Buzzin Football

I have just returned from a great pre-season holiday in Turkey where I mainly spent my days around the pool or in bars chatting to football fans about the new season.

There was a devout Geordie fan with his twin 10 year old nephews, one in a Newcastle top the other in a Sunderland top! We agreed there was a lot of deadwood at Newcastle, and it wasn’t only the owner who had to go before they made a return to the Premiership but overpaid prima donnas who don’t appear to care whether they win or lose as long as they get the cash.

There was a lovely fanatical Galatasaray fan who was convinced they were going to win the first Europa Cup (formerly the UEFA Cup) and another Turkish guy, a staunch Fenerbahce fan who didn’t mind any team, as long as it wasn’t Galatasaray!

I sat at a pool side bar discussing Peterborough’s chances of a third straight promotion under the leadership of Darren Ferguson and the plausibility of a third straight Premier League title for Alex Ferguson and Manchester United with a couple of fans.  We all agreed mid-table for Posh and odds-on for the Red Devils.

Waking up at the crack of dawn to place towels on sun beds was made all the easier by morning chats with Gary, a Wigan season ticket holder, who is looking forward to the new season, watching the ‘beautiful game’ according to Roberto Martinez.  Steve Bruce done a gallant job at Wigan last season, pulling them away from the relegation battle.

We agreed the most likely candidates for Premier League relegation this season would be from Portsmouth, Hull City, Burnley & Wolves.

I also think Michael Owen will not only claw his way back into the England team in time for World Cup 2010, but a fit Michael Owen will also claim the Premiership Golden Boot.

As always I like to place a pre-season accumulator bet on winners of all 4 English football leagues and the Conference.  So here are my predictions for the 2009/10 season.

I think Manchester United will win the Premier League for a third successive season through lack of competition.  I think the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea is even more proof that Roman Abramovich is more concerned with winning the Champions League than the Premier League; and without Xabi Alonso Liverpool will not be the same force they were last season.

I really can’t predict the Championship with any conviction.  Of the teams that went down I can only see West Brom having any chance of bouncing straight back into the Premier League.  There’s a few teams that I feel confident to say will be top six – Preston, Sheffield United and Cardiff City.  But I also have a feeling Leicester City is going to do well.

Last season I thought Leeds United and Millwall would be favourites for promotion from League One.  Both were beaten in the play-offs; and I can see them doing well again this season.

I don’t profess to have much knowledge about League Two, though last season chose Gillingham and Shrewsbury.  They both made the play-off final, with the Gills winning at Wembley for the first time in their history.  I think Shrewsbury Town will go up this year but cannot ignore the influence Sven Gotran Eriksson will have at Notts County.

As for the Conference League, I am confident Luton Town will win the title by about 10 points  So, here’s my accumulator bet:

Premier League Champions – Manchester United
Championship Champions – Leicester City
League One Champions – Leeds United
League Two Champions – Notts County
Conference League Champions – Luton Town

What do you think?