sainter
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
It's back.
I've received countless PM's from regular posters concerned that everybody's favourite thread wouldn't be appearing. Nip/Tuck in particular has been especially worried.
But rest easy.
It's back bigger and better than ever.
This season we're joined by 6 new clubs:
Watford
Charlton
Sheffield United
Scampaignerhorpe
Bristol City
Blackpool
I've received countless PM's from regular posters concerned that everybody's favourite thread wouldn't be appearing. Nip/Tuck in particular has been especially worried.
But rest easy.
It's back bigger and better than ever.
This season we're joined by 6 new clubs:
Watford
Charlton
Sheffield United
Scampaignerhorpe
Bristol City
Blackpool
Soccernet's predicted final standings
The final standings?
1. Watford
2. Wolves
3. Charlton
4. Sheffield United
5. West Brom
6. Southampton
7. Burnley
8. Leicester
9. Coventry
10. Cardiff
11. Crystal Palace
12. Norwich
13. Sheffield Wednesday
14. Ipswich
15. Stoke
16. Preston
17. Bristol City
18. Plymouth
19. Hull
20. QPR
21. Blackpool
22. Barnsley
23. Colchester
24. Scampaignerhorpe
CENTREBETS CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS
CHARLTON ATHLETIC 7.00
SHEFFIELD UNITED 8.00
WOLVERHAMPTON 8.00
WEST BROM 9.00
WATFORD 11.00
SOUTHAMPTON 12.00
LEICESTER 15.00
STOKE 17.00
CARDIFF 21.00
COVENTRY 21.00
NORWICH 21.00
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 21.00
PRESTON 23.00
CRYSTAL PALACE 26.00
IPSWICH 26.00
BURNLEY 29.00
BLACKPOOL 51.00
BRISTOL CITY 67.00
COLCHESTER 67.00
PLYMOUTH 67.00
BARNSLEY 81.00
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 81.00
HULL 101.00
ScampaignerHORPE UNITED 101.00
Championship preview 2007/08
Richard Jolly
Barnsley
• Position last season: 20th
• Manager: Simon Davey - The lowest-profile manager in the Championship last season, but he kept them up after Andy Ritchie's surprise sacking.
• In: Kayode Odejayi (Cheltenham), Andy Johnson (Leicester), Marciano Bruma (Sparta Rotterdam), Miguel Mostto (Cienciano), Rob Kozluk (Derby), Dominik Werling (Sakaryaspor), Rohan Ricketts (Wolves), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby, loan)
• Out: Ryan Laight (released), Marc Richards (Port Vale), Nathan Jarman (released), Antony Kay (Tranmere), Neil Austin (Darlington), Paul Hayes (Scampaignerhorpe), Daniel Nardiello (QPR), Robbie Williams (Huddersfield), Paul Heckingbottom (Bradford, loan)
Barnsley achieved the unlikely by conceding 85 goals and surviving last season. It was no surprise, therefore, to see much of their creaking defence leave, but more of a shock that striker Daniel Nardiello, whose end-of-season scoring spurt propelled them to safety, was also among the departures.
Manager Simon Davey has taken a cosmopolitan approach to recruitment with Peru striker Miguel Mostto the most exotic addition to his squad. He and Kayode Odejayi, plucked from Cheltenham but untried at higher levels, are the alternatives to partner the Hungarian target man Istvan Ferenczi.
Enterprising football, with central midfielder Brian Howard chipping in with eight goals, made Barnsley entertainers last time around, but it was their ability to beat their fellow strugglers that kept them up. They face a similar battle this season.
• Key Man: Rob Kozluk - Seemingly took a dislike to Dennis Wise by citing him as the reason to reject Leeds for Barnsley, but the former Sheffield United defender will be vital in improving the Championship's most porous rearguard.
• One To Watch: Miguel Mostto - Barnsley's most expensive signing this millennium has travelled from the Andes to the Pennines. Will he bring goals with him?
• Must Do Better: Rohan Ricketts - The midfielder was a favourite of Glenn Hoddle, but his career has been one of unfulfilled potential thus far.
• Prediction: A repeat of last season would represent an achievement. They could go down.
Blackpool
• Position last season: 3rd in League One
• Manager: Simon Grayson - Predictably nicknamed Larry, but taking Blackpool from the relegation zone to promotion was a serious achievement.
• In: Paul Rachubka (Huddersfield), Michael Flynn (Gillingham), John Hills (Sheffield Wednesday), Stephen Crainey (Leeds), Gary Taylor-Fletcher (Huddersfield)
• Out: Ciaran Donnelly (released), Sean Paterson (released), Marc Joseph (Rotherham), Matthew Blinkhorn (Morecambe)
Although bolstered by investment from Latvia, it was their eye-catching football, culminating in a club record 10 successive wins, that secured promotion for Blackpool.
The creative qualities of Wes Hoolahan were a major reason why, but FIFA will be involved before Blackpool can complete his signing. With the other signings taken largely from League One, rather than Latvia, the Irish winger is of obvious importance.
Even without Hoolahan, the strike pair of Keigan Parker and Andy Morrell possess the pace and penetration respectively to prosper at a higher level. Their team-mates need to prove they are just as capable to avert a return to League One.
• Key Man: Andy Morrell - One of the signings of the season in League One, with 20 goals a just reward for his intelligent performances.
• One To Watch: Keigan Parker - His blend of sheer speed and wayward, but occasionally magnificent finishing, can make the Scot frustrating, but he is also a matchwinner.
• Must Do Better: Stephen Crainey - Showed himself to be painfully slow at Leeds, losing his place while winger Eddie Lewis was preferred at left-back. Has floundered since his move south of the border.
• Prediction: Grayson appears among the more gifted of the younger generation of managers. He will need to be to keep Blackpool up.
Bristol City
• Position last season: 2nd in League One
• Manager: Gary Johnson - Former Latvia manager who has flourished in the South West, first with Yeovil and now Bristol City.
• In: Stephen Henderson (Aston Villa), Ivan Sproule (Hibernian), Michael McIndoe (Wolves), Lee Trundle (Swansea), Marvin Elliott (Millwall), Tamas Vasko (Ujpest, loan)
• Out: Craig Woodman (Wycombe), Elliott Benyon (Torquay),
Perennial promotion contenders, Bristol City finally ended their eight-year stay in English football's third tier under Gary Johnson, formerly known as John Beck's assistant manager. That, however, indicates a brand of direct football that Bristol City usually eschew.
The summer signings suggest that Johnson's aim is to make them more attacking. Northern Ireland striker Ivan Sproule could form a new strike partnership with the Clown Prince of League One, Lee Trundle, assuming the latter can focus on football rather than just showboating.
Johnson has been reunited with Michael McIndoe, the gifted Scottish winger who excelled in his Yeovil team, and he should provide the ammunition for Trundle and co. With Jamie McCombe an imposing figure, City's defence was frugal last season. They will receive a stiffer examination this time around.
• Key Man: Michael McIndoe - Dead-ball specialist who, in his brief stint at Barnsley, showed himself capable of winning games for one of the weaker teams in the division.
• One To Watch: Lee Trundle - The Scouser is the great entertainer of the lower leagues. Whether his tricks and flicks work against Championship defences remains to be seen.
• Must Do Better: Stephen Brooker - Two goals was a meagre return last season. Injuries, along with a brief experience of jail, did not help, but he now faces a battle for his place.
• Prediction: There can be no doubt that City have the fanbase to survive in the Championship. Under Johnson, they should have the team to do so, too.
Burnley
• Position last season: 15th
• Manager: Steve Cotterill - Now verging on the long-serving, but his reputation took a dent on a five-month winless run last season.
• In: Gabor Kiraly (Crystal Palace), Besart Berisha (Hamburg), Robbie Blake (Leeds), Stephen Jordan (Manchester City)
• Out: Frank Sinclair (Huddersfield), Duane Courtney (released), Graham Branch (Accrington), Danny Coyne (Tranmere), John McGreal (released)
Burnley's three seasons under Steve Cotterill have followed a similar pattern: a bright start undermined by the loss of their leading scorer, whether to another club or injury.
With the second coming of both Ade Akinbiyi and Robbie Blake, as well as the continued presence of Andy Gray, Burnley should not be so dependent on any one player, but expectations must be raised as well.
Because, unusually for Cotterill, this is not a threadbare squad. After the additions of Akinbiyi and Joey Gudjonsson in January, his four summer signings show that, albeit quietly, Burnley's wealthy board have been investing. After backing Cotterill when he went from November to April without tasting victory, the play-offs should be the aim. It is not an unrealistic one.
• Key Man: Andy Gray - Burnley's season never recovered after Gray broke a metatarsal bone in November. If fit for the full campaign, he could reach 20 goals.
• One To Watch: Besart Berisha - Gifted winger who shone at Turf Moor for Albania against England A. He should certainly provide Burnley with something different.
• Must Do Better: Ade Akinbiyi - No stranger to this category, but 20 games after his return to Turf Moor produced just two goals. Cotterill felt he had spent too much time in the gym at Bramall Lane; he needs more on the scoresheet.
• Prediction: This should be the best of Cotterill's four seasons in Lancashire. The play-offs are a possibility.
Cardiff City
• Position last season: 13th
• Manager: Dave Jones - His post-match excuses may jar, but deserves some sympathy for working for Sam Hammam and Peter Ridsdale.
• In: Tony Capaldi (Plymouth), Gavin Rae (Rangers), Steven MacLean (Sheffield Wednesday), Michael Oakes (Wolves), Trevor Sinclair (Manchester City), Robbie Fowler (Liverpool), Ross Turnbull (Middlesbrough, loan)
• Out: Gregg Coombes (released), Michael Corcoran (released), Luigi Glombard (released), Mark Howard (St Mirren), Curtis McDonald (released), Nick McKoy (released), Neil Alexander (Ipswich), Kevin Campbell (released), Jeff Whitley (released), Scott Allison (Hartlepool), Jamal Easter (released), Chris Barker (QPR), Joe Jacobson (Bristol Rovers), Michael Chopra (Sunderland)
Cardiff's season of two halves included a lengthy stint on top of the table and a final position in the wrong half. Dave Jones' third year at the helm, therefore, is likely to determine the length of his stay in Wales.
He has certainly been active during the summer. Top scorer Michael Chopra's £5 million transfer to Sunderland was the most profitable piece of business, and represents a remarkable return on a £300,000 investment 12 months ago. It has also enabled Jones to strengthen throughout.
If Robbie Fowler was the most eye-catching addition, Steven MacLean is as important; Cardiff were too reliant on Chopra last time around. Trevor Sinclair and Tony Capaldi should provide a better supply line from the flanks, and new players, untainted by their miserable end to last season, may be the key if Cardiff are to progress beyond mid-table.
• Key Man: Robbie Fowler - The fourth highest scorer in Premier League history, but he has only mustered nine in the last two seasons. Cardiff will expect the best part of 20.
• One To Watch: Joe Ledley - The versatile Wales international was an ever-present last season and his form suggested he has the ability to play in the Premier League.
• Must Do Better: Darren Purse - A dreadful disciplinary record can make a determined defender a liability. Two red cards last season were further proof of his self-destructive streak.
• Prediction: With a new stadium on the horizon and Fowler's signing, expectations will be high. Cardiff's demanding support could be disappointed, however, if mid-table beckons.
Charlton Athletic
• Position last season: 19th in the Premiership
• Manager: Alan Pardew - Completed a job swap of the Alans with his former boss Curbishley last season. Now in the familiar position of trying to get the favourites promoted from the Championship.
• In: Luke Varney (Crewe), Chris Iwelumo (Colchester), Paddy McCarthy (Leicester), Jose Semedo (Sporting Lisbon), Svetoslav Todorov (Portsmouth), Nicky Weaver (Manchester City), Chris Powell (Watford)
• Out: Hermann Hreidarsson (Portsmouth), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (released), Radostin Kishishev (Leicester), Bryan Hughes (Hull), Darren Bent (Tottenham), Kevin Lisbie (Colchester), Thomas Myhre (released), Talal El-Karkouri (released), Nathan Ashton (released), Rurik Gislason (released), Alistair John (released), Myles Weston (Notts County), Luke Young (Charlton), Dennis Rommedahl (Ajax), Simon Walton (QPR)
His first two seasons at West Ham taught Alan Pardew that promotion from the Championship is attainable, but by no means easy. At Upton Park, it was achieved after the exits of almost all of the relegated team so it made sense for Pardew to hasten the departures of many of last season's failures.
Darren Bent does not belong in that category, but his transfer to Tottenham has funded the rebuilding. Given a lack of goals ranked high among the problems then, the addition of three strikers is understandable, and both Chris Iwelumo and Luke Varney were prolific in the Football League last year.
Rectifying a diabolical away record, with a solitary win and an average of more than two goals conceded per game, is a priority. Paddy McCarthy will bolster the defence, but the few survivors from Iain Dowie's team must display more resilience if Charlton are to make an immediate return to the top flight.
• Key Man: Chris Iwelumo - Last season, featuring 18 goals, was much the best of his career. He needs to maintain his dramatic improvement after the biggest move of his career and his partnership with either Varney or Svetoslav Todorov will be crucial.
• One To Watch: Darren Ambrose - Never quite managed to cement his place in the Premier League, but he is still only 23 and his long-range shooting should benefit a midfield that was woefully unproductive for much of last season.
• Must Do Better: Amdy Faye - It is a comment that could apply to many of Charlton's underachievers but, like Souleymane Diawara, the Senegalese was one of Dowie's costlier buys. It is fair to say he has not provided value for money yet.
• Prediction: It depends on how long it takes a new team to gel, but Charlton should be in the shake-up for automatic promotion.
Colchester United
• Position last season: 10th
• Manager: Geraint Williams - 'Geraint Who?' was a strong contender for Manager of the Year last season after taking Colchester to the highest position in their history.
• In: Clive Platt (MK Dons), Teddy Sheringham (West Ham), Mark Yeates (Tottenham), Luke Guttridge (Leyton Orient), Danny Granville (Crystal Palace), Matthew Connolly (Arsenal, loan), Bela Balogh (MTK Hungaria, loan), Kevin Lisbie (Charlton)
• Out: Lawrie Wilson (released), Chris Iwelumo (Charlton), Craig Hughes (released), Jamie Cureton (Norwich), Richard Garcia (Hull), Robbie King (released), Wayne Brown (Hull), Garry Richards (Southend)
Colchester may be the victims of their own, unlikely success. After the Championship's smallest club threatened to clinch a play-off place, four of their key players, along with their fearsome assistant manager Mick Harford, have been lured elsewhere.
The 41-goal strike partnership of Jamie Cureton and Chris Iwelumo will be missed most. Their replacements, with wildly contrasting backgrounds are Teddy Sheringham and Clive Platt; while one was still celebrating the treble in 1999, the other joined Rochdale.
A magnificent home record - Colchester took as many points as Sunderland, and with a superior goal difference - meant Layer Road was a fortress last season. It will need to be again if Colchester's surprise success story is to continue.
• Key Man: Pat Baldwin - In a defence that has lost Greg Halford, Wayne Brown and Chris Barker within a few months, Baldwin is one of the few who have stayed.
• One To Watch: Teddy Sheringham - Promising youngster who is looking to add to his 346 career goals.
• Must Do Better: Danny Granville - Joining Colchester represents the latest attempt to revive a career that has been on the slide since he left Chelsea.
• Prediction: Tipped for relegation last year, they could fulfil those (inaccurate) predictions 12 months on.
Coventry City
• Position last season: 17th
• Manager: Iain Dowie - Somewhat poorer after a court case with his permatanned friend Simon Jordan rather marred his summer.
• In: Dimitrios Konstantopoulos (Hartlepool), Ellery Cairo (Hertha Berlin), Arjan De Zeeuw (Wigan), Gary Borrowdale (Crystal Palace), Leon Best (Southampton), Michael Hughes (Crystal Palace), Julian Gray (Birmingham)
• Out: Arran Lee-Barrett (Hartlepool), Andrew Whing (Brighton), Colin Cameron (released), Che Bunce (released), Don Hutchison (Luton)
Iain Dowie's impatience was apparent in his summer dealings. Many of the players who limped to a mid-table finish could be jettisoned as, with Julian Gray, Michael Hughes and Gary Borrowdale joining, there is a Crystal Palace reunion in the Midlands, even if Simon Jordan is still waiting for his invitation.
The most significant signing, however, may be Arjan de Zeeuw. As 14 away defeats indicate, Coventry capitulated too often on their travels while keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos also has a part to play in improving a defence breached 62 times last season.
The football may have a direct element but, with two wingers among the arrivals, it promises to be attacking. Dowie's Coventry are certain to be fit and spirited, but whether they have the class for a top-six finish is another matter.
• Key Man: Arjan de Zeeuw - Even at 37, he remains a redoubtable figure. Fitness permitting, he and Elliott Ward could form Coventry's best central defensive partnership for several years.
• One To Watch: Ellery Cairo - A Dutch winger Dowie signed on a free transfer. With an assortment of tall strikers, quality crosses would be appreciated.
• Must Do Better: Kevin Kyle - A return of three goals in 33 appearances tells a story in itself. Replacing Gary McSheffrey was never going to be easy; Kyle made it look impossible.
• Prediction: The Ricoh Arena will be a tough place to visit, but it may require a year of consolidation and steady progress before Dowie can breach the top six.
Crystal Palace
• Position last season: 12th
• Manager: Peter Taylor - Popular at Palace as a player but not, thus far, as a manager. The suspicion remains that he is better suited to the England Under-21s and defensive tactics have not aided his cause.
• In: Tony Craig (Millwall), Jeff Hughes (Lincoln), Jose Fonte (Benfica, loan)
• Out: Danny Granville (Colchester), Michael Hughes (Coventry), Gabor Kiraly (Burnley), Tommy Black (Southend), Jobi McAnuff (Watford), Darren Ward (Wolves), Gary Borrowdale (Coventry)
Arguably, the greatest underachievers in the Championship last season, Palace approach the new campaign with a slimmer squad but similar expectations from the ever-demanding Simon Jordan: a promotion push.
With their parachute payments gone, Peter Taylor's recruits are cheap additions from the lower leagues. But after spending £5 million in the last 12 months, Shefki Kuqi, Jamie Scowcroft and the talented Paul Ifill have to justify their transfer fees.
That no player started 40 league games last season is an indication of Taylor's struggle to find a winning formula, while eight home defeats provide proof of the pressure of playing at Selhurst Park. Without a good start, that could be amplified.
• Key Man: Ben Watson - The former England Under-21 international possesses the potential to play in the Premier League. Dominating Championship midfields would be a start.
• One To Watch: Jeff Hughes - The Ulsterman has a fine left foot, as Lincoln fans are well aware, and could represent an astute acquisition by Taylor.
• Must Do Better: Shefki Kuqi - For £2.5 million, the Finnish target man was expected to provide many more goals. His tally of seven was insufficient, and unpopularity with the supporters was a consequence.
• Prediction: Have the ability to finish in the play-off places, but don't rule out another season of instability and underachievement.
Hull City
• Position last season: 21st
• Manager: Phil Brown - Like Sammy Lee, trying to show that Sam Allardyce's assistants can replicate his success elsewhere. The jury is still out, but he kept Hull up last season.
• In: Dean Windass (Bradford), Bryan Hughes (Charlton), Richard Garcia (Colchester), Wayne Brown (Colchester)
• Out: Russell Fry (Halifax), Scott Wiseman (Darlington), Ray Parlour (released), Jon Parkin (Stoke), Nicky Forster (Brighton), Darryl Duffy (Swansea)
After a summer takeover, Hull's summer bids have been an odd mixture of the outlandishly optimistic and the prosaic. They attempted to sign Christian Vieri and Juninho, and recruited a pair of players from Colchester, plus Hull's hometown hero.
But, in his third spell at his local club, Dean Windass' eight goals while on loan preserved Hull's Championship status. A partner for him should be a priority after a move for Richard Cresswell broke down.
Bryan Hughes should add creativity but, whoever accompanies him in midfield, Hull must be more consistent than last season and, after 12 defeats at the KC Stadium, more resilient at home if they are to avoid the relegation battle this year.
• Key Man: Dean Windass - Even at 38, the ebullient striker showed he can thrive in the Championship. Without his end-of-season form, his beloved Hull would be in League One now.
• One To Watch: Nathan Doyle - One of the few youngsters in an experienced squad, and manager Brown knows him well from their Derby days.
• Must Do Better: Dean Marney - There were glimpses of his quality but, at £500,000, Hull's record signing was expected to produce rather more in his first season at the KC.
• Prediction: They should have enough to stay up, but it would be unrealistic to expect anything above mid-table.
Ipswich Town
• Position last season: 14th
• Manager: Jim Magilton - Quotable Ulsterman who has made the journey from centre circle to dug-out at Portman Road.
• In: Pablo Counago (Malaga), Neil Alexander (Cardiff), Tommy Miller (Sunderland)
• Out: Darren Currie (Luton), Martin Britain (released), Scott Barron (Millwall), James Krause (Rushden), Darryl Knights (Yeovil), Lewis Price (Derby)
Jim Magilton's attempt to reunite the Ipswich team he graced continues with the return of Tommy Miller and Pablo Counago to Portman Road.
Given a reliance on Alan Lee for goals - only he and Danny Haynes scored more than four last time around - both the English attacking midfielder and the Spanish striker have roles to play, especially after Magilton admitted defeat in his bid to buy Francis Jeffers.
A total of 20 defeats, plus a dire disciplinary record, were reasons why Ipswich never threatened to progress beyond mid-table in Magilton's first year at the helm. The number of emerging players in a young squad suggests the future may be brighter, but it is too soon to expect a promotion push.
• Key Man: Tommy Miller - Averaged almost a goal every three games in his second spell at Ipswich. Now back for a third stint in Suffolk, a similar return would re-establish him among the Championship's best midfielders.
• One To Watch: Gary Roberts - A goalscoring midfielder Magilton plucked from Accrington Stanley.
• Must Do Better: Matt Richards - Drew plenty of scouts to Portman Road a few years ago, but hasn't developed at the rate he was expected to.
• Prediction: Probably another year in mid-table, but most of Magilton's signings so far have succeeded. If the new recruits do likewise, they could sneak into the play-off mix.
Leicester City
• Position last season: 19th
• Manager: Martin Allen - Dislikes being dubbed 'Mad Dog'. But what do you call someone who rang up Steve Bruce pretending to be Sir Alex Ferguson?
• In: Bruno N'Gotty (Birmingham), Jimmy Nielsen (Aalborg), Carl Cort (Wolves), Ricky Sappleton (QPR), Radostin Kishishev (Charlton), Sergio Hellings (Apeldoom), James Chambers (Watford), Jonathan Hayes (Reading), Hoessein Kaebi (Perspolis), Shaun Newton (West Ham), Stephen Clemence (Birmingham), Dudley Campbell (Birmingham)
• Out: Danny Tiatto (released), Andy Johnson (Barnsley), Danny Cadamarteri (Huddersfield), Nils-Eric Johansson (released), Paddy McCarthy (Charlton), Mark de Vries (Den Haag, loan)
Exit the anonymous Rob Kelly and, after Nigel Worthington kept Leicester in the Championship, enter the exuberant Martin Allen, along with a whole host of new signings funded by Milan Mandaric.
That three of them - Bruno N'Gotty, Stephen Clemence and DJ Campbell - helped Birmingham win promotion to the Premiership hints at Leicester's ambition. Certainly a midfield axis of Clemence and Radostin Kishishev, plus a central defensive duo of N'Gotty and Patrick Kisnorbo, should make Leicester solid.
But, though Iain Hume contributed 13 goals in a season when no one else topped five, Leicester struggled to win, especially at the Walkers Stadium. Campbell and Carl Cort have the responsibility of changing that, but it is doubtful whether Allen's 12 new faces contain enough creativity to propel Leicester into the top six.
• Key Man: DJ Campbell - Signed for a second time by Allen, and it didn't cost him £2.1 million to take the former warehouse worker from Yeading to Brentford two years ago. Provided invaluable goals for Birmingham last season, but often as a substitute.
• One To Watch: James Wesolowski - The combative Australian midfielder signed a new contract in the summer and, after limited opportunities last season, it bodes well that Allen appears a fan of his.
• Must Do Better: Carl Cort - Seven years ago, he was a £7 million striker. Now, though still only 29, he has joined Leicester on a free transfer. Red cards (one) outnumbered goals (none) in his last year at Wolves.
• Prediction: Given the rapid and radical transformation of the squad, anything could happen. Allen has been a nearly man thus far in his managerial career and Leicester could come close to a top-six finish.
