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‘Newcastle have arguably the strongest squad that this division has ever seen’

7 years ago
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Chris Hughton has managed four of the current top five in the Championship so maybe be could/should be the man to know.

Having been at charge at (current first placed) Newcastle United, (second) Norwich City, (third) Brighton and fifth (Birmingham), the Seagulls Manager should know a thing or two about the respective strengths of the teams/clubs – as well as a thing or two about the Championship.

Currently three points off top spot after failing only on goal difference to go up last season in an automatic promotion spot, Chris Hughton has been evaluating the competition this season.

The Brighton boss doesn’t see either Norwich or Newcastle ‘losing so many games’ in the rest of this Championship campaign and sees these two as the main ‘ones to catch’.

Chris Hughton thinks ‘Norwich have know-how and the team’, which is not surprising as they have kept almost their entire Premier League team of last season at the club, plus have plenty of experience at getting promotion, due to a yoyo existence in recent times.

As for his first management post, Hughton says that ‘Newcastle have arguably the strongest squad that this division has ever seen’.

No doubt this will lead to plenty of fans comparing the current NUFC squad to the one managed by Chris Hughton himself in 2009/10.

Personally, I have no doubt that the first eleven back then at St James Park was better, though again, I have little doubt that this current NUFC squad is stronger in terms of depth, compared to that 2009/10 Champions one.

As for the strongest team/squad ever, maybe Leicester City can claim that overall title now, as many of their stars who were responsible for lifting the Premier League last season, were also in the promoted team/squad of only two years later.

The likes of Vardy, Mahrez, Morgan, Schmeichel and Drinkwater all featuring in both.

Chris Hughton speaking to The Argus:

“Norwich and Newcastle, with what they are and because of the starts they’ve had, you don’t see them losing so many games.

“If Villa and Derby had started as well, you might have thought exactly the same about them as well, but that gap between the clubs is a decent sized gap.

“I think Norwich and Newcastle are the ones to catch.

 “Norwich have know-how and the team to be able to do it and Newcastle have arguably the strongest squad that this division has ever seen.

“In Derby and Villa you’ve got teams that haven’t started so well but I’m very sure they’ll have a big say.

“In regards to where we are at the moment, there are good teams that are outside. Ipswich have had an indifferent period but are always there or thereabouts.

“There are still possibilities to change, ins and outs, and we’ve got make sure that with every game that we play we see it as an opportunity to stay and perhaps create distance between us and the teams outside the top six.”

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