Former EPL Champions
92/93 Manchester United
93/94 Manchester United
94/95 Blackburn Rovers
95/96 Manchester United
96/97 Manchester United
97/98 Arsenal
98/99 Manchester United
99/00 Manchester United
00/01 Manchester United
01/02 Arsenal
02/03 Manchester United
03/04 Arsenal
04/05 Chelsea
05/06 Chelsea
06/07 Manchester United
07/08 Manchester United
08/09 Manchester United
09/10 Chelsea

Holders
Premier League: Chelsea
FA Cup: Chelsea
League Cup: Manchester United
Charity Shield: Chelsea

European Entries

Champions League
Chelsea
Manchester United
Arsenal
Tottenham

Europa League
Man City
Villa
Liverpool

EPL 20010/11 team list
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United Stoke City, Sunderland, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwhich Albion, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Joe Cole to Liverpool

He isn't half the player he used to be, but still a decent enough signing.

I know it was only a preseason friendly and that it was almost entirely the reserve squad but I feel it is not inappropriate to mock Chelsea today.

FT Wycombe 5-1 Chelsea.

Hah.

No goalkeepers in their squad?

MONTREAL -- A Canadian-based Syrian businessman leading a consortium to buy the storied Liverpool soccer team says he is looking to not only build the troubled club but the British city as well.

Yahya Kirdi, who was born in Syria but came to Canada eight years ago, told The Canadian Press he has ambitious plans if he takes over the Premier League club.

"I want to build Liverpool," he said Wednesday from his home near Montreal.

The economic impact for the port city best known for spawning the Beatles in the 1960s would likely be most strongly felt because of a proposed stadium that is a key part of the deal being negotiated by Kirdi and his group.

"I have a new plan which I have given (Liverpool co-owner) George Gillett," Kirdi said of the stadium.

"This one is not only a stadium but also a stadium and hotel, five star, and shopping centre."

The facility would also include a solarium to generate solar power, which would be provided to Liverpudlians.

He said he has already been in contact with French and Swiss companies that have built stadiums in the Middle East.

"Everybody who wants to come into Liverpool wants to take the money and go outside," Kirdi said, adding he wants to help the community.

Tom Hicks and former Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett Jr. put the soccer club on the auction block in April after being squeezed by banks over the team's debt of C$386.5 million (237 million pounds).

Kirdi was born in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo in 1966 and played soccer for hometown clubs Al-Itihad and Al-Oruba in the 1980s as well as the national youth team.

He represents a group of investors from the Middle East and Canada and says he has been trying to secure the deal for the last five months.

The consortium could face competition from Chinese investor Kenny Huang, chairman of the Hong Kong-based investment company QSL Sports, who issued a statement Wednesday expressing his interest in the club.

"Mr. Huang would like to emphasize that he has registered interest in investing in Liverpool FC but has made no formal bid," his Hong Kong representatives said.

Huang is co-chairman of both the National Basketball League of China and the Chinese Baseball League.

Martin Broughton, who was brought in as Liverpool chairman to oversee the sale process, said he hopes a buyer for the club can be found before the transfer window closes Aug. 31.

Kirdi announced in a statement Wednesday that his group is in "advanced negotiations" with Hicks and Gillett to buy them out.

"Agreement has been reached on all major terms including the purchase price, repayment of the existing bank debt from RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) and Wells Fargo and financing of a new stadium in Liverpool's Stanley Park," the statement said. "A formal purchase agreement between the parties is in the final stage of negotiation."

But according to the Guardian newspaper, Kirdi made similar claims earlier this year and had previously been dismissed as a serious bidder by the club.

Kirdi, who also oversees investments in Europe and North America, pledged to invest in the squad, which dropped from Premier League runner-up to seventh place last season -- denying them a spot in this season's Champions League.

"Liverpool is a massive football club with passionate and proud fans in Merseyside and in every part of the world," Kirdi said. "With additional money to improve the squad and financing in place to build the new stadium, LFC will be on a solid foundation to compete in the Premiership and in Europe for years to come."

He was reluctant to criticize the current owners in the interview, calling them "friends." But he allowed they may not have understood soccer that well, adding he believes it may have hurt that the owners weren't more involved.

"The owners, you have to follow the team every day," he said.

While Liverpool's Premier League campaign begins against Arsenal on Aug. 15, the five-time European champions host Rabotnicki on Thursday in the Europa League's third qualifying round, leading 2-0 from the first leg.

"I can only hope if the club changes hands it goes to a group of people who have the club's fortune and future at heart and that they will do the right thing by the club," Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson said. "If a new owner comes in it is very important he makes clear to the supporters of this club, a worldwide institution, that they are buying it for the right reasons."

Kirdi, who says he has worked as a senior consultant with AIG in the Middle East, is still active in soccer as a coach and has many contacts through his playing days and work with FIFA, the sport's governing board.

He declined to discuss many other personal details, particularly about his family, citing privacy, but he has been active on the business front, recently negotiating to buy six CRJ1000 aircraft from Bombardier.

The list price for each of the 100-passenger jets is $43.95 million.

Kirdi says his efforts to generate business is his way of giving back to his adopted country.

"I want to give something good for Canada, to return what they give me -- good health, good security. They give me everything."

He says he chose Canada because he felt at home here.

"I've visited all the world, believe me. North, south, Africa, Europe, the United States, Middle East -- I like Canada in general and Quebec especially.

"When my airplane arrived at the Montreal airport, I opened my heart because this is my country."

---

Martin O'Neill has resigned as Aston Villa manager with immediate effect.

Kevin MacDonald has been appointed caretaker boss while no reason has been given for O'Neill's decision to leave after four years in the job.

MacDonald will prepare the side for their Premier League opener against West Ham on Saturday.

O'Neill, appointed in 2006, said: "I have enjoyed my time at Aston Villa immensely. It's obviously a wrench to be leaving such a magnificent club."

O'Neill, who led Villa to their third successive sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last season and also to the final of the Carling Cup, added: "I would like to pay tribute to the Villa players, my coaching staff and the Villa supporters for all the support and encouragement they have given both the club and me personally during my time as manager.

"I wish them all the best for the future. I will obviously be assisting the club in the immediate short-term with regard to the handover of my duties."

WTF? Why? Where's he going?

I'm sure it's something to do with the transfer dealings. I can only but speculate though, I'm sure Kurt will have a more informed opinion when he comes on.

As far as I'm aware it's to do with Milner. From what it seems he named a price for Milner and didn't want to sell until that price was met. I'm assuming that due to the delay on the deal, we've decided to accept a lower price or something, which MON isn't pleased about.

Dark day indeed. Only manager in our entire history to improve our points tally for 4 straight seasons. All the best MON.

If Jol replaces him I'll be happy.

A few Villa fans are happy as they've never liked him. At least I'll be able to point out how stupid they are when we go backwards.

I imagine, Bob Bradley and Eriksson are in the frame for the job.

Bradley, fresh from leading the United States to the second round at the World Cup finals, is yet to commit his future to the national side.

He has been installed as the Bookies' favourite to replace O'Neill, who quit the club on Monday just five days before the start of the new season. With American Randy Lerner holding the purse strings at Villa Park, Bradley was immediately linked with the vacant post.

Sven-Goran Eriksson would also be interested in the job, according to sources close to the former England coach: "Of course, Sven would be interested in this job. He has always said that he would like to go back into the Premier League. It is a big target for him.''

Can't agree there Jack. Shorey and Sidwell were signed for small amounts, just squad players. Davies played alot a season ago, but dislocated his shoulder twice last season so hat to sit it out after sugery.

As for competing. Arsenal are always going to finish above us, they've a great manager. United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and City have all spent more in the MON era, so in theory we should be finishing 7th. MON has shown he buys well by finishing above 7th 3 straight seasons.

If Randy expected top 4 with being the 6th/7th biggest spenders since he took over, he's either in a dream world or an idiot. Martin was right to walk.

LOL the US Federation will not let bradley leave that easily. They will double his salary if need be. He's the first coach that the United States has created that is actually tactically adept and can win games. He's not some youth coach that got up through the ranks due to politics and that is why they won't let him go that easily. If he goes, they are in trouble.

I've never understood why the USSF doesn't just go out and hire a good European coach like other teams do. FFS, even England has a foreign coach, it's not a big deal.

The won't let him leave easily? I have no idea what the score was last night, but based on the US tv I watch the general idea was that if they lost to the Brazil reserves then he'd get the sack.

THere was talk on ESPN during the world cup that his contract might not be renewed and last night during the game, there was again talk that it might be his last game for the NT.

1) Prices. 500k for bradley vs 6-8m for capello.

2) North American Culture. Sad to say but very few european coaches would be able to just come to north america and start bringing success, culture is different.


3) People's mentality. They way players have grown through the systems, what they are taught and what they believe; they are all very different from european players.

I was at the international coaching conference in Philly in January and we had coaches come from all over the world to do demos and teach the coaches who attended their philosophies.

Anyways, there was a coach from dynamo Zagreb there. It took him an entire 20 min to get his group to even function and do what he wanted. and when they wouldn't listen he would flip out, something normal in europe. Players open up and work harder. Here, players close up and shut you out. They quit trying and just don't care.

Out of the 10k people who sat their and watched his 1.5 hour session, only 200 were left by the time the session ended. He was absolutely shocking.


Its easier for NA coaches to go to europe because we are taught both styles, while they are only taught their own.

1) Prices. 500k for bradley vs 6-8m for capello.

2) North American Culture. Sad to say but very few european coaches would be able to just come to north america and start bringing success, culture is different.


3) People's mentality. They way players have grown through the systems, what they are taught and what they believe; they are all very different from european players.

I was at the international coaching conference in Philly in January and we had coaches come from all over the world to do demos and teach the coaches who attended their philosophies.

Anyways, there was a coach from dynamo Zagreb there. It took him an entire 20 min to get his group to even function and do what he wanted. and when they wouldn't listen he would flip out, something normal in europe. Players open up and work harder. Here, players close up and shut you out. They quit trying and just don't care.

Out of the 10k people who sat their and watched his 1.5 hour session, only 200 were left by the time the session ended. He was absolutely shocking.


Its easier for NA coaches to go to europe because we are taught both styles, while they are only taught their own.

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But you never know, we'll see. Soccer has changed and the USA has gotten a whole lot better. Things might be different.