Manchester United will beat Barcelona

As we approach the Manchester United v Barcelona European Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday I have changed my mind. Hope that is ok. I thought Barca would win, could not at the time of knowing the finalists see another result. Well form, injuries and so on change. So Sir Alex and his squad will win at Wembley. Then the squad will get the acknowledgement it deserves! Fergie will find the best way to stop Lionel Messi. If it works United will win. I hope it lives up to its billing.

Carlo Ancelotti sacked as Chelsea manager

A few years ago I asked Ron Atkinson why he had been sacked as the Atletico Madrid manager after only three months. “Because we have slipped all the way down to second in La Liga!” was his reply. Last season Carlo Ancelotti did Chelsea’s first League and FA Cup double. This season he slipped all the way down to second in the Premier League and went out in the quarter-finals of the European Champions League. He was sacked within an hour of the final game at Everton. A bit like West Ham’s sudden sacking of Avram Grant in the room after their last game… no style! Working for Roman Abramovich brings a big lucrative contract but no long-time job prospects at Stamford Bridge. The Russian has bought some success – an enormous amount in fairness by Chelsea’s standards but he will never match Manchester United’s!

Birmingham City and Blackpool relegated from Premier League

Sad days for Birmingham and Blackpool who go back to the Championship, in Blackpool’s case straight back. Birmingham did not score enough goals, Blackpool conceded too many when scoring all the while themselves. Ian Holloway is safe as Blackpool’s manager. I hope I can say the same about Birmingham’s Alex McLeish who has done well in difficult circumstances. He also gave the club of course a memorable day out at Wembley beating Arsenal to win the Carling Cup final. But injuries took their toll.

Do what I say not what I do

Puzzled to see the Daily Telegraph’s Jonathan Liew write in the paper’s sports section that the TV commentary boxes “still a stubbornly male domain despite the fall-out from the Sky TV controversy.” He claims the UK is a country where more women watch football than Eastenders and claims that the fact that the game has produced not one regular TV commentator is a disgrace. So I looked through the several pages that the Daily Telegraph provide on football and guess what? I could not find one football report or column from the female sex! Perhaps Mr Liew could in lieu of this absence give his column over to a female. I am all for using females if they are good enough. I gave Sky’s presenter Sarah-Jane Mee her first on screen studio job and look how good she is. Gabby Logan, Sue Barker, Clare Balding and so on do great jobs. Commentating on football may or may not happen. It should be all about who is good enough for the job. The BBC have tried Jacquie Oakley but obviously do not think she is better yet than the male counter-parts.

Manchester City should not get carried away just yet!

Manchester City clinched the third and final automatic qualifying spot in next season’s European Champions League. Arsenal finished fourth and will have to play a qualifier to make the ECL proper but you would expect the Gunners to do that ok. Manchester City of course beat Stoke 1-0 in the FA Cup final… and now everyone is predicting that they are going to win much bigger things pretty quickly. Steady on, its still Manchester United and Chelsea up front, depending who Chelsea appoint as their new manager. Lets not get carried away yet!

Play-off prediction bang on apart from Accrington

My predictions for the outcome of the League play-offs were smack on apart from Stevenage beating Accrington. So its Swansea v Reading for the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Monday May 30 at 3pm… Huddersfield v Peterborough for the League One final on Sunday May 29 at Old Trafford at 3pm and Stevenage v Torquay for NPower League Two final on Saturday May 28 also at Old Trafford at 3pm… I take Swansea, Huddersfield and Torquay to be the winners.

Manchester United double for Barclays Premier Awards

Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United central defender Nemanja Vidic were voted Barclays Premier League Manager and Player of the Season respectively. I am a member of the voting Panel and these two certainly got my votes. There is a merit award voted for United’s retiring goalie Edwin Van der Sar.

League Managers Association awards tonight

Off to the London Hilton in Park Lane tonight as guest of the League Managers Association for their annual awards which include the Managers’ Manager of the Year. I would expect Sir Alex Ferguson to be voted their Manager of the Year. This is in my experience the best football awards night of the season. Former England Rugby Union international forward, the giant Martin Bayfield will again be the compere. He is extremely funny!

For more from Gary, go to www.garynewbon.com

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