The journey to the Premier League and beyond
A typical weekend in the Championship comprises of all sorts of drama. Be it high octane tackles, last minute goals or even controversial VAR decisions, this league has seen it all and more.
More of the same was on show this time around as well as teams headed into the final week with everything to play for. Eventhough the title was all but wrapped up, the race for a playoff spot wasn’t settled. It was a scurry to the finish line between Aston Villa, Derby County, Leeds United, West Brom and Middlesbrough, with Boro finally losing out.
While these 4 teams ended up securing a playoff berth in the end, it wasn’t as easy a path taken by Norwich City and Sheffield United. Not only did these two clubs secure Premier League status for the upcoming season but also did it in rather unexpected circumstances. Norwich, who finished the previous season in a not so spectacular 14th place stepped it up this year, finishing as the highest scoring team in the Championship. Sheffield on the other hand, were able to take it up a notch defensively and improved on their 10th place finish last season. The eventual winners of the playoffs Aston Villa also stood firm in the face of adversity and were able to deliver when it counted the most.
What makes this dynamic all the more interesting is the fact that these clubs prior to the season had their sights set on only a top 10 finish, with automatic promotion not even being a consideration. To add to the drama, Norwich sold their two best players James Maddison and Josh Murphy to Leicester and Cardiff City respectively, for a combined total of £33 million. This is all the more impressive if you take into account the fact that they spent only £3.8 million to fill the void left by their superstar players. While this formula may have worked in the Championship, they will have to refigure their strategy for the Premier League in order to survive in their first season back.
Aston Villa and Sheffield United had their season split into two halves. In the case of Villa they were just 11th in the table after 23 games, however, 10-game winning streak between March 2 and April 22 propelled them into the play-offs. Sheffield on the other hand had the best home record in the division, with 15 out of their 21 clean sheets coming in the second half of the season.
Premier League Bound
All the aforementioned clubs have disproved the notion that managers( Daniel Farke for Norwich, Chris Wilder for Sheffield and Dean Smith for Villa) need experience in the Championship to survive. While this may be a point of contention heading to the Premier League, one cannot deny the impact these managers have had on and off the pitch. The coaches knowledge of the native leagues and markets has contributed in the team bringing players that are the right fit. This along with their man management skills have been very crucial to the teams success despite the small budgets at their disposal. This is in many ways is reminiscent of the path taken by Huddersfield and Cardiff City, however the difference here is the fact that they have not relied purely on overseas talent. This was the mistake made by Fulham as well last season and they are now paying the price for it.
The key for these teams going forward will be to create a platform for success built on overseas recruitment as well as promotion from the academy. Norwich have undeniably succeeded at this the best and look best positioned to survive the rigours of Premier League football. This is not to say that Villa and Sheffield are destined for the drop but they have it all to figure going forward. They will not only have to invest wisely but ensure they have the right mix of youth and experience. After all, fewer than half the players who have made the transition from the Championship to the Premier League have seen a deterioration in their individual performances. This very factor was the reason for Cardiff’s demise last season as they were not able to capitalise on their chances in front of goals. This led them to rely on their defensive performances although clean sheets were far harder to come by in the top division.
At the end of the day, for every success story like Wolves (2018/19), Newcastle (2010/11), Southampton (2012/13) and Crystal Palace (2013/14) there is always a disappointing story like Fulham( 2018/19), Hull City( 2016/17) and QPR( 2010/11). If this doesn’t serve as a reminder as to what is at stake then nothing will.
