Is it just me or does the Championship look stronger than ever? Most teams (including us) have a history of top level football. Haven't paid attention recently (for obvious reasons). Getting scared so need to know the names of say 4-5 teams that are really rubbish and have no money and not likely to improve. Please help me sleep at night.
In fairness there are 17/18 teams with a reasonable chance of playoffs, most of the others with an outside chance. That's the beauty of the Championship, it's such a close run contest. But a few with top-league experience who are unlikely to prosper, but far from impossible, are the likes of Palace and Barnsley who aren't looking as mighty as they once were. Derby are looking to improve so will probably do better than they did last year. Coventry are a bit strapped and are looking like losing players.
To be honest It has been touted already by the TV and paper media that the championship is going to be an exceptionally hard league this Year. There is quite a few decent teams in there and as time goes on it will only get tougher, as more and more rich owners take over the clubs. It will even the league out a bit better. The same will happen in the premier it will even out over a bit of time. So if we do get promoted it will be on nothing else but merit and you will not get promotion on the cheap.
I've said it before and i'll say it again, you can make a reasonable case for 75% of the clubs in the championship to be promoted, and the rest of the clubs could make the play-offs with a good season (look at Blackpool, who were tipped for relegation the year they went up). On the other hand, this also makes relegation more open. Yeah, therre are 6 clubs who are more worried about it that the rest, but look at Sheffield United last year...
only 7 team this season havnt played in the premier league. gonna be hard this season but we can do it. COYR
Pompey's fate depends on whether their owners are going to spend or not. Surely they wouldn't have bought the team if they didn't intend to. The increase in parachute payments have given relegated clubs bigger clout in the transfer market, but I'm more concerned at the moment with spotting relegation fodder.
I got abused on my site for saying much the same thing. I truly believe that two thirds if not more of this season's teams will be thinking of getting involved with at least the play-offs. We will have to be exceptionally good to make the top six and see us as being top 8ish.
We need a fast start. Keep the winning mentality we had from last season. Confidence is the key to everything. Just don't let me or -Dan talk to them.
There will always be a handul of teams that massively under perform (Boro, Coventry, this year). I still think Blackpool will struggle as they will lose players to the Prem.
