Championship top two 2014/15

[8ace]

How do I get these attachments to work

 

[Paris]

If a team like Wolves goes and buys Ross McCormack over the summer watch them fly. Bournemouth? If Burnley can finish top two...

Have a funny feeling Forest will be mid-table at best next season under Pearce.

 

[redoubtable seagull]

Really?

There's so much turmoil behind the scenes I think they could implode, unless your meaning of doing something was relegation.

Cellino is in court in October for alleged tax avoidance, a rift between cellino and previous owners GFH with allegations of mismanagement resulting in cellino wanting to renegotiate his payment, the ex MD of Leeds arrested last week in Dubai, supposedly losing a £1m a month, temporary closure of their training ground and redundancies issued for some staff including I think the co sec.

It seems they have some serious problems.

And it gets worse, winding up petition and suspension of credit and debit card sales for season tickets.

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/spor...card-sales-amid-winding-up-petition-1-6631826

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Forest
Fulham
Cardiff

But not necessarily in that order

 

[BensGrandad]

I think that it will be a very difficult division next years with about 10 teams who could well win the division. Norwich Fulham Cardiff,Middlesbro, Derby Forest, Blackburn Leeds Reading and us plus there will be an unexpected dark horse there usually is. Much too difficult to narrow it down to 2 teams.

I missed Wigan so even more difficult to predict.

 

[Paris]

My dark horse would be Sheffield Wednesday. If they get their merde together.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Norwich and some team from Sussex.

 

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Norwich and Cardiff. If Derby can keep their players then Derby instead of Cardiff.

 

[Ecosse Exile]

Norwich and Wigan, forest to run them close

 

[Machiavelli]

Norwich.

Unlike the vast majority of Premiership teams, almost their entire recruitment process since getting promoted has involved hand-picking the championships best players over the pas few years. They'll more than likely start the season with Becchio and Hooper up front.

Snodgrass, Pilkington, Howson, Johnson, Nathan Redmond, Elliot Bennett, Wes Hoolahan. All of whom proved themselves as some of the best players in this league recently. Backed up by Leroy Fer (Dutch international), and Alex Tettey.

Nathan Redmond will go to a PL side for a lot of money -- he's been very impressive in a poor side this season.

 

[JOLovegrove]

I think Derby may fall away, this was there season and I feel the league next year will be tougher then this with Wolves coming up and only QPR leaving us that have any real premier league quality. For me I can see Fulham doing well.

 

[chucky1973]

Wigan, Blackburn and Cardiff. Im not sure we will make top 10 or 12. Some strong looking sides next year.

 

[willalbion]

Wigan and Fulham

 

[Foolg]

Nathan Redmond will go to a PL side for a lot of money -- he's been very impressive in a poor side this season.

He's come out and said he's more than happy to stay if not.

If he does leave, the figures quoted are around £8m. They could reinvest half of that in the defence, and still be left with Snodgrass, Bennett, and Pilkington.

 

[London Irish]

Norwich will have the best squad no doubt but their choice of manager makes them a big risk to underperform. Their fans have got very leery of late and I can see them going mental if they are not top-4 in September.

So I prefer Wigan, who have the best manager in the division at the helm, and as a dark horse Watford

 

[8ace]

Norwich.

Unlike the vast majority of Premiership teams, almost their entire recruitment process since getting promoted has involved hand-picking the championships best players over the pas few years. They'll more than likely start the season with Becchio and Hooper up front.

Snodgrass, Pilkington, Howson, Johnson, Nathan Redmond, Elliot Bennett, Wes Hoolahan. All of whom proved themselves as some of the best players in this league recently. Backed up by Leroy Fer (Dutch international), and Alex Tettey.

If they can keep hold of all those players that is, they don't have to sell to balance the books but I could see some EPL teams coming in for a few of them.

 

[joeinbrighton]

Derby will have the best manager in the Championship next season. That is a big reason why they are unlikely to fall away, regardless of players they might sell. It's because of McClaren that they made the great strides that they did this past season. The big difference between them and Watford, apart from McClaren being a better manager than Gianfranco Zola is that most of the spine of Watford's side were made up of loanees and only a small number returned for the new season. Derby may lose a couple of players and also have their loanees go back to their parent clubs. But McClaren's reputation as a coach mean that he will not have any difficulty attracting other young players, with a lot of top flight teams thinking that a young player getting to play under McClaren's tutelage will be very good for their development. I'd be very surprised if Derby are not in the top 3 again next season.

I don't see any of the relegated clubs being a factor in next season's promotion race. Fulham could drop like a stone. Magath does not know the workings of the Championship and his approach seems to be to blood the youngsters. I'm not sure that approach works particularly well in the Championship and I think Fulham could be in for a very difficult season again. Cardiff are in a mess. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still learning the job and I think you could see quite a turnover of players at Cardiff in the next 2-3 transfer windows. They will probably get in the top half, but I'd be very surprised if they made the top 6. Norwich do at least have plenty of Championship experience that stands them in good stead. I would question their decision to appoint a rookie manager though. With an experienced manager at the helm, I'd have had them in the play-offs, but I think they might possibly fall short.

I would expect an improved showing from Reading, Bolton and Blackburn next season. I would say, in fact, that if Reading do not make a good start to the season then Nigel Adkins' job is on the line. Wigan should be strong contenders next time without any other distractions and you would think without needing to change their manager midway through a season. Job to know what could happen with Forest and Watford. Forest will certainly bring in players, but the appointment of Pearce is a gamble as his club management career has not been fruitful up to now. Bournemouth should have another steady season and might even make the play-offs next time. I think with a bit of investment and a good start to build on their momentum, Wolves could have another strong season in their first season back in the Championship. Kenny Jackett has done a magnificent job at stabilising that club in a short space of time.

Wigan and Derby would be my first 2 picks. Followed by Reading and Wolves.

 

[Triggaaar]

Derby will struggle to hold on to their best players when the Premiershit clubs come a-knockin..

But doesn't that mean they'll have good money to replace them?

 

[worthingseagull123]

Excluding the Albion from this, who would you expect to be promoted by right next season?

Fulham and Derby for me - the Premiership doesn't have enough teams playing in white shirts and black shorts.

Derby have the class to maintain this season's momentum and Magath is good enough to take Fulham straight back up.

It could be any club of 15. Burnley have shown that. 3-4 decent signings, bit of luck on the injury front and more or less any club bar half a dozen, could go up in top 2.

 

[supaseagull]

Three. How is that surprising?

Derby will be mid table next year