Clinton Morrison: It's a shambles at Sheffield Wednesday at the moment
The Championship season gets underway on Friday with two of the pre-season favourites - Birmingham and Ipswich - going head-to-head at St Andrews.
Former Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Crystal Palace and Coventry forward Clinton Morrison will be having his say on all things EFL throughout the season, from the biggest weekly talking points to his memories from a storied playing career and much more in between.
Find out what Clinton had to say looking ahead to this weekend's action with Free Bets.
Sheffield Wednesday Crisis
Q: We’ve got to talk about Sheffield Wednesday, one of your former clubs, who have had a really miserable summer off the pitch…
It’s a terrible news story, it’s embarrassing.
They’ve only got 15 senior players right now I think, and there will probably be more that leave if they’ve not been paid wages and there are other clubs sniffing around - which is why i was surprised Barry Bannan signed a new contract, so fair play to him and the other players that have stayed, because a lot would have jumped ship.
The way the club is at the moment, I feel sorry for the players, I feel sorry for the staff and the fans in particular.
It is a shambles at Sheffield Wednesday at the moment.
They missed their last pre-season game against Burnley because the players didn’t want to play and there was talk they would boycott this one against Leicester too.
I feel sorry for everyone involved, and I hope the chairman sells the club and gets someone who knows how to run the football club.
Q: That’s what they desperately need, isn’t it? To sell up?
Yeah just sell the club. I know people don’t like to sell things at a loss but it’s the community, it’s the club. The fans are involved with the club and what’s happening there is not nice at all.
But the chairman can’t like what’s going on. He’s lost his players and his manager, so it’s in the best interests of everyone for him to sell it.
It’s the livelihood of the players. They need to get paid, they have bills to pay like everyone else. I know footballers get paid a lot of money but it’s like a normal person, if you’ve got a job and then you’re waiting for July/June/May wages then it’s not easy and there are bills to pay.
Credit to the lads that have decided to stay because a lot of them could have handed their notice in and just leave the club, but they haven’t.
The fans will recognise that and I think it will be an unbelievable atmosphere on Sunday. There will be no animosity towards the players, it’s the chairman they are disappointed in.
The fans have always been really good with me every time I go back there so it’s disappointing to see what’s happening at the club.
Hopefully someone can come in and turn it around, but all the players can do is go on the pitch and give 100% - and they will always do that at Sheffield Wednesday.
Sometimes a crisis can galvanise the players, bring everyone together and get some results. I hope that will happen.
Birmingham v Ipswich
Q: What a game to kick off the Championship season this weekend, with Birmingham v Ipswich on Friday night. They look like two favourites for the Championship this season…
A: That is a big game, and they’re two sides I expect to be battling it out at the top of the league.
I do think Ipswich will win the league, and I’m backing Birmingham to finish second, it will be between them and Southampton but I’m going to back my old team.
It’s a massive game on Friday, and I’m looking forward to covering it and being at the ground. Birmingham haven’t spent loads of money - a lot of the players they have brought in have been free - but bringing in someone like Kyogo is fantastic with what he did at Celtic.
They’ve spent big money on him, and he should score goals for fun in the Championship. Manchester City were linked with him last year, that’s how good he is.
But they have good players everywhere else too, they’ve recruited so well. Ipswich have that X Factor though, and they’ve not lost many players.
They lost Delap, they could lose Hutchinson but the core of the team is still there and still strong. What makes them favourites for me is that they have the best manager in the Championship. Kieron McKenna has been there, seen it, done it - I think he’s a fantastic manager.
Any player you speak to loves working under him, and that’s why I make them favourites with sports betting sites.
The Championship is wide open this year. I think last year Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United were always going to be up there, but it’s going to be difficult to call this time round.
Q: They might not have spent big, but Birmingham did a lot of their business last year so should be going into this season with a settled squad capable of playing at this level. Do you see them doing more business?
A: Yeah I think they will. They’ve brought in Doyle from Wolves, and Demarai Gray and Kyogo. I think they’ve brought in eight players this summer which is still a lot, but they did do a lot of business last summer and those players will all be able to play in the Championship.
They missed out on Chuba Akpom but signed Marvin Ducksch from Werder Bremen - they’re not messing around!
The thing is with Birmingham, is that come January if they are in the mix, they will go and spend again because that’s what the owners want. They’re really ambitious and that’s why people are looking at them as one of the favourites with football betting markets.
Q: Is top two a minimum requirement for Birmingham this season?
A: I think maybe top six would be the aim. I do think they can finish in the top two, but it is a difficult league and there will be pressure on the manager to deliver.
If they are in the mix come January, they will spend a bit of money. Top six is certainly realistic, but I think they’ll finish in the top two.
Q: And Ipswich look strong. Like you said, they haven’t lost many players but between now and the end of the transfer window things can change quite quickly for a relegated side, can’t they?
A: They have lost Morsy and Delap, who were two outstanding players for them, and you have Nottingham Forest knocking on the door for Hutchinson, because he is a very good player.
I think he will leave because they can offer Premier League football, but they still have good players like Jack Clarke, George Hirst and Philogene who we didn’t see the best of last season but will come good in the Championship.
The first game of the season is always exciting but don’t be fooled by the table after four or five games, because it can completely change after the end of the window.
But Ipswich have the experience and the manager to get themselves promoted and if they get some like Akpom, then that would be a brilliant signing.
They even bid around £17/18 million for Hayden Hackney and got turned down - so they have money to spend and can compete with anybody at the moment.
Southampton v Wrexham
Q: The second game we’re going to focus on is Southampton v Wrexham, which is a really interesting game on both sides.
Will Still is the new Southampton manager, and a really fascinating story after how he rose to prominence in France and then did a great job. What do you make of his appointment?
A: He’s the Football Manager guy! He just came from nowhere and full credit to him, because I saw him on Sky doing Monday Night Football and he looked like he knew what he was doing.
He looks like a really good manager and did ever so well in France. The time is right for him to come to a big club like Southampton who have a great chance of getting promoted again with the squad hey have.
The attacking options - Brereton Diaz, Adam Armstrong, Cameron Archer and Ross Stewart - can eat the Championship up.
I think Southampton should get promoted this year. I’ve got Birmingham for second place, but I still think they will go up.
Q: Are we going to see another season dominated by the relegated clubs?
A: Southampton and Ipswich will definitely be there, but we just don’t know what will happen to Leicester with potential points deductions on the cards. They still have a good squad even though they’ve lost some players, but it might be a rebuilding season for Leicester with Ipswich, Birmingham and Southampton competing for the top two.
Q: And then Wrexham on the other hand are a big story this season. Will they look to consolidate this year or do their signings suggest a bit more ambition?
A: I keep hearing people saying they will look to consolidate, but they’ve brought in Conor Coady, Kieffer Moore, Josh Windass and could bring in Nathan Broadhead for a lot of money, and they are top players.
When people say they’ll just be looking to survive, I’m not sure about that.
I think they could be dark horses - watch this space.
If they sign three or four more players - especially in defence and midfield - then I think they could be dark horses this season. I‘m not sure they’ll be challenging for the top six, but they should be comfortably mid-table.
They’ll do much more than just about survive, they should comfortably finish mid-table, if not further up.
Q: Those players are astute signings, aren’t they? Battle-hardened, Championship players
A: They know the league. Someone like Kieffer Moore, he scores goals for fun, Conor Coady used to be an England international and has all the experience you want and Windass has the X Factor.
Ryan Hardie is another good addition, and Danny Ward too.
Come January if they are in amongst it, their owners will spend and go again. They want Premier League football and they’re not going to stop now, are they?
If you’ve got the money, why not go for it? It’s Hollywood, and their club is massive in America and this is what they want.
There will be a target on their back but they’ve been used to that in the lower leagues but credit to the owners and to Phil Parkinson - everyone has wanted to get one over on them but they’ve just gone about their business and climbed the leagues.
EFL Pre-Season Predictions
Gab Sutton is the in-house EFL tipster for Free Bets, and before the season started he had a look at how he thinks the EFL will pan out this year.
