da bet7：
da doce：
This summer feels a little surreal as a Huddersfield Town fan.
Not only down to us having finally dragged ourselves back into the Championship, after an eleven year absence, but because we’ve achieved promotion when we’ve appeared to be in our weakest position in a couple of seasons.
The season before last, we’d ended with a 25 game unbeaten run, and had matched Southampton and Brighton through the second half of the season.
The general consensus was that we would have had little to fear in the Championship, had we made it through the Play Offs. This is seemingly endorsed by the good performance of both teams in the Championship last season.
In contrast, after losing key players last summer, whom we didn’t to replace, we failed to match the two automatically promoted sides last season, as well as Sheffield United, who looked a much stronger side than ourselves, until their demise following the well documented loss of one of their strikers.
This summer is all about rebuilding an unbalanced squad which lacks ability in key areas.
This is quite a strange situation for a promoted club to find themselves in; promotion usually indicates a strong season from a side, yet our promotion can mainly be attributed to turning it on when it mattered, after stumbling into the Play Offs.
The need for recruitment is heightened by a couple of key losses; Sean Morrison, who steadied the defence after his introduction into the side, has returned to Reading after his loan, although the Town hierarchy appear hopeful of completing a permanent deal. Damian Johnson, who provided a much needed presence in midfield during the Play Offs has rejected our contract offer and has signed for Fleetwood Town, seemingly the offer from Town for him took into account that whilst he has impressed, his appearances have been severely limited by injury; and speculation continues to surround Jordan Rhodes, who carried the side for much of last season.
Grayson seems aware of the need for rebuilding; releasing eight first team players, and will undoubtedly receive the financial backing of chairman, Dean Hoyle. The names being speculated about are impressive; Keith Andrews and Paul Green both represented strong Championship signings, and even if we are unsuccessful in our attempts to lure them to Town, they supply a strong statement of intent from the club.
Alongside these two, the names of Adam Clayton and Ross McCormack from Grayson’s former employers, Leeds United, have been mentioned, as well as former Town full back, Lee Peltier.
The expectations for next season are seemingly quite diverse; with odd supporters scouting us as Play Off contenders, and others being content with mere survival. The majority appear to be in between the two; having faith in the managerial team attracting players capable of consolidating us in the Championship, without getting carried away into thinking that we’d be capable of competing at the top of the division straight away.
This seems quite a sensible prediction when you consider the strength of the clubs finishing in and around the top six last season; who will be joined by the three relegated clubs from the Premier League, and other clubs building over the summer, such as Leicester City, who are investing heavily, Leeds United, who have Neil Warnock, an expert at Championship level and Crystal Palace, who appear to be making some impressive signings.
However, I can’t imagine too many Leeds fans would have expected to finish close to the Play Off places the season before last, having limped over the line in League One and with Ken Bates characteristically offering little in the way of investment, yet Grayson led the side to within three points of a Play Off place; with the investment of Dean Hoyle, it will be exciting to see what he can achieve.
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