Who Is First For The Sack

Well, the Premiership football season hasn't even started, not a single ball has been kicked and I'm already going to speculate on who will get the sack.

And there's two or three standout contenders this season to receive that not-so-wanted permanent vacation.

Glenn Roeder : Newcastle United Chairman Freddy Shepherd could be charitably described as demanding (unreasonable is probably more accurate though).

However, Newcastle don't seem to have brought in much in the way of players in the pre-season, Damien Duff excepted. The lack of a strong defence and no replacements for Shearer or Owen may mean Newcastle struggle.

The Geordies will underperform this season and I expect Roeder to be sacked at the end rather than the beginning of it, though.

Paul Jewell: Wigan out did themselves last season, but Jewell is showing himself to be a bit of an old-style, "defy-me-and-leave-or-never-play-again" type of manager. Not productive in modern football.

He could be the one.

Sir Alex Ferguson: A poor season last season and the season before. It's becoming habit forming at Old Trafford. Plus - because of the huge amount of debt Man Utd are in - the Glaziers will need a big season this year to bring in the revenue.

Trouble is, I don't think they'll get it. And, as businessmen, if their employees are not performing, they will be replaced.

Sod all this stuff about Ferguson's success rate over 15 years, he's had his chance. A poor start for United and it could be goodbye, Sir Alex.