"THE season kicks off this weekend and from Manchester United's performance last weekend in the Community Shield where they defeated Arsenal on penalties, I think they again could be the team to beat. I was very impressed with the American goalkeeper Tim Howard and I think he could replace Fabien Barthez as United's number one.

Arsenal will also again be in the running for the championship and it is good to see that this week they managed to finally get Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires to agree to new long-term contracts - now it will not be a distraction.

I expect one of the best games this weekend will be when Chelsea travel to Liverpool. Chelsea have spent all this money on new players and now it will be interesting to see how they do at Anfield.

Portsmouth host Aston Villa in their first match in the Premiership and Harry Redknapp has managed to get some players which perhaps other clubs would not take. But Harry is a crafty manager - he knows how to get the best out of his players and he also relates to them which in this day in age you have to do as a manager. It will be interesting to see how the three promotion teams - Portsmouth, Wolves and Leicester - do in the top flight.

Wolves have a tough one when they travel to Blackburn who were one of the better teams last season while Leicester host Southampton.

Arsenal are at home to Everton and I think they will be OK. I believe Everton will be without Wayne Rooney and a couple of other players. Again I expect much from Arsenal this season even though they have hardly signed anyone during the summer.

It will also be interesting to see what happens when Newscastle travel to Leeds. I expect a number of goals to be scored in that game although I think Newcastle will come out on top. And again Manchester United start the season off by taking on Bolton who have got the better of them in the last two years. However United looked very good this summer on their tour to the US and I think they will start the season stronger than they did last year.

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STICKING WITH YOUTH

Manchester United have signed 18-year-old Christiano Ronaldo - the Portuguese player from Sporting Lisbon. He is supposed to be a very promising talent. United have also put the finishing touches on the contract of the Brazlian Kleberson who is in his early 20s. Those plus 'keeper Howard, who is only 24, and the young French winger, show that United are looking to the future. I don't know whether Ferguson will put in Ronaldo right away but it is good that the club are getting players at an early age - they can bring them up properly.

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DI CANIO

Italian striker Paolo di Canio has now moved to Charlton from West Ham and no doubt he will be of great help to them. As I have always said, he is a class player. As far as West Ham goes, well at least we won our first game in the First Division last weekend against Preston. While I was very angry at West Ham for selling off all their players, I understand that Trevor Brooking has said that the club would have been broke by November if they had kept them. Well at least West Ham have always had a very good youth system so I expect to see some young players come through now. I think we will be alright.

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HUGHES

An old opponent of mine from when I played at West Ham, Emlyn Hughes, is recovering from surgery on a brain tumor. My prayers go out to him that everything will turn out OK. Hughes was a great player with Liverpool - we called him Crazy Horse because of the way he used to charge up and down the field! He won many things with that great Liverpool side and hopefully he will win this battle as well.

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BERMUDA TOUR

I see our Under 13 squad will be getting the chance to play against some good opposition later this month when they go on tour to Holland. I wish them the best of luck - it is a great opportunity for them to go to a country like Holland and play against some of their youth teams. They will learn a lot over there - that I can be certain of.

But what disturbs me is that our football in Bermuda is all geared to teams under 17 years old. We really have to have something for the players over 17 - the senior national players. It seems that once you have finished with the Under 17 squad there is nothing for you at all in Bermuda. We need to correct that. We seem to let these senior players just drift about. There has to be something for them to look forward to.