So, Who’s Going To Get Relegated

July 11, 2009 | Written by : Jim Haines

Not content with being forced to predict who will win the 2009-2010 Premiership before a ball has even been kicked, I’ve been asked to predict who will get relegated too. Thanks, guys.

So, once again, feel free to stop by in May, sneer and laugh at these predictions.

Portsmouth : If the takeover of Portsmouth FC doesn’t happen or happens to late to make any signings, then I’m afraid Pompey are in desperate trouble.

They lost a lot of key players last season - from Muntari to Defoe to Diarra - and they’ve lost some more this summer. I can’t see Peter Crouch sticking around and Sol Campbell also looks to be on his way out.

Unless the takeover goes through soon, Portsmouth are my tip for relegation for 2009-2010.

Bolton Wanderers : For reasons best known to themselves, a lot of Bolton fans don’t really like manager Gary Megson. Thing is, though, Megson has made some fairly astute signings in Gary Cahill and Matt Taylor and has brought in Sean Davis this summer.

What Bolton need more than anything else is a bigger squad. If Megson can add numbers, they’ll have no problems. I think Wanderers will stay up.

Birmingham City : Alex McLeish didn’t look like a man with Premiership managerial quality last time the Blues were in the top flight. And nothing’s changed since then.

He’s been buying lots of players this summer, but the names (Lee Bowyer, Stephen Carr, etc.) hardly fill me with confidence. Combining fading and injury prone players like these with very young totally untested talent like Scott Dann and Christian Benitez is not the recipe for Premier League survival.

The Blues are going to get relegated.

Stoke City : Tony Pulis is a smart manager and is working to the same idea that Sam Allardyce did when he first took Bolton Wanderers up. Play aggressive, percentage football and grind down the opponents.

A little more quality wouldn’t go amiss but Pulis should be able to get in a couple of players who can work to his system and so I see Stoke remaining in the Premiership for yet another season.

Burnley : Owen Coyle and Burnley worked some magic last season, with impressive cup runs and, of course, winning the Championship play-off final.

They just won’t be able to repeat it in the Premiership. The quality of player available to them (Marcus Tudgay has been mentioned) just isn’t good enough. Organisation and team spirit just aren’t enough on their own to keep a side in the Premier League. They’ll go down.

Hull City : I was one of those who didn’t think Hull would be relegated last season. I thought Phil Brown bought well - Boateng, Geovanni, even Daniel Cousin at times; these were good signings.

But it didn’t seem to be enough. Brown’s cavalier, always-go-for-a-win attitude and the decline in form of Geovanni meant they really struggled in the second half of the season. And, seeing as every one of their summer targets has gone elsewhere, they are going to be in the same position next term.

Wolverhampton Wanderers : I am a massive fan of Mick McCarthy. Despite what Roy Keane may think, he did wonders with the Republic of Ireland and got both Sunderland and Wolves promoted on very tight budgets. Not only that, his post match interviews are often brilliantly witty.

Wolves do have some significant talent within their ranks - Kightly and Ebanks-Blake both look good prospects and they do have a good number of attacking options, now that Kevin Doyle is on board.

I’d like them to stay up and if the Wolves board backs McCarthy, I think he’ll do it too.

So, Burnley and Birmingham down and one from Hull City or Portsmouth, depending on circumstances.

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