Championship Round-Up: Rivals Move Fast While West Ham Wait

West Ham Remain In The Starting Blocks

West Ham remain firmly in the starting blocks as the race towards next season’s Championship campaign begins.

With the Hammers still awaiting the appointment of a director of football, and with Daniel Kretinsky carefully picking his way through a proposed takeover of the club, it has been difficult for West Ham to get a fast start to what is arguably the most important season in recent memory.

That doesn’t mean everybody else has been standing still.

Most Championship clubs are not dealing with the ownership uncertainty and footballing restructure currently taking place in East London. Instead, they are already making appointments, identifying transfer targets and putting plans in place for the new campaign.

At this stage I’m relatively relaxed about the situation because I genuinely believe West Ham will ultimately be better off without David Sullivan and Karren Brady at the helm. However, the uncertainty cannot drag on forever.

The Championship waits for nobody, and while West Ham continue to reorganise themselves, several of their rivals are already getting their ducks in a row.

Wolves Building For Promotion

Wolverhampton Wanderers continue to look like one of the best-prepared clubs in the division.

The Midlands side have completed the signing of former England full-back Kieran Trippier on a two-year deal following his departure from Newcastle United. The 35-year-old arrives with a wealth of Premier League and international experience and appears to be exactly the type of player Wolves believe they were missing last season.

Head coach Rob Edwards certainly made no secret of that, highlighting experience, leadership and strong characters as priorities for the upcoming campaign.

What’s perhaps more concerning from a West Ham perspective is that Wolves aren’t stopping there.

The club are also in talks to bring Raul Jimenez back to Molineux following his departure from Fulham. The Mexican striker may also be 35 years old, but he knows the club, knows the supporters and knows exactly what it takes to perform in English football.

Personally, I think these are exactly the sort of signings West Ham should be considering and blending with a mix of young, faster players.

Wolves look organised. They appear to know exactly what they need and are moving quickly to get it done.

Mowbray Returns To Blackburn

Blackburn Rovers have turned to a familiar face by reappointing Tony Mowbray as head coach.

The 62-year-old has signed a long-term contract and returns four years after initially leaving Ewood Park. Since then, Mowbray has overcome a cancer diagnosis and endured a difficult spell with West Bromwich Albion.

Mowbray knows the club inside out and previously guided Blackburn back into the Championship during his first spell in charge.

Swansea Strengthen Their Defence

Meanwhile Swansea City are closing in on the signing of Celtic defender Stephen Welsh.

The centre-back has reportedly agreed terms on a two-year deal with the option of a further year after being allowed to terminate his Celtic contract early.

It might not be the headline-grabbing signing of the summer, but it is another example of a Championship club quietly getting business done while others remain tied up in boardroom matters.

Swansea have generally recruited sensibly over recent years and Welsh looks another player who should arrive with plenty of motivation to prove himself.