Championship - 2022/23

Predicting is fun but a bit of a mug’s game in the long run - Barnsley were virtually unique in being the surprise package two seasons running for reasons that couldn’t have been more different. One season I predicted both Huddersfield and QPR to make the play-offs, and both were relegated - that’s why I’ve never bet in football, but feel free to do it any of the rest of you!

 

It is a bit odd considering they got 1 more point than last time, so nothing has really changed for them. It’s more understandable with us considering it’s our worst ever premier league season and we got about 40% less points than last time.

 

Well, I guess being a constant punching bag in the Prem would get you down, at least we looked competitive 2 years ago, I suppose there's only so much yo-yoing you can take before you really want to start being competitive in a league

 

Gareth Ainsworth is apparently odds on favourite for the QPR job, which seems odd as the names who were mentioned before were much more footballing managers!

 

Luton’s recruitment is probably the best in the championship, possibly the EFL. They’ll be there abouts unfortunately.

 

Be very difficult to sustain what they've done in the past 18 months on their budget, are they even guaranteed to keep all the players they had this season?

 

Humphrey is on BT sport, isn’t he?
Anyway, the quoted odds surely always reflect the betting market at the time rather than being an absolute prediction. Right now Watford and Norwich will be favourites because their advantage through parachute payments puts them ahead in punters’ eyes, with Burnley’s chances tempered by a possibly difficult financial situation.

 

The Championship will be a hard slog for the Hornets.
It will depends on Edwards getting the players to gel together. Unfortunately, we have sheer dross left and a short summer break to get rid of them.
I think Edwards will find out that certain players don't give a **** for the shirt and the rest are piss poor.
My prediction is we will finish just outside the relegation places.
I will be more than pleased to be wrong.

 

Favourites?? To go up or down?
Up? You have to be joking. I just don't see it.
Remember we are a laughing stock right now.
Unless, Edwards performs some kind of miracle with regards to the attitude and skill levels of the players, l think it will be a tough time for Watford in the Championship

 

Once the parachute payments end, we could finish anywhere, but there's so much dross in the Championship we're not finishing any lower than mid-table

 

You thought we'd be in a relegation battle last year, did you not see how pish this division is?

 

Ah, Duxbury and Pozzo have given Edwards Promotion or out ultimatum.
They expect to go straight back up.

 

We were. Didn't we get just relegated

 

20/21 in the Championship I meant, I seem to recall you thought we might fall into a relegation battle when it was already mathematically impossible lol

 

Must be my dementia kicking in. When l forget where l live, l will give you a call.

 

F365 using the word 'catastrophe' in relation to a championship club with a £90m debt. Our debt is more than 50% higher....but it's ok, its just like having a mortgage according to Scott Duxbury!
https://www.football365.com/news/op...ampionship-facing-a-perfect-storm-of-problems

 

Burnley are in a worse position than us. Don’t just consider the headline amount of the loan but whether it is from an external or related lender and when the capital repayment is due.

You might not see it but the bookies do. We are favourites for the title at 7/1. Personally think Boro or Sheff Utd are likelier to win the league but only 3 sides have ever suffered back to back relegation from the PL (Swindon, Wolves and Sunderland) so you can understand why it seems implausible to all but the most devout pessimist.

 

How the **** are people surprised we're favourites? Sarr hasn't left yet, Dennis hasn't left yet etc. As those things happens, the odds will drift. The bookies (shock!) are way smarter than you.

 

Would we accept auto promotion...... but one place below L**** , if it could be guaranteed today ??

 

Nope.

 

My understanding is that Burnley are required to pay off £65m of their debt following relegation. They will use parachute payments and player sales to reduce their debt to £25m which is a more sustainable debt level for a championship club. Are you saying Burnley with a £25m debt will be in a worse financial position in the medium term than watford with a £150m+ debt partly secured against the stadium?

 

Burnley's repayment is due immediately. That is the big difference. It will suck up all of their parachute money this year and then some. Also the value of real estate in Burnley is a fraction of property within the M25, which means refinancing will be much more difficult.

 

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that we earnt/earned £4.4mil for finishing 19th. Norwich earnt/earned £2.2mil.

Mogi will be able to buy another house with that prize money.

 

The point is they may have no choice but to repay £65m which is more than their parachute payments, so how will they fund the wages etc. that PP are designed to cover? We may have more debt, but if £65m isn’t due in full now then we are in the better position in the short term. i.e. next season.

Another way to look at it is pretend Burnley have zero debt to pay back but that they also aren’t getting any parachute payments next season.

 

100%. I don't have anywhere near enough faith in our competitive capability as it stands to rule out a cosmic pact guaranteeing it, regardless of who would be joining us. Essentially, I care more about Watford's position than Luton's (as long as they are at least equal).

 

I am saying their short-term financial situation with the immediate repayment of a significant of the £65m greatly hinders their competitiveness for next season.

 

Not sure I agree with that.

The one advantage we do have at this level is Udinese, as we saw when the Pozzo's first arrived. No EPL payments then either.

 

Quite a few members of staff are leaving ahead of next season. A few of the fitness staff and now the keeper coach has announced he's leaving. No great loss, Bachmann has shown no improvement under this guy. Foster and Elliot are too far gone so I'll excuse him for that.

 

Having experienced exactly that in 1982 (way before there were play-offs), I can assure you there were no regrets at all back then, particularly because it was our first ever promotion to the top division. I think everyone accepted that both clubs had very good teams so the only time we were really concerned about them was during the two derbies.

 

They sure are, no doubt of that.
When they take all your money , message me

 

Fine for me - I wouldn't swap their last 40 years for ours.......