Exclusive: Don Goodman names 3 EFL Championship clubs he would love to manage right now | OneFootball

Don Goodman has shared with FLW his choice of three clubs he would manage in the Championship today

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has provided his choice of the three Championship clubs he would manage right now if he were to take the reins of a side in the English second tier.

The EFL Championship is well and truly underway for the 2025/26 season, and there have already been surprises at either end of the table.

Coventry City lead the way after nine games, with five wins and four draws, meaning they are the only undefeated side left in the league.

The Sky Blues have scored a staggering 27 goals, an average of three per match, putting them on track to score 138 goals across the season if they were to maintain this form.

Middlesbrough sit just a point behind them after they have exceeded prior expectations under former Watford and Luton Town boss Rob Edwards in the early stages, and look good value for at least a play-off position come May 2026.

At the bottom end, last season's play-off finalists Sheffield United sit at the foot of the table, having won one and lost eight of their opening matches, after replacing Chris Wilder with Ruben Selles, and then replacing Selles with Wilder just months after.

With that in mind, everyone will have their own opinion on which side they would manage if they had to take charge of a club today, with many likely saying their favourite side, but more likely saying the strongest teams in the division.

Sky pundit Don Goodman provides his take on which three teams he would manage in the Championship right now

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has shared which three Championship clubs he would choose to manage at this very moment if he were to take charge today.

Goodman said: "In terms of this season and getting promotion, and solely this season in the position that clubs find themselves in, I would probably choose to manage Coventry City. The attacking prowess available is off the scale, and you can see that with the 27 goals that they have scored already.

"Ipswich Town, who I think have probably got the best squad in the Championship, and are showing signs that they're getting their act together and showing some fluency.

"If they sort their away form out, then I would really just back them to fly through this league.

"And the other one is more difficult in a league which is very, very even, but obviously the start that Middlesbrough have made.

"Yes, they lost last time out, and they're just struggling a little bit for goals at the moment, but I see enough in their attacking players to think that they can solve that issue and remain rock solid defensively, which has been the foundation of this really good start.

"So in terms of getting out of the league and getting promoted this season, I've left the likes of Leicester City out, because obviously we don't know whether there is going to be a points deduction; performances have been okay, nothing spectacular.

"Those would be the three as things stood today."

It will come as little surprise to anyone that the three teams earmarked by Goodman are three teams within a good shot at promotion to the Premier League season, though each presents a slightly different challenge.

Coventry have been in play-off contention for much of the past few years, and came closest to achieving promotion in 2023, having lost out to Luton Town in the play-off final at Wembley on penalties.

Now under the guidance of former Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard, Coventry have looked unbeatable with their goalscoring form, and will without a doubt fancy themselves a spot in the play-offs or beyond.

Ipswich achieved back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League just the other season, and will fancy a shot at promotion once again, having dropped from the top-flight last season and possessing one of the division's strongest squads.

Middlesbrough have been the surprise package in the upper echelons of the table, and if they can maintain their consistent form, as well as retaining the likes of Hayden Hackney, the sky is the limit for Boro this campaign.