English Premier League Season Closing Thoughts

A Quick Review of The 2006/2007 Season

The 2006/2007 season finished with Manchester United gaining the title honors. Chelsea, perhaps surprisingly given the amount of money they have spent on players finished second, the other Champions League spots were taken by Liverpool and Arsenal. The UEFA cup positions were taken By Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Bolton Wanderers. The Carling Cup and FA Cup were both won by Chelsea

At the bottom of the table Sheffield United went down together with Watford and Charlton. Everyone had expected the Premiership would prove to hard for Watford however the demise of Charlton Athletic was a shock to many in the football world but the real talking point was the controversial relegation of Sheffield United with a considerable number of football fans from every English League Club believing that it should have been West Ham United who lost their premier league status.

West Ham United received a record fine for irregularities with regard to the signing of the 2 Argentinian players Tevez and Mascherano. The English Premier League decided that fining the club was a suitable punishment however various newspaper reports implied that the decision was made due to West Hams precarious league position and that had they been safely mid table a points deduction penalty would have been made. The general consensus of opinion is that had it been any of the other sides at the foot of the table a point deduction would have been made regardless. This not surprisingly angered fans in particular those who supported other relegation threatened sides. As things turned out the English Premier Leagues decision allowed West Ham United to escape relegation and bearing in mind that the money a club receives just by being in the English Premier League pays the fine 10 fold it seemed unfair and the matter has now been placed with solicitors and is being investigated by FIFA. Maybe this move will change things and Sheffield United will retain their Premier League Status, we will have to wait and see.

As usual there were several managerial changes throughout the season starting with Ian Dowie sacked by Charlton Athletic for poor results Charlton then went on to appoint their assistant manager Les Reid, Like Dowie before him his reign was short lived and he was sacked in December and replaced with Alan Pardew who had been sacked by West Ham a few weeks earlier. Alan Curbishley was installed at West Ham and despite his critics managed to win enough games to avoid the drop unless of course the Premier League decide to alter the clubs fine to a points deduction. With only a few games left to be played Fulham also parted company with their manager Chris Coleman A long winless spell leaving the club flirting with relegation spelled the end for Coleman. Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez was brought in to save the club, their EnglishPremier League status was confirmed with victory over a weakened Liverpool side.

The biggest shock in managerial changes was Sam Alladyce leaving Bolton Wanderers with only two games left to play and in a European qualification spot. He was quickly replaced with his assistant manager Sammy Lee and The Wanderers went on to qualify for the UEFA cup even though they lost and drew the last 2 games. Alladyce was supposed to be taking a break however this break lasted less than 3 weeks as at the seasons end Newcastle United sacked their manager Glen Roeder and Alladyce took over in the Newcastle hot seat. Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce also paid for poor results with the loss of his job. Two managers also quit at the season end, Neil Warnock from Sheffield United and Paul Jewel from Wigan Athletic. Maybe the epic battle to stay in the Premier League in the last game of the season between these clubs and which saw Wigan avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth was the deciding factor.

Football fans will now have to wait until August for the new English Premier League season to begin but I doubt It will be as eventful as this season but who knows as football is " a funny old game"