Preview: After the general look-back at the season and the clubs which were in the top five, the third of a five-part series on a look-back of the 2008/09 Premier League season turns the spotlight on clubs which finished sixth to tenth in the league. Aston Villa, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Manchester City. Villa and Fulham are off to play European football next season, while Spurs, West Ham and 'the most richest football club in the world' in Manchester City are not. Just how this season has treated those five in the spotlight this time?
For a moment when I was watching the Germany-England friendly last November, I did wondered if Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was watching it...was he proud of his players who were selected for the trip to Berlin and especially those who did played. Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor were among the ones who gave their German counterparts a tough time. At one time it looked like the players being called up for the England squad were mainly made up of those from the Midlands club. And for good reasons too.
Aston Villa were looking like serious contenders of breaking up the monopoly of the 'Big Four' (I even once believed it was the case!), and they were also praised for their player policy at the club. There is an English feel to it. And it is amazing considering like Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool...Villa were also in foreign hands. But while the Liverpool experience will say that Americans are not welcomed, Randy Lerner does not seek the limelight at Villa. Aston Villa had also led the way when their shirt sponsor was from the local children's charity, just like the Barcelona model when their sponsor is actually UNICEF.
Now in regards to the player policy at Aston Villa when one look into the history books, it is Aston Villa which supplied the most number of players to the England national team. Apart from that, Villa manager Martin O'Neill (who was once always famously being linked to any vacant Premier League managerial position, since his time at Celtic enhanced his credentials) who knows a thing or two of European football when as a a player he was once part of the great Nottingham Forest side under manager Brian Clough (he was already at the club before Clough stepped in), was also being lauded for his work at the club. But then that was before a whole slew of matches which soon came Villa's way as a result of their UEFA Cup campaign kind of dented his reputation. It was in view of how O'Neill prioritise it.
Still, the bespectacled manager from Northern Ireland still command some respect in the managerial circles in English football. Not bad for someone who quitted his law studies at university to eventually fully concentrate on his footballing career. Inevitably, the away match against Manchester United which famously saw the home side went from losing it to winning it is a stand-out one. That match which ended 3-2 to United. But for Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill after the match, he was not happy that his side were being denied of all the three points at almost the last minute. One has to in a way feel sorry for him and his side though. Then there are the home and away encounters against Everton this season which I did mentioned yesterday.
For West Bromwich Albion's once 'Great Escape', Fulham once had their own version at the end of the 2007/08 season. Sometime in the 2007/08 season, the much-travelled Roy Hodgson returned to his native England after his Blackburn stint was not something to shout about. And he ended up at Fulham. For the Englishman who is highly-regarded in Switzerland (just one of the many stops in Hodgson's managerial career) after he led the national team to a major tournament (this was during the 1994 World Cup) after a 28-year absence, he was at one time being heavily mentioned in the English press as a favourite to win the Manager of the Year award (that went to Everton's David Moyes) for the work he did at Fulham since the club escaped relegation at the skin of their teeth in the previous season. But how did he do it? It is just down to simple hard work, according to the man himself.
One can probably describe Roy Hodgson as being 'old school', as the interview on The Independent which was done in early May before the away match at Chelsea revealed. It is in view of how Hodgson view football. But for the man who had spent most of his managerial career beyond the English shores on whether he is finally being recognised in his native country for the work he has done at Fulham, via The Independent, "No. I've never felt I needed to show people in England because I've always felt that most of the people who matter in England, the top football brass and the top managers, have been sufficiently impressed with what I have done abroad." When the interview on The Independent (where I got the quotes in italics) came about, it was in the wake of the club had already claimed scalps with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City (it is due to their status...and more on their season later).
It is Fulham's win over Manchester United at home I will talk about, given that really shook the league like never before this season. United were coming into the match at the Craven Cottage fresh from the 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool at their own backyard, and questions were raised will United be able to bounce back. Manchester United's FA Cup emphatic win over Fulham at their ground this season was mentioned as something for Sir Alex Ferguson's side to bank on. If Liverpool's win at Old Trafford was a sign of intention that they want to be in the title race, it was Fulham's 2-0 home win against United that actually really shook the league. It also came at the same time when the other major sides were not doing well too...all on the same matchday. But then, United having two consecutive two losses is almost a case of whether the club is really in trouble...pitch performance-wise. There were even talk that all the greatness being lavished on the players this season had gone into their heads. But then from the Fulham perspective, it is one more step of heading into Europe. By claiming a major scalp. Well, they are certainly off to Europe next season with the club claiming the last Europa League spot reserved for the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur began the season with Juande Ramos as their manager, and ended with Harry Redknapp as the manager. Actually before the talk at one time that Aston Villa will break up the monopoly of the 'Big Four', Spurs were the favourites in the pre-season to finally break up the monopoly. It soon became a false alarm. In fact Spurs's slide down the standings was once compared to a sinking Titanic. Something has to be done. And Ramos, who was once heralded before his arrival to English football for the work he has done back at Sevilla and later with Spurs winning the League Cup last year...his reputation had dented.
It was someone who had quite a reputation for being 'old school' which became the person who led Tottenham Hotspur out of the relegation mire and back to maintaining league status - Harry Redknapp. When he arrived at Tottenham, it was all back to basics, structure-wise. Out goes the continental model, in comes the English model traditionalists in English football like. Redknapp's reputation had been enhanced when he was previously at Portsmouth, leading them to an FA Cup victory. But then Redknapp is rather more known for his dealings in the transfer market. And this is someone who had never once hid the fact that he wants to be the England coach. But while Redknapp's task of steering Tottenham to maintain their league status is to be lauded given they were once in the danger of a club of their status being relegated, it also came at a time when the club was in the now-defunct UEFA Cup. Redknapp had made no secret of the fact that the league come first. At least this time round, they will not be playing European football next season.
But then at least there are two Tottenham matches which stood out for me. One involving Manchester United, and the other...against their biggest rival Arsenal in the North London derby in the 4-4 draw at the Emirates Stadium. While United's fightback in the eventual 5-2 home win over Tottenham was lauded, it did had refereeing controversy which even Howard Webb who was officiating the match put his hands up for his performance. The 4-4 draw against Arsenal, it actually came after Redknapp oversaw a comfortable 2-0 win over Bolton. While the practicalists (if that is a word) will say that the club was still in the relegation mire even after that amazing 4-4 draw, the sense of belief that the club can stay up after all was there. Harry Redknapp became Harry Houdini, all over again.
When Alan Curbishley left West Ham, it was on the basis that he could not agree with the club's policy in regards to the transfer of players. Or rather as we will always say, the manager had clashed with the club board. When the club drawn up their list of candidates to replace Curbishley, there were a handful of prominent names. One of them is Gianfranco Zola. It was not seen as a surprise why the then-Italy U-21 co-coach was in the shortlist of candidates considering his fellow compatriot Gianluca Nani is the sporting director at West Ham. But then when it was down between Zola and former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni, it was clear that Zola was the clear favourite and Donadoni withdrew himself out of the race (since then, Donadoni is at the Napoli dugout). Zola would always be remembered in English football for his exploits at Chelsea. One of the best foreign players to have ever graced English football.
But will Gianfranco Zola be able to cut it out as manager of a Premier League side, given his only experience was the Italy U-21s after his playing career drew to a close in his native country. Well, his early managerial days at West Ham was kind of shaky but after that, it was alright. And considering West Ham for long had been shrouded with uncertainties, financially-wise. Staying true to the West Ham tradition, academy players were being thrust into the Premier League. People like Junior Stanislas, James Tomkins for example. Apart from that, people like Carlton Cole found their form at the club. Cole actually knew Zola from his time at Chelsea but it was at the Hammers, he found his place. And even being called up to the England squad twice this year.
Just how popular Gianfranco Zola was at Chelsea in his playing days, even when he and his assistant Steve Clarke (whom he brought over from the Blues...and the two used to play alongside each other at Chelsea) had to face their former employers this season...they were still being warmly welcomed (even when Guus Hiddink came in to be the interim manager at Chelsea). And this was before the era of when Roman Abramovich became Chelsea's owner.
Speaking of Roman Abramovich, it used to be that his riches and him investing into Chelsea became one of the reasons people do not like the club. Or maybe until Manchester City came into the picture, Chelsea were having their own fair share of the spotlight thanks to their owner. For long, Manchester City had been in the shadows of their more famous city rival Manchester United. But then City's last major success in Europe was way back in the 70s. Well, cue the final day of the previous summer transfer window. Of a sudden, they became the most richest football club in the world. The weight of expectations was soon weighed upon them. Of a sudden, Chelsea was yesterday.
But then, that was the beginning of players within the Premier League and those in the continent being linked to the club. Only God knows how many names had been linked to the club since Manchester City confirmed their status as being the most richest football club in the world. But then one major name did arrived at Eastlands. Robinho. It was seen as a surprise to many given Chelsea had been heavily linked to him and Robinho had always wanted out of Real Madrid. But, it was City who got him under Chelsea's noses. Or rather, Chelsea said that they could not match the money City has. The Brazilian did score the goals when he is called upon, but it was his perceived behaviour off the pitch which did caused eyebrows to raise occasionally. Like the time when his compatriot Kaka remained at AC Milan (during the time when City offered large sums of money for the Brazilian), it was being interepreted that Robinho's absence from the club's training camp as a sign of protest that Kaka was not coming. It was not the case. Robinho went back to his native Brazil for family matters.
Still, simply the fact that Manchester City now has the tag of being the most richest football club in the world had already rubbed shoulders the wrong way. The whole saga surrounding AC Milan's Kaka had affected City's reputation somewhat. And it was especially interesting during the Manchester derby which was to be played at Manchester City's ground, I remembered Manchester United's Wayne Rooney once thrown down the gauntlet by saying something about the match will show who is the real kings of Manchester. Something like that. Well, United won that derby eventually. Still, City's erratic form at home and away this season is a sign that even clubs being backed by lots of money will have to take time to establish themselves. Being in tenth...mid-table, that is already not that bad for a club like Manchester City's status (they even went all the way to the quarter-finals of the now-defunct UEFA Cup this season). Because at one time it looked like City was heading for the relegation mire. Yup!
