Championship Preview: Week 1

For many fans, the unbearable wait for the return of the football season is so very nearly over. The SkyBet Championship explodes back into life this weekend and promises to bring its usual madness and unpredictability with it.

A third of the clubs have new managers with many appointing big names. The second tier now boasts two Champions League winning managers in Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez and Aston Villa’s Roberto Di Matteo, while Dutch legend Jaap Stam makes his managerial debut with Reading. Owen Coyle (Blackburn), Paul Trollope (Cardiff), Nigel Pearson (Derby), Philippe Montanier (Nottingham Forest), Alan Stubbs (Rotherham) and Walter Zenga (Wolves) complete the list of the division’s new managers.

Burton Albion will compete at the highest level in the club’s 66 year history while Wigan and Barnsley return to Championship after short stays in League One. All 24 teams will hope to get off to flying starts this weekend…….

 

Friday 6th August

Fulham vs Newcastle United (19:45)

Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle will need to put the desperate disappointment of last season behind them as they kick off the Championship season away to Fulham.

The Magpies have inevitably lost many influential players following relegation, most notably Andros Townsend and Georginio Wijnaldum. However, their replacements show that Benitez, the former Real Madrid boss, has no intention of staying in the Championship for long. Jesus Gamez, Ciaran Clark, Grant Hanley, Mohamed Diame, Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle are among the impressive list of signings at St James Park.

Their opponents in the Football League’s curtain raiser are Fulham, who have been unable to make a serious push for promotion in two attempts following their own recent relegation. Last season the Cottagers were fighting at the wrong end of the table and it was only forwards Moussa Dembele and Ross McCormack that kept them afloat. With both players departed, the Cottagers are bound to struggle once more and boss Slavisa Jokanovic really has his work cut out. The sides last met in the Premier League where Fulham triumphed 1-0 thanks to an Ashkan Dejagah winner and the home fans would love to see a repeat result on Friday night.

 

(Fulham won 1-0 – Championship Review to follow)

Saturday 7th August (all 3pm)

Birmingham City vs Cardiff City

Unlike most Championship sides, Birmingham have had a quiet summer window. Gary Rowett appears to be relatively content with his squad but is likely to add more players before the deadline. James Vaughan and Ryan Shotton have been added to the squad while Robert Tesche’s loan has been made permanent. The Blues finished last season with a draw at Cardiff and they will be the opponents once more.

The Bluebirds have had a similarly quiet summer with the only major upheaval coming through the appointment of  Paul Trollope as Russell Slade’s replacement as manager. Trollope hasn’t held a managerial position since his departure from Bristol Rovers in 2010. In one of the most unforgiving leagues in English football, it promises to be a re-baptism of fire. Both sides maintained a top six challenge last season but fell away in the latter stages and both will be looking for an improvement this time around.

 

Blackburn Rovers vs Norwich City

Owen Coyle’s apparent quest to manage all the sides in Lancashire has now taken him to Blackburn. The former Burnley, Bolton, Wigan and most recently Houston Dynamo manager has the unenviable task of bringing stability to Ewood Park and his cause will not have been helped by the departure of captain Grant Hanley. Most Rover’s fans would probably happily accept a mid-table finish but many pundits are tipping a real struggle this season for the one time Premier League champions.

They’ve been given a tough start as they face one of the three relegated sides and favourites for promotion, Norwich. The Canaries had the all too familiar feeling of relegation from the top flight but will be hoping to respond in the same manner they did two years ago, when they returned the Premier League at the first time of asking. As with Newcastle, manager Alex Neil has had to fight to keep his key players, although the Scot has been slightly more successful. Nathan Redmond has been the only big departure while Robbie Brady and Jonny Howson are staying for the time being. Wingers Alex Pritchard and Sergi Canos have been added to the squad, as has Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 goalkeeping hero Michael McGovern. Nothing less than a promotion challenge will do for the Norwich faithful.

Bristol City vs Wigan Athletic

Gary Caldwell’s first venture into management proved to be a successful one as he turned around an average start to Wigan’s League One season into a runaway title win. Now they hope to emulate a growing list of sides who have won successive promotions and return to the Premier League. The Latics have had a shrewd transfer window thus far, adding Jake Buxton, Stephen Warnock, Nick Powell and Dan Burn providing Championship experience to an already promising squad. Last season’s topscorer Will Grigg will be looking to show that the infamous song isn’t wrong.

The Lancashire side travel to Ashton Gate to play Bristol City, who’s aim will be to build on their solid return to the second tier. Lee Johnson guided the Robins to safety, comfortably in the end, and will see last season as a platform to progress up the league. Gary O’Neill and Lee Tomlin have been the headline acquisitions for Bristol City and may provide the extra quality that they were lacking at times last season.

 

Derby County vs Brighton

A standout fixture in the opening round of games see’s two of the defeated playoff sides meet at Pride Park. While a top six finish showed great progress from Brighton, it was yet another nearly year for Derby. It’s up to new boss Nigel Pearson to get rid of an apparent mental block on promotion that this Derby squad appear to be afflicted with. Having masterminded the feat with Leicester, the Rams may have found the perfect man to turn around the club’s fortunes. He’s yet to make a signing at his new club, but has managed to hold on to all of the important components that have made Derby consistent challengers over the past few seasons. Approaches for midfielder Jeff Hendrick have been rejected as Pearson looks to keep hold of a squad which should have enough to compete near the top again.

The visitors to the midlands are Brighton, who will have felt mixed emotions at the end of last season. The Seagulls missed out on automatic promotion on the last day against Middlesbrough and then were outclassed in the playoffs against Sheffield Wednesday. However, it saw a dramatic improvement from the previous season in which they narrowly survived and Chris Hughton is smart enough to see the positives through the disappointment. Glenn Murray and Oliver Norwood have been added to a squad who will want a minimum top six finish although they are faced with a very tricky start.

 

Huddersfield Town vs Brentford

Both these sides saw their seasons fizzle out with Huddersfield comfortably avoiding relegation while Brentford’s playoff push never really materialised. The Terriers and the Bees will hope for better this time around but with the squads they have, mid-table obscurity seems the best either can hope for.

The Bees rarely looked like replicating their top six finish from two seasons ago and having lost Jake Bidwell and David Button who had played key roles for the London side. Manager Dean Smith has recruited promising keeper Daniel Bentley from Southend to replace Button while Romain Sawyers, who shone for Walsall last season, should add some sparkle to the Brentford attack.

David Wagner took over Huddersfield midway through last season and successfully steered the Yorkshire club to safety. They still seem way off putting together a playoff challenge and Wagner would probably settle for another uneventful midtable finish. Central defender Joel Lynch’s departure leaves a large hole to fill but Wagner has used his German intel to add Christopher Schindler from 1860 Munich as his replacement. Wagner has also given Wolves winger Rajiv van la Parra a path out of his Wolves nightmare with a move to the John Smith’s stadium and is tasked with supplying star man Nakhi Wells with the ammunition he has thrived on in recent years.

Ipswich Town vs Barnsley

Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich head into their 15th consecutive season in the Championship and that continuity is reflected in their transfer activity. McCarthy has thrived on a shoestring budget and will aim for another playoff push with his combative and determined style. As always, there will be a heavy reliance on Daryl Murphy for goals while Christophe Berra is a rock at the heart of the Ipswich defence. The opening game of the season will see McCarthy take on his beloved Barnsley, whom he made 272 appearances for as a player.

The Tykes are back in the Championship on the back of playoff delight following their 3-1 triumph over Milwall at Wembley. Football League Trophy winners as well, Barnsley have plenty of momentum behind them, a factor which so often makes a huge difference in this division. Paul Heckingbottom has strengthened his Barnsley squad with the additions of Tom Bradshaw and George Moncur who will both be desperate to show they have the quality to play at this level.

 

Nottingham Forest vs Burton Albion

Saturday 7th August will go down as a massive day in Burton Albion’s history as they compete in England’s second tier for the very first time. The Brewer’s meteoric rise has seen them go from what would have been the National League North to the Championship in just 15 years, a fairytale encapsulated by boss Nigel Clough. The former England international became player manager of Burton in 1998 and guided them to two promotions before leaving them for Derby in 2009. He picked up where he left off last season as he replaced QPR-bound Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and secured promotion to the Championship with a final day draw at Doncaster. Now, this plucky Midlands club will take on the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle and on Saturday, former European Champions Nottingham Forest, the side who Nigel Clough’s father made so famous in his 18 year spell as manager.

Times are very different now at the City Ground and there is a new face at the helm. Philippe Montanier, the ex Valenciennes, Stade Rennais and Real Sociedad manager, was appointed over the summer. Forest fans are desperate for a return the glory days of top flight football but were way off last season. Pajtim Kasami, Armand Traore and former Everton striker Apostolos Vellios have been added to the squad as they attempt to put together a serious challenge for promotion.

 

Reading vs Preston North End

Arguably the most eye-catching managerial appointment of the summer was former Netherlands and Manchester United centre back Jaap Stam at Reading. It’s the Dutchman’s first job as head coach after being number two at Ajax and FC Zwolle in Holland. The legendary defender has a tough reputation and will need all of his toughness to succeed in one of the most awkward leagues to navigate in European football. Stam has used his knowledge of Dutch football in the transfer window, bringing in Dutch international Roy Beerens from Hertha Berlin. John Swift and Callum Harriott headline the Royals’ domestic signings. Reading finished in the bottom half last season and will be setting their sights much higher this time around.

They begin with a home tie with Simon Grayson’s Preston, who enjoyed a successful first season back in the Championship. On one of the league’s lowest budgets, a fine second half of the season saw them finish 11th, closer to the playoffs than relegation. North End have been busy in the transfer market and may even eye a top six finish come May. Former Blackburn defender Tommy Spurr joins a defensive line which was highly impressive last season, while Ben Pringle and Callum Robinson have been added with the intention of increasing the creativity in the Lancashire side.

 

Rotherham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Alan Stubbs of Rotherham and Walter Zenga of Wolves will both get their first taste of managing in England as their two sides meet at the New York Stadium. Stubbs created Hibernian history as the Edinburgh club won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years. His reward for this triumph was a chance to prove his credentials in English football with Rotherham following Neil Warnock’s departure. Warnock led the Millers to a great escape and managed to keep the Yorkshire club relatively comfortably in the end. Stubbs will be tasked with making sure a great escape isn’t needed this time around but with the growing quality in the Championship, he could struggle to keep them afloat.

They begin their campaign against a Wolves side who will have been given a new-found optimism following their Chinese takeover, making the Midlands club one of the richest in the division. The turnover of the Molineux hierarchy cost Kenny Jackett his job and he has been replaced by experienced Italian manager Walter Zenga. Zenga has managed some of the largest clubs in Italy including Sampdoria, Palermo and Catania but now he tries his hand in England. Wolves are beginning to use their new financial muscle and it can be safely assumed that there will be plenty more arrivals through the Molineux door.

Sunday 7th August

QPR vs Leeds United (12:00)

There’ll be different feel around Loftus Road at the start of this Championship season as they get underway against Leeds on Sunday. QPR won’t be heading in to the season as one of the front runners for a change as a summer of outs has weakened the once impressive squad into a side that looks destined for mid-table. However, manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has previous when it comes to overachieving with a lesser squad. Before taking charge at QPR, Hasselbaink had masterminded the rise of Burton Albion from League 2 to the top of League 1 and he will be wanting similar success here. Alejandro Faurlin, Rob Green, Clint Hill, Matt Phillips, Junior Hoilett and Leroy Fer are among the long list of departures and there is potential for more before the summer is out.

As it seems with every season, a new Leeds United manager is tasked with restoring stability to the club. This time it’s the turn of former Swansea boss Garry Monk. It’s been a much more settled summer than usual at Elland Road although there have still been a large amount of ins and outs. Oxford United’s top scorer and FA Cup hero Kemar Roofe is an exciting addition however the departure of teenage starlet Lewis Cook is a significant blow. A push for the top six is definitely a possibility for the Yorkshire side but they need one or two more additions to seriously challenge for a place in the Premier League.

 

Sheffield Wednesday vs Aston Villa

It was heartbreak for both these sides last season but in very different ways. Villa were relegated from the Premier League after being cut adrift from the rest of the competition at an early stage, even being labelled “the worst Premier League side ever” by many pundits. Many of the current crop of players hadn’t been born when Villa were last in the second tier of English football and new boss Roberto di Matteo will be working hard to ensure their stay isn’t a long one. The Villains have spent big in order to return to the top flight at the first time of asking. 12 million pounds was splashed out on Ross McCormack, while Tommy Elphick and Aaron Tshibola have also been added to the squad at Villa Park.

For Sheffield Wednesday, play off final heartbreak finished off what had been a great season for the Owls. Carlos Carvalhal will need to pick his players up from that last disappointment and use it to spur them on for another push towards the promised land. The squad has been kept largely the same although Steven Fletcher and Ahmen Abdi are very good signings at this level. Two of the strongest promotion candidates should put on a cracking game.