January starts with the usual flurry of transfer rumours.
The biggest has to be the possible move of Ronaldinho to Blackburn. I hope his agent works in a release clause for when Rovers get relegated, as great a player Ronaldinho used to be, I don’t think his list of career ambitions includes sitting on the coach to Hull, Preston and Swansea.
This week, I am going to correctly predict which three teams will escape the Championship through the roof and which will plummet below into League One.
With around 60 points up for grabs for each team, it’s harder than you might think.
The Championship – Winner
Leeds United
One of England’s great clubs became a cautionary tale for every Chairman with a blank cheque-book when they tumbled down the leagues. Without their mighty fall from grace, would Chelsea and Manchester City be where they are?
Promoted on the last day of last season, their cycle through the leagues will be complete as the Whites return to the top division.
The Championship – Runner Up
Queens Park Rangers
It’s been an exciting season for R’s fans and the world has looked on in wonder as manager Neil Warnock tamed the unpredictable Adel Tarrabt and taken QPR to the top of the Championship.
Excitement that’s been long over-due. Relegated from the Premiership in ’95-’96, they’ve lived in the shadows of their West London neighbours Chelsea & Fulham ever since.
It got worse in ’01 when they collapsed into the third-tier of English football for the first time in more than 30 years.
Since 2003, QPR have had more managers than the jungle has had celebrity winners. Gareth Ainsworth, Luigi De Canio, Ian Dowie, Ian Holloway, Jim Magilton, John Gregory, Paolo Sousa and Paul Hart. It looks like they finally have a winner in Warnock.
The Championship – Play-off Winners
Cardiff City
They’ve been knocking on the door of the Premiership for years. Last year, after beating Leicester in the play-off semi (via a penalty shoot-out), they probably thought it was in the bag when they drew Blackpool in the play-off final.
Even with a wobble at this stage in the season, nobody should write a club off. It’s January and Cardiff are definitely still in the mix. The players and the manager, Dave Jones, know the drill. Grind out results, keep putting points on the board.
We’ve never had a Welsh team in the Premiership and if it’s going to be Cardiff, they’ll have to do it the hard way.
The Championship – Relegated
Portsmouth
Clubs that have struggled financially don’t bounce back quickly and I think it could get worse before it gets better for Pompey. I hope I’m wrong.
The Championship – Relegated
Crystal Palace
Rumours are that Steve Coppell could be returning to Selhurst Park for a fifth spell as Eagles manager. He knows about getting teams promoted, but I think even making the play-offs is a leap too far for Palace.
They’re in a relegation dog-fight and the problems that see them sitting in the relegation zone won’t disappear after a few wins.
The Championship – Relegated
Preston North End
The first English league Champions and the first winners of ‘The Double” but Preston are on a hiding to nothing this season.
In May the Lilywhites finished 17th, proving that the Championship is the hardest league in the world to win promotion from and, looking at how tight things are at the bottom, the easiest to tumble out of.
