The English Championship is often considered to be one of the toughest competitions in the world with there being little to choose in standard between the promotion and play-off contenders.
This has not gone unnoticed with television rights being sold around the world, increasing sponsorship opportunities and thereby allowing players’ wages to escalate.
It is home to internationals of many countries. For example, in the last squad selected to represent Scotland and Northern Ireland, there were more players coming from the Championship than any other league.
A league that is so close is notoriously difficult to predict. The teams recently relegated from the Premier League are blessed with ‘parachute payments’ but are also hindered by wages that match and ‘want-away’ players seeking to ply their trade at the highest level.
Those that allow players to leave, and often managers, are left trying to ensure their new signings gel quickly.
Of those to drop down last season Blackburn Rovers are the highest placed, which surprises me given the volume and nature of the signings but even the most fickle of fans appears determined to force the departure of unpopular manager, Steve Kean.
Six of their 11 new arrivals are from Portugal with Kean admitting that he has not even seen the three who arrived on the final day of the transfer window. The signings are the responsibility of the club’s world-renowned football advisor, Shebby Singh.
However, the Venky’s, Blackburn’s Indian owners, are lavishing £8m on Jordan Rhodes from Huddersfield Town and Portuguese international, Nuno Gomes.
Another of the relegated teams, Bolton, have seen a summer clear-out although they have retained some key personnel who should provide them with a solid platform. Up front they have an intriguing partnership, pairing the powerful Kevin Davies with the nimble feet of Marvin Sordell, an unproven youngster controversially selected by Stuart Pearce for the GB Olympic team.
One unfortunate absentee will be Fabrice Muamba who has been forced into early retirement following the cardiac arrest he suffered at Tottenham. Bolton struggled last season thanks to a leaky defence and with little having been done to rectify that, Owen Coyle must be hoping that the team can handle the more erratic Championship forwards.
Wolverhampton Wanderers were the third team relegated and they have already seen the first managerial casualty of the season, dispensing with the services of their popular, long-serving assistant manager, Terry Connor.
Despite only four points from their first four matches it is difficult to see what Connor did to deserve the chop. This decision is probably an attempt to provide full backing to Wolves’ surprise managerial choice, Norwegian, Stale Solbakken.
He has certainly been busy in the transfer market making a massive profit from the sale of Fletcher, Jarvis and Kightly, replacing them with little known internationals from more minor European leagues. One bargain he has unearthed is Bjorn Sigurdarson.
The teams newly promoted from League 1 will be hoping to emulate last season’s success story, Southampton.
Favourites for this will be Charlton who secured a massive 101 points in winning the title last season. Manager Chris Powell will be looking towards Bradley Wright-Phillips and Ricardo Fuller to provide the ammunition to blast them to the top of the table.
The Owls of Sheffield have another experienced Championship manager in Dave Jones who will be hoping for a more relaxed finish to the season than last, when they secured promotion on the last day of the season by beating Wycombe 2-0.
Jones has added experience to his squad in the shape of ‘keeper, Chris Kirkland, and defender Martin Taylor.
Gulf regional interest in the Championship is focused on Leeds United, target of a Bahrain-led takeover group still trying to get to grips with the club’s assets (of lack of) and balance sheet through due diligence.
Experienced manager, Neil Warnock, with seven previous promotions, certainly has the know-how to take Leeds back to the top flight. Despite losing Robert Snodgrass to Norwich the Elland Road faithful are optimistic that they can seal a play-off spot.
In one of the more interesting developments, Warnock signed the man he previously referred to as being ‘lower than a sewer rat’, El Hadji Diouf, claiming he represented the best-value of all the players available.
Kuwaiti-owned Nottingham Forest have had to undertake a last-minute re-build, piecing together a squad left decimated by what many fans describe as the mis-management of player contracts, leaving them over the summer with only one recognised senior defender.
The surprising, yet popular choice of Sean O’Driscoll as manager, has seen a new team arrive on a combination of loan deals and free transfers, returning on a number of occasions to players he has previously managed. It is a surprise to see them sitting only one point off the top of the table.
The team currently occupying the top spot is Blackpool, managed by the irrepressible Ian Holloway, the former darling of Bristol Rovers. His side is again easy on the eyes and, with the results coming his way, his transfer window was spent fending off interest in his highly-rated youngsters, Matt Phillips and Tom Ince, son of the Liverpool and England legend, Paul.
Holloway can rely on the experience of Barry Ferguson and Kevin Phillips to provide some strength and balance.
Blackpool’s only dropped points came away to Leicester, last season’s big-spenders. Astute manager, Nigel Pearson, is actively downplaying his side’s promotion chances, although is adopting a different style to the gung-ho approach of former boss, Sven Goran Ericsson.
While he has retained the services of the league’s best ‘keeper, Kasper Schmeichel, he is not averse to seeking a bargain, having signed Jamie Vardy for a cool £1m from non-league Fleetwood Town.
Watch out for another club under Asian ownership although you may not recognise them!
Cardiff have changed their colour to red from the traditional blue to appeal to the Far Eastern market!
Abu and the Editor’s predictions for the English Championship
Promotion – Blackpool due to their experience and settled squad with Brighton a surprise contender. (The Editor reckons Hull City will walk it followed swiftly by London’s top team, Millwall)
Relegation – Peterborough, unless their manager, Darren Ferguson, benefits from some favourable loan transfers from dad! (The Editor reckons Bristol City, simply because they are Bristol City).
