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The pressure on Blackburn manager, Steve Kean, intensified on Tuesday night after his team suffered yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Bolton, which means that they now sit at the foot of the Premier League.
The match that had been billed as the “Axe Factor”, with both Kean and Bolton boss, Owen Coyle, under huge pressure to keep their jobs and many pundits predicting that the losing manager would be certain to get the sack. However, that does not now appear to be the case, with Kean adamant in his post match interview that he will be in charge in his team face the daunting prospect of defeating Liverpool at Anfield on Boxing Day. Many Blackburn fans, who jeered Kean throughout the match stayed behind at Ewood Park after the full time whistle calling for Kean’s dismissal by the club’s Indian owner, the Venky family.
Following the departure of Steve Cotterill to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest, Portsmouth have finally confirmed the latest appointment on the managerial merry-go round by naming West Brom First Team Coach Michael Appleton as Cotterill’s successor.
The 35 year old Appleton has signed a three and a half year deal at Fratton Park to secure his first ever managerial job and seems to have been the right man at the right time for a club who are rebuilding following their much publicised financial difficulties in recent years.
The inexperienced Appleton’s appointment is not one to be sneered at. At only 35 he may not have been the most experienced candidate for the role but what he lacks in experience he makes up for in desire. This is a man who battled injury for most of his promising playing career and finally had to retire due to cruciate ligament damage.
Two weeks is a very long time in football.
Being a die-hard Ipswich Town fan, I got the train to Bristol on the first day of the season. After a summer with no football, the expectation and excitement of the new campaign kicking off was at an all time high.
A Michael Chopra brace and Lee Martin strike helped Ipswich beat Bristol City 3-0, putting the Tractor Boys on top of the pile after week one.
However, it hasn’t quite been plain sailing since.
A cup defeat at the hands of League 2 Northampton Town on our own patch; a home defeat to Hull 1-0, followed by a 5-2 demolition at Portman Road by newly promoted Southampton.
And the icing on the cake was two weeks ago, a shambolic and gutless performance, resulting in a 7-1 hammering, away at Peterborough.
To make it worse, that crushing defeat was broadcast to the country on Sky Sports.
The waiting is almost over as the Championship kicks back in to action on Friday night as Hull face Blackpool at the KC Stadium. For lower league fans all across the country the time is now upon you as reality kicks in. Will your pre season optimism turn to a nightmare? Is it inevitable that West Ham will romp home at the top? Can Coventry stay up? Will Blackpool go straight back up?
All these questions will be answered come May next year, but in the meantime, we take a look at the front runners in The Championship, and with plenty of free bet offers on offer now is a great time to pick out some value.
West Ham head the betting and it’s easy to see why they are priced up at 4/1 to lift the title.
Much has been made of Gould and Sullivan’s take over and the £80m debt at Upton Park, but the there are signs of a very promising season and a quick return to the Premiership will be all important for the future of the club.
James Henry (Millwall)
High hopes were set for Henry while at Reading, but injuries plagued his chance of regular football – although he still managed to score 5 goals in 10 league games for his first club. He instead got more football on-loan at Bournemouth, Norwich, and most recently Millwall. This season he decided not to return to Reading, choosing to sign a three-year deal with the Lions. His decision proved a good one. On his home début against Hull he was in outstanding form setting up all four of Millwall’s goals as they brushed aside the newly relegated side.
My rateing: 7/10
Connor Wickham (Ipswich Town)
Roy Keane recently said he would be ‘lynched’ if he let Connor leave the club after the season he has had. But Alf-Inge Haaland’s dream almost came true when an 8 million bid from Tottenham was ‘seriously’ considered by the club. At the tender age of 17 the Tractor Boys youngster has already played over 30 competitive games with a return of 5 goals. This kid has world class potential.
My rating: 9/10
Gylfi Sigurðsson
Reading’s leap from relegation candidates to play off contenders last season was no fluke. Instead it was due to a step up in quality, most notably from midfielder Sigurosson . The Icelandic international won Player of the Month for March with a return of 5 goals in 6 games as well as a player of the season award. Not only that, but the midfielder ended the season the clubs top goal scorer with an impressive 21 goals in 44 matches in all competitions. It is no wonder that Premiership teams have been sniffing…
My Rating: 8/10
Adel Taarabt (QPR)
Signed by QPR after an impressive loan spell, the 21 year old winger was once touted as the ‘next Zidane’. You could argue that the claim is a tad far-fetched now, but it was proposed with intent – he is still a quality player, still learning his trade in a competitive division. Last season he finished with 7 goals after starting all but 8 games in the league, he also put a man-of-the-match performance in against Barnsley on the opening day of this season. The Moroccan has always stated a desire to play for a top Spanish side this season.
My rating: 8/10
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