It's back baby!

It seems only 26 days ago that Andres Iniesta scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, enabling Spanish captain Iker Casillas to lift the trophy. That's because it was, but domestic football in England gets underway in earnest this weekend, with Norwich City and Watford getting us underway at Carrow Road tonight. While none of the players in those respective squads appeared in the World Cup in South Africa this summer, it is still a quick turnaround for the players after a long season which only finished at the start of May. But for the real football purists among us, then Christmas really has come early.
And one thing you can be sure of, especially in the football league, where all 72 participants will be in action over the weekend (with the Premier League's 20 representatives getting their campaigns underway next weekend) - the one thing any betting fans should predict is that you shouldn't bet on what will happen over the next nine months. This Championship season looks like being the closest on record, and it looks impossible to predict which three teams will be making their Premier League dream come true next May. The three teams who were relegated from the top flight at the end of last season look ill equipped to return there at the first time of asking. The problems which have engulfed Portsmouth in the last two years have been well documented. The financial problems have inhibited signing new players, and there squad is threadbare. Hull City and Burnley looked like they didn't have the requisite quality for the Premier League last season, and so this was proved by their dismal showings when neither ever looked like staying up.
All of this makes for an interesting looking Championship season. Norwich and Leeds United, who finished first and second respectively in League One last season, are former Premier League powerhouses, and will fancy their chances of following in the footsteps of Leicester City and Swansea City, in winning promotion to the Championship then more than holding their own at the higher level. Any one of a number of teams will think, with some quality and a bit of luck (it is debatable which is the more important at this level), they can be in the mix at the end of the season. Bristol City, with the wily old fox Steve Coppell at the helm and David James between the sticks definitely have the experience to succeed; Cardiff City will be looking to put last season's heartbreaking play-off final defeat to Blackpool behind them, while holding on to key players like Adam Matthews, Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd; Ipswich Town should be a lot stronger in Roy Keane's second season in charge, and the eyes of Europe will be trained on Connor Wickham, their prodigious 17-year-old striker who should play a more expansive role this season; Leicester will be looking to the European experience of Paulo Sousa to help them get over their own play-off heartbreak; Middlesbrough must count themselves as one of the favourites for automatic promotion - their squad looks one of the strongest in the division, with captain Gary O'Neil, and impressive signings from Scotland including Barry Robson, Scott McDonald and Kris Boyd, and Leroy Lita is a proven goalscorer at this level; Nottingham Forest are the third team trying to put memories of last season's play-offs behind them, and a strikeforce of Dexter Blackstock and Rob Earnshaw looks like it will be laden with goals at this level; mega-bucks QPR will hope Neil Warnock will give the Hoops something tangible for all the investment, or at the very least stability; Sheffield United have as much experience as anyone at this level, and will hope to improve on their eight place finish last season, and return to the top flight for the first time in four years - the signing of Maltese international Daniel Bogdanovic from South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley looks an inspired one, and it could be manager Kevin Blackwell's last chance; and Swansea City, who agonisingly missed out on the play-offs on the last day of the season, and will hope the loss of Sousa to Leicester, and key midfielder Leon Britton to Sheffield United, won't be too damaging.
By my reckoning, half the teams in the division will think they have a realistic chance of reaching the 'promised land.' But for all we know, there could be a surprise package who come from no-where to shock pundits, managers and fans alike. Look at the statistics - last season we had Blackpool, the season before there was Burnley and Stoke who beat the odds to win promotion, and the year before that Hull City were the surprise package who earned the right to play in the Premier League. Derby County, Norwich City, Bradford City, Barnsley and Swindon Town have been surprise success stories. None of these teams have hung around for any length of time (it remains to be seen what the fate of Blackpool will be this season), but going as far back as the mid-1980s, Wimbledon completed their remarkable run from non-league obscurity to the top flight, and hung around until the turn of the millennium. So it can be done, and the likes of Bolton Wanderers and Stoke are now established Premier League outfits. We can expect excitement and twists and turns over the coming months, while it is unlikely anyone will run away with the division in the manner that Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion did last season.
With the shenanigans at Portsmouth last season continuing into the current campaign, and the likes of Preston North End, Cardiff City and Coventry City all spent time in administration last season, as well as Crystal Palace, who narrowly avoided relegation in controversial fashion, it is hoped that the focus will be on the action on the pitch. but don't hold your breath,
There are interesting stories everywhere you look in the football league. The quality on show in League One showed promise an exciting campaign in that division. Just look at the number of former Premier League teams on display, both in the near and distant past - Charlton Athletic, Oldham Athletic, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Swindon Town. This proves the point that it is almost as easy to get to the top flight in the first place, than return there after getting relegated. So Portsmouth, Burnley and Hull beware, there are no guarantees. The same warning could be made to the Sheffield giants - the last time they competed at this level, it took them three years to escape, the same timescale which occupied giants of similar (or bigger) size Leeds and Nottingham Forest. Who will be the success story of this division next season? Charlie Austin's story last season should fill every young, promising footballer with hope. The striker was playing for Poole in non-league footballer, and earned money as a bricklayer to keep the wolves from the door. Then he got picked up Swindon, and he hit the ground running.19 goals in 29 league starts later, and he led his team to the brink of the Championship. It's these kinds of stories which makes football, and at this level especially, so intriguing and exciting.
There is an even better story brewing in League Two in the coming season. At the start of the 1990s, Stevenage Borough won promotion four times in six seasons, to seemingly complete a remarkable journey to the football league in 1996. Or so they thought. Despite running away with the Football Conference, there facilities weren't deemed good enough to meet football league requirements. The regulations state that the ground has to be up to scratch in the December prior to promotion - Stevenage failed to comply with these, and were denied entry into the football league, despite having made the necessary improvements by the end of the season. This seems an unfair rule, as it is a big risk for teams at Conference level to gamble on promotion so early in the campaign. But rules are there for a reason, and Stevenage were made to pay the ultimate price. The same fate befell both Macclesfield Town and Kidderminster Harriers in previous seasons, but they both reached their 'promised land' in much quicker time than the 14 seasons it has taken Stevenage to gain the football league place they felt was unfairly denied them by decisions made off the pitch. Under the tutelage of Graham Westley, the Boro finished 11 points clear of Kidderminster. This led to a surprising name change initiated by chairman Phil Wallace, to Stevenage FC. But whatever they are called, the fans of the Hertfordshire club (who's most famous product is Formula One speedstar Lewis Hamilton) will be relishing. The story of Yeovil Town amongst others will fill them with hope, and the division certainly looks a lot more even following the departure of Notts County through promotion.
What is most astounding in the year 2010, is the truly multicultural nature of football in this country even below the lowest level. Just take Leeds, who played at League One level last season, as a case in point - they have a Dane (Kasper Schmeichal), an Ivorian (Max Gradel), an Australian (Patrick Kisnorbo), and Argentinian (Fede Bessone), a Slovakian (Lubomir Michalik) and a South African (Davide Somma). This truly is football in the 21st century - there is much more fluidity in movement of players from overseas, and this is reflected in the nationalities of players who will be lining up in Championship encounters. This trend is not just confined to the pitch - in the dugouts, we have Paulo Sousa (Portugal) at Leicester, and Gus Poyet (Uruguay) at League One's Brighton and Hove Albion to add a touch of continental class to proceedings. For so long, the emphasis at this level has been on hard-work, enthusiasm and physical prowess to achieve success. While all of these are important qualities, if the influx of foreign talent on both sides of the white line improves the overall standard of football, surely that's no bad thing? As long as young English players, such as Wickham, continue to come through and progress. But at any level, if a player's good enough, surely they will find a way past any foreign talent which stands in their way.
With all that said and done, I am going to attempt to pick out five players who are going to light up the Championship next season, which is definitely easier said than done!

1) Connor Wickham - Ipswich and England. The young striker looks set to have a promising career ahead of him. The 17-year-old already has the hopes of a nation on his admittedly broad shoulders. Blessed with pace, strength and a great first touch, he made his breakthrough in the first team last season, and should be given a greater chance by manager Roy Keane next season.

2) Kris Boyd - Middlesbrough and Scotland. The signing of Scottish international Boyd seems an inspired free transfer by his compartiot Gordon Strachan. The striker scored a hatful of goals in his Rangers career, and his style of play should be ideally suited to the style of play in the Championship. A move to Birmingham City fell through in January, and the transition from Scottish Premier League to the Chaampionship should be much easier to handle. He has great instincts, and is a typical 'goal poacher'. With the likes of Gary O'Neil, Leroy Lita, Scott McDonald and Barry Robson around him, he should get chances galore which he will look to convert.

3) Adam Matthews - Cardiff City and Wales. The young right-back, despite being born in Swansea, has firmly established himself as a Cardiff fans favourite, and has already made his full Wales debut at the tender age of 18. He has already been coveted by the likes of Arsenal, Aston Villa and Manchester United, and manager Dave Jones will have a job on his hands to keep hold of the attack minded, marauding Matthews.

4) Nicky Maynard - Bristol City and England. Last season's Championship top scorer really came of age in an inconsistent Bristol City side. His 20 goals weren't quite enough to fire the Robins into the play-offs, but there will be a big onus on him this season to right that wrong. He has all the physical attributes, but his technical abilities aren't bad either. He scored a number of stunning goals last season, none more so than at QPR on Boxing Day. With his back to goal, he chested the ball down before firing in a stunning volley off the crossbar. Thierry Henry in his prime would have been proud of it.

5) Nathanial Clyne - Crystal Palace and England. Last season's Championship Young Player of the Year was one of the few success stories in a depressing season at Selhurst Park. Again, he is a young player who has all the physical attributes at his disposal - he is strong and quick, but he is also developing into a talented full-back, both going forward and in defence. He gets forward well, but this is a pre-requisite of the modern full-back. The 19-year-old has nine under19 England caps to his name, and if he continues his current progress next season, he can expect Stuart Pearce and the under-21 set-up to be on the phone very soon.


So all that is left to be said is the dreaded predictions - who will go up, and when something goes up, something must come down.

CHAMPIONSHIP:
Champions: Nottingham Forest. Runners-up: Middlesbrough. Play-off winners: Bristol City.
Relegated: Portsmouth, Preston North End, Scunthorpe United.

LEAGUE ONE:
Champions: Southampton. Runners-up: Sheffield Wednesday. Play-off winners: Swindon Town.
Relegated: Dagenham and Redbridge, Exeter City, Hartelpool United, Leyton Orient.

LEAGUE TWO:
Champions: Gillingham. Runners-up: Morecombe. Third place: Shrewsbury Town. Play-off winners: Oxford United.
Relegated: Lincoln City, Macclesfield.

Now, if the World Cup taught us anything, it's that I should keep my money in my pocket rather than going to a bookies, especially in the football league. Over the course of the coming season, anything might happen. As we speak, Watford are winning 2-1 away to Norwich in the season opener. According to a reputable source (FourFourTwo magazine), the Hornets are going to finish dead last under club legend Malkay Mackay. And last season, they lost a remarkable opening game 7-1 at home to local rivals (ish) Colchester United, before poaching their vanquishers manager, Paul Lambert, before sauntering to the Championship. So predict nothing and expect the unexpected - sit back and enjoy the ride!