Expectation levels for Championship

[mozzy85]

i'd be happy with top 10 this season, then playoffs season after. But it all depends on the signings DJ makes, could happen sooner rather than later.

[Guest We Shall Overcome]

dont overrate, this division lads, Laws nearley did it when he took over from sturrock, with no money Milan will back Dave Jones as he want's promotion in the next couple of years. Wednesday are now getting the name back and dont need to fear anybody. I honestly think we will go up, i live in Hull and some of the Hull City fans i know think we will be one of the teams to beat.

[gurujuan]

Need to keep momentum

[edinburghowl]

Who are the very average sides? I can't see many. Dingles look the only really weak side. Peterborough's possibly second easiest fixture, and we know from experience, getting 3 points at London Road is never easy. Watford and Forest (if they lose out of contract players) other weakest sides?

Huddersfield

Barnsley

Bristol

Peterborough

Palace

Forest

Millwall

Derby

Ipswich

Watford

Finishing above all of them is realistic and they are all IMO nothing special. We have nothing to fear of any of those teams and there are others not included in that list that we should be thinking of topping too. As I said I'll wait to see who we sign first but the Championship is not as good as people make out.

[gurujuan]

Have to agree with PA and MM, next season probably represents our best chance of going up

[ChileOwl]

As this is going to be only the second season where I don't manage to get back for a single game I'm fully expecting the Owls to have a cracker and get promoted automatically. Wondering whether I was the jinx for all of the rubbish seasons before the last one...

Perhaps the club owe me a debt of gratitude for staying away. I'd suggest that they pay me to attend Bumhole lane but let's face it, things can't get much worse down there.

[Juror8]

Huddersfield

Barnsley

Bristol

Peterborough

Palace

Forest

Millwall

Derby

Ipswich

Watford

Finishing above all of them is realistic and they are all IMO nothing special. We have nothing to fear of any of those teams and there are others not included in that list that we should be thinking of topping too. As I said I'll wait to see who we sign first but the Championship is not as good as people make out.

Disagree. Championship is very tough. Signified by fact anyone can beat anyone and that makes it very hard to get any consistency and momentum going. Most managers involved in and around this level say it's the hardest league to get out of.

I'd hope we'd finish above teams you name but I'm not taking it for granted. Watford exceeded all expectations last season and could do so again. Derby and Palace both have stronger squads at the moment and have the advantage of only needing to tweak, rather than rebuild like us. Millwall finished as the division's form team. Hudds and Ipswich both have rich owners who have similar ambitions to ours, and the former especially, could well spend quite a bit more than us.

Be interesting to see whether we can keep the home form going. If we can win 50%+ of home games then we could have a good season. Form of old returns, it'll be a long hard slog.

[Guest Briscoe Inferno]

Disagree. Championship is very tough. Signified by fact anyone can beat anyone and that makes it very hard to get any consistency and momentum going. Most managers involved in and around this level say it's the hardest league to get out of.

I'd hope we'd finish above teams you name but I'm not taking it for granted. Watford exceeded all expectations last season and could do so again. Derby and Palace both have stronger squads at the moment and have the advantage of only needing to tweak, rather than rebuild like us. Millwall finished as the division's form team. Hudds and Ipswich both have rich owners who have similar ambitions to ours, and the former especially, could well spend quite a bit more than us.

Be interesting to see whether we can keep the home form going. If we can win 50%+ of home games then we could have a good season. Form of old returns, it'll be a long hard slog.

They don't have momentum nor the attraction of playing for a club with Premiership infrastructure, a premiership class support and a premiership pedigree.

Personally and with Megsons sacking in mind, I very much doubt Milan Mandaric will endure patchy form especially at home for that long it that it becomes a 'slog'. It's not about how much you spend [especially with the FFP rules coming in] but about how you spend it.

In terms of loans, if I were the loanee's parent club, I would want my players at a club that will give them solid grounding for the Premiership and giving them an ability to perform against a backdrop of expectation and a certain amount of pressure.

[Juror8]

They don't have momentum nor the attraction of playing for a club with Premiership infrastructure, a premiership class support and a premiership pedigree.

Personally and with Megsons sacking in mind, I very much doubt Milan Mandaric will endure patchy form especially at home for that long it that it becomes a 'slog'. It's not about how much you spend [especially with the FFP rules coming in] but about how you spend it.

In terms of loans, if I were the loanee's parent club, I would want my players at a club that will give them solid grounding for the Premiership and giving them an ability to perform against a backdrop of expectation and a certain amount of pressure.

Yes, long-term we have an advantage over many of the clubs mentioned. But short-term, and more crucially, we've got a weaker squad. As GM and DJ both emphasised, the most important thing is the players on the pitch and the first team.

At the moment, I think we've got the 22nd weakest squad on paper. This doesn't always translate into results but still. I think the squad can, and will, be sufficiently improved to make us contenders (midtable or playoffs). But I'm just trying to point out, what I perceive to be, the scale of the job on DJ's hands. And even when he has got the right players in, he then needs to get them all to gel.

MASSIVE job and so I'm just keeping low expectations for the first season.

[sherlyegg]

Why can't we make the play-offs?

Nearly every year there is an unexpected team in the top 6. And an expected team out of the top 6

No use waiting to see the squad first before making predictions either, because some players will be unknown to us anyhow.

Confidence is key imho, a good start is important ...then who knows, maybe a major signing for a promotion push, big crowds and belief.

I don't think its out of the question or unrealistic, unlike seasons past

Edited May 30, 2012 by sherlyegg

[edinburghowl]

Disagree. Championship is very tough. Signified by fact anyone can beat anyone and that makes it very hard to get any consistency and momentum going. Most managers involved in and around this level say it's the hardest league to get out of.

I'd hope we'd finish above teams you name but I'm not taking it for granted. Watford exceeded all expectations last season and could do so again. Derby and Palace both have stronger squads at the moment and have the advantage of only needing to tweak, rather than rebuild like us. Millwall finished as the division's form team. Hudds and Ipswich both have rich owners who have similar ambitions to ours, and the former especially, could well spend quite a bit more than us.

Be interesting to see whether we can keep the home form going. If we can win 50%+ of home games then we could have a good season. Form of old returns, it'll be a long hard slog.

With momentum, a good manager, and a bit of money to spend anything is possible. I'm not expecting miracles but I really think you are over-estimating the quality of the league. We have all of the above and more. Hillsborough has turned into a fortress again, our signings have mostly been very good under Mandaric, we have the best fans in the division, and I think you are doing our players a bit of a disservice in saying our squad is that weak.

Yes it needs improving, we have had years of under-investment and yes we don't have the starting base that Southampton or Norwich had coming up from League 1, but I wouldn't swap our situation for any of the clubs I mentioned above.

We will sign players, we have an ambitious owner and manager, and I know they will not settle for mediocrity. Get off to a good start and who knows what will happen. Everyone can beat everyone like you say, but not everyone has a winning mentality and the momentum behind them that we have. Jones is undefeated, he won 10 out of 12, we are big club that players will want to sign for, and we are a club on the up unlike many in the division. We won't spend a fortune but I don't think we need to. Next season will be a good one I'm convinced of it.