Issue_1

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VOLUME 01 / ISSUE 01 / AUGUST 17

A NEW ERA Welcome to Halftime Whistle!

IAN HOLLOWAY / COVENTRY CITY / JIMMY BULLARDt AS MONACO / FRENCH EX-PATS / EUROPE ROUND-UP

BE TT I IN NG SID GU E ID E

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ALFTIME WHISTLE will be new to most of you, so we think it’s only fair we start by introducing ourselves. For a global phenomenon such as football, we struggled to think of many good quality periodicals centred on the sport we love. Therefore, we decided to produce a new magazine, filled with content for the typical football fan, with editorial you can relate to. We will be distributing on match days, primarily in London, with the hope that we can add to your match day experience. However, the quality content packed into the magazine will mean you can enjoy the magazine at home as well once the three points are safely in the bag. And what’s more, it’s FREE.

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Good luck this afternoon!

A NEW ERA Welcome to Half time

© Halftime Whistle magazine 2013. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. The publishers recognise all copyrights contained in this issue. Where possible we acknowledge the copyright holder.

01 / AUGUST 17

Daniel Stone Editor

Whistle!

OFFICIAL MAT CHDAY SPON SOR

inside YOUR FRE E ISSUE

IAN HOLLOWAY / COVENTRY CITY AS MONACO / / JIMMY BULLA FRENCH EX-PA TS / EUROPE ROUN RDt D-UP

EE AGUID -PINGSGIDE 2 1BETT IN

LINEUP 34

FEATURES 9

LA BONNE VIE A look at those Brits who have joined the French Foreign legion.

13 ONE-ON-ONE: JIMMY BULLARD Exclusive interview with the cheeky chappy of football

18 SENT TO NORTHAMPTON The fall and fall of Coventry City

25 CLUB SPOTLIGHT: AS MONACO How a Russian billionaire is planning to take on the best in Europe

34

FROM BOOT ROOM TO THE BIG TIME

13 4

Illustration: Kevin February

Ian Holloway is back in the big league

CONTENTS

18

62

COMMUNITY regulars 6

40 READER ARTICLE An end of an era for HTW reader Paul Matthews

TOP 4 News, rumours, tweets, goals

11 HTW STICKERBOOK

42 YOUR TEAM Islington’s AFC Chips or Garlic Bread

45 MIND GAMES Test your fotty knowledge with our quiz

Premiership Bald XI

15 UNGENTLEMANLY CONDUCT A roundup of the women’s game.

22 EUROPEAN ROUND-UP All the big transfer news from the Continent

betting guide 49 PREMIERSHIP 51 LONDON CLUBS PREVIEW 55 CHAMPIONSHIP 58 LEAGUE 1 59 LEAGUE 2

51

29 YOUNG GUNS RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK 30 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? CARLOS MARINELLI 32 IMAGE OF THE SUMMER 60 PUB HAT-TRICK Three of the best of London’s football pubs

29

62 TV GUIDE Football on the box for the coming month

5

THE

TOPFOUR

News, rumours, tweets and our goals of the week.

The Giants Are Back

ENGLAND: A BIT POO

SPAIN'S YOUNG STARS

fascinating story unfolded in Brazil this summer at the Confederations Cup. With off-the-field issues dominating many pre-tournament headlines, the Little Canary put on a great show, with scintillating football throughout, epitomised by the tournament’s stand-out player and eventual winner, Neymar.

n a summer dominated by British sporting success, football very much failed to follow suit. The senior England team drew both their friendlies, dropping down to their lowest FIFA ranking in over a decade, whilst the under-21s, under-20s and women’s teams were all dumped out of their respective tournaments without a single win between them.

o compound England’s disappointments the under-21 tournament showcased the remarkable talents in evidence in European youth football today.

Spain especially, spearheaded by the likes of De Gea, Thiago and Isco, highlighted their seemingly ceaseless talent pool, and further stressing the existing gulf of quality young players.

A

I

T

LADIES DAY he women’s game continues to show its evolution at the European Championships.

The tournament was awash with great football and quality goals, with Germany once again coming

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out victorious, as they have done without fail since 1993. Goalkeeper and captain Nadine ‘what ever you do don’t’ Angerer saved two penalties in a 1-0 win over Sweden.

PSSSTTT......

RUMOURS

The hottest transfer rumours of the past week...

Wayne Rooney’s name has been synonymous with the gossip columns this summer, as his annual tantrum has not gone unnoticed, primarily at Chelsea. David Moyes has reiterated his stance that Wazzer’s to stay put, and we expect exactly that despite José’s persistence.

TWEETS

Follow us@htw_mag

ng fans at traini 20 thousand e tmro, m ga at k 85 tonight, t e the suppor still amazes m you, hope k we have. Than show. we put on a ick @carras16 Michael Carr l 19 Ju

Luis Suarez has made his intentions very clear that he wants to play in the Champions League and Arsenal continue to publically broadcast their intentions to pluck the wantaway Uruguayan from Anfield. The soap opera looks set to continue into the new season, one which Suarez is still banned from playing in!

People come and go @NilePowerRanger 17 Jul

He’s played for over 20 of Premier League teams on my Football Manager leagues over the years, and reports were rife that Javier Saviola may have finally, aged 31, come to these shores, with West Ham and Cardiff both supposedly interested.

However, he’s now signed for Olympiacos. The Argentine reportedly told the media: ‘It was always my dream to play with Roy Carroll.’

Valbuena 119 - Mathieu ces for his an ch e created mor an any other teammates th pe’s big five ro Eu ss ro player ac d.

12/13. Spurre leagues in 20 n Ju 6 oe aJ @Opt Bet Roy Hodgson is not overly chuf fed with @Sk ySports selection of TV games before England’s vital games. predictable, but sad! @GaryLineker 11 Jul

OF THE

GOALS week Scan the QR codes below with your smartphone to view our pick of the goals of the week

goalshot Twitter legend @ussoccerguy’s take on the week

A S LATEST: SEX FABREG s still wants to Coach Moyle ith the rest w x Se ve ha er player s. cc so s of hi indow nc ha ementW #FranchiseEn

Neymar Brazil v Japan

Maynor Figueroa Peterborough United v Hull City

Isco Spain U21 v Norway U21

Luis Suarez Spain v Uruguay

7

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EX-PATS

LA BONNE VIE What do David Beckham, Chris Makin & Trevor Steven have in common? o, they’re not all married to pop-stars, or have children named after boroughs of New York, and they certainly don’t all boast lucrative sponsorship deals with some of the world’s most recognisable brands. No of course, it’s only Mr. Makin who ticks all of those boxes, and I’d like to take this opportunity to wish the former Sunderland and Ipswich centre-half a happy retirement in his castle in Prestwich with daughters Bronx, Manhattan and new baby boy, Staten Island.

Seriously now, unless you were living under a football-shaped rock at the end of the season, you’d have known that it was D-Day for Beckham, as he bowed out of the game following his short spell at PSG. Making his debut against rivals Marseille, he joined a short but steady list of British players who have hopped on a ferry and made the voyage over the English Channel to don the shirt of a club in Ligue 1, France’s equivalent of the Premier League. With Becks’ 15-minute cameo garnering more

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publicity than most careers, this article will look at some of those other ex pats who’ve added a pocket dictionnaire to their kitbag over the years.

FOREIGN LEGION We’ll start with the game at the Parc des Princes where, as you also probably know, Beckham wasn’t even the only Englishman on the pitch that night. Indeed, after his much-publicised summer move, Joey Barton established himself as a key member

Chris Waddle: ‘Le Clown’.

of Marseilles’ first team, coinciding in a runner-up finish. Le Scouser also proved a huge hit with the fans, as exhibited with a forty-foot banner that welcomed his arrival, adorned with the words ‘Welcome Sweet and Tender Hooligan’, a reference to Joey’s favourite band, The Smiths, as well as a nod to the joie de vivre for which he has made himself (in)famous during his time in England.

PSG’s 2-0 win in La Classique proved crucial as PSG eventually won the league title for the first time since 1994. What may come as a surprise is that the Parisians had only won the top flight on two previous occasions in their history and, even more remarkably, another former Englishman at Marseille can lay claim to more medals in his own, personal collection. Chris ‘magique’ Waddle, signed in 1989 for £4.5 million from Spurs, at the time the third-highest amount ever paid behind Diego Maradona and Ruud Gullit, enjoyed a hugely successful spell in France, winning the

9

EX-PATS

Arsene Wenger: Signed trendsetters Glenn Hoddle & Mark Hateley.

league in each of his three seasons and earning a runner-up medal in the 1991 European Cup final. The winger, who became affectionately known as Le Clown as much for his trickery with the ball as his jocular approach to the game, crossed Le Manche at a time when English clubs were banned from European competition following the Heysel disaster, and indeed he was not the first England international to do so.

In 1987, the then Monaco manager Arsene Wenger signed Glenn Hoddle, ironically also from Tottenham and, alongside expatriate trendsetter Mark Hateley, instant glory was attained once more as the team won the league for the first time in six seasons. By the time of Monaco’s next league triumph in 1997, Scotsman John Collins was holding the midfield, playing a pivotal role in a side that also humbled Manchester United en route to a Champions League semi-final.

FRENCH EVOLUTION Some impressive tales I think you’ll agree, yet there have, unsurprisingly, been some rather less glamorous but still notable allied invasions over the years. Clive Allen had a typically prolific season at Bordeaux in the late 1980s, Ray Wilkins also had

10

Joe Cole: Enjoyed something of a renaissance at Lille

four months in Paris in 1987 and new Notts County manager Chris Kiwomya had a loan spell at Le Havre from Arsenal in 1996. Other names you may recall who have swapped bacon sarnies for croissants au buerre include Graeme Rix, Derek Mcinnes and, of course, Joe Cole.

The tradition of British players migrating to Ligue 1 dates back to its inception in 1932, when household The aforementioned trendsetters.

names such as Arthur Phoenix and Bert Lutterloch went over to help with the league’s initial development.

Today, as David Beckham himself seems to be embodying a new era for French football as it looks to enter the twenty-first century, only time will tell if he will be forgotten in France as a mere poster boy, or revered as a member of the ex pat-elite of Messrs.

Waddle, Hoddle, and Makin.

STICKERBOOK This week it’s the glistening bonces of the Premiership Bald XI

HALFTIME WHISTLE

Fabian BARTHEZ

Danny MILLS

RB

GK

Steve BOULD (c)

CB

Frank LEBOEUF

CB

Thomas GRAVESEN

CM

Lee CARSLEY

CM

Attilio LOMBARDO RW

Alan WRIGHT

Temuri KETSBAIA

LB

LW

MANAGER

Brian McDermott

ASSISTANT MANAGER Ray Wilkins

John HARTSON

CF

NEXT ISSUE

ONE CAP WONDERS REFEREE

Howard Webb

Nicolas ANELKA

CF

XI

ONE-ON-ONE

ONE-ON-ONE:

JIMMY BULLARD ollowing his retirement from the game last October, Jimmy Bullard has turned his attentions to another of his sporting passions, golf, and turned professional earlier this year. Halftime Whistle talked to Jimmy about his relationship with the sport, football and a few things between. Cheeky, chirpy and a bugger to get hold of, it seems things haven’t changed too much for one of the game’s best-loved personalities!

F

Firstly, how was your round today?

Yeah not bad, mate. Been a bit frustrating recently – this game does me head in sometimes! It’s a weird game, some days you’re striking it well, shooting good numbers and others you’re shooting crap! I don’t know if it’s because but I feel like I’m up and down since I’ve turned pro. Maybe I’m setting myself higher standards...

Did you play a lot when you were playing football?

It was pretty random; it all depends on your games and your managers.

The boys now in pre-season won’t have much time or energy for it.

I was different – I’d do a double session then go and play nine holes!

But I’d be hurting. Same with after games – sometimes it’s nice but you’re knackered.

I don’t miss pre-season at all. I’ve got a little belly emerging – 15 years with a six pack and now this!

You’re a proper golfer then?!

Yeah you could say so – Colin Montgomery, Angel Cabrera, all 18 stone!

Who are your golfing heroes?

I can’t look beyond the main man, Tiger Woods. I’ve played the game now for a while and I can’t believe how much one man can dictate a sport like that. I don’t think he’ll ever be matched and he’ll surpass all the rest – he’s that good.

What other footballers stand out for you as being decent golfers?

I know Johnny Moncur (ex-West Ham) used to play. Gary O’Neill’s another good player, scratch / scratch +1 – I played with him in the Algarve and he putted the life out of the ball!

Don’t get me wrong I destroyed him, he won’t like me saying, but the boy

holed everything. He just putted like God. Another one’s Simon Davies (ex-Fulham, Spurs), he strikes the ball like a pro – solid swing, strong boy, great striker. Good player. And Jamie Redknapp, he’s good player.

And what about his dad? Does he play a bit?

Harry, no, no – far too miserable! No to be honest I don’t think he plays much!

[HTW laughs] Any shit players?

Shit players? Shit players? I don’t play with shit players! I tell ‘em I’m not spending any time in the trees, I’m going right down the middle where my ball is!

We heard you had a round with Shane Warne the other day?

Yep, played with Warner. What a lad – I mean, a proper lad. Every other word’s a swear word and Liz Hurley – ah it’s a joke, an absolute joke! I don’t know how he does it!

Question is, Jimmy, has he had work done!?

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JIMMY BULLARD

Shane Warne, Jimmy’s golf buddy

I couldn’t say, but his face looks like it’s been steem-rolled!

You were known as a cheeky chappy on the pitch but does it come out on the greens?

Well my mood changes. If it’s a big one with something to play for and I get a birdie or nick a hole, I won’t stop celebrating. I’m an animal – I do anything on the course when I’m winning but then I’m the worst loser ever! If I’m losing, I’ll throw my club around – well, maybe not that far!

And what’s the plan for the golf – have you set yourself a target?

Umm, not really. I’ve qualified for a few things, surprised myself a bit, but it’s mainly something to do. I get that buzz back from the football I suppose and gets my away from the missus!

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Jimmy and his infamous halftime ‘teamtalk’ during Hull’s match with Manchester City

How is the knee?

It’s a bloody nightmare! It doesn’t hurt day-to-day but I know it’ll swell up if I tried to play on it again. I get invited to things, charity things and what not, but I know it’ll go and how embarrassing would that be? I’m not putting myself in that position again.

You had a good innings though all in all, wouldn’t you say?

Yeah, you’re right. And I appreciate so much what I had and what I achieved.

When you think about people like Dean Ashton, when it was snatched away, it’s a horrible thought.

And has time helped you come to terms with the football?

Yeah, time’s a great healer obviously.

Don’t get me wrong I’ll always miss the game - I’ve not kicked a bloody

football since I finished – maybe a plastic one with my little boy but it’s totally gone it’s a strange one.

Will you get down to many games this year? You’re a West Ham fan?

Yeah I hope so – my little boy’s seven now and my Dad goes - three generations down the Boleyn Ground, it’d be blinding!

How do you see the title race going? Gut instinct?

If you’re a betting man I don’t think you can call it. United, Chelsea or Man City it can’t be split for me.

UNGENTLEMANLY

CONDUCT A roundup of the women’s game

GREAT SCOT!

lasgow City have progressed to the final 32 of the Women’s Champions League following a 2-0 victory away at Twente in front of an impressive crowd of over 2,500. Goals from Rachel Corsie and Sarah Crilly secured the win that saw City finish top of group 8.

Elsewhere, Cardiff of Wales and Crusaders of Northern Ireland both lost to finish bottom of their respective groups.

G

Women’s Super League POS TEAM

P

Pts 18

1

Liverpool

8

2

Bristol Academy

8

18

3

Arsenal

6

13

4

Birmingham City

8

12

5

Chelsea

9

10

6

Everton

8

8

7

Lincoln

9

6

8

Doncaster Belles

6

2

Women’s Premier League POS TEAM

Glasgow players celebrate Sarah Crilly’s goal against FC Twente on tuesday pic © Mirko Kappes

FOREST TO FALL DOWN?

ottingham Forest Ladies could face going under due to ongoing financial issues at the club. The Premier League North side say they need £20,000 in order to survive and are hopeful that a deal can be struck with the owners of their male counterparts. However theAl Hasawi family have stated that they want the female wing to be able to become a “sustainable business” in its own right.

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P

Pts

1

Sunderland

18

45

2

Watford

18

38

3

Leeds

18

38

4

Manchester City

18

25

5

Coventry City

18

25

6

Aston Villa

18

24

7

Charlton Athletic

18

22

6

Cardiff City

18

19

9

Portsmouth

18

13

10

Barnet

18

4

NEWS IN BRIEF… TRANSFER ROUND-UP Bristol Academy have added a third Spaniard to their ranks following the signing of Keka from Rayo Vallecano.

Elsewhere in the WSL,Lincoln Ladies have signed Coventry City striker Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.

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FEATURE

SENT TO NORTHAMPTON: WORDS: Laurence Kilpatrick

Fans protest before their ‘home game’ last sunday at Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium - 44 miles from Coventry

THE FALL AND FALL OF COVENTRY CITY f, like me, you were supporting Coventry City at the turn of the 21st century, the ride was already somewhat bumpy; slaloming Darren Huckerby runs, cultured Gary McAllister free-kicks and astute Robbie Keane finishes were still fresh in the memory, but this West Midlands side were more synonymous with agonising end of season scrapes, and our relegation in 2001 brought to an end 34 consecutive seasons in the top

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flight of English football, a feat bettered only by Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal. Few, however, could have predicted our relentless slide into obscurity

Darren Huckerby in better days for Coventry City

since that sunny afternoon at Villa Park nearly twelve years ago.

After quickly dispensing with Gordon Strachan, the club hired and fired a string of managers - 17 (including caretakers) have come and gone in the eleven years since Strachan -

COVENTRY CITY

none of whom were able to halt our depressing slide down the table. In 2005, a 23,000 strong Sky Blue army bade farewell to Highfield Road by demolishing a compliant Derby County side 6-2 and moved into the £113 million Ricoh Arena convinced that the long winter of discontent was finally over. I listened, a piece of turf clasped in my muddy hand, as Micky Adams addressed the crowd at the end of that blissful day and felt -presumably how Wigan fans feel every year - that ‘next season will be different’. Alas, the club’s on-field performances did not measure-up and optimistic dreams of the play-offs subsided into relegation drudgery with the jaws of the third-tier beckoning.

We got relegated midway through 2012 and, after a promising start, were hamstrung by a ten-point deduction that put paid to any lingering hopes of bouncebackablity.

To be honest - by this point - the thought of success was possibly more traumatising than familiar-old relegation, so alien was the sensation.

Manager Mark Robins, appointed in September, was poached by Huddersfield and the only manager in recent memory to improve the club’s position was gone: it was heartbreaking. Loud calls for former manager Eric Black fell on deaf ears; instead, the club plumped (and paid!!!) for ex-Wigan defender and then Falkirk boss Stephen Pressley, who led the club to a 15th place finish.

Action from Coventry’s nine-goal thriller last sunday in front of just over 2,200

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COVENTRY CITY

SENT TO NORTHAMPTON This summer has seen our financial situation escalate from an itchy groin to a rampant case of genital warts. I spoke to Kev Monks – head of Covsupport News Service – who stated plainly: ‘No-one is innocent but some are more guilty than others. The owners SISU Capital Ltd can certainly take their fair share of the blame, firstly for not sorting out a new rent deal when they took over the club [...] and then having the chief executive fail in the rent negotiations and throw his toys out of the pram by refusing to pay the rent’. The move to the Ricoh roughly equates to someone offering a twelve-year old a bigger and better park to play football in, but instead of getting free Mr. Whippy and hanging round with his mates like he used-to, he’s now on his one-man surrounded by bullies who steal his lunch money and throw in a wedgie for good measure. All-in-all: not a good deal. Clubs like Cardiff, Swansea, Southampton, Brighton, and Hull have based their success on a strong financial model backed up by revenue from their new stadiums: we, on the other hand, signed up to to a £1.2 million per year rent-commitment that was patently unsustainable and was compounded by the fact that, aside from sales of tickets, programmes, and official club merchandise, we banked no match day revenue whatsoever.

The arrival of SISU was greeted with open arms because it allowed the

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Steven Pressley celebrates last week’s 5-4 win over Bristol City.

club to avoid administration. The then chairman Joe Elliott’s proclamation that ‘This is a very exciting day in the long, proud history of Coventry City Football Club’ takes on a darkly comical edge in retrospect, as does his unintentionally portentous prediction that ‘SISU Capital will help drive Coventry City forward into a brand new era for the club’ – little did he know that ‘new era’ would be located 44 miles away at Sixfields Stadium, home to Northampton Town.

As I write, the club’s future looks murkier than Harry Redkanpp’s tax return: a 10-point deduction for going into administration/liquidation/

assassination/annihilation (who know the difference in these mad times?) has been executed by the powersthat-be, so the downtrodden fans – yours truly included – made their way to Crawley away on the first day of the season knowing they would be bottom of the league before a ball has been kicked, despite our team name beginning with ‘C’! While the first ‘home’ game has now gone ahead in our surrogate stadium, Coventry fans weren’t sure where they would be rocking up to, as Arena Coventry Limited – the jokers in charge of the Ricoh (lack of comedy) Arena –made a rent offer that was 10% of last year’s bill (emphasising the ludicrous premium of previous years) and so there was a glimmer of hope that the Ricoh would return as host.

When you forget about all the tedious bureaucracy, suits and shoddy accountants involved in this situation, the fans (‘woe is me’) are the ones who are really suffering. The infectious enthusiasm for the new Premiership season which has been buoyed by the lucrative new TV deal is, undeniably, enjoyable, but I can’t help but think that too many clubs are in danger of becoming the next Leeds Portsmouth Coventry. Sitting watching us win 5-4 against Bristol City on Saturday in a crowd of just over 2000 was a confusingly depressing spectacle and it might be the first of many. I warn you – football ain’t such a funny old game down here.

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EUROPE

EUROPEAN ROUND-UP

A look at the biggest summer transfer stories from the continent

PSG & AS Monaco splash the cash

Pep signs Thiago

fascinating season lies in store in France, with champions PSG flexing their financial muscle with the signings of Cavani and Roma’s Marquinhos, for a combined total of nearly €100m. However, this

ep Guardiola had already signed Mario Gotze from Dortmund before his official tenure had even began at Bayern Munich. Not long after, Spain’s influential under-21 captain Thiago Alcantara was following from Barca for a reported €37 million. Dortmund have kept hold of Lewandowski for another season at least, and have added Liverpool target Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the club from Shaktar.

A

has been dwarfed by the boys from the principality; AS Monaco’s sees no sign of stopping having already acquired Ricardo Carvalho, Porto pair Moutinho & Rodriguez, and the big one, Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid.

Benitez teams up with Reina again apoli have been by far the busiest side this summer in Serie A. Having sold their prized asset to PSG, new boss Rafa Benitez has wasted no time plunging money back into the squad. Callejon, Albiol & Higuain have come in from Real, Pepe Reina joins on loan from Liverpool and Belgian Dries Mertens has arrived from PSV. Elswehere, Mario Gomez made a surprising switch to Fiorentina from Bayern.

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Real ready to push on eal Madrid have once more shown their hand with two big money signings, both Spanish.

Asier Illarramendi has signed from Real Sociedad for €38m and the jewel of the under-21 crown, Isco, arrived from Malaga for €27m. Elsewhere, David Villa ended speculation of a move to these shores, signing for Atletico Madrid.

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TABLE FOR 5 How it all finished on the continent…

FRANCE

ITALY

Ligue 1 POS TEAM

*All stats correct up to end of last season

Serie A P

Pts

P

Pts

1

Paris St Germain

38

83

POS TEAM 1

Juventus

38

87

2

Olympique de Marseille

38

71

2

Napoli

38

78

3

Olympique Lyonnais

38

67

3

AC Milan

38

72

4

Nice

38

64

4

Fiorentina

38

70

5

Saint-Étienne

38

63

5

Udinese

38

66

P

Pts 76

Coupe de France: Evian 2 - 3 Bordeaux

Coppa Italia: Roma 0 - 1 Lazio

GERMANY

NETHERLANDS

Bundesliga POS TEAM

Eriedivisie P

Pts

POS TEAM

1

Bayern Munich

34

91

1

Ajax

34

2

Borussia Dortmund

34

66

2

PSV Eindhoven

34

69

3

Bayer Leverkusen

34

65

3

Feyenoord

34

69

4

Schalke 04

34

55

4

Vitesse Arnhem

34

64

5

SC Freiburg

34

51

5

Utrecht

34

63

DFB Pokbal: Bayern Munich 3 - 2 Stuttgart

KNVB Cup: AZ Alkmaar 2 - 1 PSV Eindhoven

SPAIN La Liga POS TEAM 1

Barcelona

P

Pts

38 100

2

Real Madrid

38

85

3

Atlético Madrid

38

76

4

Real Sociedad

38

66

5

Valencia

38

65

Maverick Managers!

Copa Del Rey: Real Madrid 1 - 2 Atlético Madrid

UEFA SUPER CUP Chelsea 1-4 Atlético Madrid EUROPA LEAGUE: Chelsea 2-1 Benfica CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Bayern Munich

Abel Xavier

FAB RAVANELLI

OLHANENSE (Portugal)

AJACCIO (France)

23

AS MONACO

CLUB SPOTLIGHT

WORDS: Daniel Stone

AS MONACO On the French Riviera, a Russian Tsar is making a charge for the Parisian crown

s we enter the first official season of UEFA’s watershed Financial Fair Play regulations, one club is dominating the headlines for their seemingly untenable spending patterns. Having already spent in excess of €100m on marquee signings such as Falcao, Moutinho and Rodriguez, at a time when clubs within their own domestic league and beyond are being forced to tighten the purse-strings; AS Monaco has found itself at the centre of another footballfinance shitstorm that shows little sign of abating.

The context is fascinating. The club from the principality tax haven, backed by Russian billions, promoted from Ligue 2 – and therefore ruled out of elite European competition and the stipulating FFP restrictions - are taking full advantage of their almost unwitting position in this privileged, loophole.

Situated within a principality that is geographically inside France, but politically independent from it, any

A

non-French (or, randomly, American,) signing will not have to pay a penny (or, rather, a cent) to the taxman, compared to your average Frenchman who will pay full tax at a rate that may still rise up to 75 % if President Francois Hollande gets his way.

France’s football governing body, LFP, aren’t happy, and a bitter lawsuit is under way. They claim, with some justification, that AS Monaco have an unfair advantage on the rest of Ligue 1. The situation is threatening to unhinge a strong and historic relationship between club and league that has lasted since before WWII. Les Rouges et Blancs are one of France’s most successful clubs : top-flight champions on seven occasions, five-time French Cup winners, and European Cup runners-up in 2004, losing out to José Mourinho’s Porto, having humbled Abramovich’s Chelsea in his debut season in England.

So for how long can they keep up this lavish spending? Well the fact that they aren’t in the Champions League or Europa League will buy them some time but FFP regulation includes strict ‘Break Even’ guidelines that have already seen Malaga expelled from this season’s Europa League for non-adherence – showing they mean business. And for the principality of only 36,000 residents, whose club

25

CLUB SPOTLIGHT

averaged under 6,000 home fans last season, the chances of balancing the books seem slim at best.

The proposed solution, thought out by chairman Dmitry Rybolovlev, takes further advantage of the club’s unique and privileged situation. As Gabriele Marcotti has explained, AS Monaco plan to become an ‘aspirational, boutique brand’ by implementing 6,000 luxury seats, available to the locals at a casual €2000 per match.

Further premium seating would be made available at a fee of around €250 a game, with the remaining 6,000, a figure bang in line with last season’s average, available at a normal rate.

It’s an inherently risky strategy, one that evokes memories of Peter Ridsdale’s 10-year season ticket scheme that helped plunge Leeds United into economic turmoil. But this isn’t North Yorkshire, it’s a society with the world’s highest GDP, an average salary of £1,000,000 and 0 % unemployment, raising the notion of “if it’ll work anywhere...”

And what better way to put goldplated bottoms on diamond-encrusted seats than to sign the world’s hottest out-and-out striker, alongside a plethora of eye-watering talent; a shopping list that may yet dwarf even that of Roman Abramovich’s inaugural transfer window splurge a decade ago. Seriously, how does Ranieri get away with this!?

Either way, it’s an interesting subplot that will add extra spice to this new era for French football. Ligue 1 is definitely one to keep an eye on this season.

Blank Cheques

Our European round-up can be found in every issue on page 24.

J. Rodriguez €45m

Furthermore, read about the historic link between the English & French leagues on page 9.

26

How Claudio Ranieri’s shopping lists compare at Chelsea and AS Monaco

CHELSEA G. Johnson £6.3m J-S Veron £15m D. Duff £17m A. Mutu £15.8m J. Cole £6.6m H. Crespo £16.8m TOTAL – £77.5m

AS MONACO J. Moutinho €25m R. Falcao €60m J. Toulalan undisc.

E. Abidal FREE TOTAL – €130m (£113 min)

pics © Action Images

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Halftime Whistle’s guide to the hottest young Premiership talent

RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK CHELSEA s another summer passes amid raised questions on the state of English football, one bright spark may have announced himself at the tender age of just 17. Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek was given his first run-outs for the Blues’ senior squad in their postPremiership tour of America last season and impressed in his two starts against Manchester City.

A tall, strong, box-to-box midfielder who can also play in the heart of defence, ‘Rube’ showed many nice touches, a clear comfort in possession, and expert vision, taking clattering from Messrs. Kompany and Toure along the way as well!

At youth level, despite some niggling injuries earlier in his fledgling career, he was part of the 2012 FA Youth Cup winning squad, and an ever-present in last season’s run to the final, which Chelsea ultimately lost 4-2 on aggregate to Norwich City.

Much was made of the two-anda-half-year deal Ruben signed earlier this year, worth an eye-watering £1.7 million, making him easily the highest-paid youth player in the country. However, with Barcelona reportedly monitoring his progress, he may just be the most valuable as well.

He will no doubt be hoping to impress new manager José Mourinho and may well prove another highlight of what promises to be a fascinating Premiership campaign.

A

CARLOS MARINELLI MIDDLESBROUGH

2000-2003 (43 apps/3 goals)

arinelli is an archetypal Obscure OOs footballer, offering much upon his return before falling by the wayside. Another recipient of the rather dubious tag of being ‘the next Maradona’, despite signing for Middlesbrough, Bryan Robson brought the midfielder to Teesside in 2000, but he went on to make only twelve first-team appearances.

There were flashes of brilliance from the nimble-footed Argentinean but his ‘failure to adjust to the English lifestyle’ saw an unsuccessful loan to Serie A side Torino precede a permanent move back home to Boca Juniors. However, having struggled to hold down a regular starting berth, he was packing his bags once more, moving back through Europe in the shape of Racing Santander and SC Braga, before jetting off again to MLS side Kansas City wizards. Despite being a first team regular at the Missouri outfit for two campaigns, Marinelli’s itchy feet saw him sign for short spells in Colombia, Argentina, Greece and now Peru, where he has spent the last three seasons at Universidad San Martin de Porres.

M

Thanks to our partners facebook.com/Obscure00sFootballers

30

the

giants are back!

IMAGE OF THE SUMMER

IAN HOLLOWAY

FROM BOOT ROOM TO THE BIG TIME ILLUSTRATION: Kevin February

34

IAN HOLLOWAY

t’s back! This weekend sees the return of one of the most eagerly-anticipated seasons in recent history. The league itself welcomes back some familiar faces, most notably José Mourinho’s to Stamford Bridge, but there’s also one man that many of us are looking forward to seeing and hearing again this season, situated just over the River Thames at Selhurst Park.

Following the heartbreak of relegation as Blackpool manager on the final day of the 2010/11 season, Ian Holloway returns to Premier League with a sense of unfinished business from his solitary season as a top-flight manager. And the enigmatic one-line merchant will not be fooled by the size of the task ahead of him. He will demand that his side play good football but get stuck into the tackle and, indeed, Holloway’s career boasts a combination of grit and glitz that makes his story all the more fascinating, and his famous ‘Ollyisms’ all the better received by the British public.

I

OLLY – A BIT OF A SCRUBBER Born in the tough suburb of Kingswood just outside of Bristol, Holloway began as an apprentice at Bristol Rovers, at the time in English football’s third-tier. However, Holloway was very much at the bottom of his own, personal football hierarchy as he explained to The Daily Mirror: “Before I became a professional footballer I was – I’m not ashamed to admit - a bit of a scrubber.” His duties would include buffing the changing room floors, sweeping the terraces of litter and cleaning the boots of first-team players. It’s a far cry from climate he now finds himself in, where a kick from one such boot of Kevin Phillips in May landed Crystal Palace an

estimated windfall of £100 million.

Back then, Holloway was just a young man who knew what he wanted to do for a living: “When Rovers told me they wanted to keep me on, I was so desperate to be a professional footballer that I signed the contract without even asking what the terms were.” Turning pro in 1981, it wasn’t for another two seasons that the midfielder would become a regular on the team sheet, but would remain so for the next three seasons. Short spells at Wimbledon and Brentford followed but he was soon re-signed by new Rovers’ manager Gerry Francis and it was under his stewardship that Holloway and Rovers began to

play their best football. The club was promoted in 1990 to the old Second Division alongside their arch-rivals Bristol City, who had ironically also been relegated with them in 1981.

When Gerry Francis left to take over at his boyhood club QPR he took Holloway with him for what would be the start of his own mini-love affair with the Hoops. Ollie, sporting long hair and short shorts, played 40 games in the year before the inauguration of the Premiership, a competition in which he would go onto play over 100 games.

QPR were relegated in 1996, and Ollie soon returned to North Bristol for a third spell with the Gas and his first foray into management, reaching the Second Division play-offs in 1998 as player-manager before hanging up his boots after the following season aged 36. One more year as Rovers’ boss saw the club finish seventh before he followed in his former mentor’s footsteps by moving to QPR.

DECLINE AND THE BIRTH OF THE ‘OLLYISM’

It was around this time that the football world started to take notice of Ian Holloway as much for his fledgling managerial capabilities, as his potential for a quote on the back pages of the morning paper. Tasked with saving QPR from relegation in his debut season, he failed, leaving the club at their lowest ebb in over 30 years. Nonetheless, Holloway stayed and rebuilt his side, winning promotion back to the Championship in 2004. Describing promotion at Sheffield Wednesday on the final day, he said, as only Ollie does: “Every dog has its day- and today is woof day!

Today I just want to bark!”

But what followed was a relatively dark period in Holloway’s career. A solid mid-table finish the following

35

IAN HOLLOWAY

season saw him repeatedly linked with the managerial position at Leicester City, resulting in him being placed on gardening leave, before leaving the club. He went to Championship side Plymouth Argyle with desires to enter the Premiership but the relationship ended on bitter terms. After a year in the job and with Milan Mandaric’s Leicester City once more barking up Ollie’s tree, he resigned from Home Park to the dismay of both the fans and Chairman Paul Stapleton.

Holloway’s time at Leicester would prove disastrous – only 9 victories in his time saw the club relegated and Ollie jobless. Reflecting on this time some years later, Holloway conceded that he had lost sight of what was important to him, of what drove him to get on his hands and knees at Eastville Stadium twenty years earlier: “I was reminded of some decent values from my mum and dad in our council house, and one of them was trust and loyalty. And I forgot all about that at Plymouth. I left them.

And I made the biggest mistake of my life.”

REDEMPTION After a year out of football, Blackpool threw Holloway a lifeline and what followed was truly remarkable, as within nine months Blackpool had been promoted to the Premier League following a late surge to the play-offs and victory at Wembley 3-2 over Cardiff. In the big league for the first time since 1971 the Seasiders flew out of the traps in the first half of the season, doing the double over Liverpool and winning away at the likes of Newcastle, Stoke and Sunderland. They were ninth in January but their form dipped dramatically after Christmas, resulting in relegation at Old Trafford on the

36

final day, despite having led the champions at one stage.

After losing the play-off final to West Ham the following season, Ollie then left the club to take over the reins at Crystal Palace from the Bolton-bound Dougie Freedman, and continued their positive start to the season, which culminated in another

Wembley promotion for Holloway and with it, another shot at the big time this year.

As the Premier League welcomes back one of the game’s brightest characters, survival with Palace this season will arguably be the greatest achievement of a glowing, and growing, managerial career.

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READER REPORT

THE END OF AN ERA

Fergie’s not the only one entering a new chapter in their life. his May spelled the end of an era for me. As a university student, my final exam ended a four-year degree, simultaneously signalling the start of ‘the rest of my life’. A big milestone.

As a result, I’ve been asked countless times: “how do you feel?”, “are you emotional?”, “will you cry?”, even.

I was told that the shock would set in once I realise it was all over, and true when I said farewell to my housemates for the final time, I did feel a slight knot in the old stomach. But as I did so I realised that this had become a

T

READER PROFILE NAME: Paul Matthews AGE: 23 LOCATION: Yeovil FAVOURITE CLUB: Yeovil Town SEASON TICKET HOLDER? Yes FAVOURITE PLAYER: Paddy Madden FAVOURITE ALL-TIME PLAYER: Lionel Messi FIRST GAME ATTENDED: Yeovil vs Kidderminster, 1994 FONDEST FOOTBALL MEMORY: Yeovil getting promoted to the Championship!

WHY YOU LOVE FOOTBALL: Who knew Fergie would retire when Yeovil got promoted to the Championship?

40

familiar feeling in the few weeks prior.

Was it my exams? The anticipation?

Apprehension? Nerves? Don’t be stupid. It was football, of course!

I fail to recall a more emotional couple of weeks in British football than the end of the 2012/13 season, and I’ve been watching since before I could even say “Ogrizovic”. I’m lucky that my only two Premier League games this season came at Villa Park for Frank Lampard’s record-breaking brace, and Sunday’s farewell to Jamie Carragher at Anfield. All four corners of both grounds, opposition fans included, joined in appreciation of these great, unique footballing talents. Across the channel, the British heartstrings were being even more mercilessly plucked as Becks bid farewell to his beloved sport in a manner we may never see again; the armband, the tears, the on-field embraces, all remarkable gestures of respect for a man who had played only six times for PSG. But the biggest news of all came in the form of Sir Alex Ferguson’s shock retirement, ending a reign at the top that had started since before my parents had even decided they wanted a handsome new boy in the family. He became a second-father to a generation, and the fact that this day was always coming did little to curve the collective national sentiment that marked the news. When asked

about what the great man would miss, his reaction was surprisingly decisive: “Those last minute goals!”

Well the old man certainly got his wish this week. With football you think you’ve seen it all, but the scenes at Griffin Park with Brentford’s missed penalty, and Doncaster’s breakaway goal, were seemingly one-of-a-kind.

Not so, barely a week later, Watford did the same. And then Wigan and Chelsea both won trophies in injury time. Football had done it again.

I’m proud to say that the end of one significant chapter in my life coincided with that of such great men. So now as I slob around my house in my boxer shorts, looking lost as I ponder my career path, my semi-sympathetic parents ‘comfort’ me saying, “Aww diddums, it must be frustrating sitting around all day with nothing to do”, my response is clear. “Don’t be stupid. It’s August; football’s back.”

YOUR TEAM FC in association with Sunday football, jumpers for goalposts, this is our look at your team

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CLUB INFO NICKNAME: The Garlics FOUNDED: 2006 GROUND: Pitch 4 RECORD ATTENDANCE: 9 LOCAL: Bishop’s TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Ben West MANAGER: Terry Mawer CAPTAIN: Danny Stone

42

romotion may be on the horizon for AFC Chips or Garlic Bread this season as they currently lie second in the Islington Monday League Division Three with only a matter of weeks remaining. Having lost only twice, both times coming, they claim, as a result of ‘Bank Holiday drinking’, the group, who have known each other since secondary school, may well be celebrating a second successive promotion, having returned from university to win Division Five at the first attempt. Prior to leaving for their educational pursuits, the Garlics had

P

previously won the Thursday Premier League at the same centre and have the Monday equivalent in their sites.

Technical Director Ben West told HTW: “It’s a three season plan. There was no room in the top four leagues so we knew we had to do it the long way but the lads are playing well. We’re older, wiser, slower and fatter but we’re hoping there’s no substitute for experience.” We wish them all the best for the season and their future!

THE LADS 1) Hass ‘Hassassinator’ Allan 2) Ben ‘Westy’ West 3) Christian ‘Tian’ Dando 4) Ben ‘Sterndull’ Western 5) Ed ‘PC Pieman’ Harris 6) Jayesh ‘Jerboon’ Shah 7) Danny ‘DS’ Stone 8) George ‘Nickname’ Mawer 9) Chris ‘ST9’ Mawer 10) James ‘Pilldog’ Pilling

TEAMMATES

MOST SKILLFUL: ST9 WORST DRESSED: Tian WORST DANCER: Westy HEAVIEST DRINKER: Stern LADIES MAN: Hass LONGEST IN THE SHOWER: Tian

London City Centre Monday Evening League Division 2 POS TEAM

Pts

1

Fire At Twerton

37

2

AFC Chips or Garlic Bread

36

3

Breast Rummage Albion

32

4

AFC Dirt Track

23

5

Adrian Wilma Wanderers

21

6

Tattyville Terriers

21

7

HMRC Bap Tax Division

21

8

Drinkin Is Mint FC

16

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MIND GAMES

WHO AM I?

MIND GAMES

Test your footy knowledge with our quiz

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

For which club did Kevin Hector make a club record 486 Football League appearances?

Who is the player in Picture A? Clue: He was a Scottish international who played for Ipswich Town, Liverpool & MIddlesbro In the 10 years from 1984 which club was sponsored by Crown Paints and then Candy?

Which French international scored a goal after just 25 seconds in the 2009 FA Cup final?

Which foreign club has the nickname The Rossoneri Devils?

Addicted, first published in 1998, was the autobiography of which former England international?

Which London club’s ground is featured in Picture B?

In October 2009, Alex Ferguson was fined £20,000 for accusing which referee of being physically unfit after Manchester United drew with Sunderland at Old Trafford?

If the home team has a monkey called H’Angus as mascot and the away team has a lion called Kingsley Royal as their mascot, which two teams are playing?

Picture C. Who are the three England players desperately trying to prevent Diego Maradona from scoring in 1986 World Cup quarter final?

PIC A

PIC B

PIC C

To check your answers visit www.halftimewhistle.co.uk

44

1 2

I was born in Dublin, Ireland on August 29, 1976.

I played schoolboy football for Stella Maris FC before being brought to London by an Argentinian, where I also made my Ireland debut.

I won the League Cup in 1999 before moving north in 2004, to sign for an England legend.

I retired from football in December 2008 before putting the boots back on two months later.

I won another League Cup winners medal in 2011 before retiring again in May 2013.

3 4 5

WHO ARE WE?

Can you name the club from the picture of their nickname?

Also on Facebook we ran a poll to see who you readers would like to see as a Player Profile this issue.

You’ve probably already read it, on page 14.

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PREVIEW

HTW LONG SHOTS Young Player of Year: Daniel Sturridge – 12/1 Player of Year: Eden Hazard – 14/1 Top Scorer: Negredo – 25/1 Title: Arsenal – 10/1 Top Ten Finish: Cardiff – 8/1

Kick off 3.00pm unless stated otherwise

First Sacked: Mark Hughes - 33/1 Steve Bruce - 25/1 Top 4 Finish: Everton - 20/1 Liverpool - 7/4

Relegation: Sunderland - 5/1 West Bromwich Albion - 7/1

Not since its inception in 1993 has a Premier League season been wrought with such anticipation.

Following Sir Alex Ferguson’s shock retirement, all eyes are on new manager David Moyes as he sets himself the unenviable task of filling the great man’s shoes at Old Trafford. With the return of the Special One, Manuel Pellegrini’s spending and Arsene Wenger’s apparent permission to spend, spend, spend, the title race is much less predictable than other recent campaigns. Let’s see if you can call it right!

49

Premier League League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide

How things stood at the end of last season

Premier League POS TEAM

50

Top Goalscorers P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

Player Robin Van Persie

26

Luis Suarez

23

Gareth Bale

21

1

Manchester United

38

28

5

5

86

43

89

2

Manchester City

38

23

9

6

66

34

78

3

Chelsea

38

22

9

7

75

39

75

4

Arsenal

38

21

10

7

72

37

73

5

Tottenham Hotspur

38

21

9

8

66

46

72

(Manchester United) (Liverpool)

(Tottenham Hotspur)

Goals

6

Everton

38

16

15

7

55

40

63

Christian Benetke

7

Liverpool

38

16

13

9

71

43

61

(Aston Villa)

19

8

West Bromwich Albion

38

14

7

17

53

57

49

Miguel Michu

18

9

Swansea City

38

11

13

14

47

51

46

10

West Ham United

38

12

10

16

45

53

44

Romelu Lukaku

17

11

Norwich City

38

10

14

14

41

58

44

Rickie Lambert

12

Fulham

38

11

10

17

50

60

43

(Southampton)

15

13

Stoke City

38

9

15

14

34

45

42

Frank Lampard

15

14

Southampton

38

9

14

15

49

60

41

15

Aston Villa

38

10

11

17

47

69

41

(Swansea City)

(West Bromwich Albion)

(Chelsea)

16

Newcastle United

38

11

8

19

45

68

41

Clean Sheets

17

Sunderland

38

9

12

17

41

54

39

Team Manchester City

18

Liverpool

16

Arsenal

14

Chelsea

14

18

Wigan Athletic

38

9

9

20

47

73

36

19

Reading

38

6

10

22

43

73

28

20

Queens Park Rangers

38

4

13

21

30

60

25

3+ Goals/Game

Draw Specialists

Team

Team

Games

Blanks

Games

Shooting Blanks

Manchester United

16

Everton

15

Liverpool

12

Stoke City

15

Queens Park Rangers

16

Arsenal

10

Norwich City

14

Swansea City

16

Manchester City

8

Southampton

14

Stoke City

15

Chelsea / Tottenham

8

Liverpool + 2 others

13

Reading

14

Team

Blanks

London Preview League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide

Arsenal y Arsene Wenger D Thomas Vermaelen W Santi Cazorla M 4th G 1st position 5 4th position

Stadium ‘paid off’, massive Puma deal agreed, over 20 players off the wage bill, yet still only one man into the club, Yaya Sanogo, a free transfer from AJ Auxerre. Another frustrating summer for Gunners fans could explode if Suarez arrives but, having already missed out on Higuain, questions over Wenger’s transfer temperament remain rife. Quality acquisitions are needed for Arsenal to progress but Arsene’s still showing caution.

Random Bets Chelsea to win league at 9/4 at William Hill.

Top English G/S: Lampard at 10/1 Domestic Double: 14/1 Young Player of the Year: Hazard 5/1, Oscar 8/1, Lukaku 10/1 Rooney to Chelsea: 8/15

Random Bets

Luis Suarez is 5/6 at William Hill to be an Arsenal player when transfer window closes.

PFA Young Player of the Year: Jack Wilshere 9/2 Premier League Winners: 10/1 Top 3 Finish: 7/4 FA Cup Winners: 9/1

Chelsea Despite being below-par in the league over the past couple of seasons, the return of the Special One looks set to reignite the Blues’ fight for domestic dominance as he managed in his first spell. Now a proven European force as well, and with a strong squad looking more and more settled, time may serve to prove Mourinho to be the Prem’s best signing this summer.

y Jose D John Terry W Juan Mata M 3rd G 1st position 5 1st position

Crystal Palace y Ian Holloway D Paddy McCarthy W Jose Campaña M 5th Championship G 17th position 5 20th position KEY:

Ollie’s back in the Prem and has a point to prove. Cruelly relegated with Blackpool despite a heroic performance at Old Trafford, the Eagles landed themselves a place in the top flight thanks to a late Kevin Phillips’ penalty against Watford at Wembley. Palace will be up for a scrap, but may need more quality to stave off the drop, especially after losing their talisman Zaha to United.

Random Bets Crystal Palace to stay up: 11/8 Holloway 1st to go: 20/1 Worst Disciplined: 8/1 Kevin Phillips Top G/S: 500/1

y Gaffer D Captain W Star Player M Last Season’s Position G5 This season’s prediction Heart vs Head

51

London Preview League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide

Fulham y Martin Jol D Brede Hangeland WDimitar Berbatov M 12th G 8th position 5 12th position

Random Bets

A new era beckons for the Cottagers, as Al-Fayed departs, being replaced by American Shahid Khan. He has stated his ambition to take the club to the ‘next level’ is unlikely to get a quick fix without the foundations found at Man City and neighbours Chelsea. Forever competitive on their day, but are likely to find themselves in mid-table obscurity again for much of the season.

English G/S: Soldado at 20/1 Top 4 Finish: 2/1 Gareth Bale to stay: 7/2 Europa League Winners: 20/1

Random Bets

Top Ten Finish: 11/4 at William Hill Top 8 Finish: 11/2 Berbatov Top Goalscorer: 50/1 FA Cup Winners: 50/1

Tottenham H Last season’s nearly men will be there or thereabouts in the race for fourth, and have brought in real quality in the shape of Brazilian Paulinho to shore up the midfield, and Spaniard Soldado to solve Spurs’ chronic striker shortage. But the season will surely rest on whether their prized asset, Cardiff-boy Gareth Bale, will be at the club by the end of the week amid very strong interest from Real Madrid.

y AVB D Michael Dawson W Gareth Bale (for now) M 5th G 4th position 5 5th position

West Ham United y Big Sam D Kevin Nolan WKevin Nolan M 10th G 6th position 5 10th position 52

KEY:

It was almost like The Hammers were never away from the Premier League, adapting very well as they did to life back in the big league last campaign. Having retained Andy Carroll, they’ve otherwise been quiet on the transfer front and with Carlton Cole, Wellington and Marouane Chamakh all ending their stays in east London, a striker may be needed if they are to maintain, or improve on their mid-table finish.

Random Bets Lowest scoring team: 20/1 Andy Carroll to score over 12 league goals: Evens Worst Discipline: 10/1 Top Ten Finish: 5/2

y Gaffer D Captain W Star Player M Last Season’s Position G What the heart says 5 What the head says

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PREVIEW

ith the Championship only in its third match day, the league already appears to be taking some sort of shape even at this early stage. Our featured game is at the Madejski, where early pace-setters Watford travel to unbeaten Reading.

Following their 6-1 humbling of Bournemouth last week, the Hornets go into the match at 9/5 but slight underdogs with Reading priced at 7/5 and 9/4 the draw. However, Reading have conceded first in both their league games, so Watford are EVENS to opening the scoring. Troy Deeney is favourite to be the man to do it at 4/1 and to bag a brace he’s at 8/1.

Elsewhere, bottom of the table Barnsley host Charlton who have also lost both their league fixtures so far, in what may already be a relegation six-pointer. A draw may be a good shout at 23/10. And finally, why not get Bournemouth vs Wigan on your Goals Galore? All their games so far have seen 2.5+ goals!

W

UPCOMING FIXTURES

SATURDAY 17 AUGUST Leeds Utd v Sheffield Weds (12.15pm) AFC Bournemouth v Wigan Athletic Barnsley v Charlton Athletic Birmingham City v Brighton & HA Burnley v Yeovil Town Derby County v Leicester City Middlesbrough v Blackpool Millwall v Huddersfield Town Nottingham Forest v Bolton Wanderers Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town Reading v Watford

TUESDAY 20 AUGUST Wigan A v Doncaster Rovers (7.45pm) Kick off 3.00pm unless stated otherwise

TROY Y E DEEN G A TO BACE BRA

8/1

GAME OF THE DAY

Reading v Watford 55

Championship League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide / Player Stats

All stats up to date as of 13/8

Championship

Top Goalscorers

POS TEAM

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

1

Watford

2

2

0

0

7

1

6

2

Blackpool

2

2

0

0

4

1

6

3

Nottingham Forest

2

2

0

0

2

0

6

4

Burnley

2

1

1

0

3

2

4

5

Derby County

2

1

1

0

3

2

Player

Goals

Troy Deeney

4

Lewis Grabban

3

Darren Pratley

4

(Bolton Wanderers)

2

Jose Ulloa

2

Chris Martin

2

Lukas Jutkiewicz

2

Gabriele Angella

2

6

Queens Park Rangers

2

1

1

0

3

2

4

7

Reading

2

1

1

0

3

2

4

8

Leeds United

2

1

1

0

2

1

4

9

Leicester City

2

1

1

0

2

1

4

10

Wigan Athletic

1

1

0

0

4

0

3

11

Ipswich Town

2

1

0

1

4

2

3

12

Middlesbrough

2

1

0

1

2

2

3

13

Birmingham City

2

1

0

1

1

1

3

14

Yeovil Town

2

1

0

1

1

1

3

15

AFC Bournemouth

2

1

0

1

3

7

3

16

Bolton Wanderers

2

0

2

0

2

2

2

17

Blackburn Rovers

2

0

1

1

1

2

1

18

Huddersfield Town

2

0

1

1

1

2

1

19

Brighton & Hove Albion

2

0

0

2

2

4

0

(Watford)

(AFC Bournemouth)

(Brighton & Hove Albion) (Derby County)

(Middlesbrough) (Watford)

Goalscorer Odds Player

Odds

Troy Deeney

7/1

(Watford)

Jose Ulloa

10/1

Jordan Rhodes

10/1

(Brighton & Hove Albion) (Blackburn Rovers)

20

Sheffield Wednesday

2

0

0

2

2

4

0

Charlie Austin

21

Charlton Athletic

2

0

0

2

1

3

0

(Queens Park Rangers)

11/1

Adam Le Fondre

11/1

Grant Holt

12/1

Chris Wood

16/1

Jonny Russell

22/1

22

Doncaster Rovers

1

0

0

1

1

3

0

23

Milwall

2

0

0

2

0

4

0

24

Barnsley

2

0

0

2

0

5

0

Hot Shots Team

56

P

Blanks

(Reading)

(Wigan Athletic)

Leaky Defence

(Leicester City)

Team

(Derby County)

Blanks

Watford

7

AFC Bournemouth

7

Carlos Acuna

25/1

Blackpool

4

Barnsley

5

Andrew Johnson

25/1

Wigan A & Ipswich T

4

3 teams

4

Jermaine Beckford

28/1

(Watford)

(Queens Park Rangers) (Leeds United)

Championship All stats up to date as of 13/8

HTW Prediction 1. Queens Park Rangers 2. Wigan Athletic 3. Reading 4. Bolton Wanderers 5. Ipswich Town 6. Nottingham Forest 7. Leeds United 8. Watford 9. Brighton & Hove Albion 10. Blackburn Rovers 11. Leicester City 12. Middlesbrough 13. Derby County 14. Birmingham City 15. Charlton Athletic 16. Sheffield Wednesday 17. Milwall 18. AFC Bournemouth 19. Burnley 20. Yeovil Town 21. Blackpool 22. Huddersfield Town 23. Doncaster Rovers 24. Barnsley

League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide / Player Stats

Title 6/1 8/1 8/1 12/1 22/1 8/1 22/1 9/2 28/1 33/1 14/1 33/1 25/1 50/1 66/1 100/1 125/1 40/1 50/1 200/1 40/1 100/1 100/1 250/1

Promotion Top 6 Relegation 15/8 11/4 13/5 7/2 13/2 3/1 6/1 7/4 13/2 8/1 4/1 10/1 7/1 12/1 14/1 18/1 33/1 9/1 14/1 50/1 12/1 25/1 33/1 50/1

1/2 11/10 10/11 7/5 13/5 11/10 2/1 4/9 3/1 7/2 6/4 4/1 13/5 5/1 8/1 10/1 18/1 9/2 13/2 22/1 6/1 10/1 14/1 22/1

66/1 55/1 50/1 33/1 18/1 50/1 20/1 80/1 16/1 10/1 40/1 10/1 18/1 15/2 6/1 4/1 5/2 11/1 5/1 1/1 11/2 7/2 7/4 6/4

Goals Galore!

AFC Bournemouth v Wigan Athletic OVER 2.5 GOALS: 4/5 – Add this match to your Goals Galore slip as all their games have had seen over 2.5 goals this season.

Played in games with +2.5 goals Team

Games

AFC Bournemouth

2

Brighton & Hove Albion

2

Ipswich Town

2

League One League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide

All stats up to date as of 13/8

Top Goalscorers

League One

Player

POS TEAM

Goals

P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts 6

3

1

Leyton Orient

2

2

0

0

8

1

2

Peterborough United

2

2

0

0

5

2

6

Callum Wilson

3

3

Walsall

2

2

0

0

4

1

6

Nahki Wells

2

Joe Walsh

(Crawley Town) (Coventry City) (Bradford City)

William Grigg (Brentford)

Sam Baldock (Bristol City)

2 2

J Emmanuel-Thomas

2

Andrew Bond

2

Billy Daniels

2

(Bristol City)

(Colchester United) (Coventry City)

David Mooney (Leyton Orient)

Jose Baxter

(Oldham Athletic)

Britt Assombalonga (Peterborough United)

4 other players

2 2

4

Colchester United

2

2

0

0

2

0

6

5

Bradford City

2

1

1

0

6

2

4

6

Wolverhampton Wanderers

2

1

1

0

4

0

4

7

Brentford

2

1

1

0

4

2

4

8

Crawley Town

2

1

1

0

6

5

4

9

Milton Keynes Dons

2

1

1

0

1

0

4

10

Oldham Athletic

2

1

0

1

4

4

3

11

Swindon Town

2

1

0

1

1

1

3

12

Sheffield United

2

1

0

1

3

4

3

13

Rotherham United

2

0

2

0

3

3

2

14

Preston North End

2

0

2

0

0

0

2

15

Bristol City

2

0

1

1

6

7

1

16

Crewe Alexandra

2

0

1

1

3

4

1

2

17

Port Vale

2

0

1

1

1

2

1

2

18

Tranmere Rovers

2

0

1

1

4

6

1

19

Shrewsbury town

2

0

1

1

0

3

1

UPCOMING FIXTURES SATURDAY 17 AUGUST Bristol City v Wolverhampton W Carlisle United v Coventry City Crawley Town v Rotherham United Crewe Alexandra v Tranmere Rovers Gillingham v Brentford Peterborough Utd v Oldham Athletic Port Vale v Bradford City Preston North End v MK Dons Sheffield United v Colchester United Shrewsbury Town v Swindon Town Stevenage v Leyton Orient Walsall v Notts County

20

Stevenage

2

0

0

2

3

5

0

21

Notts County

2

0

0

2

3

6

0

22

Gillingham

2

0

0

2

0

5

0

23

Carlisle United

2

0

0

2

1

9

0

24

Coventry City*

2

1

0

1

7

7

-7

TITLE ODDS

relegation ODDS

Wolverhampton W – 3/1 Peterborough United – 9/2 Brentford – 13/2 Sheffield United – 12/1 MK Dons – 14/1 Bristol City – 16/1 Preston – 14/1

Coventry City – 4/9 Carlisle United – 13/8 Stevenage – 2/1 Shrewsbury Town – 2/1 Gillingham – 100/30 Tranmere Rovers – 100/30 Colchester United – 7/2

* Coventry City deducted 10 points for entering into administration

58

League Two All stats up to date as of 13/8

League table / Top goalscorers / Form guide

League Two POS TEAM

Top Goalscorers P

W

D

L

F

A

Pts

1

Oxford United

2

2

0

0

6

2

6

2

Fleetwood Town

2

2

0

0

5

1

6

3

Chesterfield

2

2

0

0

4

0

6

4

Southend United

2

2

0

0

2

0

6

5

Scunthorpe United

2

1

1

0

2

0

Player

Goals

Peter Murphy

2

Rhys Murphy

2

David Ball

4

(Fleetwood Town)

2

Ryan Cresswell

2

Chris Zebroski

2

Alfie Potter

2

Deane Smalley

2

6

Burton Albion

2

1

1

0

3

2

4

7

AFC Wimbledon

2

1

1

0

2

1

4

8

Exeter City

2

1

1

0

2

1

4

9

Rochdale

2

1

0

1

3

1

3

10

Newport County

2

1

0

1

5

4

3

11

Northampton Town

2

1

0

1

3

2

3

(Accrington Stanley) (Dagenham & Redbridge)

(Fleetwood Town) (Newport County) (Oxford United) (Oxford United)

12

Dagenham & Redbridge

2

1

0

1

3

3

3

David Connolly

13

Wycombe Wanderers

2

1

0

1

1

1

3

(Portsmouth)

2

36 players

1

14

York City

2

1

0

1

1

2

3

15

Torquay United

2

0

2

0

2

2

2

16

Bristol Rovers

2

0

1

1

1

2

1

17

Morecambe

2

0

1

1

1

2

1

18

Cheltenham Town

2

0

1

1

2

4

1

19

Mansfield Town

2

0

1

1

0

2

1

20

Acrrington Stanley

2

0

1

1

3

6

1

21

Portsmouth

2

0

1

1

3

6

1

22

Bury

2

0

0

2

1

4

0

23

Plymouth Argyle

2

0

0

2

0

3

0

24

Hartlepool United

2

0

0

2

0

4

0

TITLE ODDS

relegation ODDS

Fleetwood Town – 100/30 Chesterfield – 4/1 Portsmouth – 8/1 Oxford United – 11/1 Burton Albion – 16/1 Scunthorpe United – 18/1 Southend United – 18/1

Accrington Stanley – 3/1 Morecambe – 7/2 Dagenham & Red – 7/2 Bury – 5/1 Torquay United – 11/2 AFC Wimbledon – 13/2 Mansfield Town – 13/2

UPCOMING FIXTURES

SATURDAY 17 AUGUST Bury v Accrington Stanley Cheltenham Town v Plymouth Argyle Exeter City v AFC Wimbledon Fleetwood Town v Burton Albion Newport County v Bristol Rovers Portsmouth v Morecambe Rochdale v Chesterfield Scunthorpe United v Dagenham & Red Southend United v Northampton Town Torquay United v Oxford United Wycombe Wanderers v Mansfield T York City v Hartlepool United

Check the website for more stats & info

www.halftimewhistle.co.uk

59

HTW have teamed up with pub experts MatchPint.co.uk to bring you three more top London boozers to watch sport in. Scan the QR code to grab the FREE MatchPint app, to ensure you always know where a pub is that’s showing a specific sporting fixture.

94 Goldsmith’s Row, London E2 8QY

THE ALBION Dedicated sports bar/rendezvous adjacent to Broadway Market.

Great cask ales and craft beers.

One of London’s first and finest sports venues established in 1998. Three screens (including one on the terrace). Cask

Marque, Perfect Pint and Good Beer Guide approved. A good selection of fine cask ales and craft beers from across the world on draught. Live music on the terrace weekend afternoons and a Quiz Night every Thursday.

THE SPORTING PAGE Sporting by name, sporting by nature... Tucked away in a quiet corner of Chelsea, the Sporting Page is a great example of how an old-school traditional pub can be brought into the 21st century with sport at its heart. The big

THE PEMBROKE Located within a five minute walk of the Earls Court Exhibition Centre, the stylish Pembroke pub, offers a warm and homely experience. The traditional horseshoe-shaped bar dominates the front, while upstairs a lounge

6A Camera Place SW10 0BH

screen can be seen from pretty much anywhere in the pub with further TVs and a bookable semiprivate booth also available. The pies are excellent.

261 Old Brompton Rd SW5 9JA bar and mezzanine provides low level seating and sofa areas where you’ll catch all the biggest matches on Sky, BT Sport and terrestrial. Make sure to stay for some freshly cooked food from their open kitchen as well!

Find out where to wet your whistle, visit halftimewhistle.co.uk/pubs for our full London football pub guide

60

Turn the page now for our pub tv guide

World sports coverage at

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Carlsberg Sports Bar At The Empire

@CarlsbergSports

The Casino at The Empire is a part of London Clubs International Ltd – a Caesars Entertainment Company Over 18s Only | Challenge 21 Policy in Operation | Know When To Stop Before You Start, visit www.gambleaware.co.uk | www.drinkaware.co.uk

Enjoy Responsibly

ONTHEBOX TV GUIDE

Quick guide to upcoming televised games.

GAME OF THE WEEK SWANSEA CITY v MANCHESTER UNITED MONDAY 19TH AUGUST, SKY SPORTS 1/HD 8PM s if United didn’t garner enough attention already over the years, David Moyes’ first competitive fixture as manager elevates this

A

SATURDAY 17TH AUGUST

MONDAY 19TH AUGUST

SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. CHAMPIONSHIP Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday 12:15pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester City v Newcastle United 8.00pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. CHAMPIONSHIP Watford v Nottingham Forest 12.15pm

BT SPORT 1 / HD. PREMIER LEAGUE Liverpool v Stoke City 12.45pm

FRIDAY 23RD AUGUST

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD / 3D. PREMIER LEAGUE Cardiff City v Manchester City 5.30pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD / SKY 3D. PREMIER LEAGUE Swansea City v Manchester United 5.30pm

62

fixture to a fascinating level. It simply cannot be missed. A tough test is in store as well at Liberty Stadium against Michael Laudrup’s free-flowing Swansea side.

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. LEAGUE ONE Wolverhampton W v Crawley Town 7.45pm

SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST

SUNDAY 18TH AUGUST

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. CHAMPIONSHIP Bolton Wanderers v QPR 12.15pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. PREMIER LEAGUE Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur 1.30pm

BT SPORT 1 / HD. PREMIER LEAGUE Fulham v Arsenal 12.45pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD / SKY 3D. PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea v Hull City 4.00pm

SKY SPORTS 1 / HD. PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa v Liverpool 5.30pm

MONDAY 26TH AUGUST SKY SPORTS 1 / HD / SKY 3D. PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester United v Chelsea 8.00pm

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