Barcelona deserved to beat Manchester United in the European Champions League final. They outplayed and out-passed a disappointing and nervous looking United team who had achieved so much during the season. No criticism of Sir Alex Ferguson who has won 25 major trophies as the United manager compared with 14 previously in the club's history. Barcelona were smarter and lots better on the day. United got it wrong, passed badly and just had a bad day at the office. They will be back..........
Newcastle's relegation to the Championship is a stunning but sad story. They have been in free fall for too long. It might be harder to get back than their fans believe. Alan Shearer by the way has it all to do as manager. He was a great player, he will always be a hero in Newcastle but to sit in the TV studios as a pundit and then take your first managerial job at a crisis club in the Premier League is a big ask. Alan may become a great manager but few start with their first job in the Premier League and make a success. Kenny Dalglish had a different set-up with Liverpool but usually average players who become great managers have cut their managerial teeth at lower levels, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, David Moyes, Martin O'Neill and so on. Martin will argue by the way that he was captain of his country and won a European Cup winners' medal - but you get my drift on the managerial front.
Aston Villa fans have turned on their former captain Gareth Barry for his move to Manchester City and for his reason for leaving after over 10 years at Villa Park. I know Gareth well. He is a very good player, an excellent person and took his captain's duties very seriously, attending more personal appearances for the club than anyone else. He was often Villa's best player. But football fans turn very quickly. Their treatment of former players can be pathetic. None of those now having a go at Barry would have turned down the chance themselves of doubling their wages and picking up a huge signing on/loyalty/bonus or however they phrase it in the contract! Barry even wrote a letter to the Villa supporters through the medium of the local newspaper, the Birmingham Mail.... However, without deliberately contradicting myself I do sympathise with the supports anger at Barry's reasoning that one major reason was for Champions League football. Unfair to Villa who finished sixth, higher than Barry's new club and just two places behind Arsenal. Gareth was badly advised to use that tack. He might have just confined his reasons, if he felt he had to give them more money and new challenges. After all Manchester City is currently about more money. Fans reserve the right to boo their own players when they think they deserve it. They should also recognise that a player who has given great service should be allowed to move towards or at the end of his contract. Villa will receive £12 million in transfer fee.
Other sinking ships in Titanic order after Newcastle.....Charlton, Norwich and Southampton. How low will they fall?...How did Phil Parkinson get the full time manager's job at Charlton after only one win in 18 matches as caretaker boss there?
Off-beat award of the season. Stoke City's Rory Delap for those huge long range throw-ins. Brilliant. And my Manager of the Year award would go to his boss Tony Pulis who did a wonderful job keeping Stoke in the Premier League when all the critics, including me, wrote them off for instant relegation.
My correct predictions of the season for different reasons: Manchester United to win the Premier League; Hull to stay up (they only just did!); Wolves to be promoted, Leicester to be promoted back to the Championship. Aston Villa not to finish in the top four (won money) and Portsmouth to finish below 9th (won money again!)
What I got wrong: Manchester United to win the European Champions League; Chelsea to be Premier League runner's up; Stoke to be relegated; Birmingham to be promoted through the play-offs (they won automatic promotion), Leeds to be promoted from League One and Cambridge United to be promoted to the Football League. Hey, you cannot get it all right!
Have a good summer. I hope the Pieman invites me back next football season!
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