Championship Chat 2014-15 Season

[jjandellis]

Lots of players have been released or taken up options on; so now clubs are slowly beginning to sign people and formulate their squads, so I thought it a good time to start this thread!

I'll start off with possibly THE Championship signing of the summer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22938995

Thoughts?

[aaron1867]

Funny signing for Barnsley, the guy is supposed to be really good, but apparently he was only being chased by Barnsley and Huddersfield.

I am looking foward to another exciting season.

[Sheriff Fatman]

Lots of players have been released or taken up options on; so now clubs are slowly beginning to sign people and formulate their squads, so I thought it a good time to start this thread!

I'll start off with possibly THE Championship signing of the summer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22938995

Thoughts?

It's not often we sign players from Bayern Munich!

The big concern seems to be his ability to stay fit, but I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do for us.

We have a new Chairman (ex Man Utd director, Maurice Watkins) and CEO (ex football agent) already this summer so things should improve in the behind the scenes running of the club from the old corner-shop mentality, and of course we have Flicker back in charge with the same backroom team.

Our 2013 form was good enough for the top 6 based on the league table from 1st Jan, and we look to be moving in the right direction, so this is definitely the most optimistic I've been for a new season in many a year.  Looks like Luke Steele is on his way out, which will be a loss, but not one that will devastate us.

Next step is to get O'Grady signed up from Wednesday, and to persuade Martin Crainie to sign a new contract.

[redsimon]

Because of who started thread do I have to have a punt on Blackpool for promotion?

[Chompy]

I will have no part of this thread.

[The Camel]

I will have no part of this thread.

I will.

 

[ripple11]

.....in before next season 

[Young_gun]

I will be getting involved once things look a bit better, Charlton fan

Agreed will be a great signing, quite suprised there wasn't more interest.

Our kit was released yesterday Man U's kit from last season so hopefully we do as well

#comeonyoureds

[Acidmouse]

looking at the fixtures, wow alot of tough games!

[DungBeetle]

Watford have about 5 players in total at the moment, but I'd expect us to go off among the favourites.  Hoping we drift a bit more after selling Vydra in the next week or so, and then it's definitely a back to trade if we go out to 20-1.

I expect Abdi, Ekstrand, Anya, Casetti, Battochio to return on permanent deals to add to Deeney, Forestieri, Hogg, Hoban, Hall, Doyley.

Vydra will leave, Chalobah won't return to this level and Zola doesn't fancy Pudil or Geijo.

We'll either resign Almunia, or get Schwarzer in goal with Bond as cover.

Varga will likely replace Chalobah (Hungarian international) but Middlesboro also interested.

Fabbrini will be the Vydra replacement.  Assombolanga will go to Sheff Utd on loan.  Angella will arrive on loan to strengthen the defence and Marco Faraoni will arrive as wing back to replace the Poodle.  The real coups will be in we can secure any of Merkel, Zilinksi or Kosecki although it is debatable whether any will want to play at this level.

[TightEnd]

The spectre of FFP hangs over Leicester City

We need to get the wage bill down and reshape the squad before being too competitive again so Wellens, Gallagher, Beckford, Danns, St Ledger, Drinkwater etc are available. Drinkwater is the only surprise here though he lost his place to a King/James combo from March onwards and there were rumours he wasn't happy.. All though have another year on their contracts and are not easy to shift. Several have indicated they will wait it out rather than go somewhere for less, so its a tough task to get rid, to then invest in younger and cheaper....

The gamble of investing heavily to get promoted pre FFP having failed, we now face the combined "expertise" of Terry Robinson from SUFC and Dave Richards from SWFC coming in in boardroom roles to oversee cost-cutting and to help out the frankly clueless owners, Doesn't fill me with much confidence.

Going to be an ultra competitive division again, and not too easy at this stage to see the Cardiff/Newcastle etc runaway winner.

[DungBeetle]

Feel like QPR will either romp it or really struggle, depending on how happy Harry is with what he is allowed to bring in and is able to ditch.  No basis for this, just a hunch!

Random, but really like the new Charlton strip.  It's like a reverse of Man Utd's away kit last season.  Looks very smart.

Watford's strip is different, that is for sure.  No red at all.  I am undecided.

http://www.thehornetsshop.co.uk/

[RickBFA]

The spectre of FFP hangs over Leicester City

We need to get the wage bill down and reshape the squad before being too competitive again so Wellens, Gallagher, Beckford, Danns, St Ledger, Drinkwater etc are available. Drinkwater is the only surprise here though he lost his place to a King/James combo from March onwards and there were rumours he wasn't happy.. All though have another year on their contracts and are not easy to shift. Several have indicated they will wait it out rather than go somewhere for less, so its a tough task to get rid, to then invest in younger and cheaper....

The gamble of investing heavily to get promoted pre FFP having failed, we now face the combined "expertise" of Terry Robinson from SUFC and Dave Richards from SWFC coming in in boardroom roles to oversee cost-cutting and to help out the frankly clueless owners, Doesn't fill me with much confidence.

Going to be an ultra competitive division again, and not too easy at this stage to see the Cardiff/Newcastle etc runaway winner.

The "expertise" of those two hardly give you confidence.

Both SWFC and SUFC ultimately when backwards and debts spiralled.

I think you're right to be worried.

[donttiltboy]

Bournemouth away first game get in! Nice weekend away, hopefully.

[anthonyl]

about 14 players, no management team, joy

luckily they brought in 26,000 season ticket holders before this mess

looking at bottom 8 for brighton this season IMO