Wednesday 8 May 2013

After the dust has settled...

Following a breathless end to the Championship season, it's no surprise that we have seen the first clubs and managers parting company. Dean Saunders sacking for taking mighty Wolves into League One with their Premier League parachute money still current is no great surprise. Saunders sounded desperate in recent weeks to hang onto his position and was coming out with some very odd quotes which hardly gave the impression of a man confident of what he was doing or with any real belief in his side's ability to escape relegation.

If Saunders exit was entirely predictable, Kenny Jackett's decision to leave Millwall was not. It was also a complete reverse of Saunders sacking as Kenny bided his time, saw Millwall to safety and then politely resigned wishing them all the best for the future and saying he did so on the best of terms with the owner, the club and their fans. It would have been easy for him to have quoted the trouble amongst his own fans at Wembley but he chose not to leave with any negativity. The timing of two managerial departures inevitably creates a linkage between one of the managers and one of the clubs and it's no surprise Jackett has been linked with the Wolves job. However, I'd like to think that Jackett has simply realised that he has come as far as he can with the Lions after six years and that he is looking for a better ride in  terms of his longer term chances of making the top flight. On that basis I am not sure Wolves fit the bill. He certainly knows the Championship and there will be one or two clubs eyeing his availability enviously.

We have the first leg of the Championship play-offs started tomorrow evening with Leicester v Watford and then the Palace v Brighton appetiser on Friday. I really can't see Palace making it past Brighton although they might look better at Wembley that the winner of the other tie. Away advantage should suit the Seagulls but they will need to stay much closer than the 3-0 defeat they took in the league at Selhurst. Palace looked a much better side then and form looks to have deserted them. I was enthused by Andrew Hughes telling me that the players considered Brighton the best side they had played all season. Sea-gulls! Sea-gulls!

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