Yet with just under a month until the new Premier League season starts, there’s little football around and our short attention spans have drawn us toward the release of new kits. “Premier League 2 provides the platform and the opportunity to make the final, and hardest, step”.
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The Premier League International Cup has been expanded to 24 clubs – 12 domestic clubs and 12 international clubs – and the Premier League Cup (formerly the U21 Premier League Cup) has taken on a 32-team Champions League format.
Though, given all the extra matches Leicester will have to play this term, with UEFA Champions League on top of regular Premier League play as well as global duties for a number of players, it’s somewhat understandable for the Foxes to face doubt once again.
The only country whose squad contains more than one English Premier League player is Portugal’s, with their manager Rui Jorge naming Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Pereira and Liverpool centre half Thiago Llori among his 18-man squad.
The Reds are not involved in European competition and the last time that happened was in 2013-14 when Rodgers came close to winning the Premier League.
“We are four years into our Elite Player Performance Plan and the early signs are very positive”.
At the launch, David Unsworth, who is a coach at Everton, said: “We certainly feel it’s a step in the right direction”. The best way to develop players is have them playing at a level that will test them every week.
In the past, it’s always been Manchester United. Having progressed myself through the academy system you understand what the players need and how to gain the maximum from them.
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Conte is convinced Manchester United will be a major threat following the appointment of former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, but urged his players to focus on their own challenge of bouncing back from last season, where they finished a dismal 10th.
