The summer madness has started and it is only a matter of time before we are embroiled in trying to keep our best players.

Real Madrid are about to embark on €200 million transfer frenzy and the likes of Manchester City, Barcelona and Chelsea will not be far behind. Manchester United and Liverpool will splash out the customary £50 million on players.

While the summer months toil away and the transfer rumors get even more boring (or exciting if you're a Football Manager fan), football fans around the world start to get excited for their club's upcoming season. Will your club succeed? Will they fail? Will your star player remain healthy? Who will Joey Barton hit next?

Atlético Club San Martín (a.k.a. San Martín de Mendoza) is a football (soccer) club from San Martín in Mendoza Province, Argentina. They currently play in Zone C of the Torneo Argentino B, which is the regionalised fourth tier of the Argentine Football Association league system. Clearly inspired by the big boys of Argentine football using models [.

1. Jozy Altidore (left) -- Big news for the young striker is that some EPL teams are interested. In fact, Fulham and Hull might have to battle over his services. Word is he's valued around $11 million. Not bad.
2. Freddy Adu (center) -- Word is Benfica, which got busted and fined some $57K for lying recently, has no intention of playing the youngster.

'Tis the season to lay down the law, so big boys UEFA and bigger boys Belgian FA have laid down some serious justice in the wake of some serious crimes. Have you heard about the Eduardo dive? No? Congratulations on waking up from that coma today, then. It's becoming nauseating, so while appeals will surely be [.

So the big boys have joined the rest of England's many, and are now starting their quest for the country's second most important domestic cup competition trophy. The League Cup is still considered by many teams as a viable competition. Its allure is also improved by the fact that it hands the winners a passport to [.

Earlier this week, Planet Football opened its doors to the circus that is the transfer window.

From now until the end of August, the ring master, in the guise of Manchester City and Real Madrid, will be orchestrating the greatest show of them all.

There is no price is too dear for the big boys to pay anymore, while back in the real world, regular people face the threat of redundancy and trying to work out where the next pay cheque is coming from.

As a continent with such a wealth of excellent footballing nations there will, inevitably, be a few so-called 'big boys' from Europe who don't make the final tournament in South Africa in 2010. One nation that is in very real danger of being such a casualty is Portugal. They may not be the most decorated or respected side in Europe but they made it through to the semi-final stage of the last tournament in 2006 and have some talented players amongst their ranks, not least Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

I'm back - again. Who knows for how long this time.

What did I miss? Apparently, quite a bit.

First, hats off to the USA! USA! USA! for defeating Valencia CF Lite 2-0 in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup.

The American VCF fans here can attest to how little respect US soccer ball gets around the world and in particular, in the USA.

Chelsea's big boys get the picture.
Manchester United's dudes get the video.
If I could just swap lives with an international soccer star for just one day (and one paycheck).

Top 5 teams in the English Premier League Table: Chelsea, ManU, Liverpool, Man City, Aston Villa. Sounds familiar right? It seems the few surprises that we got in the start of the season, were just that, surprises.
This weeks most impressing win was took by Arsenal, after 2 weaker games, team resumed to their level and took 4-0 over Wigan.

Middlesbrough

Current Position: 18th, 7-10-16 (31 points, -22 goal differential)

Away Form: 2-2-12

Recent Form: DLLWD

Last Meeting: Boro 1-Arsenal 1 (12/13/08)

Boro visit the Emirates tomorrow.

With the Premier League over for another season. Here are some of the things I noticed from the 08/09 campaign:

Like a bat out of Hull

Hull City were everyone's favorite to go straight back down this season. They seemed like a sweet little feel good story, content to have their moment in the big leagues before quickly sinking back to lower level obscurity where they could be patronized by football and non-football people alike for sounding like a thoroughly dull and uninspiring place to live.

Care to buy a vowel? Here's the good stuff o' the day:

• Is Manchester United going to swoop in for David Villa?
  
• He's not the only Liga star the Red Devils covet, how about Barca CK Victor Valdes?
  
• Inter Milan have placed a ridiculous price tag on Zlatan.
  
• Jose Mourinho's club is also admittedly interested in Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.

They Think It's All Over... looks into the demise of Setanta Sports and suggests that their failure to compete with the big boys of football broadcasting could be a bad omen for Manchester City fans and a sad reflection on football as a whole.

The United States came oh so close to bagging their first FIFA trophy yesterday at Ellis Park. Mexico, meanwhile was busy continuing its neverending saga of who wants to score.
Some thoughts about both.
The US (to use a football term) punched Brazil in the mouth and had them down on the ground with foot firmly on throat after Donovan's ruthless finish.

Ouch.
What else can you say about that second half yesterday?
It's disappointing any time you lose to your rival 5-0. However, when it's the reserves from both teams playing, it's not quite as bad. It doesn't hurt as much.
It's disappointing to lose in a final 5-0. However, when it's the final of a tournament that is lacking in meaning (no Confederations Cup slot, reserves playing, etc.

Yes, we've been linked with yet another centre back!

BREDE HANGELAND has been offered £50,000 a week to keep him out of the clutches of the Premier League big boys.

Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City and Aston Villa who are all desperate to sign central defenders have expressed interest in the Fulham star.

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been writing about the ongoing saga of Syaed Ali. It's a lurid tale of media manipulation, defamation, underhanded political campaigning, incompetence, corporate shenanigans and most importantly, possible government malfeasance.

When Syaed Ali first began speaking to the media, we took his story at face value.

I can't deny it. I hate Chelsea. I hate John Terry, I hate Frank Lampard and I even hate Chelsea from Eastenders. In truth? Chelsea make me sick.
I guess people will say I'm just jealous. Well I'm not. It's obvious that Chelsea have had more success than Arsenal in recent times. Of course I don't like that.

The USSF can be pretty depressing. While certain problems are to be expected due to the relative youth and lack of resources of US Soccer, others are just baffling. My biggest complaint of all is the inability of the USSF to part ways with personel. Senior national team coaches are guaranteed a minimum of four years.

With the 2010 Asian World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Champions League currently ongoing, Soccer City FC recently spoke with one of Asia's top football writers, Antony Sutton. Mainly covering the sport in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, Sutton kindly answered our questions regarding the entire region.

UPDATE:

The hoochie in the club/chica in question has been ID'd as Luisana Varacalli. Something about Luisana's winning personality has left most in the media unsure about whether she's an attention seeking story-teller or if her take on the matter is kosher, but here it is:

- Luisana says she had sex with Sergio at the club behind a partition and then headed back to his hotel at 7am for more.

Soccer in the United States, a growing majority. I am still fascinated with the number of people drinking the USSF kool aid, and handing over their money.
SUM is doing the Super Liga again, a mini tournament between Mexico and MLS. The lesser rans of last years league tournament, Some of the games are good, as long as you don't think the tournament is awesome, then you should be good.

Rafa Benitez has launched a "Kop Idol" style search for new talent for Liverpool's first team.
The Reds boss has called up half a dozen of Liverpool's most promising youngsters to train with the first team squad – and challenged them to prove they are good enough to stay there.
Benitez is keen to see how much progress has been made by some of the Reds reserves during the last 12 months and is pitching them in with the senior stars in the early stages of Liverpool's pre-season training.

The Giallorossi are considering selling the hitman Mirko Vucinic, and there are plenty of takers. Roma are looking to cash-in on Mirko Vucinic, and his future could be with one of the Premier League's big boys, according to Il Corriere Dello Sport. Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to have made enquiries regarding the [.

The game begins at noon Sunday on Fox Soccer Channel.

By BARRY WILNER
AP Sports Writer

This was the perfect Gold Cup for an outsider to steal. Honduras, perhaps. Or Canada.

Instead, Sunday's final at the Meadowlands will have that familiar if not comfortable look
when the United States and Mexico, by far the most dominant nations in CONCACAF, meet for the title.

First leg away

And now we know what we have to do to make into the big boys league.

I like to read the blogs to get the pulse of the fan. The pulse after Jozy Altidore's debut for Hull was pretty unanimous... he's destined for stardom. Woah... let's back it up. Let's stop and think for a second. Read on...

Jozy has fantastic skill. We all know that. He's big, strong, quick, and he uses all of those tools well, but I think a tempering of expectations is in order.

Let's a take a quick gander over the Champions League draw:
Group A: Bayern, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa. This is an interesting group as three clubs sort of "left behind" recently by European success find themselves grouped together. That said, any group that features Yoann Gourcouff, Franck Ribéry, Gianluigi Buffon, etc.

Phil Brown hopes Michael Turner will be able to convince himself that his future lies with Hull - by putting in a performance at Wolves like he did against Bolton last week.
The Tigers travel to Molineux in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday with the transfer window nearing its close and speculation hotting up, particularly following the completion of Joleon Lescott's protracted switch from Everton to Manchester City.

As soon as the final whistle was blown at the Dragao last night, Manchester United confirmed its place in one of the two UEFA Champions League semifinals. Who was the opponent? A young Arsenal side that had already been penciled in as one of the semifinalists, around half an hour before United, courtesy of an emphatic 3-0 thrashing of Villarreal.

Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit believes it's time for Arsene Wenger to spend money if he wants to keep up with the rest of the big boys in England.

The Frenchman said:

Arsenal have not won anything in four years. Everything was done to bring together a young team and make it progress step by step, after [Thierry] Henry's departure.

After vanquishing FC Dallas at home a few weeks back, our Reserve squad will again look to beat NYRB at home in the second of two US Open Cup play-in matches. I can't say for sure, but I'd imagine in the thirst for finally getting a trophy, the NYRB plays the big boys to knock us out of the competition.

OK, so my title may be a bit misleading. The two sides will meet on Monday May 25 for the Championship play-off final for the chance to play in the Premier League next season. In terms of financial reward there really is no greater prize in world football, with the winner set for a £40million+ windfall and the chance to take on Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League's big boys.

When times get tough, brands endure.
By snapping up two of the world's best - Kaka (£56 million) and Ronaldo (£80 million) - Real Madrid's Florentino Perez has broken the bank in his quest to build Galacticos 2.0. And he's not done yet.

Welcome to the team Jermaine Jones?
I hear you play center mid for Schalke and recently denounced your affiliation with the German national team to play for the good guys.
Probably because you realized you had to international future with the big boys.
But we'll take ya!

UPDATE:

The hoochie in the club/chica in question has been ID'd as Luisana Varacalli. Something about Luisana's winning personality has left most in the media unsure about whether she's an attention seeking story-teller or if her take on the matter is kosher, but here it is:

- Luisana says she had sex with Sergio at the club behind a partition and then headed back to his hotel at 7am for more.

Although Burnley are now a part of the Premier League, they apparently have no plans to act like it as they look to impose a £15,000-a-week pay limit for anyone and everyone who plays for them next season. And if that sounds like a reasonably high number, keep in mind that Carlos Tevez can't be convinced by a £110,000-a-week offer to stay with Manchester United (that's 7.

Victory tonight for Woodlands Wellington could see nosebleeds all round as the Rams would reach the heady heights of 5th after four straight wins.
I tend not to write too much about Nenad Bacin's men but while attention, such as it is in Singapore, has been on the unbeaten runs of SAF and Tampines Rovers Woodlands have been quietly winning at challengers Gombak United and brushing aside Home United and Balestier Khalsa to set up tonight's clash with Geylang United and the prospect of a fourth straight win.