Celebrate Sialkot!

In amongst the excitement that awaits us this weekend, let's not forget the reason that we can get excited this weekend: the city of Sialkot.

Sialkot (Urdu/Punjabi: سیالکوٹ ) is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Pakistan at the feet of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. Formerly, Sialkot has been the winter-capital of the State of Kashmir. The city is about 125 km north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometres from Jammu. Its diverse population of 3,000,000 mainly consists of Punjabis with a significant number of migrant Kashmiris and Pashtuns.

But what is significant about this unheralded city, especially leading up to this weekend, is that it's major industry is making footballs. Yes folks, footballs. About 60% of footballs produced world wide are made in Sialkot.

Really, it's the first week of the English Premier League that I'm excited about, but for a while I did wonder where all those footballs were made.

Predictions
Manchester United to win the title again, through sheer intimidation if not skill.

Darren Bent to be the leading scorer.

Derby, Sunderland and Wigan to drop straight down to the Championship (it's a shame Lee McCulloch has left for Rangers. Absolute talent).

Thoughts
Tottenham's new signing Darren Bent joins Dimitri Berbatov and Jermaine Defoe, making Tottenham's strike force significant.

A host of players (Marlon Harewood, Carlos Tevez and the freaky looking Paul Konchesky) have left West Ham, but a host of new players (Freddie Ljungberg, Scott Parker, Craig Bellamy) have arrived. Lucas Neill is captain so that will get a few Aussies on the bandwagon.

Newcastle is another team with a much improved forward line - an injury free Michael Owen, Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins will cause some havok, with each complementing each other. Quality midfielder Joey Barton has also arrived from Manchester City.

Aston Villa's season goal will be to "win more games than we draw".

Liverpool have their best chance at catching Manchester United and Chelsea this season. A few quality arrivals, most notably Spaniard Fernando Torres.

Little to say about Blackburn except one of my favourite players, Benni McCarthy, is set for another massive season. Kiwi captain Ryan Nelson a solid centre back.

Mark Bresciano will make an impact when his transfer to Manchester City finally goes through. It will be good to see him on TV a bit more too.

The tiny Robbie Earnshaw returns to the Premier League, this time with Derby. Can destroy teams, but can suffer a lot from his size.

Bolton should never have let go of a defender I highly rate, Radhi Jaidi. Here's hoping Birmingham smash Bolton this season, however I do like Kevin Nolan as a tough nut leader.

So, cheers to a season of late nights, frustration at an under-performing Liverpool, misery at not having cable TV, joy at seeing my fantasy team dominate their league, and 89th minute goals meaning my tips score highly, and for 38 weeks of the best goals, saves and punch ons! *Cracks open a Carlsberg...gotta stay loyal to the brand pumping millions into my club!*

events here and there

So it's been a pretty busy week here in Forest Hill land.

My parents moved house on Monday. They moved to a little place north of Mansfield called Lima East. The house is pretty cool - 6 acres worth - and doesn't need much maintenance. They have been back and forth between the house since then, and are here for the weekend. But by the weekend of Australia Day they should be up in the country for good. Which means Leigh and I scored big time!

Anyway, I will update this blog a little further with details and photos of the move, the day I found gold (and a few other things) behind my bed in the clean up process, as well as our day of trawling the eastern suburbs op shops in hope of a decent lounge suite and some furniture. We did find something actually - $130 for a half decent lounge suite and some couches...Croydon Salvos all the way. Many photos and stories to come...

But in the meantime, Liverpool look like they will unfortunately be going without Lucas Neill now after West Ham offered him a $125,000 AU a week deal with an "escape" clause where he is free to leave should they be relegated. It's an enticing offer, and makes the situation more intriguing.

Given Neill is under contract, Rovers still hold all the cards and are free to deal with anyone.

This West Ham offer appears to be Neill's number 1 preference, however Blackburn look like they will push for a replacement defender to cover Neill. And this is where West Ham may fail, and where Liverpool hold their chance to sign him - The Reds have already have offered bench defender Stephen Warnock for Neill, and if West Ham can't produce a player for the Rovers, the deal will fall through and he'll end up at Anfield.

For my team's sake (and Australian football in general), I'd love to see him at Liverpool. However the Reds have played hard ball with Blackburn and their offer is realistically a joke. For Blackburn's sake I hope West Ham come up with a decent offer.

In other football news, one of my favourite EPL players Lee McCulloch has asked to move on from Wigan. It's a similar situation to Neill in that the player wants out and the deals coming forward are ridiculous and insulting. It is good to see a club like Wigan and a young manager like Paul Jewell standing up to powers like Rangers. £700,000 is way too small a price for a man who is regularly on the scoresheet and a Wigan stalwart since they promoted two seasons ago.

Liverpool v Chelsea tonight...looking like it'll be a cracker!

...!

Jose tipped to leave Blues
From Russie with love

Reports that current Chelsea coach, Jose "blank expression" Mourinho will be leaving the club, and his replacement could potentially be Guus Hiddink. Would be a massive blow to any other club around the world, not the least Australia and Russia.

Here's hoping Guus doesn't move to Chelsea. If anyone could put Guus' grand plans into action, it's the technically sound Chelsea, but the rest of the world need his help to break even.