Managers make the difference in the Premier League (page 2 of 2)

After the Swede's disastrous mismanagement of England's 2006 World Cup campaign there were plenty in England who would have classified Sven as an undesirable alien and not let him enter the country ever again.

But, to be fair, Eriksson does have a good club management record - particularly at Lazio where he won Serie A in 2000. At the Italian club Sven had almost unlimited financial backing from the notorious business man Sergio Cragnotti and now he is in league with the no less controversial Thaksin Shinawatra.

Expect a lively season on and off the pitch at City - it won't be dull even though Sven's cool demeanor is unlikely to create much passion.

Ferguson, Mourinho, Benítez and Wenger - the ones to beat

Along with Alex Ferguson, it is Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benítez and Arsene Wenger who are again the managers to watch when looking for the likely trophy winners.

Whilst there are talented managers at lesser clubs (Coppell at Reading, Roy Keane at Sunderland, Mark Hughes at Blackburn), it is when you get the combination of a big well-funded club and an astute manager that consistently good results start to happen.

But if we are to go beyond the big four of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal then it may be to Newcastle United that we should look. Sam Allardyce is a deceptively clever manager and Newcastle has never lacked ambition - they are a big club with fanatical support.

Whether the new ownership of the club can find the resources and whether Allardyce (the sixth manager in as many years) will be given time to succeed remains to be seen. But an opening away win at Allardyce's previous club Bolton Wanderers was a good start

'Football is a simple game, complicated by fools'

Allardyce would no doubt subscribe to the great Bill Shankly's view that "Football is a simple game, complicated by fools." Whether he can convert that philosophy into a top four finish (or better) we shall see, but you can be sure that by the end of the season the winner will be the club that has been managed just that bit more smartly than the others.

There may be some fireworks along the way and some spats like the Mourinho/Ferguson stand off last year. But it will be the manager who keeps it as simple as possible for as long as possible who is likely to win.