The past week of build-up to England’s Group D opening game against Italy has been dominated by discussions on the importance of Wayne Rooney to Roy Hodgson’s side. Triggered by Paul Scholes’ assertion that Rooney might be “worn out” and past his peak, it seems like everyone has an opinion on the value Rooney actually brings to the side.

This is in stark contrast to previous tournaments, when heaps of pressure weighed heavily on Rooney’s shoulders as England’s talisman and often only source of inspiration. However, Rooney has failed to score in eight World Cup matches and has not been in sparkling form for quite some time — neither for club nor country. In fact, many critics have questioned whether Rooney even deserves a place in England’s starting XI on Saturday. The emergence of Daniel Sturridge as Hodgson’s preferred man to lead the line as well as the exciting young talents like Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley have meant that Rooney’s starting position is far from secure.

The general consensus is that Rooney’s best and favorite position is as a No. 9 where he is the focal point of the attack. It was playing in that role when he was at his best for Manchester United, scoring 34 goals in both the 2009-10 and 2011-12 seasons. However, in order to fit in Hodgson’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, Rooney has to accept a place as one of the attacking three to support Sturridge.

Personally I still think he is England’s best player and must start on Saturday. He will have most influence on the game playing in the hole behind Sturridge rather than out wide, especially considering the pace of Sterling could cause Italy real problems on the wings.

Phil Neville has responded to the debate by expressing his annoyance at the “witch-hunt” of Rooney and just an excuse by the media to focus on anything negative about England. Neville, who worked with Rooney throughout the whole of last season at Manchester United, is certain that the striker is “totally driven to perform at this World Cup”. Neville added “there is no doubt in my mind that Wayne is the first name on the teamsheet. Let’s just hope that he delivers and these silly rumors and suggestions go away.”

Ultimately time will tell whether Rooney performs this summer. For a player of his ability to go three consecutive World Cups without scoring would be quite remarkable.

“I wouldn’t trust the FA to show me a good manager if their lives depended on it,” Harry Redknapp, in his autobiography.

With England’s preparations for the 2014 World Cup going smoothly, particularly after a convincing first half display against Denmark last night in the 1-0 victory for The Three Lions, it’s time to pat The FA on the back and acknowledge that they made the right decision in appointing head coach Roy Hodgson.

Despite Harry Redknapp being the name on everyone’s lips following the departure of Fabio Capello in February 2012, Hodgson was always the most suitable candidate. In fact, Hodgson’s CV far eclipses anything Redknapp has achieved. Reviews of the top rated gambling sites would have shown that Redknapp was not the logical choice.

Hodgson already had plenty of international experience as a manager before being appointed England manager in May 2012. He had managed Finland, United Arab Emirates and Switzerland – the latter being his most successful. He led the Swiss national side to the Round of 16 of the 1994 World Cup in the US and followed this up by qualification to Euro ’96 in England. Before Hodgson’s tenure, Switzerland had not qualified for a major international tournament since the 1966 World Cup.

Of course, it would be wrong to compare these jobs to the size and pressure associated with the England hot seat. However, it is clear that Hodgson understands international football and what is needed for success. Take a look at England’s qualifying campaign. They ultimately finished top of the group and unbeaten in all 10 games. The 0-0 draw in Ukraine attracted large numbers of critics for the lack of ambition shown by England. Everyone seemed to forget the most important point – England avoided defeat. Hodgson would openly admit that he is naturally a more cautious thinking coach but this has absolutely worked in England‘s favor throughout the qualifying campaign. Trips to Montenegro, Poland and Ukraine yielded a draw in each, followed up by wins in every home game bar a 1-1 draw with Ukraine last September. Under Redknapp’s guidance, would England have gone through the campaign undefeated? I doubt it.

Redknapp is undoubtedly one of the best English managers around but he only has one FA Cup win with Portsmouth and Champions League qualification with Spurs on his list of achievements. People forget that he has now been relegated twice with both Southampton in 2005 and QPR last season. Imagine the media frenzy this summer if he had led England to Brazil.

Hodgson is calm, pragmatic and seems to be a far more humble character. Whilst Redknapp’s damning quotes from his autobiography were released at a crucial juncture in England’s qualifying campaign, Hodgson maintained his dignity and refused to respond to his labeling of being a “yes man”. One does wonder who decided on the timing of Redknapp’s autobiography release, but it only stands to confirm that Hodgson was the right man for the job. A man who truly wants what is best for England.

Seven league titles in Sweden, 1 league title in Denmark, two UEFA Europa League runners up medals with Inter Milan and Fulham. Maybe Roy Hodgson will be able to add success with England at the 2014 World Cup to his already illustrious list of achievements.

We are fast approaching Christmas and the Sky Bet Championship is really taking shape. Like every other season, the Championship has already thrown up some real surprises. Here are the five things that have made it an eye-opening first half of the season.

1. Burnley leading the way

Very few people would have predicted Burnley to be in the automatic promotion places as we head into the middle of December. Indeed, before the season kicked off, the Clarets were tipped at 50/1 to go up as Champions and were 16/1 to be promoted to the Premier League. A low mid-table season flirting with relegation trouble was expected, especially after losing 20-goal-a-season man Charlie Austin to QPR.

Step up Danny Ings and Sam Vokes. Without doubt the most lethal partnership in the league so far this season, the pair have already scored 21 goals between them and have proved too much for most Championship defenses to handle. Combine this firepower with a solid back five who have only shipped 13 goals in 19 games and you have the recipe for a successful campaign. Will Burnley be able to keep this up after Christmas? There is no evidence to suggest they won’t be able to but they will have to strengthen the squad in January to account for the inevitable injuries and suspensions.

2. Blackburn haven’t sacked a manager yet

It has been four months since the season started and Blackburn still haven’t sacked a manager. Madness. Last season was an absolute shambles for the Rovers – a poor 17th place finish barely tells the story. Blackburn had five different managers in charge of the club throughout the season including the sackings of Steve Kean, Henning Berg and Michael Appleton. Kean was ironically sacked when he was achieving the most success of his ill-fated tenure. Berg was an unmitigated disaster and Appleton was given 67 days, including an FA Cup win at Arsenal, before being given the boot by a man he had never met.

Although it is disappointing for the rest of us to no longer be able to laugh at Blackburn’s expense, they finally seem to be achieving some form of stability. Gary Bowyer isn’t the most charismatic manager but he has done a good job so far. Blackburn have been solid if not spectacular this season and sit comfortably in mid-table. No one can second guess the Venky’s and their global adviser Shebby Singh but avoiding a repeat of the chaos experienced last season must surely be regarded as a success for Rovers fans.

3. Ross McCormack being prolific

Ross McCormack already notching up 15 goals this season has been a surprise. Yes, he’s a good Championship striker, but he has only scored 20 goals or more once in his career – and that was six seasons ago! It would appear that the Scotsman is flourishing under Brian McDermott’s stewardship and is helping Leeds mount a serious playoff push.

McCormack was recently named Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month – a month which included him scoring all four goals in a 4-2 win away at Charlton. If he keeps his scoring boots on there is a good chance Leeds will find themselves in the promotion mix-up in April/May.

4. Yeovil being competitive

Gary Johnson performed a minor miracle last season getting the Glovers promoted to the second tier for the first time in their history – and he’s at it again. Yeovil have the smallest budget in the league by quite some distance and are still heavily relying on the squad that achieved promotion through the League One playoffs last May.

Whilst their current tally of 16 points off 19 games is undoubtedly relegation form, Yeovil are only third bottom and are in touching distance of a number of clubs around them. A few weeks ago the situation was looking far bleaker, but back-to-back wins against Watford and Blackpool have given the Glovers a new impetus of life. The loan signings of Ishmael Miller, John Lundstram and Adam Morgan have already paid dividends as we approach the busy Christmas period. There is still an awful lot of work to do but Yeovil are surprising a few this season.

5. Steve McClaren’s transformation of Derby

The sacking of Nigel Clough at the end of September was considered harsh by the majority of supporters – especially after he was replaced with Steve McClaren who had endured a disastrous spell in charge of arch rivals Nottingham Forest.

A few months on and it is looking like an inspired decision. Derby have gone from strength to strength under the former England manager. After thrashing Blackpool 5-1 at the weekend, the Rams have moved up into fourth and only five points off the leaders. Under Clough the reality is that Derby would have finished mid-table again this season. Under McClaren they now have a genuine shot at promotion.

Editor’s note: Read the latest news, opinion and analysis about the Championship league.

The battle at the top of the Skybet Championship table is tight with both Leicester and QPR having chances to knock Burnley off the top perch if the Clarets slip up against Bournemouth. This is just one of the many storylines in the Championship this weekend.

Here are the fixtures for this weekend’s Championship games:

All times Eastern.

Saturday, November 9:

Reading v QPR, 7:30am, beIN SPORT Play

A very intriguing encounter that will give us an indication as to how strong QPR really are this season. Reading were embarrassed last weekend, conceding 5 goals to a team who had previously not won a game all season. I think the Royals might win this with a goal from Pavel Pogrebnyak.

Prediction: Home win

Leicester v Nottingham Forest, 10am, beIN SPORT Play

Leicester seem to hate Forest far more than Forest hate Leicester in this derby! Leicester looked very impressive winning 3-0 at Vicarage Road last weekend. Things don’t seem to be clicking at Forest at the moment but I fancy them for a draw here.

Prediction: Draw

Barnsley v Doncaster, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

South Yorkshire derby. Donny are gradually slipping further down the table and currently sit one point above the bottom three.

Prediction: Home win

Blackpool v Ipswich, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

The Tangerines continue to surprise me – I certainly didn’t expect to see them in 4th place at this stage of the season. Their win last weekend at Nottingham Forest was a real statement of intent. Now the speculation surrounding Mick McCarthy is over, will Ipswich start climbing the table?

Prediction: Draw

Bolton v Millwall, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Have Bolton finally turned the corner? They are chasing a third win in five and a six game unbeaten sequence. I expect them to have too much for Millwall here.

Prediction: Home win

Brighton v Blackburn, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Brighton have lost yet another attacking player to injury after Will Buckley was injured in their win at Doncaster last weekend. The Seagulls would certainly be pushing for the playoffs with a fully fit squad. Blackburn have had a steady season so far, and I back them to get something here purely because of Brighton’s depleted front line.

Prediction: Draw

Burnley v Bournemouth, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Burnley passed yet another test last weekend by coming back from 2-0 down to salvage a point at The Den. Surely they can’t win again? Surely…?

Prediction: Home win

Charlton v Leeds, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

A tough one to call. Leeds are finally looking like they could threaten the top six whilst Charlton are also on a good run of form. A well fought draw seems likely here.

Prediction: Draw

Derby v Sheffield Wednesday, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Will Wednesday be able to build on their superb win last weekend? The front partnership of Matty Fryatt and Connor Wickham could be very effective in the Championship. Steve McClaren has had a good start as Derby manager, but is the honeymoon period over?

Prediction: Away win

Huddersfield v Birmingham, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Lee Clark is up against his former employers. He must seriously be under pressure after Birmingham slipped into the bottom three with a very poor defeat at home to Charlton last weekend. Huddersfield are solid at home.

Prediction: Home win

Middlesbrough v Watford, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Mark Venus will be hoping for a positive result in order to secure the Middlesbrough job. Watford are already losing ground on the top two and surely need to bounce back with a win this weekend.

Prediction: Away win

Sunday, November 10

Yeovil v Wigan, 10am, No TV/Internet coverage

Wigan — from winning the FA Cup to playing at Huish Park in the space of a few months! Yeovil are really struggling to pick up any points in the Championship but they need to start targeting wins at home. Wigan are looking strong and expect them to continue to improve as the season wears on.

Prediction: Away win

Editor’s note: Read our latest news, opinion and analysis on our Championship page.

After getting 58% of the predictions correct last weekend, I feel I deserve another shot at attempting to predict the outcome of this weekend’s Championship fixtures!

All times Eastern. TV/Internet times listed for US readers/viewers.

Programming note: For viewers in the United States, select Championship games are available exclusively on beIN SPORT and DishWorld. Even if you don’t have a TV subscription to beIN SPORT, you can access those channels via online streaming service DishWorld for $10/month. Read our review of DishWorld. And sign up for DishWorld via their website.

Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, beIN SPORT Play

A Yorkshire derby. Paddy McCourt looks like a gem of a player for the Tykes – as demonstrated by his superb solo goal last weekend! Wednesday still haven’t won a game this season and Dave Jones must surely be treading on thin ice. I fancy Barnsley to record back-to-back wins this weekend.

VERDICT: Home win

Huddersfield v Leeds; Saturday, October 26, 7:30am, Not on US TV/Internet

Another Yorkshire derby! I was commenting on Leeds’ lack of goals scored last week and they ended up putting 4 past Birmingham. Huddersfield will be without leading goalscorer James Vaughan, who serves the first of a three-match suspension. This will be a tight game.

VERDICT: Draw

Burnley v QPR; Saturday, October 26, 10am, beIN SPORT Play

I have no idea. Burnley picked up a fantastic win at Portman Road last weekend to really announce themselves as serious promotion contenders. QPR have further strengthened their squad with the free signing of USA international defender Oguchi Onyewu. Their squad is too good not to finish in the Top 2 this season. Expect Charlie Austin to score the winner against his former club.

VERDICT: Away win

Blackpool v Blackburn; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

A Lancashire derby! The absence of manager Paul Ince did not seem to affect the Tangerines last week at all. Blackburn will be looking to bounce back after their disappointing defeat at home to Charlton and I think they will. Expect Jordan Rhodes to score a brace.

VERDICT: Away win

Bolton v Ipswich; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

Surely Bolton will eventually start picking up some wins? They will have to do without goalkeeper Adam Bogdan though, who is out for six weeks with a knee injury. Mick McCarthy is being heavily linked with the vacant Republic of Ireland job – a job he is probably interested in after his previous stint over ten years ago. Could this be Dougie Freedman’s last game in charge of Bolton? After the departure of Ian Holloway this week, it would be highly ironic.

VERDICT: Away win

Derby v Birmingham; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

Steve McClaren has enjoyed a fantastic start at Derby – emphasized by their superb 3-2 win at Vicarage Road last weekend. Currently sitting in 8th, that result will give them confidence as they attempt to mount a serious playoff push. Lee Clark is another manager who must be perilously close to being sacked, even if Birmingham have no money at the moment. I’d expect a response after their drubbing at Elland Road and, knowing the Championship as I do, this will probably be a draw.

VERDICT: Draw

Leicester v Bournemouth; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

Leicester continue to march on. I predicted that Bournemouth will get a draw at Nottingham Forest last week and I think they’ll give Leicester a good game this weekend. I expect the Foxes to slightly edge it though.

VERDICT: Home win

Reading v Milwall; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

Milwall will be buoyed by their late equalizer against QPR last weekend and I think Steve Lomas has done a good job so far. Although Royston Drenthe is a doubt, the Royals will have been pleased to see Pavel Pogrebnyak back on the scoresheet last weekend. I think Millwall will battle for another point.

VERDICT: Draw

Yeovil v Nottingham Forest; Saturday, October 26, 7:15am, Not on US TV/Internet

Yeovil are currently bottom of the Championship and urgently need to start picking up points to avoid being cut adrift. Forest will be very disappointed with conceding a late goal against Bournemouth, but they find themselves in a strong position in the league. This will be a high intensity game and Yeovil might well nick it. Billy Davies will undoubtedly be moaning about a referee decision.

VERDICT: Home win

Charlton v Wigan; Sunday, October 27, 11am, Not on US TV/Internet

This really could go either way. Wigan picked up a very impressive draw against Rubin Kazan on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa League but they will be tired going into this game. Will Charlton be able to capitalize on their surprise win at Ewood Park last weekend? Home win for me.

VERDICT: Home win

Brighton v Watford; Monday, October 28, 3:45pm; beIN SPORT and DishWorld

Another game that is hard to call. Although Derby played well, Watford’s defending last weekend was very poor and is something they will have to rectify as soon as possible if they want to be challenging for promotion this season. Brighton have had a particularly uneventful start to the season and you really do not know what to expect from them. Watford should edge this.

VERDICT: Away win

If I was Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish, there’s only one man I would be considering to replace Ian Holloway. Tony Pulis has to be the perfect fit for the club.

The Eagles are currently 19th in the Premier League with only 3 points off their first 8 games. That solitary win came against fellow strugglers Sunderland at home. Watching the second half of their 4-1 drubbing against Fulham on Monday night, it was painfully evident that the side is hugely lacking in belief and confidence. Holloway thought as much, revealing that “this club needs an impetus of energy – but I just feel tired to be honest. I’m worn out.” Holloway is known as one of the most effervescent, lively characters in football. When even he is running low on energy, a change of manager has to be made.

Parish has admitted that “we’ve got a whole group of people who are only really used to the Championship and dropped them into the Premier League. I think we both realized we need someone with more experience at this level.” That’s why I believe Pulis is their man.

Pulis spent five seasons in the Premier League with Stoke City after he guided them to promotion in 07/08. Despite being heavily tipped by bookies and pundits alike to be relegated in their first season back in the top flight, Stoke have managed to survive in the top flight without really being involved in any serious relegation trouble. Pulis’s blueprint at Stoke was about steady progression – gradually improving year on year.

The peak of his managerial reign at the Potters was thrashing Bolton 5-0 in the 2011 FA Cup Semi-Finals and consequently reaching the FA Cup Final for the first time in the club’s history. Despite losing to big spenders Man City 1-0, Stoke qualified for the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League. Potters chairman Peter Coates described Pulis as Stoke City’ greatest ever manager.

Of course Pulis attracted large numbers of critics from managers and supporters alike for his side’s style of play. His Stoke side were undoubtedly direct, aggressive and physical. Arsene Wenger in particular was not a fan, describing it as “rugby”. By the end of Pulis’ tenure, many Stoke fans were becoming increasingly frustrated about the lack of progression, strange substitutions and lack of expansive play they were watching. The hope had been that after consolidating themselves in the Premier League, Pulis would encourage his side to play with more freedom. This never materialized, which ultimately led to him leaving the club by mutual consent last season as the Potters sought a fresh approach from Mark Hughes.

Will Palace fans be concerned about their team’s style of play? Results always win the fans over – and results are exactly what Crystal Palace need at the moment. In all honesty, I doubt whether Sir Alex Ferguson would be able to keep this Palace squad up. Relegation is almost an inevitability. However, Pulis will get the team organized, defending a lot better and they will pick up points. They will at least be harder to beat than they currently are.

Are there any other suitable candidates apart from Pulis? Neil Warnock is a contender, Alex McLeish has been relegated twice, while Roberto Di Matteo may be a good outside bet.

A final point to consider. Tony Pulis has never been relegated when he has managed a club.

Congratulations everyone, we have survived the international break. Now it’s time to turn our attention back to the bread and butter of the league. We have now reached gameweek 12 of the SkyBet Championship and here are my predictions for the weekend in what is one of the hardest leagues in the world to predict.

TV and Internet times for matches shown in the US are included, where applicable.

Blackpool v Wigan; Saturday, 7:15am EST; live on beIN SPORT Play

This game marks the start of Blackpool manager Paul Ince’s five-match stadium ban. The Seasiders have drawn their last 4 games, whilst Wigan’s current league position of twelfth is somewhat misleading considering they have two games in hand over most other teams. After a promising start, I expect Blackpool to gradually slide down the table.

Prediction: Away win

.

Barnsley v Middlesbrough; Saturday, 10am EST

A tough one to call. Despite sitting bottom of the league, Barnsley have had a very tough run of fixtures at the start of the season, playing most of the sides in the top half. Boro thumped Yeovil 4-1 before the international break, but have struggled to find any form of consistency this season and haven’t recorded back-to-back wins in the league since last December.

Prediction: Home win

.

Blackburn v Charlton; Saturday, 10am EST

Where would Blackburn be without Jordan Rhodes? The former Huddersfield man is already top scorer of the Championship with 9 goals to his name. Charlton have had a very disappointing start to the season, but Chris Powell is a good manager and I expect them to start climbing the table soon. However, they haven’t won a game away from home this season and Blackburn have been particularly strong at Ewood Park this season.

Prediction: Draw

.

Bolton v Sheffield Wednesday; Saturday, 10am EST

An important game at the bottom of the table. I suspect the losing manager of this one will be out of a job on Monday morning. Have Bolton finally turned the corner after their 2-1 win at St Andrews? With their squad they should be challenging for the Top 6, not languishing in 20th place. Sheffield Wednesday have been really poor and haven’t won a single game all season. I fear for them and Dave Jones.

Prediction: Home win

.

Ipswich v Burnley; Saturday, 10am EST

Top of the league, 26 points off 11 games – Burnley have been on fire this season! Helped by the forward partnership if Sam Vokes and Danny Ings, the latter who was rewarded with an England U-21 call-up, Sean Dyche’s team have so far exceeded all expectations. How long can they keep going? Ipswich have picked up almost all of their points from Portman Road this season and could mount a serious playoff charge as the season progresses.

Prediction: Home win

.

Leicester v Huddersfield; Saturday, 10am EST

As a Watford fan, I’m worried about Leicester. They have recovered really well from the heartbreak of the playoffs last season and have a very good Championship squad and manager. Huddersfield have also started pretty well, aided by the goals of James Vaughan. I expect Leicester to come out on top though.

Prediction: Home win

.

Millwall v QPR; Saturday, 10am EST

A London derby. This season was always going to be difficult for Millwall after the departure of Kenny Jackett. Currently sitting in 18^th position, I expect them to be around the relegation zone for the whole season.  QPR have looked unbeatable so far. Conceding 2 goals in 10 games tells its own story. They might struggle to win at The Den though.

Prediction: Draw

.

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth; Saturday, 10am EST

I’m sure Forest will be in the Top 6 this season. They have signed some very good players and have a good squad for this level. Despite being one of the bookies’ favorites to go down, I always thought Bournemouth would do well. Eddie Howe likes his team to play with an attacking style, which means they will always score and concede a lot of goals. I fancy a high-scoring draw here.

Prediction: Draw

.

Reading v Doncaster; Saturday, 10am EST

Reading probably expected to be slightly higher up the table than their current 7^th place. There appears to be some issues with the takeover of the club, but I don’t expect that to affect Nigel Adkins’ side at all. Doncaster have impressed me with their start to the season and I think Federico Macheda is a great signing on loan. I can’t see them getting anything at the Madjeski though.

Prediction: Home win

.

Watford v Derby; Saturday, 10am EST; live on beIN SPORT Play

Like Leicester, Watford have also responded well to defeat in the playoffs last season. As top scorers in the league, their success this season will depend on how many results they can grind out when not playing well. I thought Derby’s decision to sack Nigel Clough was very harsh. Having said that, Steve McClaren has had a good start, inspiring his side to a comeback from 4-1 down against Ipswich and followed that up with a win against Leeds. I do however think this will be his first defeat as manager of The Rams.

Prediction: Home win

.

Yeovil v Brighton; Saturday, 10am EST

By all accounts, Yeovil’s performances this season have been better than their points tally suggests. With the lowest budget by far in the Championship, Gary Johnson will be performing miracles if he can keep his side up. Brighton are in a transitional period with new manager Oscar Garcia and I expect them to be in the top half this season. Leroy Lita could prove to be a shrewd signing for them on loan. They won’t have an easy game at Huish Park though.

Prediction: Draw

.

Leeds v Birmingham; Sunday, 8:15am EST; live on beIN SPORT Play

I can’t imagine this being a classic for the Sky cameras. Leeds are struggling for goals and Birmingham’s record away from home is very poor this season.  Leeds should win, but I think I’ll be watching paint dry on Sunday afternoon.

Prediction: Home win