2012/13 Premier League and Football League predictions

The new football season is just hours away

The dust has not even settled yet on the fantastic 2012 Olympic Games, but the football season is already upon us.

If the coming campaign is anywhere near as exciting and nail-biting as the last one, we are in for a treat.

Manchester City go into the Premier League season as defending champions and they are surely favourites to retain their title, although city neighbours United have strengthened well and Chelsea also look much-improved.

There are not any real relegation certainties this season, and that makes the campaign's relegation battle fascinating as half the Premier League's teams look to be of a similar standard.

I tried predicting the finishing positions of all 92 Football League teams last season and was woefully off the mark, but I'm going to have another go now. I can't be any further off the mark than last season, so here goes...

Premier League

1. Manchester United - Their frontline looks fierce after the capture of Robin van Persie, while Shinji Kagawa is an excellent signing in midfield. Sir Alex Ferguson will be more eager than ever to win back his title.

2. Manchester City - Roberto Mancini has been frustrated in the transfer market this summer but City have a fantastic team and will not be far off retaining their title.

3. Chelsea - Roberto Di Matteo is under incredible pressure to live up to the standards he set by winning the Champions League and FA Cup last season, but with new signings like Oscar and Eden Hazard, Chelsea should be much-improved in the league.

4. Arsenal - Robin van Persie's departure will leave a gaping hole in Arsene Wenger's team, but with new arrivals like Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, and the potential for more with the van Persie money, Arsenal should still be strong.

5. Tottenham Hotspur - Andre Villas-Boas will be eager to prove himself at Spurs after his nightmare at Chelsea, but Spurs have been greatly weakened since last season and face a huge task to replicate last year's fourth-placed finish.

6. Newcastle United - Last season's 'surprise package' have again been written off ahead of this campaign, but with players like Tim Krul, Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse, they should again trouble the 'bigger teams' and have a successful year.

7. Liverpool - Brendan Rodgers accepted a long-term challenge when he took over at Anfield in the off-season, and his first campaign at Liverpool could be one of slow growth rather than anything revolutionary.

8. Everton - David Moyes continues to get Everton punching above their weight and if they can have a strong start, a season similar to Newcastle's last year could ensue. Nikica Jelavic's goals will be crucial.

9. Southampton - Very ambitious under Nigel Adkins and should have similar success as Norwich and Swansea last season. If their swoop for Gaston Ramirez comes off, it should be exciting times on the south coast.

10. Queens Park Rangers - Last season's final day survival has given the club a new lease of life and they haven't been afraid to splash the cash this summer. Their squad looks far too big, but they have more than enough quality to be much-improved in this campaign.

11. Stoke City - The Potters don't have Europe to worry about this season and certainly shouldn't have any worries as far as relegation is concerned. A top-half finish should be the target.

12. Sunderland - Martin O'Neill has not strengthened his squad as much as he would have liked this summer, so Sunderland should not progress as much as he would want this year, but his presence alone should be enough to see them comfortably safe and a possible top-half team.

13. West Ham United - Sam Allardyce is under huge pressure to deliver at Upton Park this season, but Hammers fans should accept that for one season, at least, survival will be a successful campaign.

14. Fulham - The Cottagers have lost key players Danny Murphy, Andy Johnson and Pavel Pogrebnyak so far this summer, while Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele could follow, so Martin Jol could be in for a frustrating season at Craven Cottage which could result in a relegation battle.

15. Aston Villa - Paul Lambert should have a galvanising effect at Villa Park but it is difficult to predict where Villa will finish this season as the squad is not too different to the one led by Alex McLeish last year.

16. Reading - Brian McDermott has brought in some quality players at Reading this summer and they should have a strong start to the season. If they can maintain that, like so many other promoted clubs have failed to do, they should comfortably survive.

17. Norwich City - Chris Hughton has his work cut out at Carrow Road as it will be almost impossible to follow the job Paul Lambert did there, but the former Birmingham and Newcastle boss has proved his worth over the last three seasons and could see them through a relegation battle.

18. Wigan Athletic - The Latics were a joy to watch at the end of last season as they played their way out of trouble, but they will again find it difficult this year, particularly if they lose star man Victor Moses to Chelsea.

19. West Bromwich Albion - Steve Clarke has taken over from Roy Hodgson at the Hawthorns and the mid-table security offered by Hodgson is something the Scot will be looking to replicate. The Baggies are about to find out just how much of a galvanising effect Hodgson had at the club.

20. Swansea City - Brendan Rodgers did an incredible job at the Liberty Stadium and was replaced by Michael Laudrup, who looks an astute appointment. However, with star players Joe Allen and Gylfi Sigurdsson now gone, and Scott Sinclair expected to follow, the Swans look set for an extremely difficult campaign.

Championship

1. Bolton Wanderers.
2. Leicester City.
3. Wolverhampton Wanderers.
4. Brighton and Hove Albion.
5. Leeds United.
6. Cardiff City.
7. Birmingham City.
8. Nottingham Forest.
9. Hull City.
10. Huddersfield Town.
11. Blackburn Rovers.
12. Middlesbrough.
13. Blackpool.
14. Burnley.
15. Watford.
16. Sheffield Wednesday.
17. Crystal Palace.
18. Peterborough United.
19. Ipswich Town.
20. Derby County.
21. Charlton Athletic.
22. Barnsley.
23. Millwall.
24. Bristol City.

League One

1. Sheffield United.
2. Preston North End.
3. Coventry City.
4. MK Dons.
5. Swindon Town.
6. Portsmouth.
7. Bournemouth.
8. Notts County.
9. Scunthorpe United.
10. Brentford.
11. Doncaster Rovers.
12. Carlisle United.
13. Crawley Town.
14. Colchester United.
15. Stevenage.
16. Tranmere Rovers.
17. Yeovil Town.
18. Crewe Alexandra.
19. Oldham Athletic.
20. Shrewsbury Town.
21. Hartlepool United.
22. Leyton Orient.
23. Walsall.
24. Bury.

League Two

1. Rotherham United.
2. Chesterfield.
3. Fleetwood Town.
4. Gillingham.
5. Bradford City.
6. Northampton Town.
7. Exeter City.
8. Bristol Rovers.
9. Plymouth Argyle.
10. Oxford United.
11. Southend United.
12. Wycombe Wanderers.
13. Torquay United.
14. Rochdale.
15. York City.
16. Cheltenham Town.
17. Port Vale.
18. Dagenham and Redbridge.
19. AFC Wimbledon.
20. Aldershot Town.
21. Accrington Stanley.
22. Morecambe
23. Barnet.
24. Burton Albion.

Conference

Promoted: Luton Town and Wrexham.

FA Cup: Arsenal.

League Cup: Chelsea.

Champions League: Real Madrid.

Europa League: Napoli.

Scottish Premier League: Celtic.

La Liga: Real Madrid.

Serie A: Juventus.

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich.

Ligue 1: Paris St-Germain.

London 2012: A brilliant, seamless and inspiring Olympic Games

The country celebrated after London was chosen as the 2012 Olympic host city

Wednesday 6 July, 2005. Do you remember where you were?

It was the day London was announced as the host city of the 2012 Olympic Games and marked the start of seven years of hope, anticipation and controversy.

I found out the news while at school after my usually-strict English teacher, Mrs Purvis, interrupted a lesson to let us all know.

Even then, as a 12-year-old, I realised what a momentous occasion was just a matter of years away.

The country celebrated but was then brought back down to earth the very next day with the horrific London bombings, which claimed the lives of 52 innocent people.

From then on, the general feeling about the Games fluctuated, but the initial wave of positivity ebbed away and was replaced with cynicism.

It seemed inevitable, though, that once the 2012 Games began, the smiles would return. They did, and then some.

The feelgood factor the Olympics have generated has been immeasurable and the only disappointment is that it is all over (although, of course, the Paralympics are yet to come).

It will be extremely hard to sum up the last couple of weeks succinctly, so I'm not even going to try. These Olympics deserve many more words than I am even able to deliver here.

The Games have gripped the country and all the pre-Olympics negativity about budgets, traffic and safety have now been emphatically swept away. Those who doubted London's ability to be a successful host city must now be feeling rather embarrassed.

The nation has been caught up in Olympic fever and is now about to suffer an almighty hangover.

The terrific opening and closing ceremonies were the perfect bookmarks to what was an almost perfect Games, which was characterised by iconic moments, incredible crowds and unbelievable performances.

An Olympic Games is always helped if the host nation enjoys success, and Great Britain certainly delivered when it mattered most.

29 Gold medals and 65 medals in all were surely beyond anyone's wildest dreams, and it was Team GB's success which provided the momentum which helped the Games thrive from start to finish.

Mo Farah and Usain Bolt will surely come to symbolise these Games, with both men leaving an indelible impression on their sport.

Farah's two Saturday golds - first in the 10,000m and then in the 5,000m - were staggeringly brilliant and the atmosphere he helped generate in the Olympic Stadium will surely live with all who were there, along with those of us unable to get a ticket and watching the BBC's excellent coverage at home.

Living rooms up and down the country surely came alive in the closing stages of both of Farah's victories, as he somehow found the strength and extra speed to kick on and leave his rivals trailing in his wake.

The impact of an Olympic gold medal on an athlete's life is sometimes exaggerated, but for Farah, his life will never be the same again.

He created history in London and will forever be immortal in British athletics, while a knighthood is surely just around the corner.

Farah's Mobot celebration - devised by James Corden and Clare Balding on TV programme A League Of Their Own - became one of the great images of the Games, along with his pose with Bolt on the podium in which each champion performed the other's celebration.

Farah and Bolt both performed each other's iconic celebration

That brings us neatly onto Bolt, who has transcended his sport with his achievements.

There is nobody quite like the Jamaican.

Bolt's pre-race antics are a joy to watch and while he clearly has a very high opinion of himself, that is certainly not a negative where he is concerned.

He has something of a cheeky charm and it seems certain that, in 40 or 50 years time, Bolt will be remembered as the best sprinter of all-time and a character which blazed a trail for his successors.

To win gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay for two Olympic Games in a row is extraordinary, and it is hard to see him attempting to defend those titles again in Rio in 2016.

The fact is, he doesn't need to. Even people who know nothing about sprinting know exactly who Usain Bolt is.

He is surely the most marketable, popular and recognisable face in the world of sport at the moment and his achievements in London are all the more impressive considering the pressure he was under to deliver and the doubts which cropped up on the eve of the Games.

He may have been beaten twice in the Jamaican trials by training partner Yohan Blake, but once the important business started, Bolt delivered.

He clearly has a steely determination which belies his relaxed and light-hearted image in the moments immediately before a race.

Blake deserves credit, too, as finishing second behind Bolt is almost like winning a gold medal in itself.

Blake will have his time, possibly in Rio 2016, but for now, Bolt dominates sprinting and, indeed, athletics.

Despite Bolt's breathtaking brilliance, the performance of the Games was arguably by the humble and soft-spoken Kenyan 800m champion, David Rudisha.

Rudisha's 800m world record was arguably the achievement of the Games

His world record-breaking performance in the 800m final was staggering and he was so much better than his competitors it was extraordinary.

Rudisha's feat at the front dragged the rest of the field with him as they all broke national records, personal records or season bests.

It would be fantastic to see some sort of fun run between Rudisha and Bolt, possibly at the 'neutral' distance of 400m, to further emphasise just how good the Kenyan is.

The moment of the game was surely 'Super Saturday', when Great Britain won three gold medals in the Olympic Stadium in less than an hour.

That was all started with Jessica Ennis' brilliant heptathlon win, and it says it all for the brilliance of these Olympic Games that her achievements have almost been overshadowed by other performances.

Ennis performed under the most intense pressure as seemingly everyone expected her to deliver a gold medal, and she obliterated the field to send the Olympic Stadium into a frenzy.

Greg Rutherford then unexpectedly added a gold medal in the men's long jump and the evening was capped off by Farah's dramatic 10,000m victory.

Great Olympic Games need iconic moments and this is one that will live with the country, and hopefully the world, forever.

Cycling delivered yet again for Team GB with nine medals, including seven golds, and legends of the sport Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton ended their Olympic careers in style.

Bradley Wiggins also cemented his legendary status with a victory in the time-trial, and a knighthood for him seems assured due to his seven Olympic medals - including four golds - and inspirational Tour de France victory.

Wiggins may now have a rival for his Sports Personality of the Year crown in Farah, but one thing is for sure - the winner will deserve it.

Cycling provided GB's first medal of the 2012 Olympics with Lizzie Armitstead in the women's road race, although there was disappointment for Mark Cavendish in the men's road race.

However, this was another glorious Games for British cycling, as the likes of Jason Kenny and Laura Trott offered a glimpse into the future by adding more golds to their collections.

The interest the country has had in these Olympic Games has surely surprised even Seb Coe, who did a fantastic job in delivering the showpiece to London and must have been incredibly proud to see everything come together.

After initial quibbles over empty seats - about which very little could be done as all available tickets were sold - the fantastic arenas were almost all full and vibrant, while even the weather played its part in making these Games special.

The passion this country has for sport was showcased around the world and the Games will surely go down as a resounding success.

British athletes seemed to thrive on their compatriots' successes, with the likes of Alistair Brownlee, Nicola Adams, Louis Smith, Max Whitlock (and the men's gymnastics team), Tom Daley, Christine Ohuruogu, Robbie Grabarz, Anthony Joshua, Luke Campbell, Peter Wilson, Ed McKeever and the rowers all doing their country proud by winning medals, many of them gold.

The brilliant Brownlee brothers delivered a gold and bronze medal in the men's triathlon

Ben Ainslie won his fourth Olympic gold medal to become the most successful Olympic sailor of all-time, while unexpected success was delivered from Team GB in the equestrian events.

There was also a gold for Jade Jones in taekwondo and medals for Gemma Gibbons and Karina Bryant in judo, while Rebecca Adlington added two more bronze medals in the pool and Michael Jamieson delivered a stunning silver.

Heck, even a British man won a singles tournament at Wimbledon! Andy Murray was brilliant and the victory could provide the platform for him to go on to deliver his potential in tennis' major tournaments.

Some things even the Olympic can't change, though - a British football team still lost a quarter-final on penalties.

The three big slogans surrounding these games have been 'Take the Stage', 'Our Greatest Team' and 'Inspire a Generation', and on all three counts, London 2012 has surely delivered.

David Bowie's classic song 'Heroes' was played whenever GB won a gold medal. It was played so often it would have been easy to grow tired of it, but 'Heroes' became the soundtrack of the Games as the country was caught up in the success of Team GB and the Olympics in general.

There were not too many disappointments for Team GB, although just three swimming medals suggests that sport still has much to improve on.

Cavendish endured a frustrating road race while Pendleton's two disqualifications were infuriating and injuries to Phillips Idowu and Paula Radcliffe robbed GB of two of its best performers, but all in all, these Games have surely gone better than anyone could have dreamt about.

Three Olympic legends - Bolt, Hoy and Michael Phelps - delivered and it was fantastic to see the latter, in particular, end his career on a high.

Phelps ended the Games with four gold medals and two silvers, to take his overall Olympic medal tally to 22, including 18 golds.

There were also great performances in the pool by Missy Franklin, Ye Shiwen and Ryan Lochte among others, while the father of Chad Le Clos, who beat Phelps to the 200m butterfly title, provided a great moment in his excitable interview with Clare Balding.

The inspirational Kath Grainger finally secured her first Olympics rowing gold medal after three silvers, while Nicola Adams became the first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal and GB's boxing team delivered.

On the track, Allyson Felix delivered with three gold medals, Sally Pearson took a breathtaking 100m hurdles gold and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce defended her 100m title.

There was world records on the track for Jamaica's star-studded 4x100m men's relay team, David Rudisha, USA's 4x100m women's relay team and a heap of world records went in cycling.

The brilliant volunteers really helped make the Games, and it was fantastic to see them get their due recognition in the closing ceremony speeches.

One of the few disgraces of these Games were the badminton doubles players who played deliberately to lose, but that was just one blot on one of the best Olympic Games in history.

It is to be hoped that the feelgood factor these Olympics have provided will lead to a surge in interest for many sports, including triathlon, gymnastics, women's football (and boxing), handball, judo, taekwondo and so many more, while many budding youngsters will surely be inspired by the likes of Farah and Ennis.

The BBC provided excellent coverage and more than contributed to the success of the Games with insightful analysis and superb presenting - hopefully Lawrenson, Keown, Hansen and co were taking notes.

Gary Lineker, Clare Balding, Sue Barker, Gabby Logan, Ian Thorpe, Michael Johnson, Chris Boardman, and the excitable duo of Denise Lewis and Colin Jackson all impressed, along with the likes of Steve Cram and Brendan Foster in the commentary box, who were excellent - particularly in Farah's two thrilling races.

The 2012 Olympics began with a superb opening ceremony and the iconic lighting of the flame, and ended with a night of celebration in the same place it all started.

Seven teenagers were given the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron

A lot was expected of London and, with the help of Lord Coe, the athletes, the volunteers, the fans and everyone connected with the Games, London delivered.

Rio has some act to follow in 2016. So do the next members of Team GB.

The 2012 Olympics have been a festival of great sport and it is hard to remember the last time the country felt so buoyant and upbeat.

If these Games do not inspire a generation, then surely nothing ever will.

From Farah to Bolt, Ennis to Rudisha, Brownlee to Brownlee, Phelps to Hoy, these Olympics have featured unbelievable performances, iconic moments and jaw-dropping host nation success.

The country needed a feelgood factor to return and these Olympic Games have provided it. The years of anticipation have been well and truly worth it.

If anyone can follow London, Rio can, but these Games will still be some act to follow.

Britain should be proud, London should be proud, we all should be proud - if there has been a better Olympic Games than this, it must have been one hell of a party.

London, you delivered emphatically and delivered a feast of sport we will never forget. Over to you, Rio.

Why Olympic football deserves more support

Juan Mata was among those devastated by Spain's early exit

In his programme notes for the football tournament at London 2012, Sebastian Coe gushes about the "wonderful" game of football and predicts the event will grip the nation.

However, having listened to the critics of Olympic football, it is clear to see not everyone is so happy to see the beautiful game included in the Games.

In all honesty, I was one of those critics.

I felt football, and other sports like tennis, had no place in the Olympics as the Games are clearly not the pinnacle for the competitors.

However, having attended a double-header of men's group stage action at St James' Park on Sunday, my views have changed.

I expected a near-empty stadium and a dead atmosphere for Japan vs Morocco and Spain vs Honduras, but I could not have been more wrong.

Around 26,500 seats were sold, so the stadium was only around half-full, but it seemed like a lot more were there.

Japan flags and banners were draped across St James' Park and the noise generated by their fans was tremendous.

There was also a pocket of Morocco supporters as well as fans of both Spain and Honduras, while supporters from across England also helped to create a special atmosphere.

I saw fans wearing many different shirts, including Huddersfield, Swindon, Reading and Middlesbrough, so clearly this tournament has caught the imagination more than some would have you believe.

On the pitch, there was an incredible amount of passion displayed.

Spain were dumped out of the tournament after a shock 1-0 loss to Honduras and then went on to berate the officials.

Players like Juan Mata, who has won the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and FA Cup, surrounded the referee and were booked as they realised their dream of an Olympic gold medal had drifted away.

Seven of Spain's star-studded team were booked and while this created some ugly scenes, it proved how much the competition meant to some of the sport's top names.

It was astonishing to see such passion and made me wonder why Great Britain hasn't embraced Olympic football in the same way as other countries.

It was a fantastic experience to watch these matches as a neutral in a fun, family atmosphere, and while it may have lacked the intensity of a Premier League game, it was still extremely entertaining.

The crowd were involved in both games.

In the Japan-Morocco clash, a group of Japanese fans with a drum made noise throughout the match, with one supporter even carrying a bed-sheet with the words "clap your hands" across the stadium to encourage locals to join in with the chanting.

Japan progressed to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Morocco

Most of the stadium seemed to be cheering on Spain in the second match, with cries of "Es-pan-a!" consistently heard, but Honduras managed to hold onto a lead given to them by Jerry Bengtson to knock the World and European champions out.

The Hondurans play-acted for much of the second half, but they had an endearing quality and by the end of the match, the "Es-pan-a!" chants had developed into "Hon-dur-as!".

We love an underdog in this country, of course, and it was fantastic to see the joy on the faces of the Honduras players after they realised the enormity of their achievement in beating a team including the likes of Mata, Jordi Alba, Iker Muniain, David de Gea and Javi Martinez.

Japan triumphed 1-0 in the other game to send their fans home happy, and it cost just £20 to buy a ticket to watch both matches.

Nobody would have been asking for their money back after a terrific day at St James' Park.

There were, predictably, some Mexican waves, and while they are usually a huge bugbear of mine, I still found myself joining in.

Looking across the rest of the competition, it was terrific to see Great Britain get their first win of the competition over the United Arab Emirates, with goals from Ryan Giggs, Scott Sinclair and Daniel Sturridge sealing a 3-1 win at Wembley.

Meanwhile, Brazil continue to dazzle with the likes of Neymar, Oscar and Pato, and medals appear to be there for the taking following the elimination of Spain.

Spain did everything but score against Honduras, with the woodwork hit three times and several last-gasp clearances saving the underdogs.

I have been to some huge games as a Newcastle United season ticket holder, including Champions League nights and massive matches under the floodlights, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the Olympic football experience.

I'm looking forward to seeing Brazil on Tyneside later in the week, while they look likely to return to St James' Park for a quarter-final, where a crowd of comfortably more than 40,000 is expected.

The stadium may have just been half-full on Sunday, but the whole experience proved why this country can host a World Cup.

England - or Great Britain in this case - is unique in that it can offer a home for all countries, as was proved in Newcastle with the presence of fans from all four countries, including a relatively small one like Honduras.

The status of the World Cup would ensure stadiums would be full, and judging by the quality of this Olympic double-header, the Olympics deserves similar recognition too.

It may not be the pinnacle of the sport, but it still means a lot.

The FA Cup is not the pinnacle of an English club's season, but that does not matter one bit to a supporter or player of the team which triumphs.

The same applies to Olympic football and the competition does not deserve to be looked down on in the way it has been.

It is the only sport at London 2012 which involves matches taking place across Great Britain, so for many it is the only sport they can attend this summer without spending too much money on travel.

So if you are one of the many Olympic football doubters, try and get yourself along to a game. You might just get a pleasant surprise.

Time for Newcastle's youngsters to make their breakthrough

Prospects like Sammy Ameobi and Haris Vuckic will be eager to make an impression in the next 12 months

There are a number of promising youngsters coming through at Newcastle United and next season should be a crucial one in their development.

A Europa League campaign ought to offer the likes of Haris Vuckic, Shane Ferguson, James Tavernier and Sammy Ameobi a route into the first-team as the fixture schedule is likely to be packed and manager Alan Pardew will need to utilise his squad.

The aforementioned players have shown promising glimpses in their limited first-team experiences so far, but they can't afford to waste the next year of their careers and must force their way into the reckoning.

Vuckic's talent has been obvious since the moment he moved to St James' Park from Slovenian outfit NK Domzale as a fresh-faced 16-year-old in 2009.

He made his debut later that year in the League Cup and immediately looked confident and it seemed inevitable he would swiftly become a Newcastle regular.

Vuckic can play in the centre of midfield or slightly further forward and at 6ft 3in he has a physical presence which should allow him to make an impact at a young age.

However, his career has been blighted by injuries since his initial early appearances for the Magpies and he now desperately needs a breakthrough season.

Vuckic has been incredibly unlucky. He missed most of his first season with knee and ankle injuries and dislocated his finger on his Premier League debut in August 2011 after impressing in pre-season.

That knock caused him to miss four months of first-team action, but he showed enough on his first Premier League start in December 2011 to highlight his potential.

Vuckic looked raw but West Brom struggled to handle him and he went close with a number of superb, ferocious long-range efforts.

He also impressed the season before in the Carling Cup against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal, so much so that the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea were said to be considering a move for him.

The Slovenian has been lauded as a wonderkid for three years now though and, at 19, he will be wanting to make an impact at St James' Park now.

Vuckic spent some time on loan at Cardiff last season but only played five times before returning to Newcastle, where he again struggled with injuries.

His career has been extremely stop-start but Newcastle could do with an exciting young player like him making the breakthrough ahead of what will be a testing campaign.

He will turn 20 in August so he still has time on his side, but if he is to realise his potential, the forthcoming season will be a crucial one for him.

As for Ferguson, he looks lightweight for the Premier League but has worked hard to gain strength and is clearly highly-rated by Pardew.

Ferguson will turn 21 before the start of the season

Again, he has been given chances in the League Cup and made a few cameo appearances in the league without ever establishing himself in the first-team squad.

A substitute performance against Stoke in the 2010/11 season, capped by a weaving run which almost resulted in a consolation goal for a Newcastle side that were well beaten at the Britannia Stadium, offered a lot of hope but Ferguson finds his route to the first-team blocked.

Jonas Gutierrez's industry makes him a crucial member of the team for Pardew and it is hard to see Ferguson displacing him soon.

The left-back slot may be a more realistic opportunity for Ferguson to fight his way in though, with Davide Santon a possible right-back should Danny Simpson leave.

Tavernier is yet to make an appearance in the league for Newcastle but loan spells at Gateshead, Carlisle, Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons have built up his experience and he looks ready to challenge for a place in the first-team squad next season.

He signed a new three-year deal at St James' Park earlier this week after speculation about his future, and Newcastle's lack of strength in depth in defence should give him some opportunities to prove his worth to Pardew in the next campaign.

Another youngster looking to have a big season will be Nile Ranger, who Newcastle have seemingly tried endlessly to get off their books.

Ranger is very raw but showed a lot of good signs in Newcastle's Championship-winning campaign, although his off-the-pitch scrapes seem to have scuppered his chances of success with the Magpies.

If he can somehow knuckle down and concentrate on his football, he has enough about him to revive his career and unlock his potential, but it will be up to him to prove to Pardew that he is a changed man.

Ranger's career has stalled over the last year

With fringe strikers Peter Lovenkrands and Leon Best leaving St James' Park this summer and the possibility of both Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse spending time at the African Cup of Nations next season, Ranger could earn himself a first-team chance.

There are plenty of others who will be looking for a big campaign, such as Dan Gosling, Sammy Ameobi and Mehdi Abeid, so Pardew has an array of youngsters at his disposal who offer great hope for the future.

Newcastle are always on the lookout for new talent, too, as the acquisition of Coventry's Gael Bigirimana and Frenchman Romain Amalfitano proved, so the talent currently at the club know they only have a limited time to prove their worth before someone else is brought in and placed ahead of them in the queue.

The Europa League campaign should be a blessing for those youngsters as Pardew is likely to give some a chance both in that competition, the League Cup and the league, but it is up to them to make an impact quickly or become forgotten men who have to ply their trade away from St James' Park, at least temporarily.

Newcastle haven't had a great track record of developing youngsters good enough for the Premier League, with Andy Carroll, Shola Ameobi and Steven Taylor the only real top flight players the club has produced recently, along with Tim Krul, who was signed late in his development.

For every Carroll or Taylor there has been a Tamas Kadar or Matty Pattison, but there is a growing belief there are a number of youngsters at the club ready to make an impact.

Newcastle's current batch of youngsters are extremely talented, but now is the time for them to shine.

The future for Newcastle looks bright regardless due to their successful transfer policy, but the young players already on their books need to make sure they are a part of it.

Who should Roy Hodgson turn to for England's Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign?

Roy Hodgson should concentrate on youth over the next two years

Roy Hodgson's attentions will now turn to the 2014 World Cup qualifiers following England's Euro 2012 elimination and it would not be a surprise to see some younger players given a chance.

Jack Wilshere will be a key player for Hodgson if he returns from long-term injury as good as he was before, and he could be England's answer to the likes of Andrea Pirlo in midfield.

Kyle Walker was unlucky to miss out on Euro 2012 through injury and will battle Glen Johnson hard for the right-back slot.

Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill were also ruled out of the tournament, while Phil Jones failed to feature despite being named in the squad, and those three will fight it out with John Terry and Joleon Lescott for the central defence places.

Terry's international future may depend on the outcome of his upcoming trial, but by 2014 he will be 33 so Hodgson may decide to invest in the future and make the brave decision to drop him for the qualifiers.

Ashley Cole looks certain to continue as left-back until 2014 while Joe Hart is an easy pick in goal, but Ashley Young and James Milner could find themselves under threat after poor tournaments.

Milner is likely to stay in Hodgson's plans due to his work-rate and versatility, but the future form of the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could put Young's place in doubt.

With Wilshere seemingly an automatic pick in the centre of midfield, Scott Parker may struggle to make future squads as he will be 33 in 2014.

Steven Gerrard will be 34 then and England are unlikely to go with two ageing midfielders for the World Cup, so Parker could find future opportunities limited.

Gerrard has once again proved his worth in this tournament and will be eager to have one last crack at the World Cup, so his place looks secure.

Gerrard was devastated by yesterday's defeat but has vowed to fight on as England skipper

Wayne Rooney struggled in his two appearances in Ukraine but he remains England's best player and is sure to retain his slot in the side.

Hodgson has plenty of striking options to partner him, but Danny Welbeck appears in pole position after impressing at the Euros.

Jermain Defoe is unlikely to make the squad for 2014 due to the emergence of the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Andy Carroll, while Darren Bent should be available for Hodgson's next squad after sitting out Euro 2012 with injury.

Adam Johnson is likely to have more of an international future than Stewart Downing, while Jordan Henderson and Micah Richards will also be in contention.

Young players who should be given a chance in the next two years include Tom Cleverley, Jack Rodwell and Kieran Gibbs, while Raheem Sterling, Jack Robinson, Ross Barkley, Nick Powell, Adam Lallana, Martin Kelly, Connor Wickham, Josh McEachran and Ryan Bertrand have the talent to make the breakthrough by 2014.

The international careers of Frank Lampard, Peter Crouch and Rio Ferdinand appear over as Hodgson needs to look to the future and concentrate on youth.

He will take the positives from Euro 2012 but if England are to progress any further than the quarter-finals in future tournaments, youngsters need to be blooded into the squad now.

That process has already been started with the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Welbeck and Jack Butland, but Hodgson should be eager to include more youngsters over the next couple of years.

Here is the squad I would like to see in 2014 (providing England qualify, of course):

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Jack Butland, Fraser Forster.

Defenders: Ashley Cole, Kyle Walker, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill, Kieran Gibbs, Micah Richards, Steven Caulker.

Midfielders: Steven Gerrard (c), Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Adam Johnson, Theo Walcott, Tom Cleverley, Nick Powell.

Strikers: Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll, Daniel Sturridge.

What does the future hold for England after Euro 2012 heartbreak?

Ashley Young and Ashley Cole missed crucial penalties as England crashed out of Euro 2012

Turin. London. St Etienne. Lisbon. Gelsenkirchen. Kiev.

The above list of cities sound like idyllic holiday destinations, but for England fans, they represent only one thing. Penalty agony.

In truth, Kiev should not have joined that list last night. Italy should have finished England off well before the referee called time on 120 goalless minutes.

Roy Hodgson's side offered very little going forward except for a decent spell in the first half and allowed Andrea Pirlo the space to dictate the game from midfield. They were poor and extremely fortunate to take the game to spot-kicks.

Last night's game proved England are nowhere near good enough to have a serious chance of winning a major tournament and that Hodgson has a lot of work to do in the next two years before the World Cup in Brazil.

However, he is sure to take the positives from England's experiences in Ukraine.

Going into the tournament, expectations were at an all-time low and Hodgson was only appointed manager in May, so to reach the quarter-finals was something of an achievement.

Many predicted England would crash out at the group stage but they showed a tremendous spirit to top Group D ahead of the much-fancied France, co-hosts Ukraine and England's traditional bogey team, Sweden.

Even in the group stage though, the signs were there that this England side was not good enough.

France monopolised possession in the opening match in Donetsk and perhaps deserved to win the game despite falling behind to a Joleon Lescott opener.

In the second game, England collapsed at the start of the second half against Sweden and a 1-0 lead became a 2-1 deficit, but Theo Walcott inspired them from the bench with a goal and an assist for Danny Welbeck's late winner.

Welbeck's winner against Sweden was one of the highlights of the tournament for England

Walcott's substitute performance against the Swedes was one of the high points of the tournament for England but he struggled to make an impact when called upon in other games.

England sneaked a win against Ukraine thanks to Wayne Rooney's header, but they weren't convincing and Rooney himself looked off the pace in his two appearances after returning from suspension.

Against Italy, England were fantastic defensively but couldn't get any sort of grip on possession and were comfortably second best.

Hodgson will return home devastated by the penalty heartache but buoyed by other aspects of England's play.

He will have to work on the possession side of the game, but defensively, England looked solid throughout the tournament barring the shaky 10 minutes against Sweden.

John Terry justified his selection with some fantastic displays while Lescott looked at home beside him.

Glen Johnson may not have been first-choice right-back had Kyle Walker been fit, but he had a good tournament both defensively and going forward.

Steven Gerrard inspired England from the centre of the park and will be in contention for the team of the tournament, while Danny Welbeck impressed in his first major international tournament.

Some players failed to impress, like Rooney, Ashley Young and James Milner, and Hodgson's thoughts will now turn towards the World Cup qualifiers which start in September.

The bulk of this side will remain in contention but it would not be a surprise to see some younger players given a chance.

Russia: Euro 2012 dark horses?

Roman Pavlyuchenko came off the bench to seal the win for Russia

In 2008, Russia lit up the European Championships with their attractive, attacking football.

They were the surprise package in Austria and Switzerland, and yesterday's terrific 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic suggests they may again be dark horses in 2012.

Apart from a 15 minute spell at the start of the second half, the Russians were dominant and their performance evoked memories of their run to the semi-finals in 2008.

It was a hugely impressive way to open the tournament and their form looks ominous for the other two teams in Group A, Poland and Greece.

The game between the co-hosts and the 2004 champions was enthralling and full of controversy, but as far as performances go, the Russians put them in the shade.

Andrey Arshavin was the inspiration behind the display of Dick Advocaat's side as he pulled the strings and looked back to his best.

Arshavin showed a desire - something severely lacking in his game over the last couple of seasons with Arsenal - and set up a number of fantastic chances for his team.

When he is on form, his performances look almost effortless and he certainly looks more comfortable in this Russia side than he ever did at Arsenal.

Gunners fans must have watched the game last night scratching their heads but perhaps it is his loan spell with Zenit St Petersburg which has given him the confidence to produce displays like this.

Alan Dzagoev scored two of Russia's four goals and looks a real prospect.

He has been widely touted as a star of the future over the last few years and looked dangerous throughout against the Czechs.

Dzagoev scored a brace to help get Russia off to the perfect start in Euro 2012

Dzagoev also showed an unerring finishing ability and looks set to be one of the players of the tournament if he continues in this vein of form.

Former Chelsea player Yuri Zhirkov also had an impressive game with consistent forays forward from left-back, but this was a real team display from a vibrant Russia.

The only real negative for them on the night was the form in front of goal of Aleksandr Kerzhakov.

He failed to record a shot on target from seven attempts despite a good all-round display.

Kerzhakov's movement was thrilling and that created a number of fantastic opportunities for himself, but it goes without saying he needs to sharpen up in front of goal if Russia are to be one of the tournament's dark horses.

Roman Pavlyuchenko came on for Kerzhakov and showed him how it is done with a thumping goal and an assist for Dzagoev, and his cameo may have earned him a starting spot for Russia's next game, against co-hosts Poland.

However, Kerzhakov did a lot of good in the game and shouldn't be judged solely on his poor time in front of goal, as his performance allowed the likes of Arshavin and Dzagoev to prosper and on another day, he could have had a hat-trick himself.

If Kerzhakov's finishing had been better, it is quite possible Russia could have scored seven or eight, but Advocaat won't be complaining.

Advocaat couldn't have wished for a better start to the tournament from his Russia side

The 4-1 win allows Russia to ease their way into the tournament and they should now have very little trouble qualifying from Group A, probably as group winners.

That would give them a likely quarter-final against Germany, Holland or Portugal, but with Russia in this form, they are capable of beating most teams.

They are certainly potential semi-finalists at least and they beat Holland to reach that stage in 2008, so should feel confident of a similar outcome this year.

It will be interesting to see how they cope against better attacking sides though, as the Czechs didn't offer much going forward and struggled to get Tomas Rosicky into the game.

Russia won't be able to afford to switch off for a period of the game like they did yesterday and will certainly need their striker to take the kind of opportunities Kerzhakov passed up, but this is a superb start for them and gives them a great platform to progress in the tournament.

As was earlier mentioned, Russia shouldn't have any problems making it out of the group so they can build up confidence in their three group games before taking on one of the big guns.

The likes of Germany, Holland and Portugal don't have that luxury and will have to play three high intensity games before their quarter-final, whereas Russia should head into that game full of confidence and still with plenty of energy in the tank.

It would be great to see Russia become a contender to win the Championships and on this performance it isn't impossible.

With Arshavin and Dzagoev in this form, Russia will be feared and look set to be one of the dark horses.

Technically, they are excellent. It is going to take a fine team to beat them.