Ex-Watford defender and current Millwall coach previews season

The 41-year-old made more than 650 appearances during his playing career and since retiring has also worked at Birmingham.

He knows the Championship inside out, and so we asked Robbo for his thoughts ahead of the start of the season this weekend.

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Who is going to win the Championship?

“My money would be on Leicester. They have a relatively new manager in Enzo Maresca, who has worked alongside Pep Guardiola, and he’s a very smart guy who knows his stuff.

“I think they have made some very good signings this summer – experienced players who also have a lot of quality.

“I know they’ve lost some very good players, but they have replaced them well.

“Of course keeping hold of Jamie Vardy makes a huge difference as he is a key player. Doesn’t matter how old he is, he’s still a great striker. He will use his head to get a yard on defenders and his style of play isn’t something Championship defenders are used to.

“He’ll also be very useful in the Leicester dressing room. A big character like that makes it a lot easier.”

Who will also be promoted automatically?

“I’d go for Leeds. They always seems to have a strong side, and they also appear to have a bit of youthfulness about them.”

Which teams will make the play-offs?

“Southampton, Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Norwich.

“Southampton, as a relegated club, will have Premier League quality players even if some of last season’s squad have gone. They’ve got Nathan Tella, who did really well at Burnley last season, and they should make the top six.

Nathan Tella. (Image: Action Images)

“I really quite like the look of Ipswich, and they might be dark horses because they’ve come out of League One and could be underestimated.

“Kieran McKenna has done a great job there, and has brought in good players, particularly some very promising youngsters on loan.

“Middlesbrough, with the players they have, should be up and around the play-offs. I’m aware they have a few injuries that might hamper them at the start of the season, which is good for us (Millwall) as we’ve got them on Saturday.

“But when they get to full strength they have the sort of squad that will be in the play-offs.

“People might be surprised that I’m picking Norwich, especially as they under-performed last season. But I think they have signed well this summer, particularly bringing in Ashley Barnes up front.

“I’d love to see my old club West Brom be involved in the play-offs but I’m not sure they will be. I think they lack the firepower.”

Has the money on offer in Saudi Arabia meant that some players who might have dropped down a division and played in the Championship are now going to be tempted overseas?

“The Premier League is the place everyone wants to play, and if you’re not there then you really want to be playing the best level of football you can.

“The only reason anyone is going to Saudi Arabia is for the money. It’s not a good league, there’s not much of a challenge, and I wonder what enjoyment you get out of playing in that standard of football.

“The players going to Saudi can say what they like – they are only looking at their bank balances.

Saudi Arabia has attracted some big names this summer. (Image: Action Images)

“If someone had offered me silly money to go there at the end of my career, I’d have gone. But I’d be honest and say it was to set my family up for life.

“I’d have been doing it for the money, not because I think the league is attractive or the standard of football is decent.

“There was money in the American League, then it was China, now it’s Saudi Arabia. It’s just different countries offering very well-paid retirement.”

Which three teams will be relegated?

“Rotherham will struggle again I think. They did well to stay up last season, and I doubt they have a great deal of money to spend.

“I’m not sure Huddersfield can do what they did last season again, I think they’ll go down.

“And then QPR. They were falling down the table in the second half of last season and I can see them making a bad start this time around and not being able to get out of it.”

Where are Watford going to finish?

“I think mid-table. They’ve had a high turnover of players, and are those that are still there and the new ones signed going to be able to adapt to Ismael’s style of play?

“They have lost quality players like Pedro and Sarr, and also a lot players who had been there a while like Cathcart and Cleverley.

“When you see those two, Gosling, Troost-Ekong, Kabasele all leaving, that’s the core of players who have a huge amount of knowledge of the game in England.

“On the plus side, I do really like the young left back Morris. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him this season. I think Porteous at centre-half is also a very good player.

James Morris (Image: Action Images)

“With all the change that’s gone on through the summer, being safely in mid-table will be a good season for Watford.

“I’m not worried they’ll be in relegation trouble. There are enough teams worse off and Watford also have enough quality not to be near the bottom three. They might need to do a bit more business before the end of August though.”

Who are the outstanding signings in the Championship this summer?

“I think Leicester have done very well in replacing some excellent players who have left, and I think bringing in Harry Winks is the best bit of business.

“He’s a great player that I know well, and he’s a good lad to have in the dressing room. He will be really important to Leicester, who have done so well to attract a player of his quality to play in the Championship. He clearly wants to play football regularly, regardless of what level it is.

“There’s a young lad that Ipswich have signed on loan from Chelsea called Omari Hutchinson, and I really like the look of him. He is a player to watch out for this season.

“And there’s Ashley Barnes, who is a very experienced player that has been successful at this level. He will make a big difference to Norwich.”

Harry Winks has joined Leicester City. (Image: PA)

What do you think of the new laws being introduced to try and clamp down on timewasting?

“I think it’s good that something is being tried to stop it, but I’m worried it could become a bit of a farce in terms of how much stoppage time is added on.

“We (Millwall) played a pre-season game the other day and there were eight minutes added on. But then the opposition started trying to waste time in stoppage time, and the officials were having to add another 30 seconds and another 30 seconds. It could get ridiculous.

“I do agree something had to be done and it’s being tackled, but I also think people will start to moan if we have games where there are 15 or 20 minutes of stoppage time.

“I know referees are also being encouraged to show a yellow card early on if players are clearly wasting time, rather than doing it later in a game.

“Again, that’s good but are refs really going to want to do that? If a goalkeeper is clearly wasting time inside the first 10 minutes, is a ref going to show him a yellow and then risk having to show him another one and send him off before half time?

“What intrigues me is how brave officials are going to be. Who will be the first ref to show a player two yellows in the first half for timewasting?

“As soon as that happens, or as soon as a game has 20 minutes of stoppage time, it sets a benchmark. Managers and players will see it, and then be expecting every other referee to do the same.”