My football blogs have a great many followers, and my travels have revealed that my football views have been sorely missed since my last contribution last May 2012.

In late April, my wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, but I am pleased to say that after a challenging period of ongoing treatment, she is on the road to recovery. Thank you friends for your support, prayers and messages, it has been truly uplifting.

The fact that 2012 was such a fantastic year for sport helped make a difficult personal year a little less painful. European Football Championships, The Olympics and Paralympics, The Champions League, Wimbledon, The Ryder Cup, The Men's Tennis US Open, The golf US Open, the Tour de France, and the climax of the Football Premier League Title...I could go on! It's been amazing to tick off the landmarks through the year.


But, let's get down to the real business, the football. I'll leave the International stuff and Roy Hodgson for another day, let's talk Premier League:


When Chelsea lifted the Champions League, I immediately knew that Roman Abramovich was facing his worst nightmare. Robert Di Matteo was like many a son who craves affection without ever enjoying the words of reassurance and praise from his father. And so to that unforgettable scene last May in Munich where Di Matteo passes the main man, as he walks up to collect the trophy, is etched on my mind. He wags his finger defiantly at the Oligarch as if he has proved his point once and for all, and of course almost with tears in his eyes, and the whole world watching, Abramovich cannot disguise his joy at winning the prize he badly wanted! Fast forward to the Autumn of the current season, it was always a case of when and not if he would be fired. After all, Ambramovich is a playground bully, a rich one, but a bully just the same. This is after all HIS own personal version of 'Championship Manager,' and when he's had enough, that's it! Where does that leave Chelsea? It's a mess, one with a cabinet of trophies, but a mess. Only Blackburn Rovers can claim to be in a worst state! Then there's the whole Frank Lampard situation; no-one is saying anything, least of all the hierarchy, and what makes matters worse is the boy Frank keeps scoring goals. Not just any goals, decisive ones! Then there's Rafa Benitez, a man that the fans can't bring themselves to love despite his pedigree as a coach in elevated company. Is he in the job long-term or not? Even Benitez is talking in code at his interviews. It's a very strange way to carry on. Meanwhile the supposed target Pepe Guardiola is out in the States chilling out until HE decides he wants to return to a job, and even Abramovich has got to wait. I hope he publicly spurns Chelsea and announces ethically that he is becoming Lobby Host at McDonalds!!! Demba Ba could just save all their faces, he is so so hungry, so so sharp, so so brilliant. I hope that knee does become an issue...


The Premier League title will simply be staying in Manchester. Whether it is United or City depends for me on Roberto Mancini's nerve. He reminds me of Kevin Keegan, with his ultra sensitive nature, constantly mumbling his complaints to the media. To have any chance of beating Ferguson, he needs to stop giving chapter and verse to all and sundry and keep his rantings private. Sir Alex is equally volatile but has learned to keep his thunderous temper behind closed doors and uses the voracious media hacks to wind up his opponents with clever sound-bites. Keegan fell for it many years ago when he had an excellent Newcastle team and Mancini has a superior squad that can overhaul United, in my view. But, the whole club has to acquire the DNA of success that United enjoys. For me, it's as simple as that. Even the Harvard Business School have been tapping the great man for inspiration!


The chasing pack are an interesting bunch. Only one team stands out apart from Chelsea, and that's Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is everything that Mancini is not; he has his own philosophy, he protects his players, refuses to criticise his club in any wave, shape or form and concentrates on producing an effective unit that will hit the top four every season comfortably. If he retains the services and trust of Theo Walcott, in the form of a new contract, the cluster of English players including Jack Wilshere will grow as a unit in a similar fashion to Giggs, Beckham, Scholes and the Neville brothers at Manchester United. For me, there isn't a lot wrong with Arsenal, they just lack that ruthless goalscorer to partner Theo; but I think they will find him and then challenge for domestic trophies. Watching the way Manchester United bullied Liverpool this weekend is poignant reminder of the gargantuan task the Anfield club has to retrieve greatness. Daniel Sturridge already looks a great signing, he now needs to be consistent and then with Gerrard, and Suarez Liverpool put down significant markers. Brendon Rodgers needs to win a trophy to learn how to be a winning manager, once that's achieved he could gain great traction; provided that he truly knows how to surf the waves of big time pressure. I love his theories and philosophies, but success is about doing the nuts and bolts, and striding meaningfully up the table. Andreas Villas-Boas is another one who reminds me of many of my contemporaries at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Possesses a great mind that has analysed a great many processes, quotes and historical facts but can't gain the real affection of the punter with a simplistic desire to follow a winning team. I believe that Harry Redknapp gave Spurs a real chance but was too strong a character for Chairman Daniel Levy and his tightly held purse-strings. Watching artists such as Rafael van der Vaart and Luca Modric leaving London filled me with deep sadness, those two 'artful dodgers' could pickpocket stubborn defences and create sublime possibilities. I may be wrong but Tottenham, in that moment ceased to be a team possessing the sublime and subtle brilliance that could truly win marginal football matches against meaningful opposition teams.


At the other end of the table I am desperately sad to see that a team of the stature of Aston Villa is in the bottom three. Something is drastically wrong and needs to be addressed quickly. The thought of Aston Villa playing Leeds United in the Championship next season with both teams struggling below my team Middlesbrough in the table is a scenario that I never dreamed I would or could imagine. This now is a real possibility, Wigan will scratch out enough results to survive, Harry will attempt to graft or weave his magic at QPR but this time around I can only see a return to the Championship, Reading too are woefully short despite brimming with desire and spirit, and Southampton too; but they at least have the hard-bitten Ricky Lambert. Sunderland do have genuine quality throughout the team and, of course Martin O'Neil, Newcastle having lost Demba Ba are in danger of free-falling after their capitulation against Brighton in the F.A. Cup and a toothless display against a below par Norwich side. The Geordies deserve much better, but have been feasting for too long this season on inadequate fare. Alan Pardew like Rafa Benitez is a straightforward honest man but he is backed by invisible men upstairs, Mike Ashley and Derek Llambas are two people who need to address their hard-core fans and show some presence but I fear that back-bone isn't there. I'll say it again, the North East deserves better.

As I've been asked to do a wedding at Old Trafford at Easter, in the name of research, I'll be watching Ronaldo's return to the Theatre of Dreams in a Real Madrid shirt. Can United win that one? Probably, but I think that if they progress, they will be the only English team who do but I suspect that whilst they can manage the Premier League until Manchester City stop fluffing their lines, sell Balotelli or both, the squad still lacks enough depth. The Galacticos with the Special One are looking good for the Champions League. Don't put it past Mourinho to win it again and then become the manager in the Premier League next season, after a controversial win in Manchester! Where will he go? Now that's a good question!

The decorations are down, the phone is red hot with Wedding enquiries, the snow flurries are on their way, Pamela Anderson has disappeared back to USA after one episode of 'Dancing On Ice,' and I've done my first blog for 2013! It's all set for an exciting time for us football fans; hold tight folks, the twists and intrigues are only beginning.


Thanks for the jolt Nigel Ord-Smith...Happy New Year my friends.