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Premiership Football News: A Team For Free

Andy Greeves on a fantasy football XI of free transfers

Like most football fans, I'm a sucker for managerial games. Computer simulations, fantasy leagues… I'm hooked! As I contemplated how to spend my £100m of fantasy money to assemble a squad of players for the upcoming season this week, I spared a moment of thought for Premiership new boys, Stoke City, Hull City and West Bromwich Albion. Even if they had £100m to spend this summer, would that be enough to keep them safe I wondered.

Alas, much of the new boys success this season will depend on their wheeling and dealing in the transfer market. With money at a premium, getting the right players at the right price will be all important. No doubt these clubs will entertain the idea of picking up players currently available on a free transfer and with that in mind I ditched my multi-million pound spending spree to put together a very different fantasy football team.

The players in this team, selected to fit into a 4-4-2 formation, share three major similarities. They all ex-Premiership and international footballers. They are all aged 30 and above. And crucially, all these players are currently unattached to any club. Ladies, gentlemen and interested football managers, I bring you my Last Chance Saloon XI. A unique group of players looking for one final shot at the big time before they maybe consider hanging up the boots.

Thomas Sorensen (Goalkeeper, 32)

Sorensen was a relative unknown when he signed for Sunderland in 1998. A year later he had won the Football League Championship, keeping a club record 29 clean sheets and gained his first cap for Denmark.

The Dane has gone on to make 72 appearances for his country and play over 300 games in England for Sunderland and Aston Villa. Up until last season, Sorensen was Villa's number one with a reputation as one of the Premiership's top goalkeepers. Scott Carson's arrival from Liverpool consigned Sorensen to the reserves for the whole of 2007-2008.

Galatasaray are reported to have offered Sorensen a contract following his departure from Villa this summer, though he thought to favour a move to another Premiership club.

Ian Harte (Defender, 30)

Leeds cult hero Harte made 213 appearances for the Yorkshire club during a nine year spell. At the height of his career he played in a Champions League semi final and was linked with an £11m move to Barcelona and AC Milan.

Following a three-year spell with Spanish side Levante, Harte returned to the Premiership last season but made just seven starts for Sunderland. Roy Keane allowed his former Irish teammate to leave The Stadium of Light in June with Wolves recently offering him a trial with a view to a permanent move. Swansea, Leicester and Watford are also reportedly interested in his services.

Stephen Carr (Defender, 31)

Only five years ago Stephen Carr was arguably the best right-back in the Premiership.

Having been named in the PFA Premiership Team of the Season list in 2003, the Irish right-back was strongly linked with a move from then employers Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford.

His pace, tough tackling and ability to support an attack made him the ultimate personification of a modern full-back. In 226 appearances for Spurs, Carr scored seven goals - most of them absolute screamers. This included a famous 35-yead against then treble winners Manchester United in 1999.

In 2004, Carr joined Newcastle United for £2m - a bargain for a player in the peak of his form. Alas, his career at St James' Park never took off. The Dublin-born player saw Bobby Robson get the sack just weeks after signing him and though he played 26 league games in his first season, he struggled for form. A persistent knee injury put pay to most of his 2005-2006 season, while he also had a fractured foot in 2007. He had fallen well down the Newcastle pecking order last season, with Habib Beye and Geremi the Magpies preferred right backs.

Carr was released in June and has been linked with the likes of Bolton, West Ham, Wigan, Everton, Aston Villa and Portsmouth. He still has the potential to be a top Premiership full-back and his potential suitors will hope he can re-establish the form that made him such a success at Tottenham.

Philippe Christanval (Defender, 30)

With five caps for France and having played for Monaco, Barcelona and Marseille, Fulham's signing of Philippe Christanval in 2005 was widely viewed as a major coup.

He displayed his versatility, slotting into Fulham's midfield during the 2005/2006 season and played 36 times in the Premiership. But constant injuries prevented the player, who had a trial with Arsenal in 2005, making any starts for Fulham last season.

There's been little news over Christanval's future, though less than a year ago, Juventus were reportedly interested in signing him.

Stephane Henchoz (Defender, 33)

The former Hamburg, Celtic and Blackburn defender is best known for a highly successful spell with Liverpool between 1999 and 2005.

Henchoz built a formidable defensive partnership with Sami Hyypia during his six year stint with the Reds and won a cup treble (UEFA Cup, FA Cup, League Cup) in 2001. He was voted as the 58th greatest Liverpool player of all time in the Anfield fans list 100 Players Who Shook The Kop in 2006.

Since leaving Anfield, Henchoz spent a brief spell with Celtic, before playing a season with Wigan in 2005-2006. He returned to former club Blackburn in the summer of 2006 but struggled with injuries. He played only 11 games in two years, being released on May 19th 2008.

Nolberto Solano (Midfielder, 33)

The trumpet playing midfielder holds the unique title of being the first Peruvian football to play in England. He's also the first Premiership footballer to a set up his own Salsa band.

Solano has been a model of consistency since moving to England in 1998. His flair, excellent set pieces and personality have made him a much loved character at Aston Villa, West Ham and particularly at Newcastle United. The player describes himself as an 'adopted Geordie' having represented the Magpies between 1998-2004 and again from 2005-2007.

West Ham decided he was surplus to requirements at the end of the season, despite Solano playing 23 games and scoring 4 goals for the Upton Park team in 07/08. He seems destined to leave England after a ten year spell, with LA Galaxy the favourites to sign him.

Edgar Davids (Midfielder, 35)

In 2004 Edgar Davids was named in the FIFA 100 list - a compilation of the world's greatest living players according to Pele.

With a Champions League and UEFA Cup medal to his name, as well as six league titles in Holland and Italy, the dreadlocked midfielder has achieved pretty much everything possible in the club game. He was described as 'the Pitbull' by his former Ajax manager Louis van Gaal for his fierce tackling, while his Juventus manager Marcello Lippi described him as his 'one-man engine room'.

He missed a large part of last season with Ajax having broken his leg and was subsequently released this summer. Newcastle are strongly linked with the ex-Tottenham man.

Ivan Campo (Midfielder, 34)

Campo was one of Bolton's original 'Galacticos' (along with the likes of Youri Djorkaeff, Jay-Jay Okocha and Fredi Bobic) joining the club in 2002.

He went on to play 172 games for the Trotters but despite that was not, according to Campo, given so much as a thank you when he was released by the Reebok Stadium club in May. "One of the saddest things in my unforgettable time at Bolton is nobody from the club has been in contact to wish me good luck", Campo wrote in an open letter to his fans.

Phil Brown is reportedly set to make Campo Hull City's highest paid player ever, though Real Sociedad are also linked with the ex-Real Madrid man.

Gaizka Mendieta (Midfielder, 34)

Having not played a game for the entire 2007/2008 season, it was expected that Spanish midfielder Mendieta would retire this summer.

Due to injuries and lack of selection, Mendieta has not played a first team game since turning out for Middlesbrough on Boxing Day 2006. Despite this the former Valencia, Lazio and Barcelona man has recently told the football media it isn't time to hang up his boots just yet.

The twice 'UEFA Midfielder of the Season' is keen to remain in England and is rumoured to be a top transfer target for new Championship team Nottingham Forest.

Hernan Crespo (Forward, 33)

Crespo holds the distinction of being the only footballer every to score a Champions League goal for five different European teams.

The Argentine left Chelsea at the end of the season after playing 48 games for the Blues and netting on 18 occasions in a five year spell. Most of that time was spent away on loan at AC Milan for the 2004-2005 season, then Inter from 2006-2008.

Roma and Argentina first division club Independiente have both expressed an interest in Crespo, but the forward looks likely to sign a contract with Inter.

Emile Mpenza (Forward, 30)

It's fair to say Emile Mpenza's Premiership career never really got going at Manchester City. Despite making 25 appearances last campaign, he scored just five goals.

The Brussels-born striker has a good scoring record in Germany and Belgium and has played 54 times for his national team. He's also played in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Mpenza's agent says the striker is keen to have a second shot at English football this season and Hull City and Ipswich Town both reportedly interested in him. He is open to playing both Premiership or Championship football.

Andy Greeves

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