Derby County Championship Odds: Eustace can help Rams push on

Derby County were able to stave off relegation to League 1 last season thanks to the efforts of head coach John Eustace, who left play-off chasing Blackburn Rovers for the project at Pride Park. With a pre-season behind him and his own stamp on the squad with signings, there is a question as to whether Derby could a be dark horse this season.

Below I deliver my predictions for the Rams in 2025/26 using the Derby County Championship Odds.

It wasn't too long ago that Derby were a consistent force in the play-off picture in the Championship. Financial mismanagement and the failure to get to the Premier League cost them dearly but now they are in a much healthier position and in my opinion, boast one of the best coaches in the EFL.

This is from personal experience as a Birmingham City fan, by the way. I was unhappy when Eustace was cast aside in favour of former Rams' boss Wayne Rooney two years ago, particularly with him having us sixth at the time of his sacking - on top of him keeping the club in the division the season before.

His arrival felt like a huge coup for Derby and after keeping them in the Championship last term, he and the club will be looking to build on that and they've dabbled in the transfer market to assemble a squad to his liking. It seems like this could be an enjoyable campaign for the Rams.

Since his arrival at the club on February 10, no Championship side picked up more points than Derby's 21 picked up in the final 14 matches of the campaign. This bodes well for the new season.

Transfer Business:

In: Patrick Agyemang (£5.8m, Charlotte), Rhian Brewster (free, Sheffield United), Andreas Weimann (free, Blackburn Rovers), Danny Batth (free, Blackburn Rovers), Richard O'Donnell (free, Blackpool), Carlton Morris (undisclosed, Luton Town), Owen Beck (loan, Liverpool) and David Ozoh (loan, Crystal Palace).

Out: Tyrese Fornah (free, Northampton Town), Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (free, MK Dons), Tom Barkhuizen (free, Barrow), Sonny Bradley (free, Lincoln City), Conor Washington (free, Matlock Town), Kemar Roofe, Erik Pieters, Jeff Hendrick and Rohan Luthra (all released).

There seems to be a nice blend to Eustace's squad now with the new additions. Three forwards have arrived in the form of Patrick Agyemang, Rhian Brewster and Carlton Morris who will all offer different dynamics for the head coach to choose from. Morris in particular will also provide leadership, having captained Luton Town.

Eustace likes his teams to be compact and clinical on the break and all of these forwards can help implement his style. He has brought Andreas Weimann and Danny Batth with him from Blackburn as he knows exactly what to expect from the pair on and off the pitch.

Owen Beck has reunited with the coach again, having spent time on loan at Blackburn last term, and he will be a useful talent at left-back.

Key Player: Ebou Adams

Every team is desperate for a midfielder who offers so much in and out of possession and that is what Derby have in Ebou Adams. The defensive midfielder was key for the Rams last year and his attributes are exactly what Eustace looks for in the middle of the park - and I believe he will be integral to what Derby can achieve this season.

As much as he is an absolute warrior in the engine room, Adams has shown a habit of contributing goals, registering six in the league in 2024/25. A similar return would be impressive for a player in his position but his main role is to make Derby tick.

There's reported interest in him given how well he performed last season but if Derby can keep hold of him, it will give them such a huge boost for this campaign.

Prediction: 8th

Eustace's impact in keeping Derby in the second tier last time out cannot be overstated. He is an adept coach who has shown his talent at both Birmingham and Blackburn, who were both punching above their weight under his watch.

He is in the most stable environment of his managerial career to date and the backing he is receiving at Pride Park could help him mount a push for the top six, which he was doing at Blackburn on a fraction of that budget.

Much has been said about how tough the Championship will be in 2025/26 and it's not wrong. The three relegated teams from the Premier League are going to be strong but Leicester City are set to receive a points deduction at some point.

You then have Sheffield United and Coventry City, two strong play-off teams from last term, as well as the added competition from newly-promoted Birmingham City and Wrexham - who will both want to make a splash.

It will be tough but Eustace is building a good group at Derby and as I have already mentioned I do believe he is a brilliant coach and I think the Rams can certainly put themselves into top-six contention under his watch.

The way things stand, I have them just missing out, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were this year's dark horses and crept their way into the play-offs.

Football Odds

It looks to be a very tough Championship at both ends of the table and usually teams are relying on the promoted sides to be the weakest of the bunch. It wasn't the case last year as all three teams that came up maintained their second-tier status and I can envisage this happening again this season - most likely at Preston's expense.

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