Wheels are now in motion

Here we go, the summer transfer merry go round has started at Turf Moor. One out, three in.

First to happen was Kyle Lafferty heading north of the border. He left the club, inevitably, in a deal which smashes Burnley's record outgoing transfer. The Clarets accepted a bid from Rangers of £3.25m plus midfield/forward Alan Gow. Gow could not agree personal terms, and the transfer fee was subsequently raised. By how much, I am unsure.

The sale of Lafferty has opened the door for signings at Turf Moor.

First through the door was striker Martin Paterson from Scunthorpe United. The 21-year-old Northern Ireland international has signed for a fee which could potentially rise to £1.3m.

Next to sign on the dotted line at Turf Moor was 19-year-old Kevin McDonald. The midfielder signs from Dundee for a fee rising to 500,000. The teenager is tipped to have a very bright future in the game.

Finally, Peruvian goalkeeper Diego Penny is set to sign on Friday pending a work permit.

Loving Andre Arshavin

What a tournament Euro 2008 has been. What a joy the Russian side have been. What a fantastic player Arshavin is for the Russian's!

I'm not going to claim to have been a long term fan of the Russian forward. But while watching Zenit's progress in the UEFA Cup, I couldn't help but think how good this guy was.

Hopefully for Russia and for Euro 2008, Arshavin will continue to win our hearts.

Arshavin is tipped for a move to either La Liga or the Premiership this summer, so we will be seeing plenty more of this...

Spain for me, but don't rule out the Germans

The flag of St.George will not be flying high this summer, and the sound of the Great Escape will definitely not be heard. The nation is looking forward (are they?) to an England-less European Championships.

Like it or loathe it, Euro 2008 is here. On a positive note, one thing we don’t have around the corner is the inevitable penalty shoot-out loss in the knockout stages!


So, for those who can be bothered, what can we anticipate in Austria and Switzerland this summer?

Obviously there is going to be a phenomenal amount of talent on show. From the Premier League’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres to La Liga’s Thierry Henry and Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Two other players to watch out for could be France’s Karim Benzema and Holland’s Robin Van Persie.

We can certainly anticipate some twists and turns, particularly in the group of death; group C. Only two teams can progress from Holland, France and Italy in what can only be described as a nightmare group for the Romanians.

You can definitely expect the usual steel, grit and solidarity from the Germans. They may lack so called ‘stars’ in comparison to recent German sides, but come the latter stages they will still be there.

I find myself backing Spain, maybe that is because I am English? Like us, Spain so often flatter to deceive when it comes to the major tournaments. In Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Fabregas, Xavi, Torres and Villa they have a core of great players, and 2008 could be their golden generation.

The action gets underway on Saturday, when hosts Switzerland do battle with the Czech Republic. England or no England, it is sure to be a fantastic tournament.

What odds on Greece winning again!?