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FA Premier League
« on: July 20, 2006, 05:04:24 AM »
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The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership or just The Premiership in the UK and as the Barclays English Premier League or the English Premier League or the EPL internationally) is a league competition for English Football clubs located at the top of the English football league system (above The Football League), making it England's primary football competition.
The Premier League formed in 1992, following the decision of clubs in the Football League First Division to break away from the Football League to take advantage of a lucrative television rights deal.
The Premier League is presently contested by 20 clubs each season, but in a total of fourteen seasons, the title has been won by only four teams: Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Manchester United. Of these, the most successful are Manchester United and Arsenal, who have won the title eight and three times respectively. The current Premier League champions are Chelsea, who won their second consecutive title in the 2005-06 season.
History
The 1980s marked a low point for English football. Stadiums were crumbling, supporters were faced with poor facilities, hooliganism was rife and English clubs were banned from European competition following the events at Heysel in 1985. The old First Division was well behind Serie A in attendances and revenues, and a few top British players had moved abroad. The ban on English clubs playing in UEFA competitions was lifted in 1990, and the Taylor Report on stadium safety standards, which proposed expensive upgrades to all seater stadiums, was published in January that year.
A proposal for the establishment of a new league was tabled that would bring more money into the game overall. The Founder Members Agreement, signed on 17 July 1991 by the game's top-flight clubs, established the basic principles for setting up the FA Premier League. The newly formed top division would have commercial independence from the Football Association and the Football League, giving the FA Premier League license to negotiate its own broadcast and sponsorship agreements. This was seen to be necessary so that English clubs could once again compete with and beat the best of Europe, while attracting the best talent in the world, something which in 1991 seemed practically unthinkable.
In 1992 the First Division Clubs resigned from the football league en masse and on 27 May 1992 the FA Premier League was formed as a limited company, which worked out of an office at the then Football Association's headquarters, Lancaster Gate. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions.
The league held its first season in 1992–93 and originally comprised twenty-two clubs. The new name was simply a commercial restructuring and a rebranding exercise as there was no innovation in competitive terms; an identical first tier league had existed the previous season. Due to FIFA's insistence on domestic leagues reducing the number of games clubs played, the number was reduced to twenty in 1995, when four teams were relegated from the league and only two teams were promoted. On 8 June 2006, FIFA requested that all major European leagues, including Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga be reduced to eighteen teams by the start of the 2007-08 season, which has put the Premier League at war with football's biggest governing body.
Competition and structure
The FA Premier League comprises the top twenty football clubs in the league system of English football. It was created in 1992, when the First Division football clubs broke away from the Football League after securing a greatly improved TV rights deal with the then fledgling satellite television company, BSkyB. The first season's twenty-two clubs were reduced to twenty for the 1995–96 season.
The Premiership boasts some of the best players in the world, including many from outside England. The Premier League is the most lucrative football league in the world, with total club revenues of over £1.3 billion in 2004–05 according to Deloitte, more than forty per cent above its nearest competitor, Italy's Serie A.[2] Revenues will increase substantially by the 2007–08 season, when new media rights deals start (see below). The Premership is currently third in the UEFA rankings of European leagues based on their performances in European competitions over a five year period, behind Spain's La Liga, and Italy's Serie A.[3]
The 2005–06 average attendance of 33,875 for league matches is the fourth highest of any domestic professional sports league in the world. Based on May 2006 exchange rates, £1.3 billion converts to annual league revenue of about US$2.44 billion. This figure is also the fourth highest for any sports league worldwide, behind the annual revenues of the three most popular North American major sports leagues (the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association), but ahead of the National Hockey League.
The competition
There are twenty clubs in the Premier League. During the course of a season, (which lasts from August to May) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 38 games for each club, and a total of 380 games in a Premier League season. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned as champion. Additionally, the three lowest placed teams are relegated into the Football League Championship and the top two teams from the Championship, together with the winner of a play-off involving the third to sixth placed clubs, are promoted in their place.
The top four teams in the Premiership qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the top two teams directly entering the group phase. The third and fourth placed teams enter the competition at the third qualifying round and must win a two-legged knockout tie in order to enter the group phase. The fifth placed team automatically qualifies for the UEFA Cup, and the sixth and seventh placed teams can also qualify, depending on what happens in the two domestic cup competitions. If the FA Cup champions and runners-up both finish in the top five of the Premier League, the FA Cup's UEFA Cup spot goes to the sixth placed team in the League. If the League Cup is won by a team that has already qualified for Europe, the League Cup's UEFA Cup spot also goes to the next highest placed team in the League (unlike the FA Cup spot, it is never transferred to the losing finalist).
Sponsorship
Since 1993, the FA Premier League has been sponsored. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. So far, all the sponsors have referred to the competition as the 'Premiership'. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition:
1993–2001: Carling (FA Carling Premiership)
2001–2004: Barclaycard (Barclaycard Premiership)
2004–2008: Barclays (Barclays Premiership)
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Re:FA Premier League
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2006, 05:06:38 AM »
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Media coverage
England
Television has played a major role in the history of the FA Premier League. The money from TV deals has been vital in helping to create excellence both on and off the field. The initial decision to go with BSkyB was, again, a radical decision, but one that has paid off. At the time pay television was an almost untested proposition in the UK market, as was charging fans to watch live televised football. However a combination of Sky’s marketing strategy, the quality of the FA Premier League football and the public’s appetite for the game has seen the value of the FA Premier League’s broadcast rights soar and delivered huge benefits to the game.
The Premier League sells its television rights on a collective basis. This is in contrast to some European Leagues, including Serie A and La Liga, which each club sells its rights individually, which leads to a much higher share of the total income going to the top few clubs. The money is divided into three parts: half is divided equally between the clubs; one quarter is awarded on a merit basis based on final league position, with the top club getting twenty times as much as the bottom club, and equal steps all the way down the table; the final quarter is paid out as facilities fees for games that are shown on television, with the top clubs receiving the largest shares of this. The income from overseas rights is divided equally between the twenty clubs.
The first BSkyB television agreement was worth £191 million over five seasons. The next contract, negotiated to start from the 1997–98 season, rose to £670 million over four seasons. The Premier League’s current £1.024 billion deal with BSkyB runs over the course of three seasons from August 2004. BSkyB's monopoly was finally broken from August 2007 when Setanta Sports was awarded rights to show two out of the six packages of matches available. This occurred following an insistence by the European Union that exclusive rights should not be sold to any one television company. Sky and Setanta paid a total of £1.7 billion, a two-thirds increase which took many commentators by surprise as it had been widely assumed that the value of the rights had levelled off following many years of rapid growth. The BBC has retained the rights to show highlights for the same three seasons (on Match of the Day) for £171.6 million, a 63% increase on the £105 million it paid for the previous three year period. Sky and BT have will jointly pay £84.3 million for delayed broadcast rights to 242 games, that is the right to broadcast them in full on television and over the internet, in most cases for a period of 50 hours after 10pm on matchday.[5] Overseas and mobile phone rights are expected to fetch a further several hundred million pounds.
The decision to go with pay TV is still criticised by many, particularly with reference to the cost when compared with other pay TV platforms around Europe that offer coverage of live top flight domestic football.
The FA Premier League is unique in domestic football in Europe in its agreement over kick off times. In an agreement with the Football Association, it does not allow live broadcasts at the traditional English kick off time (Saturday 3pm). This is designed to ensure that fans still attend lower league games. These broadcasting restrictions can be circumvented either by subscribing to overseas satellite broadcasters (thus creating somewhat of a grey market), or through various streaming networks on the internet.
The Premier League and Sky maintain that whilst this is not illegal on the part of the viewer, it is illegal for anyone (such as a public house) to make such services available. This has in the past lead to heavy fines for public houses in the United Kingdom which have shown these games in their establishments. More recently, the legality of such fines has been disputed, and a number of Crown Court cases have been reported in which publicans successfully challenged the Premier League's position.
Worldwide
Promoted as "The Greatest Show On Earth", the FA Premier League is the world's most popular and most watched sporting league, followed worldwide by over a billion people[7]. Over 260 foreign players compete in the league, and 101 players from England's domestic leagues competed in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan. It is widely watched overseas, with matches being shown in 195 countries, generally on networks owned and/or controlled by NewsCorp, which owns the primary UK and Ireland TV rights.
Players
At the inception of the Premier League in 1992-93, just eleven players named in the starting line-ups for the first round of matches were 'foreign' (players hailing from outside of the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland).[9] By 2000-01, the number of foreign players participating in the Premiership was 36%. In the 2004-5 season the figure had increased to 45%.
On 26 December 1999, Chelsea became the first Premier League side to field an entirely foreign starting line-up, while on 14 February 2005 Arsenal were the first to name a completely foreign 16-man squad for a match. Arsenal's 85% foreign player figure (rising from 64% in 2000–01) is the highest of any club over the period. Chelsea have since been overtaken in terms of the number of foreign-born players by Liverpool (72%).
No English manager has ever actually won the Premier League. Only four different managers have won the title as of 2006: two Scots (Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United and Kenny Dalglish, Blackburn Rovers), a Frenchman (Arsène Wenger, Arsenal) and a Portuguese (José Mourinho, Chelsea). Two English managers have achieved second place in the Premiership. They are Ron Atkinson (Aston Villa in 1993) and Kevin Keegan (Newcastle United in 1996).
The Premier League is the most represented league at the 2006 World Cup, with more than eighty players in the competition.
Premier League clubs
For a list of winners and runners-up of the Premier League since its inception, and top scorers for each season, see English football champions. For a list of all clubs to have played in the Premier League, see List of FA Premier League clubs.
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Re:FA Premier League
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2006, 05:10:58 AM »
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Current Premier League members, 2006–07
Arsenal
Finishing position last season=4th
First season in top division=1904-05
First season of current spell in top dicision=1919–20
Aston Villa
Finishing position last season=16th
First season in top division=1888-89
First season of current spell in top dicision=1988–89
Blackburn Rovers
Finishing position last season=6th
First season in top division=1888-89
First season of current spell in top dicision=2001-02
Bolton Wanderers
Finishing position last season=8th
First season in top division=1888-89
First season of current spell in top dicision=2001-02
Charlton Athletic
Finishing position last season=13th
First season in top division=1936-37
First season of current spell in top dicision=2000-01
Chelsea
Finishing position last season=1st
First season in top division=1907-08
First season of current spell in top dicision=1989-90
Everton
Finishing position last season=11th
First season in top division=1888-89
First season of current spell in top dicision=1954-55
Fulham
Finishing position last season=12th
First season in top division=1949-50
First season of current spell in top dicision=2001-02
Liverpool
Finishing position last season=3rd
First season in top division=1894-95
First season of current spell in top dicision=1962-63
Manchester City
Finishing position last season=15th
First season in top division=1899-1900
First season of current spell in top dicision=2002-03
Manchester United
Finishing position last season=2nd
First season in top division=1892-93
First season of current spell in top dicision=1975-76
Middlesbrough
Finishing position last season=14th
First season in top division=1902-03
First season of current spell in top dicision=1998-99
Newcastle United
Finishing position last season=7th
First season in top division=1898-99
First season of current spell in top dicision=1993-94
Portsmouth
Finishing position last season=17th
First season in top division=1927-28
First season of current spell in top dicision=2003-04
Reading
Finishing position last season=1st in the Championship
First season in top division=2006-07
First season of current spell in top dicision=2006-07
Sheffield United
Finishing position last season=2nd in the Championship
First season in top division=1893-94
First season of current spell in top dicision=2006-07
Tottenham Hotspur
Finishing position last season=5th
First season in top division=1909-10
First season of current spell in top dicision=1978-79
Watford
Finishing position last season=3rd in the Championship
First season in top division=1982-83
First season of current spell in top dicision=2006-07
West Ham United
Finishing position last season=9th
First season in top division=1923-24
First season of current spell in top dicision=2005-06
Wigan Athletic
Finishing position last season=10th
First season in top division=2005-06
First season of current spell in top dicision=2005-06
Team movements for 2006-07 season
Relegated
On 14 April, Sunderland were assured of an immediate return to the Championship. A scoreless draw at Manchester United left them on 12 points; they stood 17 points from safety with only five matches left.
On 29 April, both Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion were assured of relegation after Portsmouth defeated Wigan Athletic 2–1, making it impossible for either Birmingham (who had a chance of surviving if they beat Newcastle, but drew 0–0) or West Brom to reach safety.
Promoted
On 25 March, Reading clinched a place in the Premiership for 2006-07, securing promotion to the top flight earlier than any other side in the post-war era. One week later (1 April), they secured the Championship crown. Reading will be playing in the top flight for the first time ever in their 135-year history.
On 15 April, Sheffield United were promoted to the Premiership for the first time since the 1993-94 season, after Leeds United were held to a draw against Reading.
On 21 May, Watford gained promotion to the Premiership by defeating Leeds United 3-0 in the Championship play-off final. They had previously defeated Crystal Palace in the semi-final by an aggregate scoreline of 3-0, after winning 3-0 at Selhurst Park and a 0-0 at Vicarage Road.
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Seleção Mujer
Moderator
SPECIAL-DESIFAN
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Re:FA Premier League
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2006, 06:40:13 AM »
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All Time FA Premier League Table
By total points from 1992-93 to 2005-2006 inclusive.
1.Manchester United
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 339
Drawn: 126
Lost: 79
Goals For: 1057
Goals Against: 489
Goal Difference: 568
Total Points: 1143
Titles Won: 8
Runners-up: 3
2.Arsenal
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 289
Drawn: 146
Lost: 109
Goals For: 911
Goals Against: 481
Goal Difference: 430
Total Points: 1030
Titles Won: 3
Runners-up: 5
3.Liverpool
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 265
Drawn: 136
Lost: 143
Goals For: 868
Goals Against: 552
Goal Difference: 316
Total Points: 931
Titles Won:
Runners-up: 1
4.Chelsea
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 261
Drawn: 147
Lost: 136
Goals For: 848
Goals Against: 556
Goal Difference: 292
Total Points: 930
Titles Won: 2
Runners-up: 1
5.Newcastle United
Seasons in Premier League: 13
Played: 502
Won: 218
Drawn: 132
Lost: 152
Goals For: 761
Goals Against: 606
Goal Difference: 155
Total Points: 786
Titles Won:
Runners-up: 2
6.Aston Villa
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 203
Drawn: 158
Lost: 183
Goals For: 668
Goals Against: 632
Goal Difference: 36
Total Points: 767
Titles Won:
Runners-up: 1
7.Tottenham Hotspur
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 195
Drawn: 143
Lost: 206
Goals For: 716
Goals Against: 732
Goal Difference: -16
Total Points: 728
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
8.Blackburn Rovers
Seasons in Premier League: 12
Played: 468
Won: 192
Drawn: 125
Lost: 153
Goals For: 350
Goals Against: 553
Goal Difference: 97
Total Points: 695
Titles Won: 1
Runners-up: 1
9.Leeds United
Seasons in Premier League: 12
Played: 468
Won: 189
Drawn: 125
Lost: 154
Goals For: 641
Goals Against: 573
Goal Difference: 68
Total Points: 692
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
10.Everton
Seasons in Premier League: 14
Played: 544
Won: 177
Drawn: 146
Lost: 221
Goals For: 651
Goals Against: 739
Goal Difference: -88
Total Points: 677
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
11.Southampton
Seasons in Premier League: 13
Played: 506
Won: 150
Drawn: 137
Lost: 219
Goals For: 598
Goals Against: 738
Goal Difference: -140
Total Points: 587
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
12.West Ham United
Seasons in Premier League: 11
Played: 426
Won: 148
Drawn: 111
Lost: 167
Goals For: 514
Goals Against: 590
Goal Difference: -76
Total Points: 555
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
13.Middlesbrough
Seasons in Premier League: 11
Played: 422
Won: 131
Drawn: 123
Lost: 168
Goals For: 506
Goals Against: 582
Goal Difference: -76
Total Points: 513
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
14.Manchester City
Seasons in Premier League: 9
Played: 354
Won: 103
Drawn: 101
Lost: 150
Goals For: 413
Goals Against: 482
Goal Difference: -69
Total Points: 410
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
15.Coventry City
Seasons in Premier League: 9
Played: 354
Won: 99
Drawn: 112
Lost: 143
Goals For: 387
Goals Against: 490
Goal Difference: -103
Total Points: 409
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
16.Sheffield Wednesday
Seasons in Premier League: 8
Played: 316
Won: 101
Drawn: 89
Lost: 126
Goals For: 409
Goals Against: 453
Goal Difference: -44
Total Points: 392
17.Wimbledon
Seasons in Premier League: 8
Played: 316
Won: 99
Drawn: 94
Lost: 123
Goals For: 384
Goals Against: 472
Goal Difference: -88
Total Points: 391
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
18.Leicester City
Seasons in Premier League: 8
Played: 308
Won: 84
Drawn: 90
Lost: 134
Goals For: 354
Goals Against: 456
Goal Difference: -102
Total Points: 342
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
19.Charlton Athletic
Seasons in Premier League: 7
Played: 266
Won: 85
Drawn: 72
Lost: 109
Goals For: 308
Goals Against: 382
Goal Difference: -74
Total Points: 327
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
20.Bolton Wanderers
Seasons in Premier League: 7
Played: 266
Won: 81
Drawn: 77
Lost: 108
Goals For: 311
Goals Against: 386
Goal Difference: -75
Total Points: 320
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
21.Derby County
Seasons in Premier League: 6
Played: 228
Won: 67
Drawn: 62
Lost: 99
Goals For: 251
Goals Against: 331
Goal Difference: -80
Total Points: 263
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
22.Nottingham Forest
Seasons in Premier League: 5
Played: 198
Won: 60
Drawn: 59
Lost: 79
Goals For: 229
Goals Against: 287
Goal Difference:
Total Points: -58
Titles Won: 239
Runners-up:
23.Fulham
Seasons in Premier League: 5
Played: 190
Won: 63
Drawn: 47
Lost: 80
Goals For: 229
Goals Against: 258
Goal Difference: -29
Total Points: 236
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
24.Sunderland
Seasons in Premier League: 6
Played: 228
Won: 58
Drawn: 55
Lost: 115
Goals For: 214
Goals Against: 335
Goal Difference: -121
Total Points: 229
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
25.Ipswich Town
Seasons in Premier League: 5
Played: 202
Won: 57
Drawn: 53
Lost: 92
Goals For: 219
Goals Against: 312
Goal Difference: -93
Total Points: 224
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
26.Queens Park Rangers
Seasons in Premier League: 4
Played: 164
Won: 59
Drawn: 39
Lost: 66
Goals For: 224
Goals Against: 232
Goal Difference: -8
Total Points: 216
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
27.Norwich City
Seasons in Premier League: 4
Played: 164
Won: 50
Drawn: 51
Lost: 63
Goals For: 205
Goals Against: 257
Goal Difference: -52
Total Points: 201
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
28.Birmingham City
Seasons in Premier League: 4
Played: 152
Won: 44
Drawn: 45
Lost: 43
Goals For: 152
Goals Against: 193
Goal Difference: -41
Total Points: 177
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
29.Crystal Palace
Seasons in Premier League: 4
Played: 160
Won: 37
Drawn: 49
Lost: 74
Goals For: 160
Goals Against: 243
Goal Difference: -83
Total Points: 160
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
30.Portsmouth
Seasons in Premier League: 3
Played: 114
Won: 37
Drawn: 26
Lost: 56
Goals For: 127
Goals Against: 175
Goal Difference: -48
Total Points: 122
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
[/u]31.Sheffield United
Seasons in Premier League: 2
Played: 84
Won: 22
Drawn: 28
Lost: 34
Goals For: 96
Goals Against: 113
Goal Difference: -17
Total Points: 94
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
[u]32.West Bromwich Albion
Seasons in Premier League: 3
Played: 114
Won: 19
Drawn: 33
Lost: 62
Goals For: 96
Goals Against: 184
Goal Difference: -88
Total Points: 90
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
33.Oldham Athletic
Seasons in Premier League: 2
Played: 84
Won: 22
Drawn: 23
Lost: 39
Goals For: 105
Goals Against: 142
Goal Difference: -37
Total Points: 89
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
34.Bradford City
Seasons in Premier League: 2
Played: 76
Won: 14
Drawn: 20
Lost: 42
Goals For: 68
Goals Against: 138
Goal Difference: -70
Total Points: 62
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
35. Wigan Athletic
Seasons in Premier League: 1
Played: 38
Won: 15
Drawn: 6
Lost: 17
Goals For: 45
Goals Against: 52
Goal Difference: -7
Total Points: 51
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
36.Barnsley
Seasons in Premier League: 1
Played: 38
Won: 10
Drawn: 5
Lost: 23
Goals For: 37
Goals Against: 82
Goal Difference: -45
Total Points: 35
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
37.Wolverhampton Wanderers
Seasons in Premier League: 1
Played: 38
Won: 7
Drawn: 12
Lost: 19
Goals For: 38
Goals Against: 77
Goal Difference: -39
Total Points: 33
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
38.Swindon Town
Seasons in Premier League: 1
Played: 42
Won: 5
Drawn: 15
Lost: 22
Goals For: 47
Goals Against: 100
Goal Difference: -53
Total Points: 30
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
39.Watford
Seasons in Premier League: 1
Played: 38
Won: 6
Drawn: 6
Lost: 26
Goals For: 35
Goals Against: 77
Goal Difference: -42
Total Points: 24
Titles Won:
Runners-up:
Top scorers
All-time
As of the end of the 2005–06 season on 7 May 2006. The 2006–07 season will commence on 19 August 2006.
1 Alan Shearer 260
2 Andy Cole 185
3 Thierry Henry 164
4 Robbie Fowler 159
5 Les Ferdinand 149
6 Teddy Sheringham 145
7 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 126
8 Michael Owen 125
9 Dwight Yorke 122
10 Ian Wright 113
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Mourinho paves way for Duff to leave Chelsea
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2006, 08:49:15 PM »
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Mourinho paves way for Duff to leave Chelsea
July 20, 2006
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has opened the door for Damien Duff to leave Stamford Bridge.
Duff has been linked with a move to Tottenham in order to increase his first-team opportunities with Chelsea already rejecting one £5million bid for the Republic of Ireland international.
Mourinho said: 'It is not true that Duff didn't play much last season - he played two more games than the season before and was injured.
'I have an open relationship with Duff and we have talked about all possibilities. He's a player I'm happy to keep, not desperate to keep.
'I like Damien Duff as a player and a person. I've listened to him for a couple of hours and understand what is going through his mind.'
Mourinho refused to comment on speculation linking Chelsea with a move for Arsenal defender Ashley Cole - but expressed his admiration for the player.
He said: 'Ashley is an Arsenal player so I'm not going to say anything. We have Wayne Bridge back from Fulham and he is a player that we trust.
'We will see what happens with Asier del Horno and if we sell him there will be space to buy a new player.
'Ashley Cole is a good player but we've been connected with every left-back in Europe.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374174&cc=4716
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Villa begin search for O'Leary's successor
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2006, 08:52:50 PM »
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Villa begin search for O'Leary's successor
July 20, 2006
Aston Villa supporters today welcomed the departure of David O'Leary but were left wondering who would succeed him with Doug Ellis still in control.
O'Leary's three-year reign at Villa Park finally came to an end last night, with the club describing his exit as an 'amicable parting of the ways'.
After a six-hour meeting with a three-man inquiry panel, investigating the release of a statement issued by players that criticised Ellis O'Leary was cleared of any involvement.
However, the club felt the time was right for a change, with O'Leary walking away with a large pay-off.
Assistant manager Roy Aitken has been put in temporary charge ahead of Villa's pre-season friendly against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium tomorrow night.
Alan Curbishley, a former Villa player who left Charlton at the end of last season after 15 successful years in charge, has emerged as the leading contender to succeed the 48-year-old Irishman.
Inevitably, former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has been speculated upon, but after being linked with more high-profile jobs in the past without taking them up, it is hard to see the Ulsterman stepping into the hot seat.
With Villa still in search of a new owner and seemingly with limited money to spend on new players, Ellis may struggle to recruit a man who would be the 14th manager in his time as chairman.
Aston Villa Shareholders' Association chairman Jonathan Fear said: 'As soon as criticism mounts on Doug Ellis he fires the manager.
'He is unable to look into the mirror and see the common denominator. He should have gone first. But it's no surprise O'Leary has gone. There was a lot of anger amongst the fans and I don't think anyone will shed any tears for him.
'He distanced himself from the fans, insulted them, and last season was diabolical. But while Ellis is here I can't see anyone succeeding. Why would a 14th manager succeed whereas all the others have failed?'
Former Villa left-back Colin Gibson, who played for the club from 1978-85, told BBC Radio Five Live Ellis should now quit.
'I think most fans would like to see him go too now,' said Gibson on the 82-year-old. 'As a chairman Ellis is meticulous, very shrewd. He's nobody's fool but he's getting old and we need someone who can steer the club back on course.
'There are a lot of people who'd love the challenge of being Aston Villa manager.'
Ellis, who has a 39% stake, has stated previously he is prepared to sell, but only if the conditions are right for himself and the club.
A takeover approach was made last year and there have been other reports of financial investment in recent years, but Ellis has remained in power.
In a statement to the Stock Exchange this morning, the club confirmed talks are 'ongoing' with potential investors.
The statement read: 'Shareholders and supporters will be aware that Aston Villa have been in an official offer period since September 19 2005, when the AVIL consortium made an initial approach to the company.
'As previously announced, the board appointed Rothschild as an adviser to examine the AVIL proposal and can confirm that there have since been a number of other approaches from various parties, both from the UK and overseas.
'Extensive discussions involving Rothschild, the chairman, Doug Ellis, and credible parties are ongoing and will be fully explored to determine whether a formal offer for the issued share capital of Aston Villa will be forthcoming.
'However, there is no certainty any of these discussions will lead to an offer being made. Shareholders and supporters will be updated in due course.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374145&cc=4716
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Aitken interested in taking over at Villa Park
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2006, 08:56:07 PM »
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Aitken interested in taking over at Villa Park
Roy Aitken is eager to succeed David O'Leary as Aston Villa manager but Alan Curbishley is believed to be chairman Doug Ellis' number one target.
After three years as assistant to O'Leary at Villa Park, Aitken has been handed the reins on a temporary basis following the 48-year-old Irishman's departure last night.
The former Aberdeen boss only returned to training on Tuesday after undergoing surgery earlier this summer following a cancer scare.
The Scot described himself as being 'not 100 per cent' and admitted he would 'have to take it easy for a few weeks', but now finds himself in the middle of a maelstrom at the midlands club.
Although Aitken has not been a manager in his own right since a two-year spell at Aberdeen ended in 1997, the 48-year-old is refusing to rule himself out of the running.
'I've got my own track record in management up in Scotland. I won a trophy with Aberdeen and I know what the job is all about,' stated Aitken on the club's official website.
'I've had a lot of responsibility here at Villa over the last three years and I'm grateful to the club for the opportunity I've been given.
'I'm not fazed by this. Now I'll just concentrate on getting the players ready for the start of our pre-season games.'
The first of those is tomorrow against Walsall at the Bescot Stadium, yet while Aitken would certainly represent the cheap option to Ellis, former Villa player Curbishley is likely to be the preferred candidate.
Curbishley walked away from Charlton at the end of last season after 15 years at the helm, and claimed he wanted to take a year off.
But the lure of resurrecting a big club that has long failed to live up to its potential may prove irresistible.
Inevitably, former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has been mentioned, but after being linked with more high-profile jobs without taking them up, it is hard to see the Ulsterman stepping into the Villa Park hotseat.
Reserve team and youth team coaches Kevin MacDonald and Gordon Cowans have been linked but while such a combination likely to be popular with fans as they are hugely respected they lack managerial experience.
Even if he fails to land the job, Aitken knows he is going to have to live with the speculation over the next fortnight or so while trying to prepare the players for the new season.
Despite his health problems, he believes he can cope as he added: 'The best part of my job is being out with the players on the training ground.
'Villa fans know they'll get enthusiasm, passion and organisation, while I've good people around me in [head of sports sciences] Steve McGregor and [goalkeeping coach] Eric Steele. 'So we will do our best to get the boys prepared. I've always had a good relationship with the players, and I'm sure they'll respond well.
'As for the speculation, that's not a problem, that's football. I'm long enough in the tooth to know how the game works, so that's expected.
'I'll carry on with the job and I'll do it professionally, with a purpose and an attitude that will carry through to the players, which is what I do anyway every day. That's part of my responsibility.'
Aitken insists there is no need for him to pull the players together despite what appear to be conflicting views from the dressing room regarding the statement that has sparked the furore over the past few days.
Maintaining the players are united, Aitken added: 'There's no split in the camp as far as I can see on the training ground, and that's vital.
'I'm sure that will be seen in the pre-season games, and the players are ready for them.
'Their work ethic is fantastic, there is good quality in the dressing room and I'm sure they'll show that over the next few weeks.
'It's not for me to comment too much about what has gone on. That is in the past now, and I've said that to the players as well.
'It's important they move on and put the past few days behind them because it has been a bit of a media circus. It's been hyped over the top.
'As for the players, they know what actually happened. But as far as their efforts on the training ground every day are concerned, they've been first class, and that's the most important thing.
'We've games coming up and it's important we get the pre-season base under their belts to take them through the season.
'That's the most important thing for Aston Villa, to move on and get some results on the pitch.'
Meanwhile, sources close to O'Leary today claimed that the Irishman had received a full compensation package covering the remaining two years of his contract rather than a pay-off worth only six months' salary as has been suggested.
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Italian striker Corradi completes Man City move
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2006, 08:59:07 PM »
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Italian striker Corradi completes Man City move
Former Italy striker Bernardo Corradi has completed his move to Manchester City from Valencia for an undisclosed fee.
The 30-year-old, who scored 10 Serie A goals last term while on loan at Parma, has penned a three-year contract at Eastlands and becomes manager Stuart Pearce's fifth summer signing.
Pearce told official the club's website: 'I'm delighted to have secured Bernardo, he is a player I've been looking at for some time and think he will be a terrific acquisition for this football club.'
Corradi said: 'I hope to bring all my enthusiasm to Manchester City and I want to show everyone I want to work hard now and during the season with my team-mates. I want to do well here.
'I hope to have the possibility to work well with my team. As I striker I will work hard and help the team to make a lot of goals.
'At the end the important thing is the team - and by working together as one the team will end in a good position.'
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374161&cc=4716
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