QUOTE All eyes will be on Harry Redknappâs QPR when the Sky Bet Championship season kicks off next weekend. Relegated Rangers have been installed as title favourites and undoubtedly have the talent in their squad to bounce straight back, though they look set to lose out to Norwich in the race to sign Celticâs Gary Hooper. However, unless that talent is matched by the appetite for the battle ahead then the west Londoners could just as easily follow Wolves out of the division in the other direction. Redknapp grew increasingly exasperated with some of the clubâs high-profile players last season and has already offloaded Djibril Cisse, Chris Samba and Jay Bothroyd. Instead the likes of Shaun Derry and Clint Hill, veterans of Rangersâ previous promotion campaign, will be asked to step up to the plate again. But they are now three years older while there are question marks over the fitness of another old stager, new signing Richard Dunne. Yet whether they race clear at the top, struggle at the bottom or flounder somewhere in between, there will rarely be a dull moment at Loftus Road. The other two relegated clubs, Wigan and Reading - models of stability by comparison - appear in better shape to challenge for promotion. The Latics, now managed by Owen Coyle who took Burnley up in 2009, have surely pulled off a masterstroke by landing Norwich marksman Grant Holt. Reading still have much of the squad which secured promotion a year ago and also have a proven course and distance performer in charge in the shape of Nigel Adkins, who led Southampton up the same season. Of last seasonâs challengers, play-off finalists Watford have signed up many of last seasonâs controversial loanees on permanent deals and could go well again. But Brighton, who finished fourth, have imploded since their semi-final defeat by rivals Crystal Palace, acrimoniously parting with Gus Poyet in favour of little-known Spaniard Oscar Garcia, and Leicester have yet to substantially add to a squad which just scraped into the top six. Instead Bolton look primed for a genuine promotion tilt under Dougie Freedman. The Scot left Palace flying high in fourth in October and then dragged Wanderers from 20th to seventh and, with a shrewd addition or two, they will be major contenders. Billy Davies has cash to spend to lift Nottingham Forest into the top six, Ipswich and newly-promoted Bournemouth are lively outsiders and Middlesbrough will surely improve on last seasonâs mid-table meandering. UNQUOTE
Really can't see how we can be installed as favourites......league is so open anyone of about a dozen sides have a good chance...
Bookies seem to base it on recognisable names in the squad. We all know that makes fc uk all difference
Goldie....just thinking that when the prediction thingy starts, as i know so few of the opposition players i'll be predicting something like 40 odd clean sheets during the season!!!!!
