O/T The Championship

[ghostrider]

That's true, but did anyone expect them to challenge us for the league mate? Maybe scrape a play-off place but with us and Villa joining the league I don't think many would have thought they'd be one of the 3 to get promoted, I certainly didn't.

I actually did think they would challenge for a promotion place, although I didn't expect them to be so close to us at the end of the season.

Hughton assembled a tight knit group of decent quality as far as the championship went.
He added wisely and astutely, each season.
The fact that they fell apart at the end of the seasons before, made me think that they would be one of our closest promotion rivals.
However, Huddersfield weren't even in the running.

I actually thought Leeds would have done it, as well.

But like you mentioned about the teams being in it. It's not easy to actually make predictions among that lot and especially with adding the odd sneaky (so called) unfashionable club gatecrashing proceedings from time to time.

[NorthernRock]

I actually did think they would challenge for a promotion place, although I didn't expect them to be so close to us at the end of the season.

Hughton assembled a tight knit group of decent quality as far as the championship went.
He added wisely and astutely, each season.
The fact that they fell apart at the end of the seasons before, made me think that they would be one of our closest promotion rivals.
However, Huddersfield weren't even in the running.

I actually thought Leeds would have done it, as well.

But like you mentioned about the teams being in it. It's not easy to actually make predictions among that lot and especially with adding the odd sneaky (so called) unfashionable club gatecrashing proceedings from time to time.

Good shout that mate.

I've always had a soft spot for Hughton, he's an underrated guy/manager maybe because of how he comes across but he makes some astute if unspectacular signings that do they're job right, hope he keeps them up tbh, they gave us a right good go last season.

Yeah Leeds are another one who I always think are gonna be there or there abouts, I think Derby and Birmingham are going to push on this season too, I'm with Sherwood in that I think Redknapp has a knack of getting players performing and grabbing decent players who perform short term to get where he want's to.

Wolves seem to be the team with money and have spent nearly £30m on those 2 Portuguese lads Costa and Neves, be interesting if they can perform in that league, if they do then Wolves could do really well.

Brentford have a tidy team and sign good unknown players with their intelligent way of scouting if I was going to pick one team then they'd be my surprise package mate.

I tell you what Huddersfield and Reading both did really well and I think that's down to their managers tbh, Wagner knows how to get his tactics on the pitch and some of their unknown players really stood out, Mooy and Mounier are exciting signings, they're a bit different from the "normal" promoted teams in that his team likes to attack/pressurise and I think they'll have a go with teams whoever they're playing, will be good to see how they get on in the Prem with their style... We smashed it all those years ago first time round but it's a different world now...

[ghostrider]

Good shout that mate.

I've always had a soft spot for Hughton, he's an underrated guy/manager maybe because of how he comes across but he makes some astute if unspectacular signings that do they're job right, hope he keeps them up tbh, they gave us a right good go last season.

I have a lot of respect for him, also. I wish him well wherever he goes because he's a decent bloke and was unfairly dealt with by us, yet he took it on the chin and has no badness towards the club, which he's entitled to have.
One of the very few managers that I hope does well....unless it's against us, of course.

Yeah Leeds are another one who I always think are gonna be there or there abouts, I think Derby and Birmingham are going to push on this season too, I'm with Sherwood in that I think Redknapp has a knack of getting players performing and grabbing decent players who perform short term to get where he want's to.

Yep, it's possibly that Harry could instill a 10 feet tall kind of mentality into his players. It's all about getting them into that mindset and if so, it's just a case of lighting the fuse.

Wolves seem to be the team with money and have spent nearly £30m on those 2 Portuguese lads Costa and Neves, be interesting if they can perform in that league, if they do then Wolves could do really well.

Yep, they always seem to be an immediate pre-season kind of front running threat and then they tend to be weighed down by it.
It'll be interesting to see who makes a fist of it out of the clubs battling in that league.

Brentford have a tidy team and sign good unknown players with their intelligent way of scouting if I was going to pick one team then they'd be my surprise package mate.

Yep. The so called unfashionable clubs like Brentford, who are nobody's fools.

I tell you what Huddersfield and Reading both did really well and I think that's down to their managers tbh, Wagner knows how to get his tactics on the pitch and some of their unknown players really stood out, Mooy and Mounier are exciting signings, they're a bit different from the "normal" promoted teams in that his team likes to attack/pressurise and I think they'll have a go with teams whoever they're playing, will be good to see how they get on in the Prem with their style... We smashed it all those years ago first time round but it's a different world now...

I think the quality of training is being ramped up, along with the quality of managers who are used to the rigours and technical side of the game. A sort of more sciency aspect, coupled with the mixture of race-horse and overall season steeple chase kind of physical and mental mixture that players seem to have to endure.

I'm probably over doing it with my thoughts but to be fair, football is changing/evolving as each season comes around.

[Andy1981_2]

Spurs were alongside us at the bottom of the Prem when he first joined them,it was mid season so no chequebook.They shot up the League.

I mean, you say that and you're partly right... but after 19 games Spurs were 16th in the table, which is hardly a massive turnaround (they were bottom when he took over though). He then spent about £50m in the January window and they finished 8th. Make of that what you will.

[Andy1981_2]

Brighton didn't exactly come out of nowhere. They were knocking on the door for a few seasons with cash constantly on the hip to tweak...but I do get the points about all the clubs capable.

In Sunderland's case, it's the best thing that could happen to them in terms of how their fans would see it, because they must have been fed up of languishing in relegation trouble all the time and not enjoying their football.
I hated it when it was happening to us and I got frigging sick of having that pissed off feeling after nearly every game, as opposed to the feel good factor of winning most games in the championship.

The championship is no walk in the park but it can be a massive wake up call to big clubs to realise that quick fixes are rarely a sustainable option and a more sensible approach coupled with time can reap much better rewards in terms of getting back to where they want to be.

In Sunderland's case, I think they are destined to spend a decade or two, or more, out of the premier league, unless some big time , (money no object...wages no object ) Charlie/s come in to fast track a mercenary team back into the limelight.

I'm not sure it's possible for people to come into a club like Sunderland and transform them with a team of mercenaries - the FFP rules have effectively sewn it up for the big boys now, so clubs like us and the mackems are now hampered by having to keep a wages to turnover ratio that is, in turn, weighed down by turnover's correlation with on the field success. FFP is the worst thing to happen to football, even if it is good for the 'business' of football.

I didn't put Sunderland in my top 6 because, at the moment, their squad looks a bit uninspiring. They have one or two players who should be good at that level, but who may equally struggle for motivation if things don't get off to a good start. I don't think they'll be far off the top 6 though, and any team in that league could conceivably go on a run of 9 or 10 consecutive wins and romp up the table.

[Jammy89]

Sunderland for me aren't going to get top 2 and i don't think he'll they get play offs.

However, i have upgraded them from probable relegation to unlikely relegation.

With Grayson they've a decent championship manager and some of their signings should do well in championship.

[Andy1981_2]

Sunderland for me aren't going to get top 2 and i don't think he'll they get play offs.

However, i have upgraded them from probable relegation to unlikely relegation.

With Grayson they've a decent championship manager and some of their signings should do well in championship.

I never thought they'd be in the relegation mix - worst case would be mid-table I reckon. There's some awful teams in that league that will find their way to the bottom over the full season, just as about half the league are capable of winning 6 on the bounce. Sunderland are way better than half of the teams there, but there's a real question mark over whether they're better than the other half.

[Jammy89]

I never thought they'd be in the relegation mix - worst case would be mid-table I reckon. There's some awful teams in that league that will find their way to the bottom over the full season, just as about half the league are capable of winning 6 on the bounce. Sunderland are way better than half of the teams there, but there's a real question mark over whether they're better than the other half.

I thought they'd be down again.

Particularly when they were selling players, had no manger and the one they wanted turned them down. Had they hired any manager except one that didn't have champ experience i'd still have them down as 15th or under. Whereas now i'd have them 12th-15th.