1) Have Forest found the new Neves?
After seeing Rúben Neves help Wolves tear the Championship apart last season, Nottingham Forest have also decided to tap into the Portuguese market as they attempt to end their long absence from the top division. They have broken their transfer record to buy João Carvalho from Benfica for £13.2m and have also signed Diogo Gonçalves on loan. The arrival of the Portugal Under-21 internationals are signs of big-spending Forest’s ambition.
2) Can Potter revive Swansea?
Hiring Graham Potter could turn out to be the smartest decision Swansea have made for a long time. Potter developed a reputation as one of the brightest young managers in Europe during his time at Östersund and the 43-year-old could flourish if he is shown patience at the Liberty Stadium. Yet reviving Swansea after their messy relegation from the Premier League could be a slow process. “I don’t think everything can be fixed in one go,” Potter says.
3) Can McManaman rediscover his mojo?
Five years after helping Wigan stun Manchester City in the FA Cup final, Callum McManaman is hoping to kickstart his career after returning to the DW Stadium. The 27-year-old winger failed to impress after joining West Brom in 2015 and he was unable to stop Sunderland from dropping into League One last season. But having led Wigan back into the Championship, Paul Cook wants to help McManaman find his old spark.
4) Will Villa’s new owners bring the good times back?
The news that Aston Villa will receive “significant investment” from NSWE, an Egyptian company controlled by Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, was a timely boost. Things were looking bleak after they missed a £4m payment to HMRC in June and Tony Xia, the club’s owner, has spent much of a fraught summer looking for financial support. However the takeover, which will see Xia agree to a co-ownership model, is unlikely to convince Jack Grealish to stay.
5) Will Lampard’s inexperience matter?
Derby moved in a new direction after losing Gary Rowett to Stoke City. Instead of appointing someone with a proven track record in the Football League, Derby’s response was to turn to a first-timer. Frank Lampard was one of the finest players of his generation, but he is a managerial novice and has accepted a demanding role. The former Chelsea midfielder will be expected to challenge for promotion.
6) Will Chelsea’s kids make an impact?
Frank Lampard’s first move after his Derby unveiling was to appoint Jody Morris as his No 2 and the pair’s connections with Chelsea helped Derby sign Mason Mount on loan. Mount has impressed for England at youth level and the 19-year-old midfielder should make good progress at Pride Park. Ipswich Town, meanwhile, have signed Trevoh Chalobah on loan. Nathaniel Chalobah’s little brother is a highly promising centre-back.
7) Is Flint the answer for Middlesbrough?
Tony Pulis has decided to build from the back in his bid to lead Middlesbrough into the Premier League. The Teessiders hope that Paddy McNair can provide goals from midfield after joining from Sunderland, but their most important acquisition might be Aden Flint. Bristol City’s fans were unhappy to lose the 6ft 6in centre-back, who could make Boro one of the toughest sides to break down. Classic Pulis.
8) Can Millwall keep delivering on a budget?
Neil Harris has worked wonders since becoming Millwall’s manager three years ago. After winning promotion to the Championship in 2017, Harris continued to excel despite his lack of funds, helping them finish eighth. Whether they can continue to defy the odds remains to be seen given that they have barely strengthened, but their ability to punch above their weight should not be underestimated.
9) Can Bielsa transform Elland Road?
To the delight of hipsters up and down the land, Marcelo Bielsa has finally arrived in England. Pep Guardiola’s idol has been tasked with leading Leeds back into the promised land and it is going to be fascinating watching the Argentinian attempt to make his methods work in the Championship. There are unlikely to be many dull moments at Elland Road in the coming months. Are Leeds actually going to become the neutrals’ favourites?
10) Will McNulty make the step up?
Reading got their man in the end. Coventry rejected their first three bids for Marc McNulty and offered the striker a new deal, but the Royals would not be denied. The Scot’s 23 goals helped the Sky Blues win promotion from League Two last season, convincing Reading that the 25-year-old is capable of flourishing at a higher level. “I’ve no doubt he will make the step up,” says Paul Clement.
11) Can Shrewsbury bounce back from despair?
It is never easy to recover from play-off disappointment and Shrewsbury’s task is even harder after the departure of Paul Hurst, who has replaced Mick McCarthy at Ipswich. Hurst did an excellent job for the Shrews and he will be a tough act to follow. After last season’s near miss, however, John Askey will be confident of picking up where his predecessor left off after joining from Macclesfield Town.
12) Is there worse to come for Sunderland?
Even Newcastle fans must be feeling slightly sorry for Sunderland after seeing their hated rivals experience two consecutive relegations. But there was encouragement for the Wearsiders when Ellis Short decided to sell up to Stewart Donald in May. Chris Coleman has gone after making little impact and although there are concerns about transfer business, there are hopes that Jack Ross will be given time to usher in a new era after joining from St Mirren.
13) Will Barton make his mark at Fleetwood?
Joey Barton has never been shy of voicing his opinions, although it is questionable whether it was wise for him to suggest that a better manager than Gareth Southgate could have led England to World Cup glory this summer. Those were brave words from a 35-year-old who is about to make his first foray into management. The Observer looks forward to Southgate’s take if Barton falls short at Fleetwood.
14) Will Collins repay Bradford’s faith?
Bradford need some stability after a muddled period. They replaced Stuart McCall with Simon Grayson in February, only to find themselves looking for another new manager in May. This time they have looked within and turned to Michael Collins, promoting their under-18s manager to the role of head coach. The 32-year-old, whose playing career featured a spell with Bengaluru in India, is the youngest manager in the league.
15) Can Stanley keep rising?
Accrington Stanley were ninth in League Two after losing to Carlisle on Boxing Day, but John Coleman’s team ended up romping to the title with something to spare. Now they are about to embark on their first ever season in the third tier of English football and are determined to ensure their stay will not be short-lived. “We’re known as ‘The Club That Wouldn’t Die’ but I want us to be more than that,” says Coleman. “It’s not very admirable if the height of your ambition is surviving.”
16) How will Exeter and Tisdale fare apart?
For almost 12 years, Exeter City and Paul Tisdale went together like strawberries and cream. Yet one of the longest relationships in English football came to an end after Tisdale became upset with the Devon club for serving notice on his two-year rolling contract in November 2016. The 45-year-old has moved to MK Dons and Exeter have replaced him with Matt Taylor. The first reunion is at Stadium MK on 25 August.
17) Can Notts County live up to favourites tag?
Kevin Nolan’s task in his second full season as Notts County’s player-manager is to win promotion to League One. Reaching the play-offs last season was an encouraging first step, but more is expected this time. County have had a busy summer, signing Kristian Dennis, Kane Hemmings, Tom Crawford, Andy Kellett, David Vaughan and Enzio Boldewijn and bringing in Ben Hall and Nathan Thomas on loan. Nolan knows he has been backed.
18) How will Cheltenham cope without Eisa?
It is staggering to think that Mohamed Eisa was playing for Greenwich Borough in the eighth tier in 2016. Cheltenham Town spotted Eisa’s potential last summer, offering him a route into the Football League, and his form convinced Bristol City to make him a Championship player. It will not be easy for Gary Johnson to replace the livewire forward, who scored 25 goals in League Two last season.
19) Can Macclesfield and Tranmere stay up?
Macclesfield and Tranmere are back after winning promotion from the National League. The former came up as champions after a six-year absence, while the latter sealed their return after beating Boreham Wood in a dramatic play-off final. Tranmere won despite playing 89 minutes with 10 men at Wembley and their manager, Micky Mellon, has promised they will work hard to establish themselves in League Two. “You have to earn the right to be in the Football League,” he said.
20) Will Williams flourish at Forest Green Rovers?
There is excitement at Forest Green Rovers after the signing of George Williams following the midfielder’s release by Fulham. The 22-year-old has been capped seven times by Wales and although he failed to make the grade at Craven Cottage, he has the potential to thrive in League Two. “He went to the Euros with Wales so he’s a really good signing for us,” Forest Green’s manager, Mark Cooper, says.
