Derby County
Manager – Nigel Clough
Last Season – 14th
Key Player – Rob Hulse – Big, strong target men are a dying breed in English football, and Derby should count themselves very lucky to have one of the class of Rob Hulse. Good in the air and on the floor, the Rams front-man should be looking to improve on his tally of 12 goals last season and if chief supplier Kris Commons stays fit, that target should be reached easily.
Verdict – Nigel Clough has hardly set pulses racing at Pride Park over the past few seasons and if reports are to be believed a slow start to the season could prove the end of his reign. According to the locals he has made some strange decisions in pre-season including playing Hulse as a holding midfielder; he could be the one to win the Championship manager sack-race. The club have been on the decline for the past few seasons and it’s hard to see where an improvement will come from. Derby could be yet another former Premier League club to be swallowed up by League One.
Prediction – 22nd
Doncaster
Manager – Sean O’Driscoll
Last Season – 12th
Key Player – Billy Sharp – It’s hard to single out one specific player at a club where the team ethic is their biggest strength, but in Sharp they have a genuine goalscorer who can win a match single-handedly. He spent last season on-loan from Sheffield United, where he bagged an impressive 15 goals, and O’Driscoll was quick to sign up the hit-man earlier this summer for £1million, which is a club record fee.
Verdict – Something is brewing at the Keepmoat, season-by-season Sean O’Driscoll gradually improves the squad and the side seems very well drilled, and well aware of what is required from them. In a season that provides plenty of unknown quantities in terms of a promotion push, Doncaster provide consistency and proven Championship form which suggests that a push towards the play-offs could be on the agenda.
Prediction – 6th
Hull City
Manager – Nigel Pearson
Last Season – Relegation
Key Player – Jimmy Bullard - Hull want to sell him because of his high wages not his lack of ability, but if he happens to stay with the Tigers he will be their key player. If he stays fit, Hull will have someone who can unlock a defence and keep the ball ticking over in midfield. He will be one of the best players in the Championship and if Hull want to get back into the Premiership Bullard his set-piece ability will be a key component. If he doesn’t stay, captain Ian Ashbee will need to step up.
Verdict – Hull are in financial trouble and the squad could still be trimmed before the start of the season but on paper they could have a team ready to challenge for a play-off spot. But if Bullard does go, goals might be hard to come by with no great creative force in midfield. A strike force of Daniel Cousin, Caleb Folan, Craig Fagan and Richard Garcia may not be enough for a top-six finish.
Prediction – 13th
Ipswich Town
Manager – Roy Keane
Last Season – 15th
Key Player – Connor Wickham – Already being labelled as the savour of English football - no pressure Connor - the 17-year-old striker made his professional debut for Ipswich last season and became the youngest player to have made an appearance for the Tractor Boys. At 6ft 3in, despite his young age, he is able to cope with the demands of Championship football, and has been likened to a young Wayne Rooney. Interest from Arsenal and Tottenham highlight the promise shown by the young striker, and he will be looking to impress this season.
Verdict – Last season was a bizarre one for Ipswich. With massive expectations on their shoulders they failed to win until the end of October and continued the season drawing far too many games (20), performing way under their potential. Not sure things will change too much this season and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Roy Keane walking his labrador on Sky Sports News by Christmas.
Prediction – 17th
Leeds United
Manager – Simon Grayson
Last Season – Promoted
Key Player – Robert Snodgrass - With the departure of Jermaine Beckford to Everton, Leeds will be looking to Snodgrass to pick up some of the scoring slack. He only got seven goals last season but that was because he played deeper with Beckford pushing forward. If he uses his pace wisely and continues to improve at the same rate he has during his time with Leeds then the Whites should be able to secure a mid-table position.
Verdict – If Leeds had managed to persuade striker Beckford to stay in Yorkshire rather than joining Everton you could have made the case for Leeds to make a push for the play-offs. But as it stands Leeds look like an average Championship team and will need all of their players to work as a team rather than rely on individual performances. If all goes to plan Leeds should secure a mid-table finish.
Prediction – 12th
Leicester City
Manager – Paulo Sousa
Last Season – 5th
Key Player – Matty Fryatt – When Fryatt gets on a scoring run, he is very hard to stop. He notched 13 goals last term, but missed a big chunk of the season with a knee injury. If he stays fit, then Sousa will be looking for him to reach the 30 goal mark, something that he is very capable of doing.
Verdict – Leicester fans beware, the days of free-flowing attacking football under Nigel Pearson are long gone, get ready for defensive football that will make a Saturday afternoon shopping with the missus an attractive option. Paulo Sousa’s style will make the Foxes incredibly hard to beat, but incredibly dull to watch, meaning he could be in for a hard time with the ambitious City following. It’s hard to see the squad adapting to Sousa’s methods straight away, so the Foxes may be ones to keep an eye on during the second half of the campaign.
Prediction – 9th
Tags: