Kevin Phillips’ Expert Analysis: Championship Season Preview and Opening Weekend Predictions

Incomings Ahead of European Football

Am I surprised? Yes and no. I spent the pre-season tour with them in America, so I was there day in and day out. And I know there’s stuff going on in the background. They’re working extremely hard to bring those players in. Of course, they brought Meunier in as a free agent, good signing. But I think they’re in the same boat as many teams in the Premier League, the World Cup, reluctant to make signings. But listen, they’re working hard in the background.

I fully expect over the next week, two weeks, three or four players to come through the door. And it’s exciting, really. I know the fans are frustrated, but you just have to trust the process. They’ve got it right up until now. So I expect signings to come in in the next few days for sure.

Dan Neil at Rangers – Will He Prove the Doubters Wrong

I think so. Dan’s had to deal with that sort of thing here up at Sunderland, and he’s always kept that right mentality, the right attitude to prove people wrong. I’m sure he’ll do that. It’s always tough to go up there. It is a goldfish bowl, the pressure’s on straight away, massive football club. And sometimes it can take players a little while to settle in.

As I said before at the end of last season talking about Dan, the atmosphere and the fans, he’s been used to the Northeast. So yes, I fully believe he will come good, and maybe sitting on the bench gives him a little eye-opener to what he’s dealing with and he reacts in the right way. Definitely not the easiest place to go.

New Six-Team Playoff Format

It certainly makes the promotion race more exciting. Of course it does. It brings so much excitement coming towards the back end of the season. Even from Christmas onwards, teams that maybe never even thought they’d get a sniff at it might have a little run and be close.

Am I surprised they’ve done it? Not really. We all know what’s at the end of it. If you are in it, there are certain positions now that managers will be looking at where they don’t want to finish or where they would like to finish. Of course, you want to finish in the top two and not have to worry about any of that. But certainly from a fan’s perspective and the media and the TV, it’s exciting, and it’s one I’m looking forward to. It’s going to be exciting for sure.

Advantage of Finishing Third or Fourth

It’s huge, that is, because you go directly to the semifinals and you’re not involved. You also get a bit longer rest to prepare for the game that’s coming up. And of course, fifth plays eighth and sixth plays seventh in one-legged games. So the other teams can take that little bit of time to do more stuff on the training ground. So yeah, finishing third and fourth is huge. But the other four teams, how exciting is it to have a chance even if you finish in eighth? You look at Derby last year. So yeah, really exciting.

Dark Horse for Promotion

I spoke a fair bit about them last season. I think Sheffield United might, but I’m going to put myself on the line: Norwich City. We spoke about them a fair bit and what Clement’s done down there. I think they could surprise a lot of people. Listen, they shouldn’t surprise a lot of people. They’re Norwich; they’ve been in the Premier League, a big football club. But I think they might have a good run at it this season.

Relegated Side to Struggle Most

They’ve got that advantage, haven’t they, of the parachute money? So all of them have dipped in the market and spent some money. Out of the three, I think they’ll all be there or thereabouts. They’re too much of big football clubs not to be. Of course, we always know it’s difficult, but I think Burnley have got a great pedigree of coming out of the Championship into the Premier League. West Ham have done it, but many, many years ago. Wolves have done it, so they’ve all had that experience.

I think it’ll be very, very tight. I think they’ll all be there come the end of the season. And if I had to really put my hat on it, I think everybody would want to beat West Ham. So that might just hinder them a little bit. But I fully expect them to be there or thereabouts.

Promoted Side Best Placed to Make an Impact

I think it’ll be difficult for Lincoln. But on the flip side of that, they’re still riding high, aren’t they? They’re going to go in and give it everything they’ve got. And they might surprise a few teams. They’ve signed a lad, Coubis, for 2.6 million or going to go to 2.6 million. So they’re not afraid to spend a bit of money. They’ve made some signings.

Cardiff and Bolton have been in the Premier League before, so they know what that pressure is about. So listen, I think it’ll be a difficult season for Lincoln City and possibly Cardiff. They have to get off to a good start, and when you look at their fixtures, they’re probably not too kind to them when you look at the opening weekend. But good luck to all three of them.

Where Will They Finish and What Do They Still Need

I think when Tony’s looked at that squad, he’s had to let a few go, bring a few in. He made three or four signings. Tony knows that you need that depth in a squad to challenge, if you are to challenge. I think they need more firepower, because they drew quite a lot of games last season. They just need that extra bit of class to turn those draws into wins.

So that’d be an area that he’ll certainly be looking to strengthen as well. But again, a massive football club that should be in the Premier League. But I’ll be interested to see how they do. I would tip them to be challenging the playoffs for sure with a few new additions upfront.

Chances This Season

I think they’ve got every chance of going back up. Yes, of course, they’ve got a new manager in charge who doesn’t know the league, but what I’ve seen so far of him looks good. They’ve made some signings; they’ve put in an experienced goalkeeper, which is probably an area they needed, in Ben Amos.

I think it’s always a tough place to go as well. So again, they probably need a goal scorer. They relied on too many goals from the midfield area last year. So certainly an area that I’m sure they’ll look at. They need to get off to a good start. So what a perfect way to do that against the fellow club that got relegated with you.

So I think again, I don’t think I could say who’s going to finish first or second, but Burnley will certainly be challenging for that.

Their Chances After Last Season’s Controversy

I think that such a lot was made of it, wasn’t there, last season, and rightly so. They’ve served their punishment and you have to move on. You can’t keep bringing it up, but it will get brought up. But I don’t think it’ll affect the players when you cross that white line, because you’re not going to be thinking about it. They’ve got some good players, and they’ve added to their squad as well. So I think again they’ll be challenging. It’s always a tough place to go.

Toure Goals This Season

Toure might be Norwich’s most important player by the end of the season. And that’s why I said Norwich are one of my dark horses, because if they keep him fit, he’s got talent. He knows where the back of the net is. I predict, if he stays fit, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t, he’ll be well into double figures, because I think he’ll get opportunities in that team. They create opportunities and he’ll be the man to finish them off. So definitely into double figures. Hopefully he stays fit.

Jimmy Jay Morgan to Hit Double Figures

I do think he can get double figures. I spoke to a couple of West Brom fans last week and they’re excited about this young lad. James Morrison is clearly getting the best out of him already. So it’s an unknown for him, the Championship, but it’s a team again that he will get opportunities in.

So I think he’ll be one of these players that come the end of the season, like Toure, that we’ll be talking about, what a great signing. I’d say it went under the radar, but certainly a player that’s stepped up. So yeah, definitely into double figures. He’s got off to the perfect start.

More Signings to Challenge for the Playoffs

I think he’s going to have to add. I think John’s done an absolutely magnificent job last season. If he finishes where they did again this season, they will be in the playoffs. So he worked the market really well last year with the loans he brought in.

Signing Bobby Clark also attracts other players to want to come and sign for that club and see where they were last season. Every team needs a top goal scorer. I would imagine you’ll see two or three, maybe loan signings, come through the door between now and the start, over the next two or three weeks.

Chris Wilder’s Squad Can Challenge for Promotion

I was very close to saying Sheffield United as being dark horses, but their record under Chris Wilder has been superb when he was there before, so he knows the club; he knows how to get the best out of these experienced players.

When you look at the players that he has got in that side with experience, the Bamfords, the Rothwells and now obviously Doherty, they’ll help the younger players, and they’ll certainly be a team again that will be challenging come the end of the season. Chris Wilder’s got the experience, so you’d never bet against him.

Bristol City vs Millwall

Cardiff vs Wrexham

Bolton vs Preston

Middlesbrough vs Lincoln

Portsmouth vs QPR

Stoke vs Swansea