That Sergio Aguero moment

Sergio Aguero is the talk of the Premier League after a stunning cameo appearance in the second half of Manchester City's opening game of the season.

Aguero announced his arrival with a brace and a brilliant piece of athleticism which contributed to a goal for David Silva, as City broke newly promoted Swansea City's resistance at Eastlands.

Aguero's athleticism earns a goal for teammate Silva

Dubbed by new boss, Roberto Mancini as a 'carbon copy' of Romario, Aguero comes with that low centre of gravity seemingly fitted as standard in posher South American models. £35m well spent and any doubters as to City's title credentials are silenced now. In fact, Aguero could propel them above the dismissive mantle of "noisy neighbours", shrugged by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Before the final whistle, I was even tweet-speculating the Argentine could win both Player Of The Year gongs.

Because now Mancini has an embarrassment of striking riches at his right hand: Dzeko, Balotelli and if he can sort his life out, Tevez. Watching his countrymen out there can't possibly have left Tevez unaffected.

Aguero's second goal was so technically special, Sky's brand new pundit Gary Neville claimed he didn't know how he'd done it! A fierce looping shot with downward force that thumped into the bottom corner like a shot grouse.

But it was chasing a lost cause after lobbing the Swansea keeper that marks him out. Most would've let the ball loop out for a goal kick convinced they'd overhit it, content to get a ripple of applause from the crowd in running back to halfway.

Not Aguero, who kicked it over his head and back into contention for Silva to expertly half volley into the gaping goal.

Damian Comolli is charged with Liverpool's transfer policy. Anfield's Director of Football usually buys English. They're expensive. £35m was splashed on Andy Carroll. They're not even in the same ballpark.

Aguero is set to join the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Henry and Zola as one of the all-time great Premier League imports, and he's only played 40 minutes. Hyping him up too much? Don't think so.

Football's forgotten it's in the "selling dreams" business

So the new Premier League season's a matter of days away and while collecting some thoughts on the title race, it's dawned on me that even the most casual observer could probably set out a league table resembling the reality of next May.

It's so predictable, isn't it? For anyone but three teams, winning the league is beyond dreams and for the rest, ambition falls into narrow categories of finishing higher than before, being top in October, not being relegated - or going on a cup run.

Even the Community Shield steeplechase presented a microcosm of the season ahead. Bold, big-spending Manchester City raced into a two-nil half-time lead against Manchester United, before succumbing to the Champions in a shocking case of believing their own hype before the game had finished.

And so the usual protagonists will be "there or thereabouts come the end of the season", leaving the rest of us to delude ourselves about how we might've challenged "higher up".

It's just business, right? a kind of new commercial warfare. If you're up against the likes of Fergie, Abramovich and Abu Dhabi Babby, there are significant barriers to entry. It's about the money. honey.

Roberto Mankini

And if football is only a business, then let me cloak this in terms a businessperson might understand:

There's a conflict of interest with your customer-base.

As fans, we believe in dreams.... and it's just not good enough to present football as a "lifestyle choice". Who wants to traipse around the country watching your plucky team draw and finish 9th?

Because if football is just a lifestyle choice, then people will begin choosing other things to do. Football had better watch its back.

Meanwhile as if to prove my point about predictability, see how close this is to the final reckoning at the end of the season:



You need shades in Smethwick, Roy.



1. Manchester United

2. Chelsea

3. Manchester City

4. Arsenal

5. Liverpool

6. Tottenham Hotspur

7. Aston Villa

8. Fulham

Bloody 'ell

9. Everton

10. Stoke City

11. Ravioli

12. Chunky Chips

13. Blah Blah

Fergie says: "Leave your predictions in the Comments Section below".

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Modric transfer saga pivotal to more than Tottenham

Modric wants out. Spurs say no.

As Daniel Levy plays poker with Chelsea rejecting offer after offer for Luka Modric, something bigger is going in football.

I can only match the drama of Harry Redknapp's contention; "If Modric leaves, it'll all be over for Tottenham. Because if he goes, Bale, van der Vaart and the others will too."

But if Spurs do succeed in keeping the little Croatian, they'll stay this side of the wire as a "big club" and strike a blow for the aspirations of lesser teams up and down the land.

However, if Modric goes, Tottenham will join the wastelands of the also-rans at Newcastle United, Everton and dare I say it, Aston Villa, who've sold their two best players to Liverpool and Manchester United. (I can't utter their names I'm so disappointed. I'm Down but I'm still Young).

Modric doesn't come out of this with much credit. Happy to put pen to paper for six-years only fourteen months ago, his stock's risen suddenly after half a good season. Now he wants to cash in and join Chelsea. He rather resembles just another greedy footballer. Couldn't he achieve great silverware at White Hart Lane? He's hardly a rat leaving a sinking ship, is he?

So an impasse has arisen: Redknapp is happy to back Spurs chairman Levy's resolve not to sell one of his best players.

It was pivotal to Arsenal after selling Gael Clichy to Manchester City that Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri stayed too. After their terrible slide into late season ignominy, a landslide threated to engulf The Emirates. But as the summer progresses, the Gunners may launch into the season relatively unscathed - even if Barca are like a dog with a bone.

Noel should be brought in to break the deadlock.

Daniel Levy is a brilliant negotiator, a skilled seller of his top players. Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov were sold for £19m and £33m respectively - fantastic sums for both at the time and he may just be exercising brinkmanship as usual to get another phenomenal price for Modric - but it's for bigger stakes this time.

Since Berba and Carrick left, Tottenham have shown they've got Champions League credentials. But if they're to eat at the top table with Chelsea, they must keep Modric.

And their resolve should send a stern message to the boardrooms at Goodison, Villa Park and even The Emirates.

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Tevez link with Corinthians shows Joorabchian still "owns" him

I thought football had rid itself of the scourge of players shackled to economic rights ownership.


Tevez, Pardew, Mascherano.

Evidently not.

As Carlos Tevez seeks to leave the Premier League to be nearer his daughters, it seems Corinthians are launching a £35m bid to bring the Argentine (near) home.

Brazilian football's just signed a huge TV deal, taking it to another financial level. Reminiscent of the Sky TV revolution here twenty years ago, Brazil didn't have that fiscal might before. When Corinthians signed Tevez and Javier Mashcerano from Argentina first time round, it involved unprecedented fees for the Brazilian game. Then the pair joined West Ham United, which was even more unlikely - a switch which landed the Hammers right in it with Sheffield United and the Premier League.

It smells a bit to me like Kia and the gang are ready to take "ownership" of Tevez again - and loan him to the Brazilian outfit.

With the tabloid headlines screeching a £35m transfer fee, it's a normal deal on the surface only.

City's unlimited ambitions aren't enough!

When Manchester City bought Carlito from Manchester United, City's billionaire owners had to shell out £47m, not to United but to Kia Joorabchian and his consortium. That was to buy out all claims on the players future earnings.

Tevez's track record suggests he's a mercenary with little desire to pledge loyalty to anyone or anything. His private and professional life show it - and his connection with Joorabchian's never quite been broken. But middle men who own portions of his future earnings don't suit the more mature European game, held to ransom as it is by agents already.

Though Tevez is a good player, both City and the Premier League are better off without the baggage he brings here.

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