Good to see Jozy in the U.S. squad

By JAMES CLARK

Harkesy and I have had many recent conversations about how no U.S. men's side, in a game that truly matters, can afford to be without striker Jozy Altidore and midfielder/striker Freddy Adu in the starting 11. Those two players, while still learning the game and not without their flaws, give the U.S. a cutting edge that not even the talented Landon Donovan can provide. Altidore, with his move from the New York Red Bulls to Spanish side Villarreal, is the first U.S. export to garner big money from a top-tier league, while Adu finds himself playing for Monaco in France's highly athletic Ligue 1. Both men were named Friday in gaffer Bob Bradley's 23-man American side to face Cuba in a CONCACAF World Cup qualifier on Saturday, Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C. (7 p.m., ESPN Classic and Galavision). The roster shows Bradley has a sense as to where this team has to transition to in order to make the second round at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. I like the fact that there's no Pablo Mastroeni (nothing against him, but he's from the past), but there is a first-time call for Jose Francisco Torres. Assuming we qualify from the Hexagonal (3 of 6 go to the Cup from the next CONCACAF round; you have to think the U.S. and Mexico will be two of those teams), we can't take an old, tired team to the big show. Names like Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu and Sacha Kljestan represent the next generation, whose time will surely come in the FIFA Confederations Cup next year and at the real deal in 2010. With Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu and Tim Howard at the back, this team is primed to surprise. I predict another quarterfinal appearance (like 2002), at least.

We're stroking the ball around ...

By JAMES CLARK

Manager Gianfranco Zola is 2 for 2 in Premier League matches (the Carling Cup loss to Watford notwithstanding!), but even more so than the results, it's the type of football we are playing that's winning new converts and reinforcing the convictions of the old guard of supporters. Watching the 2-1 win over host Fulham at Craven Cottage last Saturday, I was struck by the degree of Hammers ball movement on display. The football I saw reminded me of the heyday of gaffer Harry Redknapp, most specifically the brand of offensive, probing football we played during the "famous" FA Cup run to the quarters in 2001 -- when Spurs "stole" a result in the rain at Upton Park. There are some good footballers at the club now: first and foremost, Swiss international Valon Behrami is an absolute stud! Throw in Frenchman Julien Faubert at his new "right back" position, and factor in good, old-fashioned English midfielders like Scott Parker and Mark Noble and then you're on to something! But what's really making this team tick is the (potential) England combination of winger Matty Etherington and striker Carlton Cole. At first glance, these two represent all the positive attributes of the English play -- commitment, talent on the ball and a 100 per cent-committed mentality when it comes to the game. They also draw in the dark side: Ethers with his gambling, Cole with drink driving. But nevermind. Zola will sort this out, and Hammers will NEVER totally eschew the English club mentality. Fortune's always hiding, you know ...

We Have Our Man!

By JAMES CLARK

Gianfranco Zola has landed. What a time to be a Hammer! Yes, the jury is still out over whether he will replicate his stellar, attack-minded accomplishments as a player while prowling the touchline in a suit and tie. But you have to like the odds. I have been told by Jim Sturman -- a name familiar to many of you Hammers' fans -- that "Gianfranco is a wonderful man." It only takes one look at the Italian's massive, ever-present grin to know that Sturman's assessment rings true. As much as you had to admire what Curbs accomplished, bottom-line wise, at our club, can you ever imagine Zola keeping a player of Tevez's caliber on the bench as West Ham capitulated to a club like Reading (no offense meant to Royals supporters) 6-nil on a chilly New Year's Day? He will have the instant respect of the pumped-up egos that inhabit the dressing rooms of the modern-day Premiership. The problems the "flash" Alan Pardew and "old-school" Alan Curbishley had in keeping the bling-bling Anton Ferdinands and Nigel Reo-Cokers of the world in line evaporated the minute Zola signed his deal. Here is a man who was an understudy to Diego Maradona at Napoli, for goodness sake! Zola shredded defenses at Chelsea, but his intellect, first touch and movement were as much a part of the package as his finishing. And Zola truly was at the vanguard of changing the way Prem players looked after their diets and fitness. No more guzzling 12 pints at the pub on your day off from training; more like a glass or two of red wine and a fish (minus the chips) or pasta dinner. I honestly don't care if Gianfranco uses our club as a steppingstone to managing his beloved Chelsea someday. Just grab us an FA Cup or a shock spot in the Champions League on the way, please!

If It's Zola, I'm Fine With That

By JAMES CLARK

All reports out of England indicate that ex-Chelsea striker and It

alian international 

Gian

franco Zola (pictured above top, twice) will be named as West Ham's first foreign manager within days, if not hours. There has been a subtle uproar amongst Hammers supporters -- mainly due t

o Zola's Chelsea connectons, but also as we try to get over the fact that Europe's manager du jour, Croatia's Slaven Bilic, won't be returning to his one-time Upton Park home. But when the Ha

mmers' Icelandic owners signed up Italian Gianluca Nani as technical director, you knew that the days of (now) ex-manager Alan Curbishley's tenure were numbered. This continental set-up -- with both a technical/football director and a first-team coach -- is the way forward in the Premiership. You might wonder why I say that, but think about the Hammers' recent sale of Northern Irish international left back George McCartney. Supposedly, that was the straw that broke the camel's back and forced Curbs to resign.

But let's look at it another way. While McCartney was a fine player, the club -- under Nani's guiding hand -- moved quickly to sign a replacement in Uruguayan Walter Lopez (pictured above, in Hammers' kit), a 22-year-old who played for Argentine giants River Plate. That kind of knowledge of the world market would be non-existent if Curbs were calling the shots when it comes to transfers. He wanted to sign ex-Millwall thug Ben Thatcher, for goodness sake! Curbs acquitted himself very well in his 15 years at Charlton, and he guided his boyhood club Hammers through some rocky times. But he never won over the Upton Park crowd (and, yes, I have been part of that number on five occasions, plus an away match at Derby despite my living in New Jersey) with his "caution first" approach to football. It was effective, and he is a more-than-competent manager in the English top flight. But we want magic. It's why we prefer players with a slight cutting edge like Mark Noble to the cool efficiency of a Scott Parker. We love the Di Canios and FA Cup shocks of the world -- not the dreary, grinding 1-1 tie at Boro to consolidate 10th place in the Premier League. Maybe it's pure vanity, but being a Hammer is about much more than stability. It's about (very!!) occasional magic, and if Zola can produce that then I say welcome aboard!!! Fellow countryman Roberto Donadoni would have been like an Italian version of the charisma-less Curbs, despite his pedigree. One gets the feeling that Zola -- and his potential No. 2, fellow Italian/ex-Chelsea striker Pierluigi Casiraghi -- can be the real deal. Here's hoping! We need some luck and some verve (sadly absent since Harry's tenure, Pards' Cup run and Tevez) around the place. Fingers crossed ... tightly.

No Adu for the USA?

By JAMES CLARK

Coach Bob Bradley's latest USA Men's National Team roster for the upcoming CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago has a curious absence: One Freddy Adu. Based on his performances in the USA's first two group games at the Beijing Olympics (Adu was suspended for the third match, down to his own petulance), this sort of beggars belief. Now, Bradley may think he has enough of a roster to walk these two matches and let Adu bed in with his new side Monaco (the lads and I have been to their stadium, by the way). But when you are a national-team manager, you have to budget, so to speak, for all outcomes. And if we go deep into the second half against either Cuba or T&T at nil-nil, you need someone on the bench who can unlock a defense and help you steal a result you might not really deserve. And of all the players who have worn a USA shirt, Adu is showing himself to be the most capable of doing so: whether it be a clever backheel, a probing run or that pass that required an extra second before being released. As a 14-year-old, his hype worked against him. But at this point, a USA starting 11 without Adu seems like folly. Just an opinion.

Red Bulls Peaking As Season Winds Down

By JAMES CLARK

East Rutherford, New Jersey -- The lads and I spent a beautiful Sunday with 12,000-plus fellow fans at Giants Stadium and saw the resurgent New York Red Bulls impose themselves during a comprehensive 3-nil win over the Houston Dynamo in a match that was broadcast nationally on Spanish-language network Telefutura. Give some credit to Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio -- the Colombian has made all the right moves in the "post-Claudio Reyna" era. The signings of Pietravallo, Jimenez and Cichero have added a palpable Hispanic flair to the side, and with Juan Pablo Angel back to his deadly goalscoring form, New York is not a team that any MLS club would want to face in a two-leg playoff. Mike Magee and the blazing-fast Dane Richards also found the scoresheet Sunday, and Rutgers grad Jon Conway shut things down in goal.

The one good aspect about the Bulls' indifferent early season form is that they may now face a weaker Western Conference side in the playoffs, or even this Houston side. Allowing for the fact that Ching and Holden did not start for the Dynamo on Sunday, the Bulls have to be confident in the fact that they bossed the game. Even when Nate Jaqua came on in the second half for Houston, Jimenez had him in his back pocket.

With three-quarters of the season gone, the Bulls still have a chance to move up the Eastern Conference standings. And you get the feeling that Osorio is saving some of his tactical acumen for the postseason. If Angel stays in form, it might finally be a good time to be a Metro/Red Bulls supporter. Eastern Conference final, here we come!

Is This How Sad We've Become?

By JAMES CLARK

It's not the fact that we're losing Anton Ferdinand (pictured) to Sunderland, per se. He was always a raw-but-talented defender. In many cases, his penchant for scoring goals seemed to outweigh his talents for stopping goals at the other end, at least in the Premier League. Remember, his best days with Hammers were when he partnered Elliot Ward and helped us win promotion in 2004-05.

Anton was always the consolation, as such, for selling Rio to Leeds for that filthy lucre (18 million pounds-plus) all those years ago. "At least we still have the kid brother," we told ourselves. Raised in the urban environment of Peckham in South London, the Ferdinand parents were the exception to the norm. Their lads Rio and Anton had riding lessons and learned to play musical instruments ... they were not just thick footballers; they were all-rounders, as they say in the U.K. Rio's "forgotten" drug test and Anton's ill-advised trip to South Carolina for a bachelor party notwithstanding, these boys represented the best of the famed West Ham academy.

The fact that Anton sees his future with the ascendant Roy Keane and the Mackems/Black Cats ... and the fact that he can quadruple his wages there ... instead of in East London says a lot about both the limitations of manager Alan Curbishley to rally players around the cause as well as the failure of our Icelandic owners to compete in the financial landscape of the Premiership 2008-09, taking the global "credit crunch" into account.

The Key To The Hammers' Season? Carlton Cole

By JAMES CLARK

When you think about what West Ham needs to do in order to stay in the Premiership -- and, let's face it, with Curbs as manager and the credit crunch putting paid to the Icelandic-owners consortium's ability to compete financially -- finishing anywhere from 17th and above MUST!! be considered a success. There are a few names that jump out at you regarding how the side can stay afloat .. Robert Green, Matty Upson, Scott Parker and (hopefully) Dean Ashton. But when it comes to the week-in, week-out toil that will actually accomplish the task, look no further than our No. 12 Carlton Cole. His goal totals might not light up the scoreboards, but Colely does all the "off the ball" chores that contribute to getting results. He holds the ball up, knocks the ball down, provides the requisite flick-ons and weighs in with the occasional goal. In summary, the unsung hero who you can see firing the Hammers on a long FA Cup run. Well done, Carlton. Keep up the good work.

Beckham, the Barons and Spurs shirts ... oh, my!

By JAMES CLARK

Alex, Ben and I left the house at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, July 19th and spent the day at Fort Dix in 97-degree heat as the lads were playing in the Central Jersey Invitational Cup as part of the South Jersey Barons summer select U-11 soccer team. We then headed up to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford to be among the 46,000 to watch the host New York Red Bulls tie David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-2 in Major League Soccer that evening.

Commentator and fine human being Max Bretos of Fox Soccer Channel arranged "Family & Friends" passes for us, so were were able to be near the locker rooms and on the field level before and after the game. Beforehand, the lads met Galaxy coach -- and AC Milan and Holland legend -- Ruud Gullit. Afterward they got a huge hug from Bretos, who has followed their progress over the years with as much interest as a relative would. Max is truly one of the good guys out there in the media. He is genuine, not fake. Thanks, Max.

The boys also got a towel tossed to them from the Bulls' Juan Pablo Angel, and later got him to sign it. But the highlight was meeting Becks, who was classy and made small talk with the lads and all the other kids around. I shook "Our David's" hand and even made him laugh by asking him why an East London boy like himself didn't sign with West Ham!

The photos of Becks on the field were taken by Alex from our seats right on the corner flag. Steady photographer's hand from young Alex!

On Sunday, July 20th with the lovely Victoria along for the trip, it was out of the house at 8:30 a.m. to trek back to the extreme heat of Fort Dix for Day 2 of the Central Jersey Cup. The Barons boys made semifinals of their age group, where they turned in a great performance in defeating a Dutch Total Soccer academy team 4-1. The Barons boys then lost a heartbreaker to the MAPS select team in the final, 3-2. The Barons team (including Alex, Ben and Trevor "The Pony" Holak) is pictured above, receiving their second-place medals. Alex played ALL 300 MINUTES in the five games over the two days at left back. Ben started every match and every second half as a central midfielder and played about 80 percent of the total minutes. Home at 8 p.m. on the Sunday. A proud dad I very much was!

Fast forward one week: Alex, Ben and Trevor, along with massive Spurs fans Michael and Jonathan Sturman from England, won their Sunday group in our local Mainland United 3 v. 3 soccer tournament. After a tough opening 2 games, Dave "The Horse" Holak took over the tactical duties from me (hey, I still 'stretched' the lads!) and our boys -- competing as Tottenham, complete with "125 years" jerseys supplied by dad Jim Sturman; please know that I wore my No. 32 West Ham "Tevez" shirt in proud protest! -- went 3-0 with 28 goals scored and just 4 given up over the last 3 matches to grab first place in their group. Well done, the lads!

From The Horse's Mouth: Marketing Beckham -- A Missed Opportunity

By DAVE HOLAK

(photo by Alex Clark)

Unfortunately, I think MLS has fallen into the same marketing philosophy many businesses, big and small, fall into in regards to David Beckham ... make the big initial "grand opening" push and get the snowball running downhill, and once it starts rolling it will get bigger and bigger. When Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007, they did a good job of getting the buzz out -- moving Beckham #23 jerseys and selling out stadiums across the country for his first visit.

But we're in Year 2 now, and the "smell of something new" is wearing off, which was painfully apparent by the completely empty third level of Giants Stadium on Saturday, July 19th, when the New York Red Bulls hosted the Galaxy (a match I, "The Horse," attended with my wife Carrie "The Mare" and our son Trevor "The Pony." Yes, we drove to the game in "The Stagecoach." Hey, what can I do? James Clark edits the site!)

Sure, 40,000 fans is a huge bump from the standard 15,000 the Red Bulls play in front of on a typical Saturday night, but this is David Beckham (oh yeah, and Landon Donovan). The optimist says, "that's a 25,000 fan bump", but  the smart businessman says "where are the additional 30,000 fans that were here last year?" That's almost a 40% drop in business and that's not good using anyone's math. MLS can argue they anticipated a bubble in Year 1 but with a 40% drop in Year 2, in my opinion, the potential of the Beckham/MLS era is being wasted. 

MLS will never be La Liga, the EPL or Serie A -- I don't suffer from those delusions -- but being a soccer fan who appreciates what Beckham brings to the field, I'm incredibly disappointed that the buzz is gone. Last week marked Beckham's first MLS All-Star appearance as a fit player ... did anyone outside the dedicated soccer community know that ???? 

Why didn't MLS partner Beckham with the "other stars" or the "future stars" of the league in a marketing campaign. (MLS, you can feel free to send me a small conceptual-development check!) Every day, the clock is running out on the Beckham coat-tails ... so, ride them!

Compare MLS with Apple Computers and imagine, for a minute, that Beckham's arrival was the launch of the first iPhone. How has MLS followed up on the launch? A few weeks ago, Steve Jobs launched the same iPhone he launched a year ago with a few design tweaks and some new features. People lined up around street blocks all over THE WORLD to pay $200 plus service fees to get one. 

Why? Because Apple understands that it's all about marketing. Unfortunately, MLS does not. Now, I'm off to get some oats and sugar cubes.

(All "equine" joking aside, Dave Holak runs a cutting-edge graphics and advertising company called make-it-pop. Check it out online; the guy knows what he's talking about! James Clark)

'Captain America' Claudio Reyna Retires

By JAMES CLARK

New Jersey has such a rich, wonderful history when it comes to American soccer. Names like John Harkes, Claudio Reyna, Tony Meola, Tab Ramos and Bob Bradley drip off the tongue, as do clubs and schools like Kearny Thistle and St. Benedict's Prep of Newark. (I'd even throw my alma mater Ocean City High School in there when it comes to the roundball tradition.) 

College sides from Rutgers and Princeton merit a mention, and let's not forget venues such as Giants Stadium and pro teams such as the Cosmos -- and, yes, the very successful Ocean City Barons, too -- when it comes to the Garden State ranking up there with the elite of Yank futbol legacy. Well on Wednesday, we lose one of our own when midfielder Reyna hangs up his boots after a phenomenal career. Think about the places he's played: the aforementioned St. Benedict's, the ACC powerhouse University of Virginia, Vfl Wolfsburg of the German Bundesliga, Glasgow Rangers of Scotland, Sunderland and Manchester City of the English Premier League and New York Red Bulls of MLS. But it is Reyna's exploits for the United States Men's National Team that will cement his place in the pantheon of the game as long as it is played in this country. This son of Portuguese and Argentine immigrants became the first American to be named in a FIFA All-World Cup Team after driving the United States into the quarterfinals in 2002, where they gave Germany all it could handle in a 1-nil loss in Korea. Reyna played a key role for the USA in the 1998 World Cup in France and the 2006 version in Germany. He reminded us all what a force he could be when his shot hit the post in the loss to the Czech Republic in the opening match of the latter tourney. Unfortunately, his blunder in the last group match against Ghana and his injury-filled tenure with the Red Bulls (while he occupied a Designated Player slot and drew a $1.1 million salary) has clouded people's perspective of his accomplishments lately, but when the dust clears Reyna will join Harkes as the two most decorated and talented American outfield players to ever lace up the boots. (I think Reyna lacked Harkesy's drive, grit and goalscoring ability, but I think even Harkesy would agree that Claudio was slightly more skilled on the ball and a good passer.) The bottom three photos in this entry were taken by me at Bulls matches this season, as Reyna signed shirts for Alex and Ben and took a corner right below us in our corner-flag seats in Section 107. The lads and I were able to chat with him briefly on 4 or 5 occasions (the most recent time being in the elevator after the USA-Argentina match) and I always found him to be polite and engaging. He would often hand his baby off to his wife to sign for the various kids gathered around, which I thought showed real class. Funnily enough, of all the players from the Red Bulls, other MLS clubs, USA, Argentina and even the few West Ham players I've met in England, Reyna is the only one I've ever asked for an autograph. (As I explained to Harkesy one time, being 38 years old I really have no desire to ask fellow grown men for their autographs. I'd rather shake a hand, enjoy a brief word and let the kids do the hero worshipping as I snap a photo for the boys' memories. Besides, of all the American players Harkesy was -- and still is -- my only hero, but thanks to some incredible luck, some journalistic hustle on my part and true graciousness on his, we actually enjoy a mutual friendship, which is much cooler!) I don't even know why I asked Claudio to scrawl his name on my shirt, but the lads still tease me for saying, "Claudio, how 'bout one for the old man?" after he signed their shirts. Now that he will no longer be playing, I'm glad I deviated from my usual protocol. I hope he enjoys his retirement and finds a way to give back to the game, much like Harkesy does on the airwaves or Ramos does with his youth academy. Kudos on a great career, Claudio. And thanks for taking us along on your unique ride through Europe's -- and the world's -- great stadiums. Every American boy who's ever kicked a ball in earnest would have traded places with you in a heartbeat!

3 Questions Ahead of The Premier League 2008-09 Season, Vol. 6

By JAMES CLARK

An occasional Pardew's Guardian feature leading up to the August 16th kickoff ...

1) Will Mark Noble fulfill his potential in the heart of West Ham's midfield? The local East Londoner (pictured above, top) is one of the gems of Tony Carr's famed Youth Academy, and Hammers supporters warm to him even more than most because he was born and bred as one of them. But while Hayden Mullins has cemented the role of holding/defensive midfielder from as far back as the winter of 2003, Noble has had to bide his time behind the likes of Nigel Reo-Coker, Nigel Quashie, Yossi Benayoun and Scott Parker at different points as Mullins' more attack-minded partner. Noble is a better passer than any of those, and he has that special "something" when it comes getting forward. When Carlitos Tevez really clicked in Hammers' lineup over those last nine games of the 2006-07 season, he and Noble seemed to enjoy a sort of telepathy out there. But it hasn't all been good news. Noble seems to disappear for stretches of some games, he gets booked a little too often and he's never been able to fully gain a manager's confidence -- whether it be Alan Pardew or Alan Curbishley. Still, the reported interest from Arsene Wenger and Arsenal has to tell you something about the quality of the lad.

2) Will any side figure out how to muscle Bolton Wanderers out of the Premiership? Under manager Sam Allardyce, midfielder Kevin Nolan (pictured above, middle) and his Trotters teammates mastered the art of winning "ugly" -- relying on set pieces, brute strength, defensive solidity and the goalkeeping of Jussi Jaaskelainen to get by. Their experiment with Sammy Lee in charge nearly ended in tears, but the grit of Gary Megson righted the ship. And, in the interest of accuracy, there have been some skill players taking to the pitch in the white shirt the past few seasons: Jay-Jay Okocha, Youri Djorkaeff, Ivan Campo and Nicolas Anelka to name just a few. The Reebok is one of those "new" stadiums that seem to lack the feel and atmosphere of a ground like the Boleyn, but Bolton have made playing there a tough assignment the last few years. Just ask Arsenal.

3) Can Stoke survive in the top flight with players like Rory Delap? The Irish midfielder (pictured above, bottom) was quite a useful player a few seasons back in his Derby heyday, and he's continued to show some snippets of quality in stints with Southampton and now the Potters. But as Derby exhibited last spring (and Sunderland under Mick McCarthy in spring 2006), making the jump from the Championship to the Premiership is more difficult than ever. You'd like to think that Stoke manager Tony Pulis can rely on team spirit and tactical nous to give it a real go, but the hard fact of the matter is that his roster doesn't look to have the pedigree to do much more than hover around the 25-point mark when the final table is printed. Stoke's fans may not want to hear such talk, but that's the reality of English football these days. 

Championship 2008-09 Storylines, Vol. 1

By JAMES CLARK

An occasional Pardew's Guardian feature ahead of the August 9th kickoff of England's "second tier" ...

1) Will Alan Pardew rescue his managerial reputation by taking Charlton back to the Premiership at the second time of asking? "Pards" (pictured above, top) was riding high after leading West Ham to a surprising 9th-place finish in the Prem and a place in the FA Cup final in the spring of 2006, capping an upward trajectory that saw him lift Reading into contention for the top flight before taking on the Hammers job while the club was getting used to the Championship in 2003. But the disastrous first few months of the Hammers' 2006-07 campaign led to his firing, and while Pardew landed on his feet by taking over at Charlton on Christmas Eve he was unable to keep the Addicks up. The South London side looked like a good bet for automatic promotion in the early part of the 2007-08 season, but they fell off precipitously as spring 2008 came around. Some critics thought it was evidence that the bloom had finally come off the Pardew rose. A manager married to the sports science side of the game may have seen his shortcomings on the footballing and tactical fronts come home to roost. Still, the Addicks will be right in the Championship mix again so maybe Pards will have the last laugh.

2) Can Dexter Blackstock and friends deliver newly-wealthy Queen's Park Rangers to dizzy heights? The free-scoring forward (pictured above, middle) found himself to be the toast of the West London sub-Prem football scene after regaining his scoring touch for manager Luigi De Canio's QPR side last spring. And that was a good time for the former Southampton man to show his capabilities, as Formula One's Renault technical director Flavio Briatore and his Italian consortium vowed to pour money into the club in an effort to reach the promised land of the top flight. Blackstock is one of those 'tween players who may be too good for the second tier but just not up to the standard of the Prem. For similar examples, think of Nathan Tyson, Freddie Eastwood, post-Sunderland Kevin Phillips and -- some would say, though I disagree -- Bobby Zamora. How Blackstock comes out of the gate could go a huge way in determining the Hoops' fortunes this season.

3) Will Roy Carroll's quality deliver Derby the title at a canter? The Northern Irish goalkeeper (pictured above, bottom) certainly has his detractors, but I don't happen to be one of them. I think he got a raw deal from the English press for some high-profile blunders while at Manchester United, and his well-publicized drinking and gambling problems derailed what had been a promising start to his West Ham career. I saw him play for the Hammers in person vs. Bolton at Upton Park, and his attributes were on display for anyone with a good pair of eyes that day. Rams manger Paul Jewell brought Carroll in last season much to late to save Derby's sinking ship, but that inspired signing could provide a comfort zone when it comes to the top of this season's table. There won't be another keeper with his pedigree lining up for any of the other 23 teams in the division, and that sort of solidity at the back could have everyone else fighting for second place.

3 Questions Ahead of The Premier League 2008-09 Season, Vol. 5

By JAMES CLARK

An occasional Pardew's Guardian feature leading up to the August 16th kickoff ...

1) Will West Ham's Kieron Dyer 

recover fully from his horrific leg break? As you can see from the top photo above, the Hammers midfielder suffered a nasty injury in a League Cup match early last season, just as he was starting to make an impact for the East London side. I was never much of a Dyer fan before he landed at the Boleyn. While he brings bags of pace to the table, a dearth of skill is Dyer's downfall. Like Jermaine Jenas, 

I don't think he's a player of international standard but in England over the last 10 years, that doesn't seem to keep mediocre talents from accumulating Three Lions caps like they're going out of style. That's not to say that West Ham couldn't use some significant contributions from Dyer this season. He does have a nose for the goal, and with ou

r soft early schedule getting out of the gate in good form could make all the difference when it comes to a nice run at Europe.

2) Will Michael Owen give Newcastle fans a full season of goals? "Little Mickey" (pictured above, middle) will never regain the jets that enabled him to blow past defenders during his early days at Liverpool. But an older, slower Owen is also smarter, and that cunning around the box can be just as much of a weapon. When he ended up with the Magpies after a stop-start tenure with the Galacticos of Real Madrid, you got the feeling that Owen was in a holding pattern to wait for a bigger club to come in for him. Reality may just have settled in for Owen, and with Kevin Keegan starting his first full season as Newcastle's manager (the second time around, of course), the stars could just be aligning for Owen. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he sticks 15 to 18 goals in the back of the net this season provided he can stay injury-free. And that's a big "if."

3) Can Emile Heskey and friends keep Wigan in the top flight yet again? The big ex-Liverpool striker (pictured above, bottom) is sort of in the same boat as his ex-teammate Owen -- once a big fish, he now toils for a side in the "other" Premiership: the one that exists outside the Top 4. While those clubs scour Europe, Africa and South America (and, occasionally, North America and Asia) for the best players in the world, the Wigans and their like take what they can get. When manager Steve Bruce left Birmingham for the bigger money of Latics chairman Dave Whelan, he seemed to cement his reputation as a mercenary. But something happened on the way to relegation -- Heskey and his mates won some key matches, and Wigan lived to fight another day. Can they beat the odds again? We'll see.

Join the Pardew's Guardian Blog fantasy league on the Premiership's official site ...

By JAMES CLARK

Oh, baby! It's nearly here -- as the famed holiday carol said, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." No, not Christmas; the start of the Premier League season! Festivities kick off Aug. 16, and you fantasy veterans know how much fun this competition can be. New to it all? Then log on to www.premierleague.com to create a fantasy team and get started. There's also a predictions-based game called "I Know the Score," but more on that some other time. Once you've picked your side (and you can make unlimited substitutions until the deadline for Gameweek 1), click on the "Join a League" feature. The code to join the Pardew's Guardian Blog league is 72989-21578. Get in there, and good luck to everyone in the race for second place! Cheers.

3 Questions Ahead of The Premier League 2008-09 Season, Vol. 4

By JAMES CLARK

An occasional Pardew's Guardian feature leading up to the August kickoff ...

1) Will Julien Faubert become the force he was originally predicted to be down the right flank for West Ham? The Hammers' capture of the fleet Frenchman (pictured above, top) made headlines last season, and sometimes for the wrong reasons. Namely, French National Team manager Raymond Domenech questioned why right-winger Faubert would leave Bordeaux of Ligue 1 for the East London side instead of Roma, Arsenal, et al. Hammers chairman (at the time!) Eggert Magnusson heralded the newly-signed Faubert as "one of the most sought-after players in Europe," and his pre-season performances seemed to justify such lofty praise. But, alas, the injury bug that seemed to bite every other player on Alan Curbishley's roster struck Faubert hard, and Hammers supporters were left to wonder if the ball skills and blazing speed he showed in glimpses could manifest itself over the hurly-burly of a physical English season. If he comes back with a vengeance, Faubert could be one of the league's surprise packages. And a skillful player setting the Boleyn alight is long overdue.

2) What can Everton do for an encore? Even more so than finishing fourth and earning a spot in Champions League qualifying a few seasons ago, what the team from the Blue half of Merseyside has accomplished the last two years is nothing short of extraordinary. Led by the fighting spirit of the unfairly-maligned Phil Neville (pictured above, middle), Everton has become one of the hardest teams to beat in the whole of the Premiership. Manager David Moyes has crafted a workaholic side in his own image, and think of these names in the starting 11: Tim Howard. Joleon Lescott. Yakubu. Any team (including those in the top 4) would accommodate players of that caliber. The best part about Everton's rise to prominence (again! They are a club steeped in history) is that has occurred after the sale of Wayne Rooney to the Mancs. It seems there is life post-Shrek after all!

3) Will Boro's Stewart Downing emerge as an league and international force in his own right? Much praise has been bandied about over the past few years regarding the pedigree of Downing (pictured above, bottom) and how he should carve a guaranteed place for himself in the Three Lions' starting 11. But that enthusiasm for his early England performances has to be tempered by the fact that his ex-club manager -- the umbrella-toting Steve McClaren -- never ventured beyond the orthodox when it came to handing out caps. Where were the Matty Etheringtons, the Steve Sidwells, the James Milners when the rosters were announced? All such players enjoyed their purple patches, but Downing (who's undoubtedly a talented winger) always got the benefit of the doubt. It has to be said that Boro under gaffer Gareth Southgate always look to be a preseason favorite to be relegated, yet they always manage to scrape the 42 or so points necessary to stay up. Downing will have a big say in whether they do so again.