2014-15 Championship- Go ahead and lump your other crappy leagues in here too I guess

[Dummy Hoy]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27680392

It looks like I may be getting my dream of Eastern European oil money taking over at Wednesday. Hafiz Mammadov, an Azerbaijani businessman (a shady one at that it seems), looks primed to take over from Milan Mandaric at some point in the near future. Mandaric bought Wednesday at a terrible time for the team, covering all of the club's substantial debt and keeping them afloat. He's seen the club promoted to the Championship, but hasn't / won't invest the kind of money necessary to make the next step up. He has also said, and been true to his word thus far, that he would only sell the club to someone who would invest. Some Wednesdayites have been pissy at him and his frugal ways, but we owe him big time, and will even more if he sells to a capable (read rich and extravagant) owner.

From what I can read Mammadov has been the very successful owner of FK Baku (2 league titles, 3 cup titles, and a champions league appearance in 9 years under his helm), has taken over FC Lens, and has his hands in Atletico and Porto. I hope he isn't stretched too thin, but I would love to see what could happen at Wednesday with some real investment. It's a club ripe for opportunity- large world class stadium, good history, substantial fan base, eye catching name...I'll gladly throw open the tailgate and invite everyone on the bandwagon.

Worst case, we at least know that we'll join the list of "Azerbaijan- Land of Fire" sponsored clubs.

 
 

https://twitter.com/NewYorkOwls/status/476380409383489536
 
Love it. Apparently the plan is to use Lens as a feeder for Wednesday, which is delightful. I haven't felt this confident in seeing Wednesday back in the top flight since they left.

 
 
Okay.
 
So not long after this was posted, Milan Mandaric pulled Wednesday out of the bid- apparently Mammadov was playing with funny money and wasn't going to be able to provide the necessary funds. At least we get the Land of Fire shirts for a year.
 

 
A new bid and takeover has been expected at some point, and it looks like it just went down, with some dude named Dejphon Chansiri leading a Thai consortium. His family owns Thai Union Frozen Group- he's a Thai Tuna Tycoon. Apparently he was responsible for backing the loans of Lew Baker and Wil Keane, so he's already had an impact. It may be too late for a serious push this season (although the Championship is bananas), but I like where the club is, especially at the defensive end, and with a few creative attacking players, we may be ready for a push up the league next year.
 
I'd also like to see a fuckload of $$ dumped into Hillsbrough and the Academy.

 

[Investor 11]

An entertaining draw between Derby and Bournemouth sees Middlesbrough to the top of table with their win.

For the better informed, what type of lineups would you expect to see out of Derby and Middlesbrough this weekend for their FA Cup matches? Trying to better understand the push for a trophy compared to that of promotion. This will be game three in what is a 4 game in 10 day stretch, in what's looking like a 3 and maybe 4 team race for the top two spots.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

I think both squads have a fair amount of depth and will try to put out pretty close to optimal lineups. Derby has Reading at home and they're a better team than Reading so they'll come to win- their star striker is out for a few weeks, so they'll need a regular line up to make sure they finish the job. Their next game is at Rotherham, who while they aren't Sheffield Wednesday bad at home, aren't a great squad.
 
Tough draw at Emirates for Boro, but they did just win at City, so they have to feel okay about their chances. They're very stout defensively, will keep the opposition outside of the 18, and have some very good speed going the other way. They have a few knocks too I think, but they'll be giving this game full attention.

Edit: from what I'm reading today, Derby is more inclined to punt this weekend and will likely rest some key players. Perhaps the wound of last season is still fresh.

 

[Investor 11]

I think both squads have a fair amount of depth and will try to put out pretty close to optimal lineups. Derby has Reading at home and they're a better team than Reading so they'll come to win- their star striker is out for a few weeks, so they'll need a regular line up to make sure they finish the job. Their next game is at Rotherham, who while they aren't Sheffield Wednesday bad at home, aren't a great squad.
 
Tough draw at Emirates for Boro, but they did just win at City, so they have to feel okay about their chances. They're very stout defensively, will keep the opposition outside of the 18, and have some very good speed going the other way. They have a few knocks too I think, but they'll be giving this game full attention.

Edit: from what I'm reading today, Derby is more inclined to punt this weekend and will likely rest some key players. Perhaps the wound of last season is still fresh.

In a selfish way, I'm happy if that's what Derby decide to do. I have tickets in the Director's Box lined up for the March 7th Derby match. A win versus Reading and that game gets rescheduled to accommodate their 6th round match. I'm much more concerned with them gaining promotion so that I can watch them every weekend.

 

[Investor 11]

And Reading are through 2-1. Derby were strong from the outset but the match really turned when Warnock was sent off in the 37th minute for his 2nd yellow.

 

[Stanley Steamer]

Just poring over the standings in the Championship. I'm happy that Leeds have put together a little run of results, putting them in mid-table on 41 points, one above those pesky Owls, and 10 points above Millwall in 22nd. It's a further 15 points to Watford in sixth place, meaning that any talk of playoffs is absurd. For Leeds, it's all about consolidation now, and building towards promotion next year.
It really looks like only the top eight teams have a shot at the playoffs this year, but almost any of them could pip 1st or 2nd.
At the bottom, Wigan and Blackpool look to be in real danger of the drop, which is stunning when you think of how recently each were plying their trade at the top level.
There are still fourteen games left, almost a third of the season, so it may be premature to draw too many conclusions. Things do appear to be levelling out though, moreso than the PL.

 

[eddiew112]

Can anyone who watches Brentford shed some light on why Warburton is leaving at the end of the season? The run they have had under him is quite remarkable. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

I believe what I've heard is just personality clashes with management.
 
Edit: Wrong choice of words I think. Philosophical differences is what the two sides are claiming, apparently over Warburton's distaste of increased statistics usage in football. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Just poring over the standings in the Championship. I'm happy that Leeds have put together a little run of results, putting them in mid-table on 41 points, one above those pesky Owls, and 10 points above Millwall in 22nd. It's a further 15 points to Watford in sixth place, meaning that any talk of playoffs is absurd. For Leeds, it's all about consolidation now, and building towards promotion next year.
It really looks like only the top eight teams have a shot at the playoffs this year, but almost any of them could pip 1st or 2nd.
At the bottom, Wigan and Blackpool look to be in real danger of the drop, which is stunning when you think of how recently each were plying their trade at the top level.
There are still fourteen games left, almost a third of the season, so it may be premature to draw too many conclusions. Things do appear to be levelling out though, moreso than the PL.

 
Word is a formation shift (4-2-3-1 with 2 DMs) and great goaltending is what has propelled you fucks over the last few months. 1st in form over the last 6, T2 over the last 8. Most of your tough game left are at home as well. I agree that cracking the top 6 might be too much, but with this fucking league you're as likely to drop 5 straight as win them.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Norwich have clawed their way back into a playoff spot with a very good run of late under new manager Alex Neil. Only 4 points out of an automatic promotion spot, having won our last 4 matches in a row including 3-0 at Watford most recently. 6-1-1 in the new calendar year. Only one point behind the scum too; would be great to leapfrog them into a playoff spot while also knocking them from one.
 
At Blackburn today.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

And a come-from behind 2-1 win for Norwich today.
 
What a zoo the Championship is this year. The 4 playoff slots are at 60, 59, 59, and 59 points, with 7th place at 58 points. 5 games to go. Big derby match this coming Sunday at home against Ipswich.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Championship is a zoo every year. Better get back up quick or get used to it. Usually the madness extends to 12th or so...
 
Wednesday actually won a game again, surviving an early push by Millwall to take control and win 3-1 at The Den. Sounded like Millwall was pretty wretched, but I'll take the 3. Nuihu and May both scored to break long droughts- it would be nice to get them going with some confidence again. Nice combo between Maghoma and Big Dave for the second goal.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrQqQXtchIo
 
Wednesday are so much better on the road than at home it's silly (26 points in 17 vs 11 points in 16). Boro at Hillsborough on Saturday sounds awful.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

5 games to go.

3 seasons in the Premier League, and you've already forgotten that the Championship is the home of the 46 game league season.

 

[dirtynine]

Brighton surging!  Well, six points clear of relegation anyway.  Leeds feels the wrath tonight. 

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Leeds has been playing well too. 
 
Speaking of Leeds, Cellino is done at Elland Road- he wants to clear his name. :lol:
 
But with this coinciding with their run of form? Perhaps a late 90s Yankees turn of fortune when meddlesome owner gets the boot and smarter folks (Neil Redfearn) get things moving in the right direction.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

3 seasons in the Premier League, and you've already forgotten that the Championship is the home of the 46 game league season.

 
Ah shit. I WAS DRUNK ON EPHEMERAL SUCCESS. I'M NOT MADE OF STONE.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Can anyone who watches Brentford shed some light on why Warburton is leaving at the end of the season? The run they have had under him is quite remarkable. 

 
I don't have any citations because I'm piecing together what I heard on 606, Football Weekly, and the Football Ramble, but the gist of it is that the chairman wants to implement a continental-style management structure with a sporting director and a recruiting director.  Warburton wanted a role as a traditional gaffer.  Brentford is moving into a 20,000-seat stadium despite not traditionally being a big club, they have local competition from QPR, Fulham, and Chelsea, and ownership is relying on the idea that a different strategy is needed if Brentford is going to make the jump to regular sellouts and competing for Premier League status.  The chairman has referenced a Moneyball approach, which got a lot of notice in England, but the zig-versus-zag strategy reminds me more of the Rays than the A's (I know that's splitting hairs somewhat).  The last straw appears to have come in the January window, when ownership wanted to drop an extra £10 million on players to make a push for promotion, but Warburton didn't want to affect the chemistry of the existing squad.
 
One ironic note to all of this: Warburton himself is an former finance guy who traveled Europe on his own dime to learn how to be a coach.  He's presumably familiar with both the continental model and how a contrarian approach could help a little company compete, but apparently doesn't want to be a part of that model at Brentford.

 

[Stanley Steamer]

Leeds has been playing well too. 
 
Speaking of Leeds, Cellino is done at Elland Road- he wants to clear his name. :lol:
 
But with this coinciding with their run of form? Perhaps a late 90s Yankees turn of fortune when meddlesome owner gets the boot and smarter folks (Neil Redfearn) get things moving in the right direction.

Wait, it gets better........
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31627045

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Wednesday won at home for only the 4th time this season, dominating Boro while taking a 2-0 win. Overheard at the park was the classic "Can we play you, Can we play you every week" as well as the typically self deprecating "We're winning at home, We're winning at hooooome, How shit must you be, We're winning at home" Up to 10th, but barring miracles, this division has 9 worthy teams (Forest is 7 back but has been in great form and has the resources to make a run). Wednesday may be the best of the mid table sides, but I don't see it going any further.
 
Leeds blew a two goal lead to Watford, Milwall lost to Rotherham, which set off a group of fans to tear down the barriers to try to get at the home stands, and a terrible Wigan side showed just how bad Blackpool is by winning 3-1 at Bloomfield Road.
 
Norwich/Ipswich should be great tomorrow...it's on Sky Sports so most towns should have a bar to catch it at (or at worst a good stream). Those sides sitting 5th and 6th, with Ipswich 2 points above Brentford and Norwich 1 behind.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Norwich won the Derby, so we're up to 3rd in the table now and technically control our own promotion destiny. It was a good day.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Norwich won the Derby, so we're up to 3rd in the table now and technically control our own promotion destiny. It was a good day.

Was there a ceremony for the 10 year anniversary of Delia's rant?
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_8JLkwzpd0
 
LET'S BE 'AVIN YA!

COME ON!

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

She's been drunk in the stands at every game since, I suppose that counts for something.

 

[SoxFanInCali]

Great game for Matt McClure of Wycome Wanderers. Came on as a sub in the 67th minute, got a red card in the 68th.


67: Matt McClure replaces Sam Saunders. Could mean a change to 4-3-3. 1-2 #TRAvWYC
— Wycombe Wanderers FC (@wwfcofficial) March 3, 2015


68: McClure jumped for the ball straight from a long free-kick & caught Dugdale in the face. Ref shows the red card. Big test for Blues now.
— Wycombe Wanderers FC (@wwfcofficial) March 3, 2015

 

[Dummy Hoy]

We all know this league is nuts, but this is something else. 
 
Top of the table with 10 to go
 

 

[Investor 11]

On the train from the Derby game. I'll need to watch it again but if it wasn't just me getting caught up in the crowd, the ref had a very bad day.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

On the train from the Derby game. I'll need to watch it again but if it wasn't just me getting caught up in the crowd, the ref had a very bad day.

 
Holy shit. Brum had 2 goals in the 90th minute?!

 

[Investor 11]

 
Holy shit. Brum had 2 goals in the 90th minute?!

Yes. Called for 3 minutes extra time. Awarded a penalty in the 93rd. And then the tying goal came in the 96th.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

That's brutal.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Norwich are in 5th...one point off first place.  The lowest GD in the top five is 28; the highest is 35.
 
Goddamn I love the Championship.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

And we'd be in 1st if we hadn't lost at home to fucking relegation-candidate Wigan a few days after crushing Ipswich in the Derby.
 
The Championship's great, but it's a nut-cutter too.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Norwich are in 5th...one point off first place.  The lowest GD in the top five is 28; the highest is 35.
 
Goddamn I love the Championship.

 
yup.
 
 

And we'd be in 1st if we hadn't lost at home to fucking relegation-candidate Wigan a few days after crushing Ipswich in the Derby.
 
The Championship's great, but it's a nut-cutter too.

 
I wouldn't mind Wednesday being in the Championship every year if all of the games were televised. The games themselves are usually interesting, and as DLew (I think) pointed out in the beginning of this thread, there are so many different styles, that you get some odd match-ups and results.

 

[DLew On Roids]

Last weekend the manager of Grays Athletic put himself in as a sub, scored a goal when they were behind, went in goal when his keeper was sent off, and saved a penalty. And oh yeah, they won. Just give him Manager of the Year.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/the-toe-poke/65/post/2337337/grays-athletic-manager-subs-himself-onputs-in-superhuman-performance

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

73, 72, 72, 70, 67, 67, 66, 65.
 
What are the points totals of the top 8 teams in the Championship, Alex?
 
Holy crap, this one's going to the wire.

 

[Spacemans Bong]

Bournemouth have a real shot of going up, which is totally nuts. They might be the smallest club to go into the Premier League since it was founded in 1992.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

In Scotland, Hearts are going back up as they've clinched the Scottish Championship today with Hibs' loss to Rangers. I kinda sorta follow Hearts, so I'm pleased.

 

[fletcherpost]

In Scotland, Hearts are going back up as they've clinched the Scottish Championship today with Hibs' loss to Rangers. I kinda sorta follow Hearts, so I'm pleased.

 
I have tickets to the rearranged match at Ibrox v Hearts, Rangers will have to do the guard of honour.  I was at the match when it got called off and i can tell you the Gers fans are not happy campers. 'mon the Jamboes.

 

[soxfan121]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hu28oK6Dzg&t=19

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Owls > Canaries clearly. One hopes this proves true on the pitch today.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

To hell with that.
 
Wednesday have gone unbeaten in the last 10 meetings between these two, winning 8. That shit's changing today.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

That stat surprises me. And I would tend to agree- Cameron Jones frightens me.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Cameron Jerome. He's been amazing for us this year. Redmond's back in the starting XI today as well.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Up to second, bitches! 2-0 over Wednesday today, with Bradley Johnson getting a brace. Same points total at Watford but a marginally better goal differential. Big win today.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Not a good day for Wednesday at all, far more class on the other side. Cheers.
 
Watford has been a beast recently too...small gap opening up as the top four have a 4 point gap on 5 and 6. Derby is in a bit of trouble, and Wolves have come all the way back to steal the 6 spot (unless they blow a 2 goal lead to Leeds over the last 25). The Cherries sitting at 77, Norwich and Watford at 76, and Boro at 75.
 
Bournemouth (77): @Brighton, @Reading, Wednesday, Bolton, @Charlton
Norwich (76): @Bolton, @Leeds, Boro, @Rovrum, Fulham
Watford (76): @Millwall, @Forest, Brum, @Brighton, Wednesday
Middlesbrough (75): Rovrum, Wolves, @Norwich, @Fulham, Brighton
Derby (71): Brentford, Blackpool, @Hudderfield, @Millwall, Reading
Wolves (71): @Brum, @Boro, Ipswich, @Wigan, Millwall
Brentford (70): @Derby, @Wednesday, Bolton, @Reading, Wigan
Ipswich (68): Blackpool, Cardiff, @Wolves, Forest, @Blackburn,

 

[swiftaw]

Wigan fired Mackay, League One beckons. 

 

[fletcherpost]

Quite a few teams down the bottom of the Championship who were recently in the BPL. Reading, Blackpool, Fullham, Wigan...I wonder why that is?

 

[soxfan121]

Quite a few teams down the bottom of the Championship who were recently in the BPL. Reading, Blackpool, Fullham, Wigan...I wonder why that is?

 
Hard to scale down the spending? QPR went down and came back up by spending through it, not selling out of it. All of those teams have suffered defections - not to EPL clubs, but to other Championship teams, right? A true case of "the grass is greener" and deepening the spiral.

 

[fletcherpost]

Yeah, and i think that staying in the BPL and getting out of the Championship are two different things for most teams. That's why i love Burnley's model, which might be borne of necessity but they'll be fine financially if they stey up or get relagated and if they do go down they have players that can cope with the physical demands of the Championship and won't have their sdqaud gutted save for Ings and one or two others.
 
I'm shocked at Fullham's league position, but then if one looked further into it, at their squad, how they play etc, it might not be such a shock as to why they are down at the near foot of the table. And props to Norwich for contending this season.

 

[dirtynine]

Quick and dirty chart showing when Championship clubs (ordered by current league standing) last tasted the top flight. 
 

 

[HampshireCounty]

Wait, that doesn't seem right.  Wolves were in the Premier League in 2011-2012.

 

[dirtynine]

Apologies - I scraped the info quickly.  Edited to fix.