I think it is so tight at the top that you can honestly say there is not a lot to choose between the top four or five sides. Cardiff have probably done enough - early enough- to now be able to get home in an automatic place - probably top unless they have a real slide - the pressure is not really on them and all things considered they should end a few points clear. Just as well really as in their manager they probably have the worst candidate for a nervous run in - Malky's sides have never finished the season strongly I am beginning to think that what will make the difference in getting the second spot will be the manager. There are now probably only 3 teams in with a real shout at second - Watford, Hull and Palace - but if Leicester could return to their form of a month or so ago they could yet sneak in if enough of the others trip up. Nigel Pearson, Steve Bruce and Ian Holloway have all steered sides to promotion whereas Gianfranco Zola has not. Zola's inexperience not only with promotion but also with the Championship could yet prove a difficulty for Watford - although there is the opposing argument that says he has nothing to fear. His best shot really is to ignore the tables and try to keep us playing the way we have over the last three or four months - if he starts to change to a more "safety first" approach it could be dangerous. Nigel Pearson only experienced promotion from the third to the second tier - having won the League 1 title. In the Championship he failed in the play offs losing a semi-final to Cardiff on penalties. He also has only really been successful at Leicester Ian Holloway is the most experienced manager - having started as Bristol Rovers manager in 1996 - he has also managed QPR, Plymouth, Leicester and Blackpool before Crystal Palace. In nearly 17 years and with nearly 800 games under his belt as manager though he has only had two successes. He took QPR up from the second division in 2004 and won the play offs with Blackpool in 2010. Steve Bruce is almost as experienced as Holloway - with just under 15 years in charge and over 600 games to his credit. He has also managed 7 different clubs Sheffield Utd, Huddersfield, Wigan , Crystal Palace, Birmingham and Sunderland before Hull. He has twice enjoyed promotion from the Championship - both times with Birmingham once directly in 2007 and once via the play offs back in 2002. I don't know what to make of these managerial records to be honest. Nigel Pearson and Ian Holloway both seem to be somewhat brittle characters who are good when everything is going well but not so much when the going gets tough. For me perhaps Steve Bruce has the edge with his experience and twice having gained championship promotion. Zola just remains a complete unknown. I have a nagging feeling that Cardiff will come top and that Hull will edge into 2nd spot ahead of Palace and then Watford - with Leicester 5th. Sixth spot - perm any one from Brighton, Forest, Bolton and Leeds - I don't think Middlesboro will recover now. Exciting isn't it?
As a manager you are as bad as your last failure. Win three cups but people will always remember the relegation before this success. I may be an army of one as I never saw Steve Bruce as successful, Ian Holloway and Nigel Pearson as well. Even with them taking championship teams into the premier league. Another is Tony Pulis, to keep Stoke City in the premier league is a good achievement but I never see him as a success like Robert Martinez or Brian McDermott. Brendon Rodgers for his integrity failings is a good manager but I think Liverpool is a step too far for him currently. Malcolm Mackay is a success because of what was before him and the huge amount of money Cardiff City seem to have.
I agree Ak that I don't quake in my boots at the thought of Bruce, Pearson or Holloway - now if Graham Taylor managed one of the others - I would be worried
I'm upbeat about our chances. If us, Hull or Palace were in the Foxes' position then I would write that team off. But I still consider Leicester to be in the race (albeit as outsiders), because I feel they are capable of going on an amazing run. Although if we're talking about managerial credentials, what about Ian "Big Time" Holloway at Leicester, Steve "Keegan" Bruce at Palace, or Nigel "Penniless" Pearson at Hull? Zola's tenure at West Ham compares favourably with all of those. Even Bruce, because for all the early promise, the blame for Palace's failure to go up that year lies with his badly handled departure.
