Championship Season Preview: Fulham and McCormack the early calls

Former Leeds striker Ross McCormack can help Fulham to Championship glory with loads of goals along the way

Mike Norman takes a pre-season look at the Championship with a warning that some better wagers might be had later down the line. But for now, our man fancies Fulham and their big-money striker Ross McCormack to do well...

The words 'it promises to be one of the most competitive Championships ever' often get rolled out at this time of the year, but more times than not they ring true. And so very often, if a Championship season falls slightly short in the competitive department then it most certainly makes up for it in its unpredictability.

Take last season for example. It was competitive for the most part until Leicester eventually ran away with it, but few people predicted that Burnley - after selling star striker Charlie Austin and being made relegation favourites - would enjoy such a tremendous season and comfortably win promotion to the Premier League.

The interesting aspect of the Clarets' campaign was that it was very evident from an early stage that they had an excellent squad - I tipped them at 12.011/1 for promotion in September - so it's important to remember that you can wager In-Play, and not just pre-season, in markets such as Winner, Promotion, Top 6 Finish etc.

So while I will be taking a very close look at how a number of clubs start their campaigns, and what transfer business they conclude in late August, unfortunately my boss won't allow me to write "come back in six week" in this pre-season preview.

So here goes...

Winner

I'll start with the club that I support, Middlesbrough, but only because they have been the biggest market movers in recent weeks. Matched at a high of 27.026/1 their odds collapsed a week ago, eventually hitting a low of 10.09/1 before settling at their current mark of around 16.015/1.

I'm not quite sure why the market move happened; in all honesty I would have struggled to make a case for them at 27.026/1 so I'm certainly not encouraged to see them trade as one of the top six in the betting to win the division.

Boss Aitor Karanka made a good impression last season, and he appears to have some good connections with big clubs, which is always handy for bringing in players on loan, like Chelsea's Kenneth Omeruo for example. And the signings of Spanish duo Kike (forward) and Tomas Mejias (goalkeeper) will add strength to some key departments.

But it will take a few more quality signings - permanent or loan - before I get really encouraged about the Boro. Right now I'm thinking, make the play-offs and I'll be absolutely delighted.

It's easy to see why Derby are the 8.415/2 pre-season favourites having retained much of the team that did so well in reaching the play-off final in May, including star striker Chris Martin.

The Rams scored plenty of goals last term and will undoubtedly do so again, but my concern for Steve McClaren's men is that the players the club have brought in don't look to be stand-out signings, and with no fewer than a dozen 'squad' players leaving Pride Park in 2014 I have a feeling they'll come up a little short.

Of the three relegated clubs I feel Fulham (10.09/1) are the best equipped to make an immediate return. They've obviously had to let go a lot of players following relegation to the second tier of English football but they still look to have a big squad, including one of last season's best players in the Championship, Ross McCormack, who they signed from Leeds for around 11m.

The signing of former Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal youngster Thomas Eisfeld also catches the eye, while in Bryan Ruiz - back from his loan spell at PSV - they have arguably one of the best players at this level, especially if he can translate his World Cup form to the Championship.

Of the fancied clubs Fulham do make the most appeal as I'm totally unconvinced by Cardiff (9.28/1), especially under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while Norwich (11.5n/a) have been very inactive in the transfer window so far and could yet lose some of their bigger stars following relegation.

Wigan (11.5n/a) had a great second half to the season under Uwe Rosler but given Fulham look to have a much better side and are trading at approximately the same odds then I'd have to make Felix Magath's men my early picks, though I do have my eye on a few other clubs at much bigger odds. Read on.

Promotion / Top 6 Finish

Reading were one of the pre-season favourites last season and although they slightly disappointed in finishing only seventh I'm a little surprised to see them trading at close to 30.029/1 to win the Championship this time.

I wouldn't put anyone off backing The Royals at those odds but I'd rather play them in the Promotion and Top 6 Finish markets at anywhere around 10.09/1 and 5.04/1 respectively.

The reason that they're not considered amongst the favourites is purely and simply down to the fact that they are yet to make any signings this summer, while at the same time they've seen no fewer than 12 players depart. But of those outgoings perhaps only Adam Le Fondre will be a huge loss as what the Berkshire club have effectively done is simply trim their squad - I don't see that as a bad thing at all.

Nigel Adkins - a proven manager at this level - still has a very talented squad at his disposal including the likes of Adam Federici, Jem Karacan, Alex Pearce, Pavel Pogrebnyak, and a host of talented youngsters (keep an eye on the excellent Jordan Obita).

With expectations lowered, and hopefully a much more settled side, I can see Reading enjoying a great season. And even better if they do make a breakthrough in the transfer market.

Keep an eye out also for Ipswich Town (should be available to back at around 11.010/1 for promotion), another club that finished just outside of the play-offs last season and appear to be getting better every year under Mick McCarthy.

The Tractor Boys have a decent looking squad, bolstered by the summer signings of Jonathan Parr from Crystal Palace, Cameron Stewart from Hull, and a few potentially smart free transfers in Balint Bajner and Kevin Bru, from Borussia Dortmund and Levski Sofia respectively.

McCarthy is a manager who strikes me as getting the very best out of his players, so if Ipswich can start their campaign well and stay in touch then I can see them being in the hunt for promotion throughout.

Top Goalscorer

No prizes for guessing who is favourite in this market. Oh, hang out, he isn't! I fully expected to see Ross McCormack topping the list here, after all, he did finish last season as the top goalscorer, four clear of Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes.

But whereas Rhodes scored his 25 league goals for a Rovers side that finished just outside of the play-offs, McCormack virtually carried a struggling Leeds side that finished seven places and 13 points behind the Lancashire outfit.

At Fulham, a side that I've already suggested can win the Championship, I can easily see McCormack repeating his goal tally from last season if he stays injury and suspension free. Rhodes will be right up there also of course, but from a value perspective, 12.011/1 about McCormack versus 8.615/2 about the Blackburn striker then I know where my cash is going.

Of the bigger price strikers I like the look of Nahki Wells if we can get matched at around 34.033/1. The Huddersfield hitman was prolific for League Two outfit Bradford before joining The Terriers in January.

Wells scored seven times in the Championship which wasn't a bad return at all, and the young striker has all the attributes to score lots of goals at this level; he's fast, clinical, and seemingly fearless. He's already been praised by boss Mark Robins for his performances, especially his workrate, in pre-season and I can see him scoring 20-plus goals this term.

Recommended Bets

Back Fulham to Win the Championship @ 10.09/1
Back Reading to Win the Championship @ 30.029/1
Back Reading in Promotion market @ 10.09/1
Back Ipswich in Promotion market @ 11.010/1
Back Ross McCormack Top Goalscorer @ 12.011/1
Back Nakhi Wells Top Goalscorer @ 34.033/1