If I were to hazard a guess, I would suggest the majority of RamZone readers are battlers. People that toil hard for upwards of 38 hours per week in order to earn enough cash to pay the bills and a splurge every now and then. I too am one of those people.

So it is mind boggling to hear stories of footballers getting transferred for a fee that is more money than I will earn even if i were to work for a hundred years after i expire. It seems even stranger that clubs can go on spending sprees that are astronomical in their fiscal nature. Damn it, aren’t we in a GFC (global financial crisis for those who struggle with acronyms)??

As a Liverpool fan I am not immune to cheering on the exploits of a high-priced signing (thanks Fernando) but they are usually one-off in nature. To read about the off-season spending of Man City and Real Madrid, I can’t help but shake my head at the figures involved.

Just sit back and think what you could do with the 200 million pounds Real have splashed out to buy the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso etc. It seems like the oil-wealthy owners have decided to play the ultimate player selection game, no longer will you need to just imagine how well a team would perform with a fantasy team including Adebayor, Tevez, Robinho etc.

So as the countdown to the Premier League and Primera Liga seasons begins this weekend and (I note the Championship has commenced – Go Rams!) the question is…what rewards will the spending reap? Real Madrid have endured a lean couple of seasons and no doubt the fans at the Bernabeu, as proud as they are, demanded action to be taken.

Heck, I feel like sending Real footage of my goal-scoring ways at indoor football and attempting to pass myself off as a Brazilian named Benaldo, an overweight genius who finds the net with regular ease. It’s a bold prediction but despite them missing me from their forward line, I think nabbing quality players from other European giants suggests they are in for a big season. I think they will win with Barca maybe seven points behind.

Man U is a different story, they may sneak into the top four (perhaps at the expense of Arsenal) but can they win the big prize again? The answer is… probably not.

Despite being a red-eyed Liverpool fan, I don’t think it’s out of the equation to suggest this is their year. The Pool were so close last year, and despite losing Xabi (still can’t believe it) have covered him well and strengthened the backline.

Arsenal losing Adebayor is a big loss although Arshevin looks to be a gun who will shoot them to many a victory. While it will shock nobody to suggest Man U mightl struggle a bit without Tevez, Ronaldo’s free kicks and dives to give them an extra 30-odd goals plus Rooney is bound to find an injury or suspension here and there.

That leaves Chelsea who finished third last year, haven’t bought a lot and only beat Man U on penalties in the Community Shield. The facts don’t scream of a team that have improved enough to win this year.

It’s probably perfect timing for Man City to splurge as they assemble a super team in a time when their opponents have perhaps reached their peak or beginning to decline. But it will take a phenomenal effort over the course of the next nine months for them to go any way to repaying the mammoth investment by Sheik Cashedup Bigtime Canihavesome.

Finally there is the Championship and the teams that will be fighting it out and hoping to scramble their way back into the top flight. Most of you reading this article will be hoping the son of a club legend can rally your beloved Rams for a charge on the promised land.

The once mighty Derby County may take a season or two of rebuilding and spending wisely to be genuine contenders especially up against teams with big things expected of them. The likes of Newcastle and West Brom will be favoured to do well but early signs are that young Nigel may just have what it takes to surprise a few teams over the journey.

If nothing else being the underdog can often prove to be an advantage and perhaps the Rams can be this seasons wolf in Rams clothing.

Only time will tell.

Ben Walker is a Deputy Chief Of Staff and former Sports Editor for Rural Press in Australia. A keen Liverpool supporter and Derby County sympathizer who has long dreamed of writing for RamZone.

'The State Of Play' is a new regular column that invites guest writers to give their opinions and thoughts on any aspect of Football.

If you would like to be one of our guest columnists please contact the editor of RamZone via danj.ramzone@bigpond.com

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