The year that will be

Here are my predictions for 2008

IN SCOTLAND
The SPL title race will go down to the wire. It's too close to call between the Old Firm, at least till after the game on Wednesday

Aberdeen and Motherwell will get the UEFA Cup spots

Gretna will mount a recovery of sorts, but it'll be too little, too late and they'll go down. They will struggle at the start of the new div 1 season a la Dunfermline

Inverness will yet again miss out on top six by the slightest margin - for the fourth year in a row

By the end of the year, the following managers will no longer be at their clubs:
Gordon Strachan - will quit Celtic due to his frustrations with the fans and media, even if they win the league
Mark McGhee - if he doesn't get the Scotland job, he'll get a better job in England - or the Celtic one
John Hughes - will have moved on to better things, possibly starting with Hibs
Jim Jefferies - unable to reverse Killie's sudden decline this season
Stephen Frail - duh! I also think Romanov will sell Hearts in 2008

Walter Smith ends up under pressure as Rangers manager, even if they win the league

Whoever becomes Scotland coach will be slaughtered on this blog for either having no top level experience, for being too young, or for being Graeme Souness, then will go on to prove me dramatically wrong (except if it's Graeme Souness)

IN ENGLAND
Man Utd will hold off Arsenal to win the title

Derby County will be relegated (and in other news, the sky is blue and grass is green)

So will Fulham and Birmingham City

Newcastle will make a recovery which saves Big Sam his job

Liverpool will finish fourth - again

By the end of the year, the following managers will no longer be at their clubs:
Rafa Benitez - fails to sort out his disagreement with the owners, while Liverpool fail to get near to the title or the Champions League
Avram Grant - honeymoon period runs out, then Lampard and Drogba demand a transfer, and Chelsea turn to a more experienced coach
Alex McLeish - does a "Lawrie Sanchez" and fills St. Andrews with a bunch of players he knows from international duty - and Birmingham crash and burn.
Gareth Southgate - as Middlesbrough battle relegation again

THE REST OF THE WORLD
Euro 2008 will start well, but the knockout stages will be cagey. Germany beat Italy in the final. Croatia make the semis. France go out in the first round.

Real Madrid win La Liga and maybe win the Champions League as well

Kaka' leaves Milan for Spain

Ronaldinho leaves Barcelona for Italy

Cristiano Ronaldo finally gets World Player of the Year

Maybe I'm right, probably I'm wrong; only time will tell.

L.