Spain reaching as high as their second tier with Barcelona ‘B’ and Castilla, Real Madrid’s second string turning out in the Segunda. Interestingly, nine of Spain’s 2010 World Cup winning squad had made appearances for the two aforementioned ‘B Teams’ in their early careers.

I think it’s clear the idea has its pros and cons. The way in which it is formatted will be the essential to whether or not it will benefit the English national team. Whether that’s of detriment to the English game would probably be a very different question to a League 2 fan than a Premier League fan.

Shaun Harvey, the chief executive of the Football League, shares a similar view. He said: “It is our view that the objective of increasing the number of quality English players is laudable and while the report may not contain a solution that is acceptable at the current time, we should continue to engage with the commission to establish whether there is a solution that meets its stated objective but does not leave the Football League carrying a disproportionate or unreasonable burden.”

I admire Dyke’s candid and benevolent attempts to help the English game progress and match the leading European lights emanating from Spain and Germany. To a degree, he is right that radical reform is the only kind of change that will effect an established concept like our league pyramid, which has stood for a century.

He is also correct that the current English appearance trends in the Premier League are concerning, and falling year upon year. I would hope that these ideas can be harnessed to benefit the English game and organically aid the ability of future Three Lions stars, rather than the almost force-feeding, national team centric plans that the clubs would have to endure, not enjoy. Careful, meticulous attention must be paid to the wider effect before any plans are implemented, but I’m open minded about anything that can help a new influx of young English stars readily enter the game, and that’s all the Football League need to be.

Manchester City: The graveyard of young English careers

Following Manchester City’s 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium last night, the blue half of Manchester is homing in on their second Premier League title.

After a mid-season spell on the bench, Joe Hart has come roaring back to play a pivotal role in City’s usurping of not so long ago title favourites Liverpool. As England’s number one, it is pleasing for manger Roy Hodgson to see Hart return to his dependable best, and in a flourishing, successful team.

James Milner, who is far from a certain start for club or country, was the only other Englishmen to start for the Citizens last night. As the millions have flowed through the coffers at City, it has become a barren wasteland of English internationals.

Micah Richards is a prime example of a sudden conversion from key player to a bench regular. He made his debut for City at 17-years-of-age and started for England 13 months later, becoming the youngest capped defender in the country’s history in the process.

The athletic right-back has only made two Premier League appearances this term. Even if you add the seven appearances he managed in the league in the 12/13 campaign, he still wouldn’t qualify for a medal. Nine Premier League games in two years is such a waste of his obvious talent and at the top of his game, he is pushing Glen Johnson and Kyle Walker exceptionally close for England’s right-back spot.

Pablo Zabaleta’s form and overall class could be argued as the primary reason Richards hasn’t seen too many blades of grass, as well as a handful of niggling injuries. However, to go from the youngest captain in the clubs history in 2007, to glorified season ticket holder is hard to understand.

Of course, City themselves have risen in stature since that time, so is it he isn’t good enough anymore? I don’t believe that. Since the Abu Dhabi United Group bought the club in 2008, Richards played a vital part in the four years that followed, clocking up 29 appearances in their inaugural title winning season.

Still at 25-years-old, Birmingham-born Richards certainly has the time to become the formidable, marauding force he once exhibited. Unfortunately for Richards, that won’t be at the Etihad Stadium. Below, I take a look at other similar cases that have developed this sad, English trend.

Adam Johnson – Now aged 26, back in 2010 Manchester City somewhat surprisingly shelled out £7m for Middlesbrough’s mercurial winger in the January transfer window. Though Johnson was and still is obviously a very talented player, it was unusual for City to stoop to the Championship for a player with their vast millions. Johnson enjoyed a stellar spell at City where he picked up a Premier League winners medal and became a regular fixture in the England reckoning.

In his final season, his appearances became more and more sporadic. 34 of his 73 league appearances came from the bench, the majority of which came in his final season after David Silva and Samir Nasri became more prominent. After missing consecutive cuts for tournaments under Fabio Capello and then Roy Hodgson, despite making their initial list of 30, Johnson left for his home-town club of Sunderland in search of guaranteed first-team football. Though he has enjoyed just that, he has not featured for England since May 2012 leading to Johnson to proclaim upon his City departure “Joining Man City is bad for your career”.

Jack Rodwell – Does anyone know what’s going on with Jack Rodwell? He was virtually seen in the same prodigy light that Ross Barkley currently occupies, and after an initial £12m move to City it seemed as if his career was going to kick on an extra gear. Injuries have certainly played a part in his exile from a starting berth, but no more than the presence of Yaya Toure, Fernandinho, Javi Garcia, David Silva, James Milner and indeed last season, Gareth Barry. Rodwell was trusted from the start against Norwich on the final day of last season with nothing to play for, and bagged an impressive brace.

Rodwell, 23, has three England caps to his name, the last of which came against Brazil last year, hot on the heels of his end of season exploits. That cap came a full two years after his previous two, and after only four league appearances this term he won’t be expecting any more any time soon.  Rodwell is in desperate need of a move, there is no way on earth he’s going to oust ensemble of talent Pelligrini has amassed in the middle whilst in his bit-part capacity.

Scott Sinclair – The whippet winger has 11 clubs on his résumé at aged 25, but that didn’t deter then City boss Roberto Mancini from parting with £6.2m for him. Sinclair only had a year to go on his deal, and his 28 goals in two years had earned him a burgeoning reputation within the English game. Fast-forward to the here and now, Sinclair has just spent a season with West Brom on loan, where he has managed just eight appearances (four from the start) and actually featured in more reserve games than the first-team.

Having featured as a perennial figure in the Great Britain Olympic team, Sinclair was speculated to be close to an England call-up. In the subsequent two years since the Olympics, Sinclair has made six starts in total. The quality City has in attacking areas was always going to be hard to penetrate, but this has almost destroyed his career. There is an option for West Brom to buy, which looks almost a definite no-go, leaving Sinclair to start from scratch again.

With the 25-man squads requiring at least eight Englishmen from 2010/11, it’s not hard to see the correlation here. City buy young English talent they can store in their squad whilst fulfilling the quota, who are generally quite young and have the best chance of being moved at a decent re-sale price. To be fair, it must be tempting if you’re one of those players. A huge salary jump, opportunities to feature in cup finals and league winning teams (albeit sporadically) – it’s enough to make any professionals head turn.

Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott are slightly difference cases. The nuance being at their time of arrival, they were in their career primes and the first real signings to give the club some foundation upon their arrival back in the summer of 2009. This is before the Aguero’s and Toure’s. However, as the signings have grown in quality and the pair has aged, their City playing time and thus England aspirations have both drastically receded (not a joke at Lescott’s hairline, promise).

Barry has actually enjoyed decent season on-loan at Lescott’s former employers Everton, while Lescott has managed eight league appearances and a season of watching Martin Demichellis play ever so gracefully in front of him (yes, that’s sarcasm) - meaning he too will fall short of a medal if City does the expected.

The careers discussed earlier should be a lesson to any young Englishmen tempted by the riches of Manchester City. If they have serious international aspirations and general Premier League playing time, performing as a kind of well-paid loophole for City has it’s evident consequences.

Underachievers could lose their stars, can overachievers?

The rumour mill is abuzz with speculation regarding Adam Lallana’s and Luke Shaw’s futures this summer following the young Englishmen’s fine form for Southampton this season.

All of the Premier League’s elite are said to be interested in the duo and Southampton look set for a summer of trying to resist the tempting financial muscle the top four (and Manchester United) carry.

The Saints have had an excellent campaign which has led to a comfortable eighth position in the Premier League at present, a place they look set to keep with Newcastle six points adrift and woefully out of form.

Only two seasons ago, Newcastle was competing for fourth place going into the final day of the season. Fast forward to today and since Yohan Cabaye’s sale, the Magpies faithful have been subjected to some bitterly disappointing displays, setting new records at home for losses in a row, and games without scoring in the process.

With the summer fast approaching, what’s now the value of these players? Tottenham in particular have sported a transfer strategy resembling that of a Champions League outfit. Though they currently sit sixth, fourth place is now out of reach for them. Their defence also requires a major rebuild, which certainly won’t come cheap if they are to aspire to a top four finish.

Will the likes of Vertongen, Lloris and Eriksen – virtually the only players to deserve any credit this year – be sold to fund a rebuild? They are after all, continental quality players.  The onus isn’t on them to hang around, rather the club to progress and match their ambitions.  

Southampton are in a difficult situation, as they can potentially cash in on some of the stars that have shone this season or heavily invest to try and catapult the club to the next level. The latter is what fans ideally want, but football is a business.

Will Mauricio Pochettino be around next season? Will the side be able to replicate their form next season? Will the value of the players in question ever be higher than it is now? Will Southampton be as an attractive proposition to potential targets as it is now? These as all variables that the board must consider heading into the summer.

Their most valuable commodities are also English. You can guarantee Jay Rodriguez, Lallana and Shaw would all command fees in excess of £10m at least. They also have Nathaniel Clyne, Callum Chambers and James Ward-Prowse, who could all prove to be a lucrative core for the south-coast club.

An ageing Rickie Lambert unfortunately doesn’t possess the same market power, but the Saints are only three or four big, continental quality signings away from contending the top six in my opinion. Another centre-half and a striker would make the world of difference, although youngster Sam Gallacher, another English talent, has shown he may have the tools to step-up into the first-team fold full-time.

Another factor for the players is their career aspirations. No matter how far they might believe Southampton, Spurs etc can progress, when a ‘big club’ calls it’s incredibly hard to resist. Money, Champions League football (for the most part) and International prospects all inevitably sore and in reality, football is a small career in comparison to your everyday job.

I would think at the very least, Southampton will lose Shaw this summer to a big, big money deal. Approaching 26-years-of-age, Lallana may well be thinking he would like his shot at a big move before it is too late too.

Spurs are more established in this day and age and have shown they aren’t afraid to buy players. Much will depend on which manager is installed at the helm, but I think the three stars I mentioned earlier will remain at White Hart Lane for at least another season. Chairman Daniel Levy has shown in the past, he doesn’t succumb to players wishes easy.

Newcastle however, has a problem. Loic Remy is almost 100% guaranteed to be moving on after his loan stay at St James’ Park. Marquee players like Hatem Ben Arfa (who is arguably the only exciting player worth watching at Newcastle), Fabricio Collocini and Cheick Tiote have grown vocally disillusioned with the teams failings this season.

As a fan of the Magpies, I feel very strongly about this one. Tim Krul, Davide Santon, Mathieu Debuchey and the aforementioned three are all top-four calibre players. The rest however, are nowhere near good enough for the aspiring stature of the club. Selling out the 52,000 plus seater-stadium should indicate European ambitions, but the chairman has failed to fund the club as such with just two-loan signings in the past 12 months. Manager Alan Pardew, ironically once of Southampton, continues to blame anything under the sun but himself too. Yet, the heavy losses indicate he is failing to organise and motivate his team, or learn from defeats.

Really, why hire Joe Kinnear? If the intention was never to spend money, then why waste more money on not spending money? I don’t believe Newcastle just didn’t get their targets like Pardew would have the press believe either. There should have been an extensive contingency plan for when Cabaye departed, which everyone knew was a matter of when, not if.

Newcastle’s insistence on utilising the French market has left their squad undervalued and lacking pedigree. HBA and Debuchey will almost certainly move on in the summer, as well as Collocini finally making his long-talked about return to his home-land in Argentina. Mike Williamson, Gabriel Obertan and Paul Dummet just simply won’t fill those voids. If Tiote and Krul have any career ambition at all, they’ll also head for the exit.

The opportunity to build arrived in 11/12 following a fifth place finish, but only Vurnon Anita, who’s scantly a starter, made his way into the club that summer. The club did eventually panic and bring in an influx of Frenchmen in January, whose struggles to gel and adapt led the Toon to a subsequent 16th place finish. The term ‘moving backwards’ doesn’t cut it.

Southampton almost find themselves where Newcastle were only two years ago. Their moves this summer will be essential in determining if they’re just a throwaway flash in the pan, or if they’re the real deal, set to grow and establish under Pochettino’s guidance. I wonder if some of the managers and chairman were at different clubs, where they would be. A stubborn Levy would be welcome at Southampton this summer and Pochettino can swarm the north-east with pleasing on the eye style anytime.