This weeks Opposition View comes from Manchester United Fan David Ceasar

How long have you supported Man Utd and why?

Born and Bred in Manchester, Brother was a City Fan, Father was a City Fan so i became the black sheep of the family by becoming a Red devil. Recent years have made the rivalry very interesting with the oil stained billions of City’s owners making Manchester the most successful Footballing City in England.

How do you feel about the challenge to Man Utd’s dominance of the English Football by City’s massive spending power and undoubted very talented squad?

I love it!! Manchester is buzzing with the title run in and after the massive amounts spent by City we are still for now top dogs in Manchester, and Sir Alex has done this with possibly the poorest Squad we have had in many a year! not to mention the injuries that we have had to deal with. Sunday afternoons at the Pub have become more heated with Utd and City Fans arguing and debating the final straight of the Premiership.

Utd’s lead at the top of the EPL table has been cut after your surprising loss the Wigan, do you think that City could catch and even overtake Utd come the end of the season?

The Wigan game was a real surprise and has made the title race a little closer, i don’t think we will drop many more points this season but you never know, I see us winning the title at the Eastlands and silencing the noisy neighbors for this season at least!

The Anti Glazers Movement has somewhat subsided this season and Man Utd have dramatically reduced their debt that the club was saddled with when the takeover happened, what are your feelings about the Glazers and their tenure at Man Utd?

The Glazers are still raping Utd of money, BUT, the Club has remained successful and as you say the debt has been reduced, I still dont agree with how the takeover happened and the fact the owners are not Football people but money people, but as long as we keep winning titles i will be happy!

Utd’s European campaign has been very disappointing this year, why do you think the reasons for this are?

Our squad is as poor as it has been for many years and to be honest at the start of the season i was thinking that we would really struggle, and although we were disappointing in Europe this year, the League Title had to be our priority for most Fans so we could put the City fans in their place.

Having said that the summer will be really important in recruiting the right quality of player in the right areas so we can challenge on all fronts instead of just the one.

Ashley Young join Utd in a reported 18 million pound move last summer, how in your opinion has he settled in and what contribution has he made?

Young has been a fantastic buy! he is the long term replacement for Ryan Giggs and has very very big shoes to fill, but he has shown that he is a very effective and dangerous player who can hurt any team with his attacking thread and ability to deliver some leathal crosses and free kicks. Injury has stifled him a little this term but next season i think he will raise his game another level.

Alex Ferguson is a true legend of the British game and has accomplished miracles during his time at Old Trafford, but he can not go on forever. How long do you think he should continue as manager and who would you choose to replace him?

First off its “Sir” Alex Ferguson, and i would allow him to remain manager for as long as he feels he can continue, he is on the verge of a record 20th title and shows no sign of his passion or drive ebbing away! I actually worry about when he does step down because only one Manager even comes close to the ability of Sir Alex and that’s Jose Mourinio! and even he is not at the same level as Sir Alex.

On to Aston Villa, what do you think of the Club and its fans?

Aston Villa are a great club with a fantastic history, The critical word in that statement is HISTORY! for too long Villa have been a almost ran in the Premier league! should be a giant of the league but you always seem to be a minnow?? why?

I do think that your always support at our place has been some of the best i have ever seen over the years, even though most of the time we send you away with nothing to show for the game.

What do you think Aston Villa can accomplish this season and over the next few years?

On the basis on this season i would say nothing but maybe a decent cup runs and finishing mid table unless some money is spent on your squad! i cant understand how you can sell both your quality first teamer wingers and only replace one of them with Charles N’zogbia and expect to anything else but struggle?

Aston Villa Chairman Randy Lerner appointed Alex McLeish as Villa manager in the summer to the dismay of many Villa Fans, in a interview Lerner state that he had received a letter from Alex Ferguson applauding the appointment and commented that McLeish would become a phenomenal Manager, on the basis of McLeish’s record and performances this season many Villa fans would disagree! what do you think? Given

I have not heard of this letter but i would always bow to Sir Alex Ferguson’s judgment and knowledge of Football and those within the game, but i personally think that your Manager is poor and under him i think you will do nothing but struggle.

Finally match predictions

Although many are expecting a backlash from Man Utd against Villa but i think the Utd Boys will be a bit more composed and deliver a 2-0 win.

Interview by Michael Steede.

This weeks Opposition View comes from 56 year old Chelsea Supporter, Chris Palmer.

How long have you supported Chelsea and why?

Been a Blue since I was a child mainly due to my Father actually working at the club during my Younger years, many times as a child he took me to work and I had free run of the ground! He was in maintenance, not a player.

AVB was touted as the brightest young manager out there and many Chelsea fans had high hopes when he arrived at the club, why do you think he failed at the club?

I don’t think that he was able to gain the respect of some of the senior players like Terry and Lampard and this was made worse by his strange tactics and team selections, he seemed to have the arrogance of Jose but without the charisma and charm which brought the playing staff together under his guidance. But in the end I just think that AVB just was not the right fit for Chelsea.

Roberto Di Matteo seems to have turn the clubs fortunes around since taking over the helm, do you think he has any chance of getting the job on a permanent basis? if not who would you like to take over?

Roberto has done a fabulous job since becoming caretaker manager but I don’t think there is any chance of him getting the job full time, the Chairman is looking for a big name with a proven track record in winning titles, even if we win the Champions League I doubt Roberto would be offered the job then.

My personal choice for a new manager would be our old manager Jose, I know it is unlikely but if Jose and the chairman can patch up their differences then he would be a great signing, but I doubt this would happen as we all know how stubborn Roman is!

Fernando Torres has been a spectacular flop since signing for Chelsea, can you ever see him regaining the form he did when he first joined Liverpool?

Torres signing for Chelsea was a fantastic bit of business….for Liverpool! he looks short of confidence and at times looks as poor a player that I have ever seen pull on the Chelsea shirt, but maybe under a new manager and new regime he might come good. Although he did not score last night he provided a wonderful cross for the winning goal.

How important is it that Chelsea grab one of the Champion leagues spots at the end of the season, and how will it affect the club if they fail?

Participating in the Champions league is crucial for many reasons, attracting new quality players is so much easier when offering club football at the very highest level as without it the wage demands needed to get the players in are going to be very very high. Also there is the prestige that goes along with being in the league.

We need to fight for every point and as we are only 5 point behind Spurs it is not an insurmountable task, as long as they do not find their second wind! I expect us to take it down to the wire and pip them to 4th place, either that or we have to win the Champions league!

What needs to be done in the summer to improve the Chelsea Squad and allow you to move forward again?

I think we are just having a poor season this time around and not moving backwards as your question suggests, money will need to be spent and spent wisely. But more important than investment is the need for a world class manager to grab the club by the scruff of the neck and show who is the Alpha male.

John Terry and Frank Lampard seem to have a little too much influence in the dressing room for me and only a manager like Jose would be able to stop the alleged behind the scenes bitching.

With a very good win at Benfica this week, how far do you think you can progress in the Champions League this season?

We are capable of winning it, and we must believe that! Otherwise what is the point of being involved? Its going to be tough to do that though as it looks like we may be facing Barcelona next and that is a big ask of any team in the world.

On to Aston Villa, what do you think of the Club and its fans?

I like Villa, living in the West Midlands nowadays and being a football fan I have attended a few games at Villa Park over the years, you seem to be going through a really tough time over the last season or so since O’Neill left, and things do not look to be getting any better as time goes on!

Alex McLeish was a terrible appointment as your manager, as he was doomed from the start, but I think he could do better given time and a little money to spend. But he will never take you higher that 10th place while in charge and the Villa Fans I know would not accept this.

What do you think Aston Villa can accomplish this season and over the next few years?

Survival is all I can personally see Villa achieving while your manager remains in charge,not only because I think he is not good enough but because of the feeling of the fans towards him. I have been to 2 games this season at Villa Park and the atmosphere is awful!! Its almost like everyone is on edge because if the team does not perform or concede early on the knives are out and being sharpened for Alex McLeish.

Aston Villa Chairman Randy Lerner has decided to make some quite drastic cutbacks at the club this season in an attempt to stabilise the finances after Villa announced a record 54 million loss in the 2010/11 season, something which Sunderland Owners have stated that they will be doing also. Do you think it is time for football to get its house in order?

I think football might now start to level off the crazy spending that in all honesty Chelsea participated in, the lower gates at many clubs will force more sensible spending and the Financial fair Play Rules will force those clubs with money to spend to do the same.

Finally match predictions (3-1 to Villa maybe?)

Not again, although Villa played well at the Bridge we did not help our case with our performance, Aston Villa 0-2 Chelsea this time.

Interview by Michael Steede.

This weeks Opposition View comes from 21 year old John Millard who is representing Friends of Fulham.

Why and how long have you supported Fulham?

Born and bred in Reading but my Granddad was born in Fulham and he made it his mission to encourage the next Generation, and with my Dad being a ARSEnal fan I supposed he felt he had failed as a Father so I was his redemption!

Martin Jol has had a slow start to his tenure at Fulham but he is now getting some decent results, what is your opinion of him?

A Manager like Jol needs time to stamp his vision on a team, give him time and support and he will do a good Job at any Club! Thank fully it is now showing with 13 points from the last 5 games and very good performances like the ones against Wolverhampton and Newcastle.

Three straight EPL wins and a very impressive outing last time out against another Midlands team in the form of Wolves, do you think Fulham can carry this momentum over in to the league run in?

Yes, 8th place where we sit right now would be a decent result in such a transitional season, but looking at the run in I think we could nick 7th if Newcastle or Liverpool slip up.

Which team do you look forward to playing most in the EPL and why?

ARSEnal, Because my Dad is a Gunners Fan and we enjoy a bit of Father & Son time with a pint or 3!

What do you think Fulham can achieve this season and where do you see the Club in the next 5 years?

8th Place this season and over the next few years to be honest I think we can be were you lot were under MON before you blew it and folded like a house of cards over last and this season!!

Aston Villa have just announced record losses for the 2010/11 season in the region of 54 million and the Chairman is looking to balance the books by trimming the wage bill, this news has many Fans worried about the direction the club is heading in, Looking from the outside in what are your thoughts?

Don’t really know what’s going on at Villa but if those figures are true I would be worried if the Chairman did not sort it out, if he is doing what you say then its the right thing to do. would you rather Administration?

Alex McLeish was a very unpopular appointment as Villa manager due to his record and his former association with the Unwashed from Small Heath, what do you think of McLeish and do you think he could take us forward as a Club?

A very very strange appointment, and can he take you forward? the only place it looks like he is taking you is in to the Championship!

What can Aston Villa achieve this year and in the next 5 years?

I don’t think you will be relegated but I see Villa being a bottom half of the table for the next 10 years or so, you are not the force you once were!

What are your feelings about Aston Villa and its Fans?

If I can be totally honest here, the few I have met have been a arrogant and moaning bunch! always harping back to the European Cup you once won blah blah, were are a big club blah blah, sleeping giant and so on! delusions of grandeur if ever I have seen it.

And finally match predictions?

Fulham winning 3-1 and going home happy.

Interview by Michael Steede.

Due to the lack of co-operation with other sides, this is the first opposition view of 2012. This week Michael talks to Phil Jones (No Joke – and not the United player!) from Manchester.

Why Manchester City and how long have you supported them?

All My life, was brought up In Barlow Moor and my older Brother supports Utd! but I followed my Father and became a Blue and never looked back, I took a lot of stick off him over the years but now is our time and it feels good!

I am going to get right to the point, will Manchester City Dethrone Manchester United and win the Premier League title this season?

I hesitate to say a definite yes but I think we are odds on to to it this season! Don’t want to jinx it. Utd traditionally have a strong finish to the season but we have a better squad than them and this will show in the final straight. It would be so sweet to not only win the title but to take it from Utd who have looked down on us for so many years and been the butt of many jokes!! the tables have now turned and City will dominate Manchester for years to come as I think Utd are FINALLY in decline.

Everyone has eyes on Manchester City during the transfer window, but this was one of the quietest in recent memory! why do you think that was?

Can’t speak for any other Club but I think the massive spending by us has now finished, the money spent has given us a world class squad which over time we will adjust and add to with quality Players, we wont spend 100′s of millions but when we do need players money will not be an issue. As for everyone else, I don’t think there is that much talent available out there and the drop in attendances across the League has many clubs tightening their belts.

Mario Balotelli is certainly a love him or hate him Player, how do you feel about him and does his temperament worry you at all?

Ain’t he great!!! wonderful talent but total head-case! sometimes he can risk being sent off with his antics but he is great to watch and can single handed change a game! I think he and Mancini have had a few arguments but this is part and parcel of what you get when you sign a player like him.

The benefits of having Mega Rich owners is very clear with unlimited spending and the ability to tempt the best Players, but are there any negative aspects that go unseen to many?

Only one minor drawback, the newly Manchester City life long Fans! Being of a more mature age and been going to watch the team playing over 30 years I have seen the sudden change in the amount of City Fans around the country and in Manchester, no sense or knowledge of the history of the Club or what we have gone through over the years! ask them a pre 2007 question about the Club and they cant answer.

Tevez is still on Manchester City’s books and still refuses to return to the Club, What are your thoughts on him?

That’s a quid in the swear tin please! The problem with being able to sign superstar players is that you get the superstar attitude as well. its part of the course and no player is bigger that the Club, he will never wear the Shirt again and that’s just fine by me.

Champions league qualification is assured for you next season, but do you think City’s finances will pass the financial fair play rules?

Don’t worry we will pass the test! and if we are on the verge of failing,then don’t be surprised to expect a world record sponsor ship deal with one of Sheikhs mates lol, but seriously, I think this is part of the reason that we did not spend in the January window. either way I think our Lawyers will be able to get something sorted if needed! Money talks!

What are your thoughts on Aston Villa as a Club and Villas Fans in general?

Like the Club, Its history and its Fans, but I do think that things are not right at Villa Park. Poor performances and unrest since O’Neill left has left Villa looking like a wounded animal which has no fight left, I say this with all due respect because a Club of Villa’s size should be right up there competing, but you always come up short.

Many Aston Villa Fans are very unhappy at the appointment and performance of Alex McLeish who came to Villa from our most fierce rivals Birmingham City, what do you this of this and how would you feel if Manchester City appointed Alex Ferguson?

Very strange move by your Chairman, very Brave move that could turn out to be a very bad one from what I hear. I have always though that McLeish was a very underrated Manager and has achieved a lot in the game, but at Villa he is not only facing opposition from other teams but also from the Fans and no I hear players.

What do you think the future holds for Aston Villa as we are currently under going a major cost cutting programme and apparently have a sell to buy policy in place and a Chairman who is determine to get the Finances in place?

Can’t imagine a Premier League without Aston Villa and I doubt very much you are in any real danger of being relegated, your position in the league is a pretty false one because you have some real quality players who are under-performing, But mark my words, if you can get Stevie Ireland playing back at his best you will have one of the most talented Players in this League! and we might buy him back then! (laughs)

And finally match predictions?

Villa 1 City 3, we will have too much for you on Sunday and I don’t think you have won at home for months!

Interview by Michael Steede.

The last Opposition View of 2011 comes from a friend of mine who is a Chelsea fan through and through. David Pickett is also a member of staff on Talk Chelsea.

Why and how long have you supported Chelsea?

I never really supported any team for the first few years i watched football, but my first Chelsea game was in 2002 against West Ham in the cup when i was taken along for a friends birthday, which got me hooked. Been to most home games since and a season ticket holder since 2004.

André Villas-Boas hasn’t had the best of starts as manager when you compare him to the likes of Carlos Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho. Do you believe he has what it takes to bring the glory days back to the bridge?

I think its still quite early to judge villas-boas, but his credentials in his short career are very good, and there’s definitely something about him. the talk of him getting sacked is ridiculous considering the squad does need his own tweaking.
He’ll still be in the job this time next year and that’ll be a fair point to judge him. I’d say the competition at the top of the league from 4/5 teams now is a lot stronger than its ever been also.

Chelsea spent a lot of money on Fernando Torres and he is in danger of becoming one of football’s biggest flops. Do you believe he has what it takes to turn things round and become a star?

Torres still shows the odd moment of absolute brilliance, but they are probably becoming further and further apart. The amount of games that he started at the beginning of the season was the best thing for him and villas-boas got rewarded for it with a few goals, but his red card against Swansea seems to have completely halted his season and he can’t get a kick. He’ll start games from January with Drogba away at the African Nations, and I’d imagine that’ll be his real big chance with a few big names likely to leave in the summer and a few to probably come in. He’s not ‘finished’ yet but he needs to be starting games regularly if he’s going to ‘come good’.

Gary Cahill looks almost certain to join you in *anuary, who else would you like to see come in and why?

With Cahill coming in and Essien returning from injury, i doubt we’ll sign anyone else in January but 4-5 of the older players such as Drogba, Malouda, Ferreira etc are likely to go in the summer and will need replacing. As always with Chelsea, who we’ll sign is any ones guess. Would rather the likes of Hazard and Higuain rather than the inevitable link (again) to Kaka.

You probably already answered this in your previous answer but I’ll ask it anyway. Some neutral football fans believe that Chelsea’s squad is becoming past it and they need to rebuild. Would the #helsea faithful agree with this statement?

I think its fair to say that the majority of #helsea fans think that the squad needs a bit of a refresh. The likes of Anelka, Malouda and &erreira all did good jobs for the club but are considerably past their best. For me, Drogba and Lampard still have a future in which they can contribute a hell of a lot to our cause, just not on a week to week basis, and no one would want to see them leave the club. As for JT, his performance at Spurs showed he’s still different class.

You have drawn Napoli in the Champions League and they boast players such as Marek Hamsik and Edison Cavani (both who have been linked with moves to #helsea). Do you fancy your chances in this fixture?

They look a decent side and obviously fared well in a really difficult group stage and have done well domestically for a good few years. But I think we have more for them to worry about, and our experience will hopefully see us through. If we defend properly (unlike the first few months of the season) over in Naples then i think we’ll be fine.

With both #helsea and Man City being taken over by sugar daddies, as a #helsea fan would you say this is for the good or bad of football on a whole?

I think its created more competition in the league which I’d say is a good thing. We all want to see 3/4/5 teams in the title race and with the money that not only us and city have spent, but also spurs and Liverpool then we have a real chance of seeing an open title race over the next few years.

Aston Villa are currently going through a difficult period. What are your views on the club as an outsider?

I think with Bent and Agbonlahor, Villa probably have the best forward line outside the top six/seven, but unlike under O’Neill where by you had 6/7 key players who allowed you to compete against some of the top teams, you now only have these two along with perhaps Shay Given. I think the fight and quality in your midfield has gone and needs to be addressed quickly but just like Villas-Boas, Mcleish should be given beyond this season to put his stamp on the side in the transfer market.

And finally, Match predictions?

A not too confident 2-0 chelsea.

Interview by Stuart Young.