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The Premier League has long been dogged by claims that it’s an elitist league almost impossible to stay in for promoted clubs – the disparity between quality out on the pitch and reddies in the coffers apparently too large to breach. However, season by season now, promoted clubs have more than often fared well in their maiden voyage into the top flight. With the Premier League now beginning to shape up in three distinct groups. Now, more than ever before, the gap appears to be shortening.

For instance, in 2008/9, perennial yo-yo club West Brom were promoted alongside Hull City and Stoke City. They went onto finish 20th, 17th and 12th respectively in a season that appeared to mark a watershed for promoted clubs, with two of them beating the drop.

In 2009/10, Wolves, Birmingham and Burnley all came up, with only the Clarets dropping down again. Last season Newcastle, West Brom and Blackpool all came up, with only the Seasiders missing out due to some final day heartache.

This term, QPR, Norwich and Swansea have all adjusted to the demands and step up in quality with apparent ease, with all three sides claiming scalps along so far. They occupy 12th, 8th and 10th positions so far respectively.

To put it into context, when you tally up the final league positions of the past 12 promoted teams, prior to this season’s exciting triumvirate, then you are left with an overall final league position of 16th. Of the same 12 promoted sides, only 5 have been relegated in their first season.

Of course, you are dealt with such anomalies such as yo-yo clubs like West Brom and the fact that Birmingham have been the unfortunate recipients of two relegations inside three seasons, but by and large, promoted side are certainly more competitive than in season’s past. The likelihood of encountering another unprepared Derby side, which finished the 2007/8 season with just one victory to their name for the entire campaign and a pitiful tally of just 11 points, a whole 24 points adrift of 19th place, has diminished.

The Championship is famed for being one of the most competitive leagues in the world. Getting out of that league is often seen as more difficult and more of an achievement than staying in the top flight. Of the three relegated sides from the  2009/10 season (Portsmouth, Burnley and Hull), it’s worth noting that none of them bounced back immediately and the highest league finish among them was Burnley in 8th, just outside the playoffs.

Spending your way out of the Championship is no guarantee of success either. Middlesborough went into the 2009/10 league campaign as the hot favourites for promotion, after Gordon Strachan saw his mini Old Firm revolution backed to the tune of £6m – they went onto finish a lowly 11th, with Strachan departing the season after with the club stranded in 20th place.

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This term, Sven Goran Eriksson has already received his P45 at Leicester after an expensive overhaul of the squad in the summer which saw the club spend upwards of £20m in the last year or so and have seen little change back from that hefty outlay. With mixed results on the pitch, entirely understandable it has to be said considering the number of fresh faces, Leicester currently sit in 8th just two points outside the playoffs.

The Premier League can be neatly split up into three sections – we have the top two of Manchester United and Manchester City. Then you have those chasing the other European spots and league positions between 3rd and 8th which includes Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and at a push both Everton and Stoke and then from 8th downwards you have everyone else.

Last season, just 16 points separated 8th from bottom – the season before it was 42 points. The final league table was extremely congested which suggests a decrease in quality – a levelling of the playing field as it were; a situation that all promoted sides will be familiar with from the Championship. From Fulham in 8th to Wigan down in 16th, there was a separation of just seven points.

To put it quite simply, the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is shortening because the gap in quality within the top flight itself is widening. If you swapped West Ham, Southampton and Middlesbrough for the current bottom three, would anyone really notice the difference?

On one hand, the increasingly competitive nature of promoted sides is a positive thing, with Stoke providing the model by which others should look to follow in the future. But on the other hand, the lack of competition in the higher reaches of the Premier League is concerning.

Alongside Stoke’s unexpected European soirée, that is what makes Newcastle’s surprisingly excellent start to the season so exciting with the Magpies currently sat pretty in 3rd, making a mockery of those that considered them one of the favourites for the drop and consigned them to relegation before the season had even begun.

The strength of showing that the recent promoted outfits have provided only helps serve to highlight the relative lack of depth to the top flight. Thus far, the likes of Swansea, QPR and Norwich have been rewarded for failing to compromise their footballing principles. The days of having to adjust a team’s style of play to deal with the step up in class are over.

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Promoted clubs are still often among the favourites for the drop before a season begins, and this doesn’t look like changing any time soon, but by taking a closer look at the evidence, more and more sides are acclimatising to the step up with ease. As a result, this season’s relegation candidates look likely to come from a small group of established Premier League sides as the gap continues to close.

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Former French playmaker Zinedine Zidane has described ex-Juventus team-mate Alessandro Del Piero as a ‘champion’.The 38 year-old was delighted to return to action for the Bianconeri against a Torino legends side in a charity match on Wednesday, and lavished praise on his former team-mate.

“It’s great to play once in a while and see the old friends and it’s good to come back to Italy because I don’t come here often,” Zidane said.

“It’s great seeing him (Del Piero) like that, we’re almost the same age and seeing him playing like this it’s just great. He is a champion, he still is, Del Piero.”

“Juventus was really important for me and for my career, so coming back here and meeting the guys I played with and the guys I made history with is great.”

Zidane, who left Turin for Real Madrid for a then world record transfer fee, said he regrets seeing Juventus hit a slump this season, with Luigi Delneri’s side in seventh on the table and out of the European places.

“I, like everyone else, don’t like to see it,” Zidane said. “We want to see Juventus on the top, always as they were in the past.”

“There are hard times now, but with time maybe they will be return again to being the same old Juventus.”

Sunderland look set to miss out on the signing of Hector Moreno after the AZ Alkmaar defender claimed he did not want to play in England.

The 22-year-old Mexico international has revealed that, after returning from South Africa where he featured in two of his country's four World Cup matches, he would prefer to move to Paris St Germain.

"Nobody has approached to me in an official way yet, but I must admit that I would like to change to another team next season," he said.

"I don't know anything yet if there is a chance of being transferred, I haven't spoken with my agent, but I am calm.

"I know that the French press has been talking about me, but I don't know anything about if there is a negotiation.

"I have been told about Sunderland and other teams, but I am not very interested in playing in England, most of all because of the way of living they have. But Paris is Paris, that motivates me. But I am still in contract at AZ and I am happy there.

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In an era of modern stadia, 3D television and soaring petrol prices, attendances in English football are stuttering as fans are becoming more suited to walking up to the pub than using public transport or driving to their preferred ground. Away fans are also finding that it is getting tougher and tougher to continuously follow their side around the country due to the FA, clubs and television rights.

It seems that smaller Premier League clubs are far too hasty about moving into large, modern stadiums without thinking it through in the long run. Wigan Athletic may share their ground with a well supported Rugby League team but there aren’t 25,000 people that want to go and watch a Wigan Athletic home game. In their five home games this season the Latics are averaging 17,000 which is just 68% of the capacity, and there are usually 4,000 away fans from better supported clubs filling one end.

Another relatively new stadium, the Reebok Stadium in Bolton is another victim of the ‘eyes too big for your belly’ syndrome. Fairing slightly better than their North West rivals Wigan with their percentage, just 81% of their ground is filled on average for a home game, still depressing as empty seats are becoming far too common in the majority of Premier League grounds.

The English attendances are still far superior to Italy and Spain with the lowly clubs in Italy averaging anywhere between 25% and 40% and in Spain between 40% – 60%, a tough reality check for foreign supporters but television rights and cost are equally high abroad. The attendance drop all around Europe is a worry for clubs and supporters alike.

Television rights are a constant area of discussion in football and more and more games are being shown live, rearranging kick off times making it harder and harder for fans to make it to the games. With a game at 12.45pm on a Saturday followed by a 5.30pm game the same day both on television, with two games on Sunday and another on Monday night, travel and cost are becoming a major issue for supporters getting to their ground around work and family commitments.

The League currently sells only 138 of its 380 live games per season to Sky and ESPN because it tries to restrict disruption to the traditional 3pm Saturday kick-offs. However, the fear is more televised games shown at 3pm would impact on attendances at clubs across the Premier and Football Leagues.

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But all 380 of the League’s live games are already sold to overseas broadcasters and if all matches, including those at 3pm on a Saturday, are allowed to be shown in the UK, then a tradition already under threat is likely to be damaged further.

The prices of tickets are also soaring and as a follower of my club home and away I have felt the pinch of ticket prices; but now West Ham are a Championship side the prices have fallen for me. That may be the only positive aspect of Championship football but it does make it bearable. I purchased a ticket for Reading away yesterday for £18 and a train ticket of £11 which means I have spent under £30 on an away game in the Championship compared to a visit to Chelsea and Tottenham that cost around £50 just for the ticket or a journey up to the north that has a train ticket of over £40 on its own.

Following West Ham has given me a clear indication of how finances are negatively affecting attendances and atmosphere’s around the country; as there were 5,000 away supporters at Hull last Saturday as part of a moderately small crowd and there will be 7,400 Hammers travelling to Coventry next weekend, a staggering support but showing the lack of interest from the home end by giving away such a large portion of the ground. This could be due to the lack of Coventry support but the fact that the club knows it is a chance to make some money off the back of West Ham to pay off a stadium that is far to big and expensive for it’s tenants.

That with the price of petrol now-days and the cost of following your side around the country is extortionate. So, if your side are on Sky or ESPN you can’t say that you are not tempted to wander down to the pub to save the travel, cost and in my case disappointment.

The more games on Sky, the more empty seats that will feature in the Premier League and the FA and television companies must think about that before the average football supporter is priced out of following their club. The 3D football has not really taken off in England and that could be a good thing for football clubs but pubs are still packed out while the big games are on the television with empty seats in the ground.

There are of course some exceptions to the rule but the majority of attendances have fallen with prices rising and the amount of games of Sky and ESPN have made it possible to watch the majority of games without leaving your front room. Perhaps there should be less games on television but that would then harm the fans who genuinely cant get to the ground and so there must be a happy medium that we; the supporters; and the big wigs can find.

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Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond will host a summit in Edinburgh on Tuesday to discuss last week’s Old Firm Scottish Cup replay.Wednesday’s match at Celtic Park saw Rangers trio Steven Whittaker, Madjid Bougherra and El-Hadji Diouf red carded, while there was an ugly spat between Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist and Celtic boss Neil Lennon after the final whistle.Police and the Scottish Football Association (SFA) have been vocal critics of the clubs in the wake of the match, during which 34 people were arrested inside the stadium.Strathclyde Police requested the summit to address the problems.Police will attend, along with representatives from both clubs and the SFA, with a statement on any findings to be released later on Tuesday.”There can be no doubt that the levels of drunken violence that have blighted our communities and the number of people who have been arrested due to their sectarian behaviour is simply unacceptable,” a police statement read. “Something has to be done.”

Maradona and Dunga have both seen their national teams’ exploits stunted in South Africa and, as seen in the papers immediately following Argentina and Brazil’s exits, the debate about great players not making great managers resurfaces.

But the truth is a little more convoluted. We knew from the outset that Maradona was not a good manager – his squad selections, player omissions and frequently changing tactics have been strenuously well documented. His function was to inspire rather than instruct and many have already commented that appointing him solely for the World Cup (instead of during qualification) may have proved a better circumstance. But these points are now moot.

Dunga has an entire nation’s history weighing down on what was, otherwise, a very good record as manager. The truth is despite every victory there were always rumblings that the manner of Dunga’s victories was too far removed from the tenets of flair football that Brazil’s public demand. Tactically speaking however, Dunga repeatedly showcased an astute managerial mind and his team became frighteningly efficient – we should also not forget that it was a couple of errors that set in motion the Dutch fight back.

The most glaring examples of great players becoming great managers can be found in a German and a Dutchman. Franz Beckenbauer managed to win the World Cup as a player and make two World Cup finals as a manager (winning it as head coach in 1990 against Argentina). His managerial career boasted a German title (1993-94) and UEFA Cup (1995-96) with Bayern Munich and a French league title with Marseille in 1991. Johan Cruyff is largely responsible for the brand of football so widely enjoyed at Barcelona and reached spectacular heights with the 1990s dream team. So great players have and probably will continue to make an impression in the managerial world. A more interesting and relevant debate than whether great players make great managers is whether past footballers, in general, are better equipped at management. Jose Mourinho, himself not a celebrated player, has an open stance on the matter:

“I believe that to be on the pitch as a player can be very important, but it is not compulsory. It is a bit like studying or going to university. It does not mean that you will be a success, but it does give you an advantage.”

Managers such as Arsene Wenger, Rafa Benitez, and Mourinho did not play at the top level in any distinguished fashion. Yet Fabio Capello on the other hand has spoken in the past about the intimate understanding past players – especially very good players – have with their squad and the dynamics of real life play. The argument isn’t simply academia vs. experience, though; Capello himself supplemented the talents he had as a player by coaching at the famed Coverciano school in Italy. And whilst the list of good players who made bad managers is continuously added to, we overlook the circumstances of many considered ‘flops’. The difficulty for a manager is that they’re only judged on their players’ performances rather than a method that we, as an interested third party, can discern.

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If Dunga is added to the list of successful players who couldn’t make the transition to management I don’t think it is wholly warranted considering his record and tactical decisions. But the route to becoming a manager (and thus a ‘great’ manager) is not specified – as with a lot of aspects to the game luck and timing as well as talent become important factors.

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Anthony Pilkington but his Old Trafford nightmare firmly behind him to score the Premier League’s quickest goal of the season as Norwich ran out deserved winners beating Swansea 3-1 to record a third win in four games.

It took the former Huddersfield midfielder just 49 seconds to break the deadlock at Carrow Road with Russell Martin scoring his first Premier League goal before Danny Graham pulled one back in a frantic first quarter of an hour. Pilkington added a third mid-way through the second half to guarantee victory and make it a fourth winless game on the road for the Swans and keep the Canaries in the top half. Brendan Rodgers promised fans that his side would be more competitive away from home but their plans were foiled as Pilkington struck within the first minute of the game. The impressive Steve Morison, who was a thorn in Swansea’s side all afternoon, headed Elliott Bennett’s cross into the path of Pilkington who lashed the ball past Michael Vorm from close range.

Paul Lamberts side couldn’t have asked for a better start and they doubled their lead nine minutes later with Martin finding space in the penalty area before glancing home David Fox’s quality free kick delivery. That seemed to spark Swansea into life and record signing Graham halved the deficit on 12 minutes with his second goal in consecutive games. Scott Sinclair strolled into the Canaries penalty area and despite being brought down by Bennett still managed to poke the ball across for Graham to convert. That was as good as it got for the visitors as Norwich continued to dominate with Pilkington going close to increasing their advantage before Morison was denied superbly by Vorm.

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The half time whistle killed the Canaries momentum and Sinclair almost took advantage whistling a low 25-yard drive wide of John Ruddy’s goal. Norwich responded by restoring their two goal lead with Pilkington grabbing his second turning in Bradley Johnson’s cross from close range. Despite their best efforts the Swan’s just couldn’t get out of first gear with Sinclair trying his luck from range again before substitute Stephen Dobbie saw his shot blocked by Marc Tierney with his headed follow up finding the arms of Ruddy. Despite Lamberts side were never under threat as they continued their impressive form in the top flight.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp could have been forgiven for cursing his luck after the talismanic trio of Gareth Bale, Luka Modrić and Rafael van der Vaart were all ruled out of action within quick succession. With Tottenham’s forwards struggling to find the net this season, Redknapp has had to rely upon his midfield for goals, and the aforementioned trio have contributed 25 between them in all competitions.

Many expected January signing Steven Pienaar to mitigate the losses of Bale and van der Vaart, but instead, Niko Kranjčar, a man seemingly headed for the White Hart Lane exit last month, has come to Tottenham’s rescue.

Kranjčar came on as a late substitute against Bolton Wanderers last week and scored a stunning injury-time winner, before striking a superb volley to secure all three points for Spurs against Sunderland on Saturday. The Croat had only made four league appearances for the side prior to his late introduction against Bolton Wanderers. Redknapp himself has been quick to praise the efforts and attitude of the former Portsmouth man.

Speaking after Tottenham’s 2-1 win over Bolton Wanderers, Redknapp said: “He’s continued to work hard and show the right attitude, continued to train even after training, do his sprints, his running, spends time shooting every day and generally shows a great attitude. He’s not one of the boys who throws the towel in and spits his dummy out when he’s left out of the team, he’s the exact opposite to that.”

In addition to scoring crucial winning goals, Kranjčar’s reinstatement to Tottenham’s starting line-up has shown that Redknapp has other tactical approaches to call upon when certain first choice players are unavailable. The side’s success over the past year has relied heavily upon the natural width and searing pace provided by Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale.

Kranjčar, bereft of the pace and mobility bestowed upon Bale, instead relies upon his guile and vision to create chances, and drifts infield far more frequently than the Welshman. The Croat provides his manager with a valuable option when opposing full-backs have successfully neutralised Bale.

Indeed, Kranjčar’s recent form has lead Redknapp to consider utilising his talents in conjunction with those of Bale. “I could always stick Niko somewhere else if Gareth was fit because Niko deserves his place in the team,” he said.

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In an age when players frequently think only of themselves, it is so refreshing to see a player of Kranjčar’s quality conducting himself in such a professional and selfless manner. One need only look at Fernando Torres’ behaviour last month to see an example of the archetypal modern footballer.

The timing of Kranjčar’s return to the team (and return to form) is indicative of Tottenham’s excellent strength in depth. Indeed, the Croat played a key part in the club’s successful bid for Champions League qualification last season, most notably scoring the winner against Stoke City last March. Only a fool would bet against him having a similar impact this season.

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Some say it was a pointless miracle, but the truth is that Blackpool winning promotion to the Premiership is the best thing that could have ever happened for football. If the game is to escape from the dungeon of debt in which it is trapped fans, players and chairmen alike must embrace what Blackpool have done, use them as an example and then stick to their methods.

This past domestic season will be remembered as the one where the real world finally caught up with football. Portsmouth are still in administration (according to reports Palace could have escaped it), Chester City are out of business and clubs such as Hull, Preston and Southend have accounts that resemble the red sea. However, the recent Championship Playoff Final could represent the parting of the ways for the future of football.

In some ways the match between Blackpool and Cardiff was bigger than just a cup final. To many it was Holloway versus Ridsdale (the worst football chairman of all time according to one recent poll), calculated versus erratic and football versus selfishness. For Ian Holloway and Blackpool represent everything that is still great about the game whilst the way Cardiff have been run in recent times is the epitome of everything that is wrong with it.

Blackpool winning promotion was not a fluke and the reason for this is somewhat simple and much overlooked- it’s because they have good players and an intelligent manager. Brett Ormerod and Jason Euell have made 397 Premiership appearances between them and both played critical roles in Blackpool’s promotion this season, whilst Charlie Adam proved his worth by scoring 19 goals from midfield. However, the real trick is the way in which the team has been assembled and how they have gone about their play. As we all know good management is generally defined as creating the maximum amount of revenue with a minimum amount of expenditure whilst providing an atmosphere in which everyone works for each other and performs to their full potential. To say that Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has carried this out to a great extent would be an understatement. Blackpool’s record signing is Charlie Adam- bought for £500k from Rangers last summer and this campaign they have had an average crowd of just 8611 with only three stands up in their stadium- yet this season they still beat a host of teams with twice the amount of resources.

Compare this to Cardiff. If moving stadiums wasn’t expensive enough during a global recession they also chose to make their promotion bid with players on very high wages- Michael Chopra, Mark Kennedy, Mark Hudson and Jay Boothroyd have all played Premiership football recently and would not settle for low salaries, whilst local boy Joe Ledley has seen his income skyrocket in recent seasons as a way to keep him at the club. The sums simply do not add up. There is currently not enough money being generated in the global economy for a medium sized business such as Cardiff City Football Club to support this kind of infrastructure.

Theoretically Cardiff should have won the playoff final as they do have a better squad than Blackpool and most of their players are in the prime time of their careers- Ian Holloway even stressed this before and after the game. However, the fact that they didn’t demonstrates to Championship clubs everywhere that they can achieve their goals whilst living within their means- if they employ someone who can bring the art of good management to their football club. The brilliance of Blackpool’s season is typified by the way in which Holloway has managed to get the very best out of players at different stages of their careers. The likes of Jason Euell and Brett Ormerod are approaching the end their journey as footballers whilst the likes of Neil Eardley, Charlie Adam and Alex Baptiste are just getting started.

Ian Holloway managed to get the most out of what he had by finding a flexible 4-3-3 system in which all his players could blend together and perform to the maximum of their ability whilst remaining balanced and entertaining, all of which was done on a shoestring budget. Consequently Blackpool now face a lucrative future regardless if they get 100 points or ten next season, whilst Cardiff scour the world for critical investment.

There are many blueprints for success in football as different clubs have shown throughout the years. However, if the beautiful game is to escape the horrors of debt and destruction then the methods shown by Ian Holloway and Blackpool this past season are the ones that now must be followed.

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PS- News coming out reveals that Crystal Palace may have been saved after an agreement was reached at the 11th hour between the CPFC 2010 consortium (headed by Steve Parish and Martin Long) and Lloyds Bank, regarding an anti embarrassment clause on Selhurst Park. This is the second time in 10 years Palace have chosen the Cardiff approach and the second time in ten years that Palace have escaped liquidation by the skin of their teeth. Should the CVA be completed later this week, confirming Palace’s survival, let this be a message from the whole of football to the CPFC 2010 consortium to take the Blackpool approach.

Written By Kieran Lovelock

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Sir Alex Ferguson is unhappy with his Manchester United team after they were pegged back to draw 3-3 against Basel at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, and has called his side’s collapse a wake up call.

The Premier League champions took a 2-0 lead into the half-time break, but found themselves 3-2 down in the dying minutes, only for Ashley Young to rescue his side with a last minute equaliser.

The Scottish coach was clearly unhappy with not picking up the three points, especially after being in such a dominant position.

“I think we were careless,” he told Sky Sports.

“They made three or four openings in the first half and the lack of concentration cost us. We threw the game away. [I told the players] to finish the game off because of the opportunities they created in the first-half.

“It’s a wake-up call, in many ways. But, to lose three goals at home, the defence and midfield need to be better than that in terms of concentration. If you lapse, the quality in the Champions League can make you suffer,” he stated.

Antonio Valencia was penalised for a foul on Marco Streller, gifting the Swiss side a penalty in the second half, but Ferguson has questioned this decision.

“I don’t think it was a penalty,” he said. “You can see quite clearly that Valencia won the ball. It’s a poor decision as far as I’m concerned.

“But there’s a great character at this club and it showed again tonight,” he concluded.

United now host Norwich at Old Trafford on Saturday, but will be concerned that their form in Europe does not match their excellent domestic start.

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