The Championship preview – part I
A look at the other teams in our division through the lens of an opposing fan, me. Who have they signed, who have they sold or released, what’s the manager like, key players, their fan’s expectations, and what we should expect.
Alphabetical order then, starting with the first of many B’s, AFC Bournemouth. The Cherries eased themselves into The Championship last season and like the Addicks the season before, a late run of good results almost grabbed them a Play-Off place.
Their Russian owner also spent big, including a big French striker, that some of us haven’t really got over, but it came at a cost. Bournemouth posted losses of a whopping £15m, and this before the signings of players like Tokelo Rantie, Lee Camp, Adam Smith and Yann Kermorgant.
To help address this Eddie Howe was forced into selling Lewis Grabban for £3m and has trimmed a big squad by loaning many out. Dan Gosling is the highest profile signing, the out contract Newcastle midfielder signing a 4-year deal at Dean Court.
Bournemouth could find they suffer the second-season blues, and will miss Grabban’s goals. Mind you I still think they have one of the brightest young managers in England at the helm. Promotion 15/2, Relegation 12/1.
At Birmingham City Lee Clark embarks on his 3rd season at St Andrews after somehow watching his side avoid relegation to League One in the dying seconds of last season.
Clark has had a real shake up and 14 players have left included high earners Zigic and Lovenkrands. 11 have joined as City finally adjust their budget to The Championship with Clark having to wheel and deal in the free transfer market. Defender Grant Hall was sigend on loan from Spurs, tetchy midfielder Stephen Gleeson came on a free from MK Dons whilst Clayton Donaldson deserted promoted Brentford for St Andrews.
With takeover talks dissipating, Birmingham fans can feel a little more optimistic but a little less stressful relegation survival is probably their main aim. City without a home league win since October last year will be happy to start away at Middlesbrough. Promotion 18/1, Relegation 7/2.
The Blackburn Rovers’ ship that was stuck on an iceberg has been steadied by Gary Bowyer. Rovers did early business in the transfer market signing the experienced Chris Brown from Doncaster and ex-Addick Luke Varney.
Once Addick target Alan Judge’s short spell at Ewood was ended when he moved to Brentford where he was on loan last season. In their 3rd season in the 2nd tier, the Venky’s have disappeared back to their chicken farms, at least for the time being, however there are now many clubs with bigger parachute credits than them but all the time Jordan Rhodes is in the shirt, then a shot at promotion is a distinct possibility. Promotion 5/1, Relegation 18/1.
The title of Championship club basket case, there is always one, and our name was on it at one point, is currently held by Blackpool.
Dearly departed Jose Riga has yet to say anything in public since being appointed on June 11th and the Tangerines’ lack of players has been well documented. The current first team squad stands at 12 after 27 players left in the summer.
It is hard to argue with Karl Oyston’s principles of financial nimiety, but to the extent of crippling a community football club is his harder to explain.
There are doubts whether Riga will last until the opening game, although I would suspect that there will be 17 players available to whoever the manager is for the game away at Nottm Forest. Nonetheless pre-season has been a disaster, and one has to wonder to the condition of the players, especially those unattached and brought in days before the season begins.
A relegation favourite it is harder to find, but Jose did it once before but is this a massive step too far? Promotion 50/1, Relegation 4/6.
Bolton Wanderers carry £164m of friendly debt, an implausible notion. FFP hasn’t seemed to quell their transfer ambitions but from what I can see the results look a bit mixed. Dorian Dervite signed of course as did three previous loanees, Liam Trotter, Neil Danns and Liam Feeney. Midfielder Andy Robinson was signed from Southampton but left two months later after notifying the club that he couldn’t settle in the area. Robinson recently got a run out for the Addicks on trial.
With Marvin Sordell, Zat Knight and Chris Eagles gone, Freedman has continued to develop a younger and less costly team at the newly named Macron Stadium and a strong finish to last season has given rise to some expectations in Lancashire. All the same Bolton, relegated from the Premier League in 2012 now look in more familiar surroundings alongside other recently relegated sides Blackburn and Birmingham. Promotion 8/1, Relegation 14/1.
Brentford will have watched Bournemouth’s success last season and will attempt to emulate it. Mark Warburton eased himself into the dug out after Uwe Rosler left in December for Wigan. Warburton gave up his job as a city trader to concentrate on his love of football coaching. He travelled around Europe’s best clubs to observe coaching techniques whilst doing his badges. His first job was at Watford’s academy in 2006 and it’s great to see a grass roots coach being given the opportunity and not a top retired international.
Bees’ fans are very optimistic about their Championship chances 21 years after they were last in the division. Brentford who start work on their new stadium soon have also spent quite big following promotion. Midfielder Moses Odubajo signed from Leyton Orient for a club record fee of £1m, striker Scott Hogan came from Rochdale for £750,000 and Conference top scorer Andre Gray was pinched from Luton Town for £500,000.
18-goal Clayton Donaldson was the highest profile departure and on loan striker Marcello Trotta also left the club. Warburton has certainly addressed this with the signing of Hogan and Gray, albeit both untested at this level.
Warburton likes to play a fluid 4-3-3 and I think they might well take to this division pretty well. They start at home of course against the Addicks. Promotion 12/1, Relegation 4/1.
Cardiff City intrigue me. They come back to The Championship with a huge war chest, but how is Mr Tan going to spend it? Tan remember accused Malky Mackay of acting in an imprudent and careless manner. Mackay was publicly held out to dry and fired, whilst Tan’s choice of new manager got them relegated.
Since relegation Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has added more to the squad than they have lost in terms of numbers at least, but replacing Fraizer Campbell, who was impressive last season and Steven Caulker will be impossible. Goalkeeper David Marshall, Jordan Mutch and World Cup star Gary Medel are also very sought after commodities.
Goals were a problem last season and in an attempt to fire the Bluebirds back to the Premier League, Solskjaer has added Adam Le Fondre and Federico Macheda to his squad.
Cardiff have the best resources ever given to a relegated team to bounce back at the first attempt, yet history proves this is no easy task and with Vincent Tan in the shadows all eyes will be on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to see if he can prove himself in management, in England. Promotion 9/4, Relegation 40/1.
Part II to follow.
