Post by QPR Report on Aug 5, 2009 12:42:26 GMT
Interesting who's no longer being mentioned!
Football League - CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Posted on: 05.08.2009
Don Goodman looks ahead to this season's Coca-Cola Championship
THE MAIN CONTENDERS
The Championship is predictable in the fact that it is always extremely unpredictable! It's so difficult to second guess the outcome of this division each season.
That aside, I find it hard to look beyond West Bromwich Albion this year as my tip to win the title. They are the stand-out team as far as I can tell and I say that because they have managed to keep hold of most of their quality players despite relegation from the top flight. Crucially too, of those that are involved in the squad the vast majority of them know what it takes to get out of the Championship and that's so important.
Any team that loses a manager over the summer, especially one as good as Tony Mowbray, would normally be a worry for me but I have a lot of faith in Roberto Di Matteo. When the Italian replaced Paul Ince at MK Dons he had a lot to live up to but it never fazed him. He just continued the good work that Incey had already done there and improved them even more. I can see Di Matteo doing exactly the same at The Hawthorns and maintaining all the attributes that have made them such an excellent, footballing side. I really do enjoy watching the Baggies play the game and I envisage them having a lot of success this term.
Of the others, there are several candidates as always but it is Cardiff City and Bristol City that I fancy to produce great things this year. They both have superb managers in Dave Jones and Gary Johnson, they both have settled squads, and they both have fine consistency. I'll be very surprised if both of these two clubs aren't in and around the play-offs all season and one of them may even go straight up in the automatic promotion spots.
SURPRISE PACKAGES
When Billy Davies took the helm at the City Ground last season Nottingham Forest were in pretty dire straits but without too much fuss he guided them nicely to safety and I was really impressed with that effort. As a result of that momentum, my tip to surprise everyone this season has to be Forest.
Billy has a magnificent track record in management at Championship level and knows that level of football inside out. With a man at the helm that's been there and done it, reaching two play-off finals and winning one of them, I feel confident that we'll see much better performances from Forest this term.
Over the summer the Forest boss has also stamped his own mark on the squad bringing in plenty of quality players who he knows can do a job in the division. The likes of Chris Gunter, Dexter Blackstock, Paul McKenna, Dele Adebola and David McGoldrick are all fine reinforcements and they could turn the side into a force to be reckoned with.
My other tip to shine brightly during the 2009/10 campaign is Ipswich Town. I rate Roy Keane highly as a manager and I fully expect him to be a success at Portman Road.
When in charge of Sunderland Keano got them playing some lovely stuff and instilled a winning mentality into his players. I can't see any reason why he won't be able to repeat that feat at Ipswich, who already had a decent squad before his arrival at the end of last season.
The Suffolk club have recruited some talented and hungry young players over the summer break and if they gel quickly I feel the Tractor Boys could be a genuine force to be reckoned with throughout the year.
KEY PLAYERS
There are classy footballers everywhere you look in the Championship and in particular I think West Brom fans are fortunate to have some of the best around.
The key in my opinion to the Baggies' success this season will depend on their midfield. It looks as if Jonathan Greening may be heading for a big money move and that will be a major blow, but they do have another terrific player in the shape of Chris Brunt.
I don't think there are too many better wide men in the country and Brunt proved that he has real talent in the Premier League last season. If he can stay fit, I can see the Irishman's quality and invention from the flanks making a huge difference to West Brom's prospects.
Another player I have a lot of respect for is Bristol City's Marvin Elliott. In my eyes the lad is a terrific talent and an inspiration to his team. I'm surprised that a top flight club hasn't come in for him because I know that Gary Johnson thinks very highly of the boy. He'll be crucial to the Robins' prospects.
I'd also like to pick out a player that Paulo Sousa has inherited down at Swansea City, who I can see enjoying another influential campaign and that is their Spanish right-back Angel Rangel. His name might sound a little funny but wingers in the Championship haven't found it too amusing facing the lad because he's been sensational every time I've seen him play.
I love to see attacking full-backs and this boy is a wonderful example of that, as he attacks at every opportunity - and normally with plenty of quality too. He was unknown in the UK prior to his arrival in 2007 but has since become a firm favourite with the Swansea fans. A top player like him will not fail to be influential.
NEW BOYS
It's a huge season for all six of the Championship's new clubs but I suspect they might enjoy mixed fortunes.
West Brom I'm tipping to do well, but I have to say that I have major reservations over the prospects for the big two north-east relegated clubs Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.
The Magpies are a club in turmoil and although on paper they have some very good players who should shine at the lower level, I know that it doesn't always work out so easily. With so many foreign players involved, who are also on sky high wages, I fear there could be a soft centre and that many of them will have the shock of their lives when they turn up at places like Sc**thorpe away! I just don't fancy them to do that well.
Middlesbrough's problems are not the same at all. They've been forced to sell some of their better players and others will leave before the end of the month, so that leaves them looking like they have a very, very young squad. The talent of Gareth Southgate's players is not in question but as well as being brilliant, young players are also guaranteed to be inconsistent too. It's always the same. The first eight matches of the season will be all important to Boro. If they start well the youngsters will gain confidence but if they don't have a bright opening it could turn out to be a long, character building season for them.
As for the sides promoted from League One I really don't see Leicester City or Peterborough United having any problems at all but Sc**thorpe United may be up against it.
Nigel Adkins is a great manager but he just hasn't got the resources that the other two promoted clubs have at their disposal and that's crucial. When you have the limited funds that Sc**thorpe have to work with you can only go so far and that's why they have become a yo-yo club. If they survive it should be seen as a success.
As for the other two, I can see the pair of them establishing themselves as Championship clubs. Peterborough United have a brilliant young boss in Darren Ferguson and their ambitions remain understandably high, while Leicester City under Nigel Pearson have become a strong, consistent outfit. Promotion may be a step too far at the first attempt but I envisage a top half finish at least for the Foxes.
I honestly can't wait for the Championship season to kick off! It's such a hard league to predict but two things I can guarantee are that it will be passionate and tightly contested. It always ...
www.football-league.co.uk/page/News/ChampionshipNewsDetail/0,,10794~1743337,00.html
Football League - CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Posted on: 05.08.2009
Don Goodman looks ahead to this season's Coca-Cola Championship
THE MAIN CONTENDERS
The Championship is predictable in the fact that it is always extremely unpredictable! It's so difficult to second guess the outcome of this division each season.
That aside, I find it hard to look beyond West Bromwich Albion this year as my tip to win the title. They are the stand-out team as far as I can tell and I say that because they have managed to keep hold of most of their quality players despite relegation from the top flight. Crucially too, of those that are involved in the squad the vast majority of them know what it takes to get out of the Championship and that's so important.
Any team that loses a manager over the summer, especially one as good as Tony Mowbray, would normally be a worry for me but I have a lot of faith in Roberto Di Matteo. When the Italian replaced Paul Ince at MK Dons he had a lot to live up to but it never fazed him. He just continued the good work that Incey had already done there and improved them even more. I can see Di Matteo doing exactly the same at The Hawthorns and maintaining all the attributes that have made them such an excellent, footballing side. I really do enjoy watching the Baggies play the game and I envisage them having a lot of success this term.
Of the others, there are several candidates as always but it is Cardiff City and Bristol City that I fancy to produce great things this year. They both have superb managers in Dave Jones and Gary Johnson, they both have settled squads, and they both have fine consistency. I'll be very surprised if both of these two clubs aren't in and around the play-offs all season and one of them may even go straight up in the automatic promotion spots.
SURPRISE PACKAGES
When Billy Davies took the helm at the City Ground last season Nottingham Forest were in pretty dire straits but without too much fuss he guided them nicely to safety and I was really impressed with that effort. As a result of that momentum, my tip to surprise everyone this season has to be Forest.
Billy has a magnificent track record in management at Championship level and knows that level of football inside out. With a man at the helm that's been there and done it, reaching two play-off finals and winning one of them, I feel confident that we'll see much better performances from Forest this term.
Over the summer the Forest boss has also stamped his own mark on the squad bringing in plenty of quality players who he knows can do a job in the division. The likes of Chris Gunter, Dexter Blackstock, Paul McKenna, Dele Adebola and David McGoldrick are all fine reinforcements and they could turn the side into a force to be reckoned with.
My other tip to shine brightly during the 2009/10 campaign is Ipswich Town. I rate Roy Keane highly as a manager and I fully expect him to be a success at Portman Road.
When in charge of Sunderland Keano got them playing some lovely stuff and instilled a winning mentality into his players. I can't see any reason why he won't be able to repeat that feat at Ipswich, who already had a decent squad before his arrival at the end of last season.
The Suffolk club have recruited some talented and hungry young players over the summer break and if they gel quickly I feel the Tractor Boys could be a genuine force to be reckoned with throughout the year.
KEY PLAYERS
There are classy footballers everywhere you look in the Championship and in particular I think West Brom fans are fortunate to have some of the best around.
The key in my opinion to the Baggies' success this season will depend on their midfield. It looks as if Jonathan Greening may be heading for a big money move and that will be a major blow, but they do have another terrific player in the shape of Chris Brunt.
I don't think there are too many better wide men in the country and Brunt proved that he has real talent in the Premier League last season. If he can stay fit, I can see the Irishman's quality and invention from the flanks making a huge difference to West Brom's prospects.
Another player I have a lot of respect for is Bristol City's Marvin Elliott. In my eyes the lad is a terrific talent and an inspiration to his team. I'm surprised that a top flight club hasn't come in for him because I know that Gary Johnson thinks very highly of the boy. He'll be crucial to the Robins' prospects.
I'd also like to pick out a player that Paulo Sousa has inherited down at Swansea City, who I can see enjoying another influential campaign and that is their Spanish right-back Angel Rangel. His name might sound a little funny but wingers in the Championship haven't found it too amusing facing the lad because he's been sensational every time I've seen him play.
I love to see attacking full-backs and this boy is a wonderful example of that, as he attacks at every opportunity - and normally with plenty of quality too. He was unknown in the UK prior to his arrival in 2007 but has since become a firm favourite with the Swansea fans. A top player like him will not fail to be influential.
NEW BOYS
It's a huge season for all six of the Championship's new clubs but I suspect they might enjoy mixed fortunes.
West Brom I'm tipping to do well, but I have to say that I have major reservations over the prospects for the big two north-east relegated clubs Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.
The Magpies are a club in turmoil and although on paper they have some very good players who should shine at the lower level, I know that it doesn't always work out so easily. With so many foreign players involved, who are also on sky high wages, I fear there could be a soft centre and that many of them will have the shock of their lives when they turn up at places like Sc**thorpe away! I just don't fancy them to do that well.
Middlesbrough's problems are not the same at all. They've been forced to sell some of their better players and others will leave before the end of the month, so that leaves them looking like they have a very, very young squad. The talent of Gareth Southgate's players is not in question but as well as being brilliant, young players are also guaranteed to be inconsistent too. It's always the same. The first eight matches of the season will be all important to Boro. If they start well the youngsters will gain confidence but if they don't have a bright opening it could turn out to be a long, character building season for them.
As for the sides promoted from League One I really don't see Leicester City or Peterborough United having any problems at all but Sc**thorpe United may be up against it.
Nigel Adkins is a great manager but he just hasn't got the resources that the other two promoted clubs have at their disposal and that's crucial. When you have the limited funds that Sc**thorpe have to work with you can only go so far and that's why they have become a yo-yo club. If they survive it should be seen as a success.
As for the other two, I can see the pair of them establishing themselves as Championship clubs. Peterborough United have a brilliant young boss in Darren Ferguson and their ambitions remain understandably high, while Leicester City under Nigel Pearson have become a strong, consistent outfit. Promotion may be a step too far at the first attempt but I envisage a top half finish at least for the Foxes.
I honestly can't wait for the Championship season to kick off! It's such a hard league to predict but two things I can guarantee are that it will be passionate and tightly contested. It always ...
www.football-league.co.uk/page/News/ChampionshipNewsDetail/0,,10794~1743337,00.html