Swansea City
Manager: Paulo Sousa
Finish last season: 8th
Prediction this season: Mid-table
Under Roberto Martinez, now at Wigan, Swansea City played some of the best football in the division which the pundits were only too happy to recognize. Their first season in the Championship was a massive success having finished 8th and exceeding all expectations.
However, whether or not the South Wales outfit can build on last season remains to be seen. As well as Martinez joining Wigan, the Spaniard also took Jordi Gomez and Jason Scotland with him. Both players were absolutely massive for the Swans and could prove to be a huge loss for them. Unless Scotland and Gomez are replaced adequately then it will be doubly hard for Swansea to improve on last term.
There is still enough quality in the side with the likes of Ferrie Bodde and Guillem Buaza so they shouldn’t struggle but nor should they excel either. Mid-table would be considered satisfactory.
Transfers In:
Stephen Dobbie Queen of the South Free
Nathan Dyer Southampton £400,000
Jordi Lopez Unattached Free
Transfers Out:
Owain Tudor Jones Norwich City Free
Jason Scotland Wigan Athletic £2m
Jordi Gomez Wigan Athletic Undisclosed
Dion Chambers Released
Kyle Graves Released
Watford
Manager: Malky Mackay
Finish last season: 13th
Prediction this season: Relegated
Financial difficulties seemed to hinder Watford last season with several first-team players being sold. The likes of Lee Williamson and Darius Henderson both left Vicarage Road for pastures new in the last 12-months or so which coincided with the Hornets’ slip to mid-table mediocrity after a brief flirt with the relegation zone.
What more, Watford’s luck with inexperienced managers is going to run out sooner or later with Malky Mackay being the latest rookie gaffer to occupy the hot seat at Vicarage Road. The success under Aidy Boothroyd and the stability under Brendan Rogers could all be undone by Mackay unless he finds his feet sooner rather than later.
With talk of Tamas Priskin and Tommy Smith also looking to leave, once gets the feeling that it is going to be a long and tough season with goals hard to come by.
Transfers In:
Scott Severin Aberdeen Free
Danny Graham Carlisle United Free
Jure Travner NK Celje Undisclosed
Transfers Out:
Lee Williamson Sheffield United Undisclosed
Theo Robinson Huddersfield Town Undisclosed
Steve Kabba Released
Stuart Searle Released
West Bromwich Albion
Manager: Roberto Di Matteo
Finish last season: 20th (Premier League)
Prediction this season: Top 6
Unfortunately for anyone connected to West Brom it seems that they have become the latest yo-yo club, reminiscent of Bolton Wanderers in the 90s. The ecstasy of promotion shortly followed by the heartbreak of relegation a year later has become a familiar feeling for Baggies fans who may feel that promotion is a hollow victory considering what could well lie ahead.
However, a quick return to the Premier League is what West Brom players and fans alike all want. Anything less will be considered a failure meaning that the pressure is firmly on new gaffer Roberto Di Matteo who has managed to keep the Baggies’ squad together.
Whether or not the former Chelsea man - who up until this year held the record for the fastest ever FA Cup Final goal – will play a similar brand of football to Mowbray remains to be seen. Sadly though, it seems that this season has come at a bad time for West Brom. With the likes of Newcastle and Middlesbrough both looking for quick returns too, not to mention the dozen-or-so other sides all looking for promotion, this season might just be too soon and instead a solid season of consolidation could be on the cards.
Transfers In:
Simon Cox Swindon Town £1.9m
Rueben Reid Rotherham United Undisclosed
Transfers Out:
Paul Robinson Bolton Wanderers Undisclosed
Sherjill Macdonald Germinal Beerschot Free
Luke Daniels Tranmere Rovers Loan
Carl Hoefkens Released
Pedro Pele Released
Jared Hodgkiss Released