Exclusive interview with Don Goodman: Birmingham City have a 15 to 20% chance of promotion, Wrexham are high in promotion odds – but I can’t see it, Habib Diarra might be as good or better than Jobe Bellingham, one thing has really surprised me about Leeds United’s summer business.
Speaking exclusively with talkSPORTBET, Football League icon Don Goodman has given Birmingham City a 15 to 20% chance of promotion to the Premier League. The former West Brom and Wolves striker has also admitted that he can’t see why Wrexham are high up in the promotion odds and given his thoughts on Habib Diarra to Sunderland. Goodman has also stated why Leeds United’s summer business has left him surprised and urged Omari Hutchinson to stay in the Championship with Ipswich Town.
Leeds Need More From the Transfer Market
Q: You’ve previously suggested that the promoted teams need much better windows than the sides who were promoted in recent years. What have you made of Leeds United’s business?
Don Goodman: “Yeah, I think that’s sort of stating the obvious really. I mean, of the last six teams that got promoted and relegated straight away, Luton got the most points with 26. So clearly the last six have done something wrong.
“I think the common denominator is poor recruitment. Personally, I think recruitment should be quality over quantity. Preferably, players that are going to go straight into the starting XI would be ideal. Leeds have signed four so far, they’re all in their mid-20s with plenty of experience.
“I don’t think they’ve signed anyone that the fans are going to know too much about or get excited about. So for me, obviously there’s still work to be done.”
Q: Gus Hamer has been linked with a move to Leeds. Your thoughts on a potential move?
DG: “Well, if Gus Hamer goes, it will be a big blow for Sheffield United. They’ve already lost Vini Souza. Gus Hamer is a player I’ve watched for the last five years since he first arrived at Coventry and I’ve just watched him grow and get better and better.
“I often say in commentary, he doesn’t belong in the Championship, he’s too good. And at 28 years old, he’s in his prime, if Leeds were able to get him, I think he’d be a really good addition.
“From his perspective, based on what I’ve just said, I should imagine that if there is a Premier League club out there willing to match Sheffield United’s valuation, then I think he’d be ready, because the clock’s ticking, isn’t it?
“He’s only had one season in the Premier League, so I think he’d be ready. Where, is more difficult to say, as obviously not the very, very top echelons of the Premier League, but certainly the sort of middle to lower clubs, which are now more difficult to predict than anything given where Manchester United and Spurs finished last season.”
Q: Where else do you think Leeds need to strengthen the most?
DG: “I think the spine is usually the key, isn’t it? So with that in mind, you’d think that a goalkeeper, another midfielder and a striker would be priorities because they’ve already signed two centre-backs.
“The other thing that surprised me is that they haven’t got a deal for Manor Solomon done yet. I think he’s a player that’s already proved that he can do it in the Premier League.
“He was brilliant for Leeds last season. So I’d be hoping that they’re keen to get a deal for him done.
Sunderland’s Statement Signings
Q: How big of a statement is Sunderland’s signing of Habib Diarra?
DG: “Fair play to them. They’re carrying on with the same philosophy. There’s five players they’ve signed already. Four of them are young, plus the experienced Reinildo who played 30 games for Atletico Madrid last season and half a dozen in the Champions League.
“So the theme remains the same in terms of recruitment. It’s mostly young with the odd bit of experience. I like that. I like what they’ve done. In Diarra, they may have found a little jewel.
“He’s 21 years old, over 100 games already for Strasbourg and already 11 caps and four goals for Senegal, I think he scored against England. So I think he’s a player that Sunderland fans will be excited about.
“Based on the data, it looks to me as if he’s pretty much good at everything, he really can carry the ball, he can disrupt the play, can pass. He’s not cheap, but they may have found a jewel.”
Q: Do you think the Black Cats have enough goals in their side? They’ve lost Jobe Bellingham and Tom Watson?
DG: “I think if you’re looking at survival, if you look at last season’s three relegated clubs, they all conceded more than 80 goals. I do think that’s an area that promoted teams really, really struggle with – because the strikers, the wide players and the general superior quality of player in the Premier League, the pressure that defences of newly promoted teams come under is massive really.
“It’s all about a balance and it seems to me that you need to stop the goals, obviously as your number one priority. But then at the other end, we’ll see if they’ll struggle to score.
“But in Simon Adingra, you could argue at this stage in his career, he’s slightly ahead of where Tommy Watson is right now. You could argue that Diarra will be as good, if not better than Jobe Bellingham possibly. So I do think that they’ve recruited well.
“Obviously, promoted clubs struggle. We’ve seen that. It’s very rare that a club gets promoted and is up the top end. It may take one, two, three or four years of stabilising yourself as a Premier League club.
“You look at the likes of Forest, Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth, who were all challenging for Europe last season, then you do it that way. But the number one priority for me is making yourself hard to play against and hard to beat.
“In the Premier League, yes you need to score goals, but I think it’s a defensive scenario that will ultimately define whether or not you’re able to survive.”
What Business Should Burnley Do?
Q: What’s next for Josh Brownhill?
DG: “Honestly, I find it impossible to understand how Burnley haven’t come up with a deal that’s going to satisfy Josh Brownhill and make him want to stay. If you, from a Burnley perspective, think about what it would cost to get a player like him through the door, plus the wages on top, it’s baffling really for me that a deal hasn’t been agreed.
“He had an amazing season and it was more than the goals, His all-round game was phenomenal and he’s a leader. And I think we can all acknowledge that those kinds of leaders are becoming less and less common in the game.
“So yeah, I’m really shocked that Burnley haven’t managed to come up with an offer that will keep him there and I think it’s impossible to say where he might end up, to be fair.
Q: Whilst it’s early doors, who would you say currently has the best chance of survival?
DG: “Until the transfer window slams shut, it’s really impossible to judge, isn’t it? Because Burnley might bring another six, seven or eight players in and the others might not get the players that they’re after.
“So it’s very, very difficult to say at this stage. If we were talking about who’s probably got the best chance of survival, then I’d have to say Leeds, because despite getting the same points as Burnley, I think for me they were far and away the best team in the league.
“Burnley had this insane defensive record where they only conceded 16. Leeds had far and away the second best defence and then scored 95 goals to boot. Obviously all three are going to have transfer business yet to do and maybe it’d be better to, as I say, judge that particular question once the transfer window closes.”
Which Players Are Headed to the Premier League?
Q: Omari Hutchinson has been linked with a return to the Premier League with Everton and West Ham. Would he be better off staying at Portman Road?
DG: “Omari Hutchinson is 21 years old. He had an amazing season in the Championship during the promotion season, but like literally everybody in that Ipswich Town squad, with the exception probably of Liam Delap, they struggled.
“Omari struggled in the Premier League, so if he did move to a Premier League club at this stage, I’m not sure he’d be a starter week in and week out. For his development, he should stay there, for me.
“It’s easy for me to say because I’m not the player but I think he’d be better off staying in what looks like a very, very strong Ipswich team for next season rather than going to a Premier League team and being a bit-part player.
“Ultimately, the lure of the Premier League, I do understand as a player if offers come for him, then you would understand that he’d be keen.”
Q: George Hirst has signed a new deal at Portman Road. How big of a role will he have next season following the departure of Liam Delap?
DG: “I think a five-year contract extension to a player is a clear sign that they see him as a valuable asset to get them back to the Premier League.
“It’s a small sample size because he’s been injured really, but for me, he’s proved to be a handful, particularly at the Championship level. He’s a player who knows where the back of the net is. So I think he’s going to be a key player for Ipswich next season.
“I think I did their opening day two seasons ago, they went to Sunderland and beat them 2-0 and he was excellent that day – I do think that he’s going to be a real asset.”
Q: Tom Fellows has been linked with Everton – do you think he can make the step up to the top flight?
DG: “14 assists last season in the Championship is very impressive, along with four goals, but there’s just a part of me that wonders if at 21, a little bit like the answer I gave you about Omari Hutchinson, whether he’s quite ready yet because there were times last season where he was left out of the West Bromwich Albion starting XI, so there are still elements of doubt.
“Last year was a real breakout season for his development. So for me, a little bit like Hutchinson, Tom Fellows would probably be best served by another season in the Championship with West Bromwich Albion.
“If he were to go to the Premier League, it’s hard for me to see him playing week in, week out and that would just halt his development slightly.
“It’ll be interesting if West Brom get a massive offer and one they can’t turn down – then he’ll be off but at the minute I think personally he’d be best served by spending another season at West Brom.”
The Importance of the Right Manager for the Right Job
Q: Do you think Will Still was an appropriate choice of manager for Southampton?
DG: “I completely understand Southampton being keen to appoint him because his record is very, very impressive with what he’s done in his young coaching career.
“He’s a young, modern head coach with a hunger to prove himself in England. And actually for me, it’s probably a match made in heaven if I’m honest with you. Southampton in the Championship are obviously going to find it a lot easier than they did last season in the Premier League. And it’s a great opportunity for Will Still.
“Obviously like all relegated clubs, you expect a massive turnover of players, don’t you? Players who will be leaving, new players coming in.
“I think that project is underway, but I’d be very, very surprised if they’re not mixing it at the top in the Championship. I think he’s a good appointment.”
Q: Leicester City still don’t have a manager. Do you think this could hamper their season?
DG: “I think Leicester are a club that’s up in the air. It’s a little bit of a mess. Again, at this stage, we don’t know which players are staying, which players are going. We also don’t know if there’ll be a points deduction and if so, how severe.
“There are a lot of variables that being at the top might depend on. It’s sad really to see. They were part of the greatest story in Premier League history and now, what are we, 10 years on and the club’s struggling really.
“I think the fans have a love of the family ownership, but I do think that the faith in that ability to take the club forward is probably diminishing a little bit.
“So this is a massive season for them and a little bit like Will Still at Southampton, I think Martis Cifuentes has a brilliant opportunity at a big club to put his stamp on things and take the club forward. But at this stage, it’s all up in the air in terms of how well I think Leicester can do given all those variables that I’ve just mentioned.”
Q: Now the dust has settled, what will be the expectations placed upon Frank Lampard?
DG: “I think it’s clear since Doug King took over the club that his ambition is to get Coventry City back in the Premier League ASAP and with that comes pressure and expectation.
“I’d imagine that, despite the Championship being a stronger version next season, I anticipate that the expectation for Coventry will be a minimum top six finish.
“Obviously they’ll feel aggrieved at the way Sunderland beat them in the playoff semi-final – that will sting. Sometimes, having lost a couple of Championship playoff semi-finals myself, it can be hard to get over those kinds of things.
“That’s the big job for Frank this summer, clearing the players minds and getting them at it right from the off rather than having a bit of a delayed hangover and then going and putting themselves a little bit behind.
“I like the players at the club and I like Frank. I think they’ve got a decent chance next season.
“There’ll be more business that they’re going to be doing. I think the biggest area for me that they need to improve is that they leaked too many soft goals, way more goals than the data shows that they should have conceded so I do think that should be an area of urgency really.”
Q: Bristol City have appointed Gerhard Struber. Your thoughts?
DG: “Bristol City is a football club that, when analysing my expectations, I always struggle with Bristol City.
“I did think looking at the squad last season that they could have a decent season. I didn’t think they’d get in the top six, but I thought they’d have a decent season.
“If I’m honest, I find Gerhard Struber a bit of a strange appointment and I don’t have a clue what to expect. It’s a little bit left field. It’s a bit of a gamble. Sometimes this type of appointment works out and he’s got a decent squad to work with. So let’s see how it goes.”
Q: How do you look at Michael Carrick’s tenure as a whole and where does he go next?
DG: “I’m confident Michael Carrick will get opportunities. Initially he did really well. He dragged Middlesbrough from the bottom into the playoffs where they lost to Coventry in the semi-final. I think that raised expectations.
“I think Michael was backed in the transfer market but last season’s recruitment, particularly for me, didn’t really yield fruit.
“There were lots of players that came in that disappointed and ultimately, 10th in the Championship for Middlesbrough is a poor season, the fans were disgruntled, they made their feelings clear and it put Steve Gibson in a very difficult position because I do think Steve really wanted to be as loyal for as long as he could to Michael Carrick.
“But I am confident that he’ll get another decent opportunity sometime pretty soon I would think.”
Q: What are your thoughts on the appointment of Rob Edwards? Does he have what it takes to improve them?
DG: “I think Rob’s going to acknowledge, because he’s an honest lad, I know him well, that it went wrong last season at Luton after two glorious years. He’ll acknowledge his part in why it went wrong at Luton. And he’ll also probably acknowledge that he’s quite fortunate to get a brilliant opportunity so soon at a big club like Middlesbrough.
“The expectation is that, as it was with Luton last season, they’re going to be at the top. He’s got to embrace the pressure that comes with that.
“I think a really, really astute addition to the coaching staff is Adi Viveash. With the squad that they’ve got and with four or five strong additions, I think they should have a real chance of pushing the top six next season.
“It’s going to be interesting because I think the players that he’s got stylistically are very different to the way he operated at Luton where they were quite direct, got the ball out wide and put loads of crosses in. I don’t think it will be the same at Middlesbrough because I think at Forest Green where Rob broke through as a head coach, he played much more of a possession-based game.
“So I think this time we’ll see a different style from Middlesbrough than we saw from Rob Edwards at Luton.”
Q: Ryan Mason is the new WBA manager – what do you make of the appointment?
DG: “It’s a great opportunity as a first job. I know that club – it’s a great club and a big club in the Championship. Ryan Mason is a coach who has worked under Ange Postecoglou, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte so he must have learned an awful lot working with head coaches like that in a short space of time.
“The noises coming out of West Bromwich Albion from the players are that things are going really well in that he’s been able to get his ideas across to the players. He’s young, he’s energetic, maybe just what that group of players needed.
“They’ve also already made one or two decent signings. Like all appointments, particularly first appointments, it’s a calculated risk. But as we stand here at the minute before a ball is kicked, I’m liking the vibes that are coming out of the club from the players with regards to Ryan so for me, there’s cause for optimism.”
Q: Can you understand why Liam Manning swapped Bristol City for Norwich City?
DG: “Liam Manning is a Norwich lad for a start and with respect to Bristol City, I think Norwich is a bigger club as we stand here now, despite finishing below Bristol City last season.
“This move should realistically offer Liam a better chance of competing at the top end of the Championship this time around. The pressure’s on because 13th last season is not good enough for Norwich City in the Championship.
“Norwich have been active in the transfer market and have made some good signings, so I can see them progressing from last season. But as I said, they’ve lost Borja Sainz, they’re probably going to lose Josh Sargent as well and that is a massive hole, a massive void that they’re going to have to try and fill.
“As I keep saying, I do think the Championship will be better quality next season, stronger, with more depth of quality teams and I think anywhere in and around the top six for Norwich would be a success. The pressure’s on but it’s a great opportunity for Liam.”
Q: And what was your reaction to Brian Barry Murphy’s appointment at Cardiff?
DG: “Cardiff, with respect to Brian Barry Murphy, they were never going to attract somebody of a high reputation, somebody that had been there, seen it, done it and who was on the way up.
“So it was obvious that they were going to need to look for a younger head coach. He’s highly rated in football circles.
“The Cardiff job wasn’t really an attractive job, but it’s a great opportunity for somebody like him because by all accounts, they’re keeping their players. I haven’t read about any of the top players having left yet.
“So they should have a really solid chance of fighting at the very top end of League One despite their hierarchy that continues to make strange choices and strange decisions, questionable decision after questionable decision.
“I can still see, if they keep that group together, for me they should be towards the very top of League One.”
Q: What do you make of Huddersfield’s early business and the appointment of Lee Grant?
DG: “So I would say of all the transfer activity in League One, I think maybe Huddersfield and maybe Blackpool’s have been the most impressive or the most eye-catching, if you like.
“They’re showing serious ambition and I think everybody connected is going to be expecting a promotion push from Huddersfield. It’s a great opportunity for Lee Grant. First job, again, he’s picked up his experience coaching under several different managers so I would expect a real positive season for Huddersfield next year.”
Q: How far can Reading go under Noel Hunt next season?
DG: “I think the danger when you have success is that the expectation for the next season just ramps up a little bit. What they did last season under the circumstances was pretty sensational, to be honest with you.
“Accumulating 75 points, finishing seventh, that is going to just give cause for optimism. I just feel League One is gonna be a lot stronger next season.
“When you look at the 3 relegated from the Championship plus Bolton, Huddersfield, Rotherham, Blackpool I’d expect to be there. Stockport I think will be there too. So I’m not saying that Reading can’t do it, but I do think it will be tough.
“You have to tip your hat to Noel Hunt. He did a brilliant, brilliant job in taking them to where they were. I always love it when the fans of a club that has been through the ringer like Reading – when they get given success and something to really cheer about. So I personally hope they are right up there next season.”
Q: Do you expect Swindon Town to be promotion contenders under Ian Holloway next season?
DG: “100%, I think you only have to look at what he did when he came through the door last season. They were struggling really badly and then I think they were almost just about as good as anybody else, weren’t they?
“From the minute he came through the door, some of the results against some of the better teams, some of the teams that were right up there from the off, were excellent. It’s a big club in League Two, isn’t it? So yes, for me, I would expect them to be automatic promotion contenders next season.”
Top Transfer Talking Points
Q: What is your reaction to Norwich signing Harry Darling ahead of the likes of Birmingham City and Rangers?
DG: “Harry Darling is a real coup and I think if I were Norwich, if I were a Norwich fan, I’d be excited because they’ve sold Harry Darling the project and the project isn’t to be hanging around in the Championship – It’s to get to the Premier League.
“Defence was definitely the area that Norwich needed to improve, they conceded 68 goals last season with only five teams conceding more so Harry Darling is a solid addition and given the competition for his signature, it is a massive coup.
“As I say, if you’re a Norwich City fan, you’re going to be liking what they’ve done in the transfer market so far, particularly that signing.”
Q: John Swift has been linked with a move to Portsmouth – is he the type of player that can help Pompey progress next season?
DG: “I have got no doubt of John Swift’s ability but last season he started just 19 games in a Championship team for West Bromwich Albion and didn’t really influence games the way that somebody of his ability should be influencing games.
“So if John Mousinho, assuming he goes to Portsmouth, can get the best out of him and get him back to the levels we expect, he will definitely add to what they have at Portsmouth.
“He’s very creative and there’s no doubt about his ability. He just needs to find it again and it could be a good move for both parties. Hopefully he finds it again and he starts playing week in week out because I think that’s what a player like John Swift really needs.”
Q: Stoke City have signed Sorba Thomas – how good of a signing is that?
DG: “I like it. One of the prime negatives really about Stoke last season, noises coming out of their building was a lack of athleticism and dynamism in certain areas of the pitch. Sorba certainly offers that.
“He’s still only 25, hungry to get to a higher level, as often players that have come through the non-league system like Jamie Vardy somehow seem to have that extra determination and extra bit of hunger.
“For me, it’s a great signing for Stoke. He’s a hardworking player, delivers high calibre set pieces and crosses and that’s going to be a massive thing for Stoke next season.
“They’ve just signed Maksym Talovierov from Plymouth, so Sorba Thomas’ set piece deliveries and the presence of him at set pieces could be massive for Stoke next season. So I think Thomas is a really good signing.”
Q: They’ve also been linked with the likes of Barry Bannan and proven Championship players. But you’ve suggested they should look to sign a younger profile?
DG: “It’s very much about having a balance because it wasn’t until last season that Sunderland slightly veered from their recruiting strategy of 20/21 year olds and younger when they brought in the likes of Alan Browne and Chris Mepham.
“So you need those experienced players. Every club needs that little sprinkling of experience.
“Listen, if Barry Bannan went to Stoke, I’m confident he would.do well both on and off the pitch with his leadership. He’s such a leader. But as I’ve just alluded to in the last answer, I think they’re after that athleticism and dynamism so I think the focus will generally be on younger players with maybe a sprinkling of experience added in.”
Q: Derby County have made notable additions in the form of Danny Batth, Andi Weimann and Carlton Morris. They are also said to have agreed a big money-fee for Patrick Agyemang. What is your reaction to their early business?
DG: “I’m a tiny bit surprised because I think my opinion before a ball was kicked last season when I looked at the Derby County squad was that, wow, that’s a lot of older players. There’s a massive difference between the athleticism in League One and the athleticism in the Championship. So although they’ve let a few older players go, Danny Batth is 35 in September, Andy Weimann will be 34 when the season starts.
“I’m a little bit surprised, but I do understand that managers like recruiting players that they know, players that they trust. And obviously John Eustace had those players who did super well for him last season at Blackburn Rovers. So, a tiny bit surprised, but I can definitely see the attraction of Carlton Morris and Patrick Agyemang, if they pull that signing off.”
Q: Your reaction to the transfer embargo at Hull City?
DG: “It’s concerning. I’d be very concerned if I were a Hull City fan now having to hear about the financial deadlines that are being missed and transfer embargoes being applied.
“Particularly when you add into all of that, the head coach merry-go round, I mean, they went a bit left field at the start of last season, didn’t they? And it failed miserably.
“So to do the same again is very strange. Ultimately, if this theme of changing head coaches continues, I’d be worried! In Ruben Selles’ case, it was strange really, because he did what he was brought in to do, which was to keep them in the Championship and by the skin of their teeth, they did that.
“So you would have thought he would have been given a full pre-season with a new squad of players to get some ideas across. So it’s concerning.
“And all of that is a little bit of a recipe for disaster if you ask me. They avoided relegation on the last day of last season. That was courtesy of Luton losing to West Bromwich Albion. So if you’re a Hull City fan, I’d be a little bit concerned at this moment.”
Q: Louie Barry was previously a transfer target for Celtic. Should they revisit a move after banking £16 million for Nicolas Kuhn?
DG: “Louie Barry had a brilliant season at Stockport in the first half of last season, but really struggled badly at Hull. And despite being fit, he was only given two starts.
“That, considering how Hull City was struggling at the time. It’s a little bit of a worry really. Having said all of that, when you analyse the stream of players that do leave the EFL and go to Rangers or Celtic, there have been a lot of them that have really excelled.
“So it wouldn’t be a move that I’d be surprised if it came about, if I’m honest with you. I do think when you play for Celtic or Rangers, you dominate most games up there in the SPFL and there’s an opportunity for you to do well for sure.”
Q: Rangers have signed Thelo Aasgaard. Can he make the step up?
DG: “I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t think moving from the Championship to the SPFL is a step up – I really don’t. I think he was brilliant at the end of last season for Luton.
“He was a shining light in what was otherwise an absolutely dismal season for them. So I’ve got absolutely no doubt he is going to do really, really well north of the border.”
Q: Gavin Bazunu currently finds himself out of the picture at Southampton. Do you think a move to reunite with Russell Martin at Rangers could be right for him?
DG: “It wouldn’t be the biggest surprise. Russell Martin puts real implicit faith in goalkeepers playing out from the back and he had massive faith in Gavin Bazunu.
“I remember him making several ricks actually at the start of their promotion season and Russell was very staunch in his defense and took responsibility because he wants his goalkeepers to play with their feet.
“Again, if Aaron Ramsdale is going to stay at Southampton, there’s no way that Gavin Bazunu is going to get regular first team football. So maybe a move would be best for all parties. Again, if it did come off, it really wouldn’t be the biggest surprise.”
Q: Your reaction to events at Sheffield Wednesday? What is your message to those who love the club?
DG: “If I said Leicester were in a mess then I think Sheffield Wednesday are in a bigger mess, aren’t they really? Danny Rohl’s number one job now, if he’s serious about staying at Sheffield Wednesday, is to win back the trust of the players because the noises coming out of Sheffield Wednesday are that the players were disappointed that he was angling for a move while still the head coach last season.
“You can see both sides of it. If you were Danny Rohl working for Dejphon Chansiri, then you could understand why he’d be angling for a move while his stock is high. But at the same time, that is a scenario that could alienate players and could alienate fans. So it’s an interesting scenario.
“There’s positivity coming out in terms of a sale, but it needs to be quick – or they’re going to lose players.
“There are noises coming out that some players are ready to hand in their notice and get a free transfer. Again, you would understand that. So with this transfer embargo, they’re going to be scrapping at the bottom end next season. I don’t have any doubts about that and that isn’t really where such a massive club like Sheffield Wednesday should be.
“If things stay the same, then I can only see a relegation scrap for them.”
Birmingham and Wrexham Dark Horses in the Championship?
Q: Birmingham City have signed so many players, what % chance would you give them of back-to-back promotion?
DG: “What we do know, is that Birmingham are a super ambitious club, the recruitment certainly reflects that ambition. They very much remind me of Ipswich, the project. With every passing signing, I find myself giving them a slightly better chance of a top six finish, but I couldn’t give them more than a 15 to 20% chance of promotion at this stage.
“The main reason for that would be the style of play that they had last season, which was complete domination of teams in League One. They won’t be able to average 66% of the ball – they’re simply not going to be having that in the Championship.
“It’s going to be impossible for them to have that amount of the ball. So can they find a different way to win games of football? That’s the question that I’m asking myself.
“For the record, I’d say most teams that come up from League One, I would probably give a 2 to 3% chance [of promotion]. So I think I’m being quite generous with a 20% chance. But it’s a project that we’re only really going to know about after maybe the first 10 games.
“They play Ipswich on the opening day which I’ll be at on Friday night and I’m really curious to see how that game plays out. Not necessarily who wins, but the style, how it pans out and how good Birmingham are, because I do think Ipswich will be at the very top of the Championship next season.”
Q: What have you made of Wrexham’s early business?
DG: “I think Wrexham are pretty realistic in terms of where they’d expect to be next season. You might get some who think that they’re going to be up towards the top end. A friend of mine is a bookie – we were having a coffee the other day and I know that at the moment Wrexham are quite high up the promotion odds, which I just can’t see really.
“It’s going to be an enormous ask for them to be at the top. So for me, consolidation in the Championship would be the order of the day for them. And I think they’re realistic with regards to that. They very much remind me of Derby County when they were promoted.
“They were quite direct, got the ball out wide, lots of crosses and things like that. You only have to see how Derby struggled last season. I do think consolidation for Wrexham would absolutely be a real success.”
Q: Bournemouth are said to be open to letting David Brooks leave in the last year of his contract. Would a move to Wales and Wrexham be one for him?
DG: “Well, again, based on what I’ve just said in terms of stylistically, I’m not sure the way that Wrexham play would particularly suit a technical player like David Brooks.
“I would imagine if Bournemouth are going to let him leave, either on loan or permanently, I should imagine if he becomes available, he would have the pick of the best that there is in the Championship.
“So with that said, it’s not a fit that I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say that fits.”
Q: Is Kyogo Furuhashi going to be the difference between the Premier League and Championship for Birmingham?
DG: Kyogo Furuhashi is an excellent signing. He’s an excellent player. There’s no doubt about that. He’s going to be a handful that could really hurt Championship defences, but he can’t win promotion on his own. He’s going to need all the other areas of the team to function really and to provide him with opportunities.
“I’ve already alluded to the SPFL. When you play for Celtic in the SPFL, invariably you dominate games, you’re going to be winning games, getting chances and in most of the games you can have it relatively easy.
“That won’t be the case for him at Birmingham so they’ll have to work at it but they have recruited a really really good player and a player with a work ethic that the fans will love. The fans are going to absolutely love watching him.
“Kyogo is a player with hunger and a desire – he’s going to be an absolute handful for Championship defences this year.”
Q: How many goals do you think he can score? 25+?
DG: “I think 25 is ambitious – it’s an ambitious target for anybody. I’m not sure Joel Piroe even got 20 for Leeds last season and he was playing in the most dominant team in the league.
“I think giving a sort of 20 or 25-goal target is a little bit over the top, but certainly you would be hoping he’d be able to get around the 15-goal mark if you were Birmingham City.”
