Gary Rowett is convinced the Championship will be “a lot harder” next season because of the teams coming into the second tier of English football.
The Oxford United boss made the admission following the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign, with Hull City avoiding relegation on the final day after a nerve-shredding draw at Portsmouth. While the Tigers finished fourth-from-bottom on 49 matches, Rowett rescued the U’s from the drop and led them to a creditable 17th-placed finish.
But the United chief feels next year’s edition of the competition will be far from straightforward. Birmingham City are expected to challenge in the upper echelons of the division, having obliterated League One in record-breaking fashion. Wrexham will be targeting a fourth consecutive promotion while relegated trio Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton will be armed with Championship promotion-winners and parachute payments.
“I think the division is going to be a lot harder next year,” Rowett told the Oxford Mail. “I think everyone always says that, but there are some big clubs coming up and some big clubs coming down. It’s going to be incredibly challenging.
“In the end, we would’ve finished 10th over 25 games, so I think it shows the possibilities and the capability of the group.
“I don’t think necessarily that’s an easy target or an obvious target, but I do think finishing higher in the division than we currently are and not flirting with those relegation places should be the aim.
“Whatever that brings, it brings. If that puts us in the position to attack for the top 10, then that’s what it does, but I think that should be our aim. I don’t think our aim should be to stay up, I think it’s a really negative aim just to stay up.
“I understand that externally, but when you’re with the group every day, we should aim higher than that and if we fall a little bit short, we’re pretty comfortable.
“That’s the plan. That’ll be what we aim towards. It’ll be an incredibly tough challenge again in an incredibly tough division, but it’s one of the toughest divisions in the world.
“I don’t think that’s ever going to change regardless of how much you spend or how big you are, but we’ll look forward to it.”
City remain without a manager after sacking Ruben Selles a fortnight ago. Owner Acun Ilicali said he was hopeful of making an appointment this week.