ALBICELESTE2010
Champions League
Seeing as this division is the fifth biggest league in Europe so to speak in terms of attendance and many clubs have budgets bigger than many clubs in the top divisions of other countries, not to mention a fair few fans of Championship clubs on the site , why not open a thread on it ?
You can get all the latest news,fixtures and updates from this site:
http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/ChampionshipHome
As many EPL teams are taken over by foreign owners the trend seems to be for foreign investors to buy clubs in the next division down.
Cardiff are already backed controversially with regards to it's decisions in changing the home strip and crest for example by Malaysians.
Leeds United are in the process of talks with new investors , relegated Blackburn are run comically some would say by the Indian Venky group.
As a Watford fan I'm glad to say that investors with a sound pedigree in football ownership and responsible financial management as they have shown at Udinese Calcio and Granada CF are extremely close to completing the terms of takeover at Watford.
As with the Premier League more and more foreigners have entered the playing staff of clubs in the division, which perhaps is not necessarily a good thing in the long run.
Loanees from the Premier League also constitute an important part of many clubs squads and players like Tom Cleverley and others have spent valuable time gaining competitive football experience.
Hull are trying at the moment to sign Will Keane for instance from Manchester United on loan.
Vicente Rodriguez ex of Valencia and Spain has signed on for another season with Brighton.
And at the end of a long season lies the huge draw of the EPL and the finances it offers. One reason why investors are being attracted to the Championship. Although it can be a poisoned chalice.
Many clubs that have overreached themselves in trying to stay within the EPL, have succumbed to spiralling wages and slid down beneath the Championship.
Plenty of well known clubs with great histories are all trying to make it into the elite of the English game from three times national champions Huddersfield Town to Nottingham Forest tryig to recapture former glories.
Money including large parachute payments for clubs relegated from the EPL and history however are no guarantee of sucess as Leicester City have found out.
This is one of the tightest, most competitive divisions in world football. And to get out of it requires some steel but as Swansea have shown, one can get promotion through silky passing football.
And the season ahead is likely to be no exception. One cloud of worry remains the controversial EPL plans to systematically pinch young players from other clubs academies.
Crystal Palace, Watford and Ipswich for example unless they get grade 1 status will be under threat of being ripped off and all three have had experience of that in the past.
As the season builds up post your hopes, analysis , signings in this thread.