JANUARY 2009 MEANWHILE...


I hope readers were able to access the tips I had intended to put in December’s PHTM. Only time will tell if they were suc- cessful as I detailed Noland and War of Attrition in the King George and Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals for the Superbowl. More later.


On a domestic footing, the FA Cup begins in earnest in January and it is time to lay down your ante posts. Coral for the last few years have offered a marvellous concession in that you can have a free bet to the same stake on any Championship Club if you place your win bet on a Premiership side with them. As can be shown last year anybody living around Cardiff would have had at least a hedge return on their investment. Look out for this concession.


However, last year was an anomally and in the last ten years the FA Cup has been won by one of the big 4 on at least 8 occasions and I have no hesitation in backing one of the Big 4 to win this year. When you consider that Chelsea and Man Utd were vying for favouritism at around the 6/4 mark for the Premiership in August it seems that a price of 9/2 on either of them for the FA Cup appears too generous. My own tentative fancy between the big 4 is for CHELSEA who need to bring a trophy in this year and therefore I strongly advise the 9/2 cur- rently available with Bet Fred. LIVERPOOL too seem to be over priced at 8/1 and they are clearly my two against the field. Most bookmakers are offering each way terms of a half the odds and my two fanciful picks on the assumption that they would reach the final would be FULHAM at 80/1 (therefore 40/1 to reach the final) and WEST BROMWICH ALBION who are also available at 80/1.


PRIVATE HIRE AND TAXI MONTHLY


My staking plan would be as follows: Chelsea 50 units win at 9/2 Liverpool 30 units win at 8/1 Fulham 7 units each way at 80/1 West Brom 3 units each way at 80/1


Total 100 units


On the European front the Final 16 in the Champions League have now been decided but more pertinently for the third place finishers in their groups (8 of them), they now go forward to complete the last 32 in the UEFA Cup and now would be a good time to extend your portfolio.


In the UEFA Cup one price sticks out like a sore thumb and that is the 25/1 available for last year’s winners - ZENIT ST PETERS- BURG with Skybet. Zenit had an incredibly tough group com- peting against Real Madrid and Juventus and that experience coupled with beating Man Utd in the Super Cup, together with their serene progress to win last year’s competition can only benefit them. For favourite backers the 4/1 about AC Milan doesn’t interest me but don’t laugh.....the second team I would back is the Wally in the Brolly’s FC TWENTE ENSCHEDA. McClaren might have been poor for England but his Dutch team played with plenty of style against Man City and I think the 125/1, yes 125/1 available is gret each way value. That’s 621/2/1 just for reaching the final and to put it into context if you had £10 each way on them your return would be £1875 for a £20 stake if they won. Back them now.


In the Champions league I would press on BARCELONA at 9/2 and would couple this with ROMA at 25/1 (with the aunty) especially as I think this year’s final is in Rome, at AS Roma’s stadium! They play with plenty of style and I think they will humble some more fancied teams.


X Factor Final


Well we had a good run with the boy band JLS but in the final analysis it was a full blooded diva against boys and unless you backed them each way it was a case of close but no cigar!


Strictly Come Dancing


We will have gone to print when the result is anounced and I hope we are all celebrating a win for Tom Chambers at a tasty 5/1. If he has not won then again it was close but no cigar.


FA CUP + EUROPEAN COMPETI- TIONS


And finally...


As promised here are my final predictions before February’s Superbowl. As I advised Carolina appear to be going from strength to strength while sadly The Cardinals look destined for a first round play off exit. Anyone reading this column in early January should plump for an NFC-AFC clash between Carolina Panthers and The Indianapolis Colts.


Here’s to a profitable 2009.... Bernie the Book


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