The players returned to training last week, as the build up to a big season begins. In a season which is expected to be a fruitful one for Aston Villa Football Club, there will be a number of sides looking to pip the Villans to the place back in the Premier League that they crave.
With the Villans being big boys in the Championship, virtually every team they face in 2016-17 will treat encounters with Di Matteo’s men like Cup finals – and we all know what Aston Villa’s recent record in Cup finals is like.
The Championship is arguably the most competitive league in the world and when it starts on August 5th approximately half of the twenty-four teams will believe they have a realistic chance of promotion. Who should the Villa boys regard as key competition?
Newcastle United
The Magpies are the bookies’ favourites – just pipping Villa – and will be certainties in most people’s minds to get promotion. Having already completed the signing of Matz Sels from Belgian side Gent, Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie, Newcastle United is a club that is certainly looking to spend its way back to the top.
The Geordies’ downfall, like Villa’s, could be that they currently have a squad of imported prima-donnas who may not have the fight to scrap out ugly victories against the likes of Rotherham United and Burton Albion.
Rafa Benitez will need to make sure he acquires proven players with Championship quality and experience to bed in alongside the other members of his squad if he is to help Newcastle United live up to the hype.
Derby County
You would forgive many for labelling the Rams as ‘bottlers’ after spending the last three seasons blowing their opportunities to gain promotion. With investment going into the club a couple of years back and the spending of huge amounts of money last season, most had the Rams as certainties to climb to the top flight.
Paul Clement left halfway through the season and Derby County failed in the play-offs for the second season out of three.
Nigel Pearson has now come in and they will be looking to make it third time lucky this season.
There is no doubting the quality that Pearson has in his squad and, with Will Hughes and Jeff Hendrick running the midfield area, the Rams will outplay most teams in the division. If Chris Martin can find his scoring boots again, Derby County could be a real contender this year.
It’s not just the forward areas where they are strong, with Richard Keogh and Jason Shackell making a menacing combination in the back line. With some more financial backing expected, the east midlands team will surely be an even stronger side than last season.
Brighton & Hove Albion
The surprise package last season – alongside Sheffield Wednesday – the Seagulls were unfortunate not to secure automatic promotion, finishing with 89 points, which is the most points that any team has managed in the history of the Championship without being promoted.
Under the tutelage of Chris Hughton, the south coast side has a manager who knows the league and has impressed with all the teams he has managed, including Villa’s rivals Birmingham City.
They will be relying on Tomas Hemed to fire in the goals again. If he can then they could prove to be serious competition for the teams at the top of the league.
Norwich City
It would be silly not to include the other team that was relegated along with Aston Villa and Newcastle United last season. Arguably currently the best equipped of the three teams, their team consists of many players who have proven themselves at this level when the Canaries were promoted in 2015.
Alex Neil will set the Canaries up to be tight at the back in big games but to also be a bit more expansive in the games they should be looking to win. Their recent participation the Championship should hold them in good stead.
Nathan Redmond has recently left the club, looking to further his career with Premier League side Southampton, which will be a big blow for Neil and the club.
There is no certainty that any of these sides will be contesting the promotion places come May but, if I were a betting man, I would say these would be the four sides, along with Aston Villa, that will be challenging for those three promotion places.
and sheff weds,,,,,, lets not forget about them