F365 Season Preview : The Newbies

Derby
Odds on championship: 7,500-1.
Odds on relegation: 1-2
Manager: Billy Davies (since June 2006).
Odds on first out the job: 8-1

Last season: Championship third, 84 points, play-off winners; FA Cup fifth round; Carling Cup second round

In: Robert Earnshaw (Norwich, £3.5m), Claude Davis (Sheff Utd, £3m), Tyrone Mears (West Ham, £1m), Andy Todd (Blackburn, free); Ben Hinchcliffe (Preston, undisc)

Out: Paul Peschisolido (Luton, free), Lee Grant (Sheff Wed, free), Ryan Smith (Millwall, £150,000), Paul Boertien, Steven Cann, Morten Bisgaard, Lionel Ainsworth, Seth Johnson (all released)

When Derby reached the play-offs in May, it was noted at length that Billy Davies had been in the semis the year before with Preston and was going to use that experience to help him negotiate them successfully this time around. What was reported an awful lot less was how Derby, not Davies, had got on in 2005-06.

Under the management of Phil Brown, the Rams finished 20th. Since relegation in 2002, their finishes have been 18th, 20th, fourth, 20th - then third, and up. Davies may be only 8-1 to be first to lose his job, but in a sane world the directors owe him...

Read the full article....http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,12994_2627456,00.html

Birmingham
Odds on championship: 5,000-1.
Odds on relegation: Evens
Manager: Steve Bruce (since December 2001).
Odds on first out the job: 5-1

Last season: Championship second, 86 points; FA Cup fourth round; Carling Cup fourth round

In: Stuart Parnaby (Middlesbrough, free); Garry O'Connor (Lokomotiv Moscow, £2.6m); Hossam Ghaly (Birmingham, £3m); Olivier Kapo (Juventus, £3m); Daniel De Ridder (Celta Vigo, free)

Out: Julian Gray (Coventry, free); Stephen Clemence (Leicester, £1m); DJ Campbell (Leicester, £2.1m); Bruno N'Gotty (Leicester, free); Rafael Schmitz (Lille, loan)

Most of the time the theme tune to 'The Great Escape' is used for a team that survives against the odds. But it would make an appropriate ringtone for Steve Bruce on personal grounds.

In 2006 he took down a Birmingham squad that had been widely regarded as their strongest in years. He started badly in the Championship and the lovable crew in charge at St Andrew's were publicly discussing his future. Still, here he is, back for more.

I'll stick my neck out and say.....

Read the full article...http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,12994_2627523,00.html

Sunderland
Odds on championship: 2,000-1.
Odds on relegation: 100-30
Manager: Roy Keane (since August 2006). Odds on first out the job: 20-1

Last season: Championship first, 88 points; FA Cup third round; Carling Cup first round

In: Michael Chopra (Cardiff, £5m); Kieran Richardson (Manchester United, £6m); Dickson Etuhu (Norwich, £1.5m); Greg Halford (Reading, £2.5m); Russell Anderson (Aberdeen, £1m); Paul McShane (West Brom, £2.5m)

Out: Stephen Elliott (Wolves, undisclosed); Tommy Miller (Ispwich, free); Kenny Cunningham, William Mocquet (released); Jonny Evans, Danny Simpson (both Man Utd, end of loan)

To state the blindingly obvious, managers are key figures at every club. Still, there are few more central to their team's chances than Roy Keane. Steve Coppell, perhaps, but football's most famous dog lover could give the Reading boss a run for his money. Last August, eyebrows were rupturing ceiling panels at the news of his appointment by Niall Quinn, but everything that has happened since has proved the sceptics (present company included) wrong.

It is hard to know what is most frightening about Roy Keane (and his dogs), but there is.....

Read the full article... http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,12994_2627586,00.html