By David Rhodes BBC Blast reporter, Nottingham

The play-off system has thrown this league wide open....any one of those (top-eight) sides can win it and that really excites me Glenn Delaney

Nottingham director of rugby Glenn Delaney says he is excited by his young squad ahead of the new season.

The cash-strapped Green and Whites saw several key players leave ahead of the new Championship season and half of their squad are under the age of 23.

But Delaney feels his side can cope in the new second tier of English rugby.

"Experience is something we're not lacking and the young guys keep it fresh - that's the exciting thing," Delaney told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"You have to have a healthy blend of experience, youth and exuberance."

Despite losing several regulars including Tim Molenaar, Joe Duffey and Dan Montagu, Delaney feels his team should comfortably finish in the top eight and reach the play-off phase of the Championship season.

But he admits that the financial constraints placed upon the club will undoubtedly make this task harder.

"We've had reductions in the playing budget and we're having to do as best as we can," he explained.

"I won't rest though. This club is still moving forward. We want to make sure we're in that top eight and then we can take things from there."

This year sees the Championship reduced from 16 teams to 12 teams and the introduction of an end-of-season play-off system for both relegation and promotion.

And Delaney feels that these changes can only make the Championship a better and more competitive league.

"I think the changes to the league structure can only help," he said.

"In the last few seasons there have unfortunately been too many easy games. You get no satisfaction out of beating Otley 95-7 but this year there will be no easy games."

And Delaney feels that if his side can reach the play-offs, then there is no reason why Nottingham cannot win it.

"I think the play-off system has thrown this league wide open," he explained. "When that top eight comes through I think any one of those sides can win it and that really excites me."

Away from the pitch Delaney wants to draw a line under the recent ground sharing troubles with Notts County's new owners Munto Finance, and instead focus on building a healthy relationship between the two clubs.

"We're starting to work closely with the people at Notts County again and building the relationship so we can both operate and achieve our aims this season," he said.

"The board of directors will take Nottingham in the right direction and if that means playing at a new home in 12 months then so be it."

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