Championship Preview 2011-12: The Favourites

The Championship football season gets under way on Friday August 5 and Betting Bias starts its extensive preview of the 2011-12 campaign by taking a look at the bookies’ favourites.

Leicester City

Best title odds: 9/2 - totesport
Last season: 10th
Manager: Sven-Goran Eriksson
One to watch: Matt Mills

Latest news:

Already spent over £10m this summer with the backing of the Thai consortia named Asian Football Investments - the main reason why the Foxes find themselves joint-favourites for the title. Defender Matt Mills has arrived from Reading for a club record fee of £5.5m; Kasper Schmeichel, Paul Konchesky and David Nugent are among the other new arrivals.

Verdict:

The bookies have taken a look at the open nature of the Championship and followed the money. Leicester have been earmarked as this year’s QPR. However, there have to be serious doubts whether Sven is as well-equipped to dominate this division as serial promotion winner Neil Warnock was at Loftus Road. The form at the end of last season was hardly encouraging; a run of 2 wins in 11 games effectively ended any play-off hopes. On the plus side, the former England boss has clearly brought some talent in and a play-off spot should be the bare minimum this season.

West Ham

Best title odds: 9/2 - Boylesports
Last season: Relegated from Premier League
Manager: Sam Allardyce
One to watch: Kevin Nolan

Latest News:

Sam Allardyce has dropped a division to reignite a managerial career that many feel has only faltered due to a combination of misfortune and mistreatment. His capacity to get Premier League players to come and play Championship football at Upton Park is already baring fruit. Newcastle captain, and former ‘Big Sam’ favourite at Bolton Kevin Nolan looks like a major signing. The expected exodus hasn’t really happened yet either. Scott Parker will surely go soon, but Carlton Cole and Robert Green remain among a host of big names still on the books.

Verdict:

For all the dismay that followed the Hammers’ woeful relegation from the top flight, there have been remarkably many reasons to be cheerful ahead of a season back in the lower leagues. Sam Allardyce will have the burning desire to succeed that only a wronged man can feel. As well as the ‘marquee’ signing of Nolan, the arrivals of Matt Taylor from Bolton and Abdoulaye Faye from Stoke look inspired. Deserve to be favourities for the title and could prove unstoppable if they fly out of the blocks.