We have scoured the Championship to get the supporters’ opinions on the manager who will lead their club into the 2017/18 campaign.
The start of the Championship season is rapidly approaching and that means managers up and down the country are putting the final touches on their squads before embarking on a new campaign.
The summer has seen plenty of new managers arriving at Championship clubs and not all of them expected.
What we can expect though, is another tough season for every club in the division with huge amounts of money being spent throughout the second tier.
But can the managers get the best out of their new players? And can the current crop of managers defy the trend and avoid being sacked in their numbers before the turn of the year?
We’ve been speaking to fans from all 24 Championship clubs to get their thoughts on their current manager and to find out the current mood at their club. Here’s what we found.
Aston Villa
Manager: Steve Bruce
Appointed: October 2016
The fan view: Steve Bruce still has a tough job on his hands to turn the fortunes around of the once European champions.
There is still a lot of dead wood floating around Villa Park that needs to be removed. The fans are, as close to, 100% behind him and think that he is definitely the man for the job to get Villa back in the Premiership.
Expectations are promotion and only promotion, through the playoffs or, preferably, in the top two.
Barnsley
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
Appointed: June 2016
The fan view: Paul Heckingbottom is a great manager in high demand with big clubs such as Sunderland, who were interested in making him the boss. He’s great with the youth system and bringing players through the ranks as we have seen already.
With Paul being from Barnsley, it’s great as he’s got a special bond with the fans. This season I expect him to bring in a lot of young players into our team from other teams and help Gauthier Ganaye bring in players from abroad (if that Is Gauthier ‘s intention).
I also expect Paul to guide us to a reasonable mid-season push and keep the reasonable momentum going from last season despite losing key players such as Marley Watkins.
Birmingham City
Manager: Harry Redknapp
Appointed: April 2017
The fan view: It’s been a difficult summer so far, Harry has missed out on a few targets, which has frustrated him. However, the signings he has made are shrewd, signing Cheick N’Doye, Marc Roberts and potentially signing Ravel Morrison and Simeon Slavchev (currently on trial).
The fans are 100% behind him, season ticket numbers evidently showing that. Harry aims to bring in 4-5 more players before the window shuts, too.
(Dylan Davies - @Dylan_Davies)
Bolton Wanderers
Manager: Phil Parkinson
Appointed: June 2016
The fan view: After the financial mess and the managerial merry-go-round of bad managers we are happy with Phil Parkinson.
His football is very route one, and very predictable if we had to find a negative about him, but yeah, all the fans are behind him. The league next year is very strong with some big teams so we’d be happy to avoid relegation considering the financial mess and budget we have.
(Bolton Wanderers Football Club - unofficial)
Brentford
Manager: Dean Smith
Appointed: November 2015
The fan view: Everyone was pretty unsure with him at first he came from league 2 Walsall. We had just had a really bad start of the season and everyone was reeling after mark Warburton had walked. But he came in towards the end of the season so couldn’t really judge at that stage!
Warburton had got us to the championship and the first season got us to 5th place on our debut in the champs so had big boots to fill. Since being in for full seasons I think he has brought so really good football in to the team. And has been able to keep the team fresh and always sort to get new young players into the team.
We have loads of potential and I think he will harness that. We need a good start and with our signings this season I can see us doing well. He has had time to get comfortable with the championship.
We were all dubious as he came from league two but I think he has done well. The fans are ruthless - if they weren’t behind him they would let him know. Fans here have great respect for past managers and I’ve seen that with Martin Allen, he is adored here for what he done when he managed years ago. If he carries on as he has the fans will 100% be behind him all the way.
(Martin Williams)
Bristol City
Manager: Lee Johnson
Appointed: February 2016
The fan view: Fans are still weary of Johnson, but I’m behind him, personally. It’s a unique situation to be in this day and age for a manager to have a chance still after the way it happened.
I expect him to bounce back have a good core squad , which is shown by the signings of our new Italian full back Eros Pisano and Famara djeihdiou. £5.3 million pounds on a player it’s a big chunk for us, which shows Lansdown has faith in his abilities.
The fans are still skeptical but if we get off to a good start and continue it rather than fall away, they may change their minds. He was never too liked as a player so it was only expected to be the same as a manager.
(Ashley Adams - @Ashadams39)
Burton Albion
Manager: Nigel Clough
Appointed: December 2015
The fan view: I expect that Nigel Clough will definitely keep Burton Albion up this season, and our only real objective is to build on last season.
With the right players - that we believe he can get - and with the full support of the supporters behind him, I think he can achieve that this season.
Cardiff City
Manager: Neil Warnock
Appointed: October 2016
The fan view: I think Warnock is just what Cardiff needed. We went through a tough spell since our relegation, but the hierarchy finally made the right choice in bringing him in. He steadied the ship and pushed us on to a comfortable finish last year which looked highly unlikely under Trollope.
He’s also repairing some of the damage between fans and the club which is good to see, he’s brought the feel good factor back to the club which is only a good thing for this season. I think he’ll have us around the play offs this year, we won’t be a team who will be pushovers.
I don’t think we’ll quite be up competing up the top as I think the squad is still a bit thin in areas. The defence is our strongest area, but if injuries hit midfield and up top then I think we could have major problems.
A couple more signings in the centre and I’d feel a little better.The fans will trust his judgement though, he hasn’t put much wrong yet so here’s hoping he exceeds my expectations.
(Twitter - @CalSheppard)
Derby County
Manager: Gary Rowett
Appointed: March 2017
The fan view: I think Gary Rowett is a very good up and coming manager and he will do well with Derby County.
The majority of fans at the iPro Stadium are behind Rowett and I personally expect him to get Derby promoted within three years.
(Twitter - @DCFC_Ryton)
Fulham
Manager: Slavisa Jokanovic
Appointed: December 2015
The fan view: First thing to say is Jokanovic is a Head Coach and not a Manager. This envisages him coaching players and creating a team from what players he is given by the Player Analysis Team headed by Tony Khan the Chairman’s son. What input Jokanovic has on buying new players is open for debate.
Last season we played some of the best attacking football we’d seen in years and it got us to the play-offs.
However, Jokanovic hasn’t sorted out our defensive frailty yet. He has to stop letting good youngster like Partick Roberts, Moussa Dembele, Emerson Hyndman, Lasse Vigen Christensen leave and allowing the Stats team to buy in joke players instead.
The hope for this season is that he can again play entertaining football and do better than last season with what at present is a small squad.
Hull City
Manager: Leonid Slutsky
Appointed: June 2017
The fan view: He started off as a jovial-uncle character and just one month down the line he already looks a husk off his former self.
If he’s still here by the time the January window opens I’ll be amazed.
Slutsky is being sold down the rivers Hull and Humber by the despicable owners, who seem hell bent on ruining the club.
Ipswich Town
Manager: Mick McCarthy
Appointed: November 2012
The fan view: Mick McCarthy has a reputation as an entertaining straight-talker in football, and he started his Ipswich career brightly, largely by stabilising a club threatened with relegation and successfully making the play offs a few years ago.
However, as he begins his sixth season with Ipswich, his dour, negative football, frequent insulting of Ipswich supporters, and general air of apathy has largely eroded his goodwill with the Ipswich faithful.
Last season, we finished four points off the relegation zone with a half-decent squad and an early cup exit to Lincoln City (outplayed in both the original tie and the replay) has resulted in the hope that McCarthy doesn’t achieve a contract extension when his deal runs out next summer.
Leeds United
Manager: Thomas Christiansen
Appointed: June 2017
The fan view: Leeds have endured a torrid time in the last 20 years, not so much from the Managers, but the hierarchy. Now, hopefully with Radrizzani at the helm, things will calm down.
Christiansen is not a name that any Leeds fan would have heard of before he took the Elland Road hot seat. This will put doubt in the Leeds fans minds.
Furthermore, we came very close to the play offs last season. The fans will be expecting progression this season. A bad start to the season could spell a very short tenure for the Dane.
Expectations, top 6, nothing else would be acceptable.
Middlesbrough
Manager: Garry Monk
Appointed: June 2017
The fan view: Garry Monk looks the absolute business. Has his principles in how football should be played and has bought players to fit that system.
I fully expect him to deliver promotion, as does the chairman, did exceptionally well with an average Leeds team.
The fans are 100% behind him, I’ve not seen this much excitement about a Boro manager ever in my lifetime (maybe Robson in the 90’s but I was too young).
(Twitter - @Josh_UTB)
Millwall
Manager: Neil Harris
Appointed: April 2015
The fan view: Neil Harris is a young manager and he is still learning and improving all of the time. He has put together a squad full of promise and some of the signings really have something to prove.
Neil is a living legend to Millwall fans and has the full support of the fans, willing him and the team on.
I fancy Millwall to be ‘the surprise package’ this season finishing in the top half of the table after a brief flirtation with the play-offs, Neil would say finishing fourth from bottom would be a successful season with something to build on.
Norwich City
Manager: Daniel Farke
Appointed: May 2017
The fan view: We are always looking at a top six place, so I don’t suppose that will change. Realistically though, with a new management structure, numerous new players, and a new style of play, that may be over-optimistic.
I think as long as we can see improvement from the last regime, many would be satisfied. I’d say most fans are right behind Farke at this time.
Nottingham Forest
Manager: Mark Warburton
Appointed: March 2017
The fan view: Mark is a progressive coach and plays the kind of football that forest fans enjoy. He has bought well over the summer, but we do still need a keeper.
I expect him to steady the ship this year with a mid-table finish, although top ten would be great. The fans are behind him and season ticket sales are selling better than they’ve done for years.
(Twitter - @Red365)
Preston North End
Manager: Alex Neil
Appointed: July 2017
The fan view: Alex Neil is a young manager who clearly has a huge desire to win judging by his experiences with former clubs and from what we have seen of him so far.
We have a young, hungry and passionate squad here at Deepdale so if Neil can implement his ideas effectively then we could be looking at a season of challenging for a play-off place.
Queens Park Rangers
Manager: Ian Holloway
Appointed: November 2016
The fan view: I believe that Holloway has the potential to bring QPR back to the Premiership without spending money on players that obviously don’t want to play for the team.
Holloway will help bring the passion back to QPR and have players proud the put on the shirt but I believe it will take at least 2/3 seasons for him to really get a good impact on the team and get rid of all the money-motivated and poor players in the squad .
Although a lot of people don’t believe that Holloway is the man for us, I believe he is exactly what we need because he is so passionate about the club and only wants to do well for the club and really leave a mark in our history.
(Ben Enright - with the help of QPR Till I Die)
Reading
Manager: Jaap Stam
Appointed: June 2016
The fan view: Jaap Stam’s only had one season in senior management, but he’s proven his qualities in that short time period. Most neutrals will rightly point out his adherence to the Ajax philosophy of possession-based ‘Total Football’, which he’s implemented very well at Reading.
Indeed, his ability to motivate and energise the players saw us over the line many times last season even when we weren’t playing at our best - similar to the Fergie effect at Old Trafford. Also, his tactical knowledge has developed greatly over the last twelve months.
Despite his positives that I’ve outlined above, Stam’s still got some development to do. In his first season at the club, Reading retained possession well and used it to see out games and the defence occasionally fell to pieces.
If you asked the supporters to pick out their highlight of the summer, most of them will choose the club’s success in tying Stam down to a new contract. He’s widely acknowledged as the key component in our promotion push last season, and losing him would have been a huge blow for the club.
(Twitter - @BucksRoyal - Writer for The Tilehurst End)
Sheffield United
Manager: Chris Wilder
Appointed: May 2016
The fan View: As a blade himself, his passion and desire for the club is unbelievable. He’s such a down to earth man and we more or less class him as a fan rather than a manager. He wants success for united as much as us fans do that’s why he’s such a lovable and irreplaceable manager.
After spending six seasons in league one, our expectations for next season shouldn’t be raised too high. After back-to-back promotions for Chris, every other fan will look at united expecting us to do well again. In our case, even if we got relegated, Chris will hopefully remain as manager and a legend for what he achieved last season.
Championship status is most important for the future. As long as we stay above league one whether it be Championship or the Premier League, that is what matters most to us supporters. He is definitely capable of taking us right to the top.
I’ve never seen the fans get behind a manager as much as they do now. The last time the fans properly got behind a manager was looking back to the Warnock years. The amount of managers we’ve had in the past years is an incredible number, but we have never got behind any other manager more than we are behind Chris.
(Twitter: @SUFCLewis)
Sheffield Wednesday
Manager: Carlos Carvalhal
Appointed: June 2015
The fan view: When he arrived two years ago, I think everyone was pretty dubious. He arrived as a coach that nobody had ever heard of, having managed 15 different clubs in 14 years and no experience of English football or the Championship.
However, he has defied all expectations and has twice led the club to its highest league position (6th in 15/16, 4th in 16/17) since being relegated from the top flight seventeen years ago. He is a very media-friendly coach who is likable and the players seem to love him.
He likes his teams to play positive football, keeping the ball on the ground, which the majority of fans want to see.
After losing in the playoffs in the last two seasons, I think the expectation this season would be a challenge for automatic promotion. It will be difficult, though.
Carvalhal has the support of the vast majority of fans going into this season. A minority of fans feel that finishing 4th last season and losing in the playoff semi final wasn’t good enough, however most of us feel that he has brought us our best two seasons in many a year and are optimistic about the upcoming season and the future of the club
(Sheffield Wednesday Transfers)
Sunderland
Manager: Simon Grayson
Appointed: June 2017
The fan view: He’s only been here a few Months, haven’t a clue what to expect. But his hands are tied financially and the squad is inadequate so what ever happens his job is already being made as hard as possible.
Fans will turn on him quickly. They love him now cause he put a few positive soundbites out when he joined but Sunderland fans are about a fickle a set of fans you’ll ever come across. It’s already happening.
Parker compared him to Moyes today. One thing is for certain with Sunderland fans, no matter the source of our problems, the problem will always be in the dug out for so many people, and they always seem to think it can be fixed from the dugout.
Reality is our club is in chaos both on and off the pitch and it’s going to take years of good boardroom level decision-making to recover.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Appointed: May 2017
The fan view: Nuno Espirito Santo has a very attractive CV, especially for a Championship club. His pre-season at Wolves was very encouraging and he has introduced a very tidy style of play. We dominated versus a full strength Leicester side so it’s hopefully a very good sign for things to come.
We have to attempt to push for play-offs/promotion, especially with the amount of money we have spent. Luckily we seem to have spent it on the right sort of players and not wasted it too much.
(Twitter - @daveazzopardi)
Featured image: James Boyes, Александр Осипов and Carla Cortés