The Season Starts Now (Well Pretty Soon Anyhow)

Well the summer's not over yet, but so much has happened and the season is getting geared up to start anew.

Let's see how about a recap (transfers mostly):

• Sheffield United failed with their bid to stay in the Prem.
  Good - any I say that only 'cause I'm a bit of a closet Hammers fan - if I had no special feelings for them, then of course it would've been a disgrace. That being said it will be interesting to see if it really is all over as the current transfer wrangle over Tevez' contract and ownership with ManScum could open up once FIFA get involved. It would also help the Blades in their attempt to get compensation - I say take it out of any money Kia Joorabchian makes.
  As if going down wasn't bad enough they ended up appointing Bryan Robson as their new manager. What's the phrase: 'Out of the Frying Pan...'
  
  
• ManScum involved in Shady Deals AGAIN!
  First they get their hands dirty with Tevez (I really hope this thing drags out), then they try to block Heinze's potential move to Anfield, with both clubs going to court over it. At least their 'big' summer signing is that useless over-rated Owen Hargreaves...cheers the heart that does.
  
  
• Sven Manages To Convinces Someone That He's A Good Manager
  Once you realise that it was the Man City board he convinced it all seems less impressive though. Not too surprisingly Pre-Season was spent in Sweden (I guess he conned them into a free trip home in the package).
  
  
• Henry Finally Leaves The Gunners
  Not sure why he waited the whole year to take the obvious step. Last year I would have liked him at Anfield - now he's too old :D
  
  
• Dudek Goes To Real
  Dudek switches the most successful British European Champions for the most successful Spanish European Champions. Going from playing second fiddle to a world class (Spanish) goalkeeper to ... well playing second fiddle to a world class (Spanish) goalkeeper!
  
  
• New Manager/Coach Shocker
  Despite winning the La Liga for the first time in years, Fabio was sent packing from Real Madrid. Most unusual for a club that renowned for patience and sticking by their guy. They appointed some German guy as his replacement - don't bother to remember name, he'll be replaced after Christmas most likely.
  
  
• Liverpool Get Their Men/Boys
  I'm just hoping that Torres can get those goals in. Rafa looks to have got some pretty good signings in Babel, Benayoun and Veronin. I'm hoping that the youngsters (Nikolay Mihaylov and Lucas Leiva, Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon) he's brought it will also prove to be good additions. Of course some of the most important signings have been shoring up the signatures of the players we already have: Gerrard, Carragher, Alonso, Sissoko, Reina and now Finnan.
  
  
• Carragher Quits England
  Jamie makes a logical choice in choosing to put club before country. Once again McClaren has show himself up to be the complete idiot that he is by not choosing him again and again, it just goes to show that along with decisions not to give the captaincy to Gerrard and dropping Beckham (just to say that he's in charge "He is he is he is!!!").
  I intend to follow Carra's lead by ignoring England as they fail to qualify for Euro 2008. Hopefully soon after that they would have got another manager for the 2010 World Cup winning team in place !
  
  
• Other News
  Fowler joins Cardiff: At least I know who I'll be cheering on to win promotion to the Prem this year.
  
  Rafa sporting a rather spiffy new goatie: I guess with Beckham gone someone needs to be the new trend-setter.
  
  Oh yeah and some small news about someone who plays on the right-wing and likes taking free-kicks is coming to the US form Real Madrid to 'play' for the LA 'Hollywood' Galaxy!
  

Hamilton Streak Comes to an End

It was bound to happen sooner or later, after nine podium finishes, crashing out in qualifying and finishing ninth at the European Grand Prix; Hamilton's dream start cam to an end.

Lewis Hamilton is hoping he has used up all his bad luck for the season in one race weekend.

Hamilton's run of nine successive podiums to start his debut year came to an end in dramatic fashion throughout the course of the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Arriving at the circuit recovering from flu, McLaren star Hamilton emerged unscathed from a 175mph smash in qualifying to take up 10th place on the grid.

But a torrential downpour shortly after the race started led to him aquaplaning off the track into the gravel where he was rescued by a crane.

Following a 22-minute stoppage as the conditions had become so bad, he trundled into the gravel again shortly after the restart having changed to slick tyres while the circuit was still damp.

A brave charge followed, but he could only finish ninth, with his lead at the top of the standings now just two points from team-mate Fernando Alonso, who won the race following a late duel with Felipe Massa.

It was without doubt the worst weekend of his F1 career, and he hopes he does not suffer any more like it this season.

"I hope this is my one bad weekend of the year - fingers crossed," said Hamilton.

"But you can't have perfect race weekends race after race. I told you from day one this was going to happen eventually, that it would be inevitable that I would not finish on the podium.

"So I was ready for it. You need to have these experiences, and this was all a big experience for me, and it's still not over.

"But I have learned 10 times as much today than in the last race."

Yet despite it all, Hamilton was still smiling at the end, adding: "If I'm being honest, I had more fun than I have had in the past.

"I still feel quite positive going into the next race (Hungary in a fortnight), and I'm still leading the world championship, which I find quite amusing considering it was such a bad weekend.

"When you are still leading the championship it just shows how hard everyone else is having to push to catch me up."

Hamilton sportingly offered heart-felt "congratulations" to Alonso for his victory, believing it was a crucial one overall for the team in their battle with Ferrari.

"He (Alonso) did a great job. I saw the overtaking manoeuvre, and you could see Massa was not happy," remarked Hamilton on Alonso's late pass on the Brazilian as the duo bumped wheels.

"But it's great for the team, and now we have them (Ferrari) right where we want them, so we need to make sure in the next couple of races we can keep on pushing."

Bye Bye Time

The season only finished yesterday in the Premiership, an already people are off left-right-and-center.

Big Sam leaving Bolton is relatively old news now as both Jewell and Pearce (one resignation, one sacking) leave their managerial posts, while the guillotine still seems to hang over Blades chief (pun intended) Neil Warnock.

Plenty of players are being released/not having the contracts extended: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's also off, being released from Championship-bound Charlton Athletic. Alessandro Pistone and Richard Wright look to be leaving the Bitters too, as the contracts expire (Pistone couldn't leave too soon as far as I'm concerned). Dudek looks to be going, as does teammate Bolo Zenden, and of course Robbie "Ged" Fowler had his tearful goodbye to the Anfield faithful this weekend.

There's still two more games to go even, win ManScum losing to Chav$ki in the FA Crap Final, and the all important Champions League Final where Liverpool will hopefully take out AC Milan yet again.