It is reported today thet Spurs are looking to increase capacity to 52,000, rather than build a new stadium. The idea is that they move away from WHL for two years during the redevelopment, hiring Wembley for high profile games and Upton Park for the lesser lights of the Premier League. That will go down well with the East End knees up boys.
I wonder though if this is not really a set up, to put the blame for moving away to a new stadium away from White Hart Lane on the local authority, who surely cannot give planning approval for an increased capacity without major transport infrastructure investment. It is hard enough to get away from WHL currently, without adding more fans.
Spurs have been so ham fisted in their manouvering around Jol, that it would not surprise me if this was not another attempt at try to pull the wool over everybodies eyes and failing completely.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Monday, 5 November 2007
The Womens Team - the Story So Far
Well we had a great World Cup, only being beaten in the semis by the former winners and the beaten finalists the USA. Contributions were made by our former stars including Casey Stoney, but thats wheer harltons contribution to Womens Football in this season really looks like ending. After the chanagrins of the close season and relegation, the departure of the full squad, at the 11 th hour Peter Varney was able to save the womens team, but to what end?
I was relatively voiciferous about the demise of the womens team, the whole bthing was handled badly from a PR perspective and Bonas did the club no favours by letting the cat out of the bag to the team. The uproar generated a press outrage that had roots possibly in the departure of Dowie as much as a real care of the press for Charltons women. As a result PV and his teamsought new routes of funding, ultimately bringing to gether various community aspects, sadly too late to maintain the team playing personnel who had all gone and got them selves new clubs.
The result has beenm that we have a team coached by Charlton legend Paul Mortimer, taking the Womens Premier League by storm and leading unbveaten on their way to the Championship .................. Sadly thats the fantasy. A team of hopefuls were put together at the last minute and it shows, losing every game so far and failing to score a goal - two 5-0's and 6-0, it does not auger well. Instead of sitting on top of the League they languish at the bottom, possibly as laughing stock, which is a shame as the girls are giving their all, its just that they are not good enough.
PV was on a hiding to nothing, my personal view is that once the damage was done they should have stuck to their guns, failing that they should have entered at a lower level, where they could have competed, whatever yopur feelings about the womens game, nobody is going to follow a team that is hammered every week and we should have realised that.
Some message board are already asking where are the supporters who supported the retention of a womens team, well it was never about attendances. i never go to reserve games, but I want us to win them and I would protest loudly if we were to disband the team. If we survive next season the i hope we compete at a lower level and build the team back up over 2 -3 seasons and the club gets behind the team in its marketing. They will need to be cleverer than the recent offer to fans of free tickets, a couple of days before a weekday fixture. I remember seeing us beaten by Arsenal at the Valley to a crowd of 3,000 and talking to converts. The re building process behind the womens section is going to be a long process and now I am not so sure it is worth it.
I was relatively voiciferous about the demise of the womens team, the whole bthing was handled badly from a PR perspective and Bonas did the club no favours by letting the cat out of the bag to the team. The uproar generated a press outrage that had roots possibly in the departure of Dowie as much as a real care of the press for Charltons women. As a result PV and his teamsought new routes of funding, ultimately bringing to gether various community aspects, sadly too late to maintain the team playing personnel who had all gone and got them selves new clubs.
The result has beenm that we have a team coached by Charlton legend Paul Mortimer, taking the Womens Premier League by storm and leading unbveaten on their way to the Championship .................. Sadly thats the fantasy. A team of hopefuls were put together at the last minute and it shows, losing every game so far and failing to score a goal - two 5-0's and 6-0, it does not auger well. Instead of sitting on top of the League they languish at the bottom, possibly as laughing stock, which is a shame as the girls are giving their all, its just that they are not good enough.
PV was on a hiding to nothing, my personal view is that once the damage was done they should have stuck to their guns, failing that they should have entered at a lower level, where they could have competed, whatever yopur feelings about the womens game, nobody is going to follow a team that is hammered every week and we should have realised that.
Some message board are already asking where are the supporters who supported the retention of a womens team, well it was never about attendances. i never go to reserve games, but I want us to win them and I would protest loudly if we were to disband the team. If we survive next season the i hope we compete at a lower level and build the team back up over 2 -3 seasons and the club gets behind the team in its marketing. They will need to be cleverer than the recent offer to fans of free tickets, a couple of days before a weekday fixture. I remember seeing us beaten by Arsenal at the Valley to a crowd of 3,000 and talking to converts. The re building process behind the womens section is going to be a long process and now I am not so sure it is worth it.
Mouthy Players and Rubbish Refs Cost
After the Plymouth game we were fined £5,000 for six bookings, apprently the fine doubles every time we get six bookings in a game, so we have to cough up a £10,000 fine after Saturday. Dunno about Saturdays ref, but by all accounts he was rubbish, and Styles was out of order and we should never have picked up those bookings. That said, Mills and McLeod were idiots for getting booked for dissent against Plymouth and look what it has cost us. Pards has said from day one that we are too nice, but mouthing off to the referee does us no favours, I would rather see yellows for over exuberant tackles than players not keeping their gobs shut.
Our discipline record for this season is not brilliant 28 yellows and 2 reds, with Semedo on 4 bookings and 1 red, presumably his next booking will earn him another ban, Sam is next with 3 bookings and a red and then laughably considering the time he has spent on the pitch Izale McLeod 3 bookings, so just as he gets his first run in the team he'll pick up more bookings and go down on a ban, the problems of indiscipline, mouthing at Styles.
As an aside, I see Huckerby has got his second red card of the season against Ipswich, after his dental attack on Mills saw him leave the Valley early.
Our discipline record for this season is not brilliant 28 yellows and 2 reds, with Semedo on 4 bookings and 1 red, presumably his next booking will earn him another ban, Sam is next with 3 bookings and a red and then laughably considering the time he has spent on the pitch Izale McLeod 3 bookings, so just as he gets his first run in the team he'll pick up more bookings and go down on a ban, the problems of indiscipline, mouthing at Styles.
As an aside, I see Huckerby has got his second red card of the season against Ipswich, after his dental attack on Mills saw him leave the Valley early.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)