Premier League: sink or swim?
In our on-going series of gazing into the Premier League crystal ball, we preview the four clubs that could retain their place -- Fulham, sunderland, Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers.
FULHAM
The 2007/2008 'Great Escape' will live long in the memories of Fulham fans as the West London club hung onto their Premier League status by the slenderest of margins.
Needing a win at Portsmouth on the final Saturday of the season, Roy Hodgson's charges pulled off a shock 1-0 victory at Fratton Park to send Birmingham and Reading spiralling down to the Championship.
Indeed, it was the former Switzerland boss who must take the majority of credit for their survival, as Hodgson led a renaissance in style at the club that saw the Cottagers ditch their long-ball tactics for a more intricate passing game. Clever signings were brought in during the January transfer window to save the team from relegation, but the Englishman will be under no illusions that more strengthening is required. Jimmy Bullard, absent for so long last season, pulls the strings in midfield yet may need a midfield general to let him work his magic.
New signing Zoltan Gera will take the burden of creativity off Bullard, and Icelandic defender Toni Kallio should bring some presence to the defence. The club are reportedly keen on acquiring the services of Dave Kitson from relegated Reading, and the ginger 'fox in the box' could temper their need for a 20- goals-a-season man.
Star player...
Jimmy Bullard
Jimmy Bullard is not called 'Roy of the Rovers' for nothing. And it's not because of his flowing blonde hair. Bullard, while at Wigan, quickly built himself a reputation of single-handedly changing the outcome of games. He helped the Latics get promoted in 2005 and played in the League Cup final the following year.
Eventually Fulham came in and triggered a paltry £2.5m release clause taking him to Craven Cottage, where he instantly settled and became a mainstay of the Cottagers midfield.
In 2006, the 29-year-old dislocated his knee cap and was ruled out for 18 months. His return at the tail end of last season sparked an upturn in Fulham's fortunes and saw Roy Hodgson's side survive on the last day of the season when a Bullard free-kick was met by Danny Murphy to retain their Premier League status.
Vital stats
- Founded: 1879
- Home: Craven Cottage
- Capacity: 30,500
- Nickname: The Cottagers
- Chairman: M Al Fayed
- Manager: Roy Hodgson
- Honours: 1st and 2nd Division winners, Intertoto Cup
- Best PL finish: 9th
SUNDERLAND
Survival was his main priority and the ex-Manchester United midfielder got his wish with only five games remaining courtesy off a 3-1 win at Fulham's Craven Cottage.
Niall Quinn, Keane's old Republic of Ireland team-mate, did bankroll their quest to remain in the Premier League, however, with the Irishman spending £44m (Dhs320m) on new blood in both the summer and January transfer windows.
The coach's credentials in the market came under attack, as he spent £6.5m on Micheal Chopra despite the striker being unproven at the top level. Kenwyne Jones, a £6m signing from Southampton, was one of his most astute signings, but the Trinidad and Tobago hitman is injured and not expected back until next year.
Keane has reportedly asked for £50m to build on last season's campaign and desperately needs a proven goalscorer, with Tottenham's Darren Bent being heavily linked. A midfield to create is also a necessity, as the Black Cats only managed 36 league goals last year.
More experience at the back would protect the impressive Craig Gordon, and Keane may use his connections to persuade Richard Dunne to join the already prominent Irish contingent at the club.
Star player...
Craig Gordon suffered a particularly worrying start to his Premier League career. Sat behind a Sunderland defence with more holes than a vagabond's vest, the Scottish stopper conceded 59 goals during the season. But it could have been far more were it not for Gordon's goalkeeping abilities.
The 25-year-old, who became the most expensive keeper in Britain when he moved to the Stadium of Light from Hearts for £9m, was in impervious form as Sunderland battled back from the brink of relegation to finish the year in 15th.
His athleticism is allied to his feline flexibilities and the young shot-stopper gives a frail defence some much-needed confidence.
He will be looking to improve more this year and knows, with Rangers' Allan McGregor shining up at Ibrox, he will need to keep on his toes if he is to retain his place as Scotland's number one.
Vital stats
- Founded: 1879
- Home: Stadium of Light
- Capacity: 49,000
- Nickname: The Black Cats
- Chairman: Niall Quinn
- Manager: Roy Keane
- Honours: Six 1st Division titles, 2 FA Cups
- Best PL finish: 7th
WIGAN ATHLETIC
The shrewd appointment of Steve Bruce followed and Wigan began to put results together, keeping the goals against tally down and watching as a rejuvenated Emile Heskey started to show the sort of form that prompted shouts for a call-up to the national side.
The ex-Birmingham City boss will be eager to bring in some new faces at the North England club, and Whelan has always made the cheque book accessible to all his previous employees.
Heskey needs a partner to play off him as Marcus Bent's loan spell has ended and the recent signing of Dutchman Daniel De Ridder from his old club will have surely been with that in mind.
Newcastle winger Charles N'Zogia is reportedly in their sights and Hendry Thomas, another Honduran, could join up with compatriot Wilson Palacios provided the midfielder doesn't move himself. A new pitch could be the best signing but teams still won't enjoy playing there.
Star player...
The Honduran made the headlines last year when his brother was kidnapped in his home country. Palacios, a tough tackling talented midfielder, was all set to join Birmingham last season after several impressive displays had then-boss Steve Bruce ready to whip out his chequebook. But when his brother Edwin was kidnapped in La Ceiba last October, the older brother stopped training.
Hence, as Bruce jumped ship to Wigan, Palacios was not available to be assessed by the Blues' new boss Alex McLeish. It all worked out in the end, however, as Edwin was released and Wilson instead joined Bruce at Wigan. Within six months he was stealing headlines with solid performances, so much so that at one point he was being tipped for a move to join league and European champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Vital stats
- Founded: 1932
- Home: JJB Stadium
- Capacity: 25,138
- Nickname: The Latics
- Chairman: Dave Whelan
- Honours: 2nd and 3rd Division winners
- Best PL finish: 10th
BOLTON WANDERERS
Despite losing Nicolas Anelka to Chelsea for £15m in January, the former Nottingham Forest and West Brom manager enhanced his reputation as Bolton climbed out of the relegation zone.
His achievements in keeping the unfashionable side up have been rewarded already this summer, with Swedish striker Johan Elmander joining for £10m from Toulouse and Birmingham's Fabrice Muamba adding to the Reebok ranks.
How much more remains in the coffers is open to debate. Senegalese bad-boy El Hadji Diouf has been crying out for a fresh challenge since midway through last season, so Megson may need another top frontman to play off his latest recruit.
Miguel Veloso, Sporting Lisbon's combative yet stylish midfielder, has been touted as the next possible signing but, with Arsenal, AC Milan and Tottenham all linked with the pony-tailed Portuguese, it's probably best to confine that to the realms of fantasy.
The Reebok Stadium needs to become a fortress again so Megson should stick to the Allardyce model of rough and tumble football, something that will have Arsenal's serial whinger Wenger at it again.
When Sam Allardyce stepped down as Bolton boss last summer, Kevin Nolan was tipped to make his much anticipated step-up to a bigger club. It never happened, and lucky for Bolton.
Sammy Lee took the club to the pits of the Premier League and it was only through Nolan's sheer determination and passion for the game – and for a while a certain sulky French striker's goals – that the Trotters escaped the relegation zone.
Nolan notched five goals on to his already impressive tally of 40 goals in 276 games and will be expected to lead by example again this term. Bolton clearly have to strengthen this summer, but so long as they keep a hold of their cool captain they won't require another hard-as-nails, take-no-prisoners midfielder – they will already have one.
Vital stats
- Founded: 1874
- Home: Reebok Stadium
- Capacity: 28,723
- Nickname: The Trotters
- Chairman: Phil Gartside
- Manager: Gary Megson
- Honours: 1st and 2nd Division winners, 4 FA Cups
- Best PL finish: 6th