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The English Football League (EFL) is always viewed by many as a less classy football league. It is no wonder when a player makes the switch to the EFL from the premier league, and many people receive this news with a lot of scepticism. In this post, we look at some world-class players who made shocking moves to teams in the EFL.

1. Wayne Rooney – Derby County

Not many people expected that Wayne Rooney would make the switch to Derby County. The England and Manchester United top scorer and the former captain made the switch after a stint in the MLS. Rooney left Manchester United at the end of the 2017/2018 season. He then had a stint at Everton before moving to the MLS with DC United and finally making the switch back to English football with Derby County.

2. John Terry

Many expected that John Terry would end his career at Chelsea where he had become a legend during his playing days. However, things would not work out as planned, and he made the switch to Aston Villa at the end of the 2017/2018 season. He stayed on as player-coach for that season before becoming part of the coaching staff a season later. He is now a coach under Dean Smith with Aston Villa playing in the Premier League.

3. John Mikel Obi

This Nigerian midfielder is synonymous with the Jose Mourinho reign at Chelsea. Mikel left Chelsea at the end of the 2017/2018 season to join Tianjin Teda in China. A year later, he made his return to English football this time with EFL side Middlesbrough. Mikel was a regular starter for Chelsea, and he even won a Champions League medal with them. He left Middlesbrough to join Turkish side Trabzonspor. He, however, remains one of the most surprising former EPL player signings by an EFL club.

Being the manager of a football team is a job without the security of tenure. In this profession, many managers do not last long. Performance is key to longevity in the job. In this post, we look at some of the longest-serving managers for their clubs in the English Football League (EFL) in the current season since their appointment. Read on.

1. Lee Johnson – Bristol City

Lee Johnson is currently the longest-serving manager in his post with an EFL Championship club since his appointment. The Bristol City manager continues to coach the team four years into the job since his appointment in February 2016. Lee, who turns 39 this year, has transformed Bristol’s way of play to make it a team that consistently upsets top-performing teams. It is interesting to see what the future will hold for this promising manager.

2. Tony Mowbray – Blackburn

A former defender himself, Mowbray has helped transform Blackburn’s defence into one that concedes fewer goals in the EFL. While the team has had its ups and downs, the board continues to trust Mowbray’s leadership and has thus kept him in the position for three years running. Compared to other managers that have taken charge of the team before, Mowbray offers the promise of returning Blackburn to its former glory.

3. Paul Cook – Wigan Athletic

53-year-old Paul Cook is one among the many managers that Wigan Athletic has had in the last ten years. Notably, he has been the longest-serving since the team’s relegation from the Premier League. For the two and a half years that he has been in charge at Wigan, he has worked on a squad overhaul that saw the team return to the EFL Championship after its relegation to League One. Cook continues to rebuild the team, and it’s interesting to see if he can get them back to the EPL.

Big money signings are no longer a surprise in the world of football. Not to be left behind in the cash rush, the English Football League (EFL) has also witnessed some big money spending in recent times. This post looks at some of the most expensive EFL signings of all time. Read on.

1. Ruben Neves – £15.8m

Ruben Neves is a name that is making rounds in the Premier League as we speak. Since his arrival at Wolverhampton Wanderers from FC Porto, the Portuguese has been a revelation. At the time of his signing, Neves became the most expensive signing by an EFL team. It was all worth it though as Wolves have gone on to gain promotion to the Premier League. In their first season in the EPL, they qualified for Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Europa League and now continue to fight for a Champions League spot.

2. Britt Assombalonga – £15m

Having started his career at Nottingham Forest, Britt developed into a promising striker at the EFL club. This caught the attention of another EFL club that was looking to add a prolific striker to its ranks. In came Middlesbrough calling. The player made a move for £15m. This figure remains the second most expensive transfer in EFL history. It is hard to tell whether Middlesbrough’s investment paid off as the club keeps struggling in the EFL.

3. Joao Carvalho – £13.2m

A client of super-agent Mendes, Joao became the third most expensive transfer in EFL history with his move to Nottingham Forest. A former youth player of Benfica, Joao offers the promise of further development. Still, his first season in English football has not gone so well. The player has only managed four goals and eight assists in 38 appearances for Forest this season. Forest splashed a whopping £13.2m on the Portuguese player last summer.