Andy Gray: No clear favourite to win English Premier League

Dubai: Former Scotland striker and current Al Jazeera Sports TV pundit Andy Gray this week gave Gulf News his opinions on the latest goings on in the English Premier League.

Gray, 57, was the first person to win both the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Players’ Player and Young Player of the Year awards in the same season back in 1977 — a historic feat only replicated by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and Gareth Bale earlier this year.

He is also a one-time British transfer record holder, after joining Wolverhampton Wanderers from Aston Villa for £1.5 million in 1979.

Here the former First Division, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup winner talks us through the major issues emerging at the start of the season in England — and offers his viewp on the controversial issue of Qatar staging the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Q) Is Gareth Bale worth his £85 million (Dh486 million) transfer fee?

A) The supply [of quality players] is not as great as the demand. There were very few players out there who were Galacticos-like and Bale was one of them. Bale is a bit like having an E-Type Jaguar. There is no value to it. The only value is however much somebody wants to pay for it. Is he the best player in the world? No. Could he be? Possibly. Can he propel Real to win the [Uefa] Champions League for the first time in 12 years? If he does, everyone will think he is well worth the money.

Q) What do you make of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s spending policy?

A) He’s a manager that doesn’t go out and get players if he doesn’t think they are better than the ones he already has. He was linked with Wayne Rooney, Luis Suarez and Gonzalo Higuain. All three would have made Arsenal better but they fell away for various reasons. I can see Mesut Ozil fitting in behind Olivier Giroud, allowing Jack Wilshere to come deeper from midfield. Ozil’s talent is there for all to see and he’ll make Arsenal better. But unless it’s someone of that calibre, Arsenal won’t spend.

Q) Was David Moyes the right man to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as Manchester United boss?

A) The one thing that David hasn’t done that I would have done is go to his bosses and say: ‘I want to make a statement. I need big bucks and I need to go and buy X, Y and Z’. And I think he missed a big trick by not doing that. He’s managing United now not Everton. He has to be in there shopping with the big boys. I don’t think this United side is good enough to win the Uefa Champions League or the English Premier League.

Q) Will Jose Mourinho’s return boost Chelsea’s chances?

A) I thought they might have had more of a go on goal against Manchester United [in the 0-0 draw at Old Trafford last month], but maybe he was sending a message to the owner [Roman Abramovich] that he doesn’t feel he has a capable forward. Four of his biggest disciples are still there in Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole. But we wait to see if he can replicate his old success. He should be more accomplished, mature and a better manager than his first spell, but it’s never easy going back.

Q) Are Liverpool set to stage a revival?

A) All they’ve ever done for the last 40 years is pass and move. Brendan Rodgers isn’t rewriting the coaching manual at Anfield. He’s buying players who have potential. They’ve had a fabulous start to the season: three games, three clean sheets and nine points from nine. They’ve got results but they haven’t been playing teams off the park. They’ve defended well, but I don’t know how good they really are. Once Suarez is back, they will be a better team.

Q) Will this be the most exciting season in recent history?

A) It should be but the start has been poor. We’ve had three big games and none of them have lived up to expectation. I see Chelsea and Manchester City as favourites [to win the league]. I’m excited to see what Tottenham can do with their seven signings. Moyes has got a lot on to retain the title at United and Arsenal have had a magnificent response to their opening day defeat. I’m excited, there are no clear favourites and I hope that reflects itself in the season.

Q) Do you stand by Qatar as World Cup host in 2022?

A) Qatar has won a bidding process. The temperatures in Qatar haven’t changed for years, therefore Fifa were well aware of the conditions. You can have a winter World Cup, which would be great because the players wouldn’t be as tired as they are in June, in which case Qatar can hold it wonderfully. Otherwise nothing will be left to chance in terms of air-conditioned stadiums in the summer. No one expects the players to play in 50-degree heat. Whatever happens, if Qatar say they can deliver, then they will deliver.