My last posting was meant to be a sarcastic support of Parkie but I am obviously not good at putting sarcasm to cyber so I’ll play with a straight bat this time.
Last season, after Pardoo left Parlie was dealt an awful hand, a demoralised club, from top to bottom, confusion over the long term ownership, best players un fit or not bothered, fans support ebbing away and bitng at the players confidence and the burden of being tarred with the same brush as the former manager. So he did not have an easy job and ultimately he failed. The positives were that we started to look like a team again and with the defeat of Norwich we at least ended the season with a bang. That said, most fans were in agreement that he should go at the end of the season and apparently some of the board, some of us felt we just needed a new broom others held Parkie as responsible as the previous manager for our demise.
The summer was one of poor communication and confusion surrounding the club and no guarantees were given to Parkie over his position. The fans readied themselves to welcome Ince, but he came and went. During this time, Parkie held a dignified silence.
Parkies permanent appointment as manager was never officially announced, as far as I can remember, but the 2009/ 10 official handbook states this took place in December 2008.
This season started off as a revelation, with only free transfers being brought in we occupied top spot, a record unbeaten run and entertaining football. 7 out of 7 and the Manager of the Month award.
Now the last few games have been less glorious and our latest record is something like P 11 W 2 L2. The fans are getting restless, some have said that Parkie is doing a poor job and when it was mooted that Reading maybe in the market for a new manager then there were a few saying good riddance.
The concerns of the fans have been exacerbated by other teams getting their act together with new management or player investment Leeds, Colchester, Huddersfield, Norwich and even Southampton. But that is the point isn’t it, those teams have invested in their teams, where has our investment been free transfers – Sodje, Richardson,McCenzie and Dailly, each of whom with the exception of McCenzie have worked out. To make us a strong automatic contending team we need depth and the lack of investment has left us with a relatively threadbare squad. Parkie can only work with what he has got.
It seems that Parkie can do no right now with the players, the benefit of the doubt is given to players every time there is an issue, Dickson being the most prominent of these disputes, but now everybody supports Mootakill, who has hardly covered himself in glory with his comments in Scotland, let alone his alleged antics back at the Valley, where the irony of playing for Motherwell would not have been lost on the players, the failure to play Randolph at Carlisle, another instance.
No one it appears to be able to look at the Randolph situation with anything but contempt for Parkie but lets look at it from his point of view. He has the opportunity to bring in a keeper who is either on par or better than Randolph, should he look for a weaker option so as not to upset Randolph? He then starts with the new loanee, good management or a disaster. If Randolph had played against Carlisle he could have got injured and we would be left without a keeper for the cup. What about that statement – demotivating a player by telling him what he has to do to be a regular? Ikepe is out on Sunday, in a high profile game, Randolph can do enough to get first slot for the JPT game, if he performs in that then he has the shirt for MK Dons,I don’t see too much of a problem in Parkies management there.
If we have the takeover pre 31st January transfer deadline day and Parkie can bring in some good players to add quality and depth to the squad then failure to be promoted would be inexcusable, but with the current finances failure to stay in the top six will be disappointing but not unexpected, given the investment elsewhere in the league. For others to say failure of Parkie to get promotion should result in his job,is wideof the mark, the first people culpable are the board.
During the early heady days someone wrote is Parkie a legend, the answer then was no, but I would repeat that negative if asked if he is a failure. Given the investment either here or elsewhere Parkie is a good manager in the making – lets hope we can all recognise that.
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Time for a change at The Valley
It is now obvious that this seasons early form of un remitting victories was no more than a fluke, Parkinson was fortunate to be in the position of manager during these lucky times and as a result picked up a new contract which no doubt has a number of penalty clauses in it as per Rafa of the scousers.
carlisle has shown that we will soon be in the lower reaches of the 1st Division, prey to all and sundry in this division.
Get him out now, there are plemnty of candidates who will be able to tase over his mantle. His mantle to include a blind fold, to stop them from being able to plan for the future, handcuffs to stop them from paying out money for players, a weight around his kneck emblazoned with the word expectations.
carlisle has shown that we will soon be in the lower reaches of the 1st Division, prey to all and sundry in this division.
Get him out now, there are plemnty of candidates who will be able to tase over his mantle. His mantle to include a blind fold, to stop them from being able to plan for the future, handcuffs to stop them from paying out money for players, a weight around his kneck emblazoned with the word expectations.
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Gold In Them There Valley (Pt2)
The Brummies perspective, does not look great http://forums.birminghammail.net
Gold In Them There Valley
There has been reference to former
If there is seriousness in the speculation then it will be an interesting test for Charlton supremo, Richard Murray, who for the last couple of years has been saying that he will only sell to the people with Charlton’s family values. Now with the constant, although fading rendition of the incest song at every match, you could argue that our family values and Sullivans are similar, but its probably not what
Life has changed over the last two years and with the directors including
Charlton’s fans are indignant, at the thought of a porn baron owning us, although it would interesting to see how many of the indignant have not taken a sneaky look at a Sullivan publication, or sneered when Claire Short has sounded out against page 3.
I can imagine these three being frostily received, but we supporters are a fickle bunch and as far as I know Sullivan always backed Birmingham, built them into a premiership team, albeit recently a yo yo team and put money into the club. If they were to buy and if they were to put money into the club, their past would largely by a number of fans be ignored. For a lot of fans the hint that Curbs may come back would soothe any moral indignation and the prospect that we will return to the lower levels of the Premiership.
For me, I am happy with the ownership as it currently stands, but know it will not, cannot last. Would Sullivan be worse than a consortium backed by foreign money, at least he has a track record of backing his club with players and Managers – Francis, Bruce and McCleish and he is transparent with the businesses he runs.
I am neither for or against, if I think about it, but for those that wish against him, beware of what you wish for, we have seen a number of “unknown” saviours, in football, whose trusty white stead has been anything but that.
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten tomatoes are being stock piled at the valley for next Saturday. A couple of my Rose of Denmark friends sit just behind the away dug out and I am hoping Tracy and Steve will have been working out their throwing arms. As ever, before a big match I worry that we will lose, our luck will go against us, a poor refereeing decision or a bizarre mistake.
But before my pessimism takes hold, lets bask in the glory of the season so far and even track back a little to the last game of the season when we sent the Norwich down.
The Valley faithful, who have endured something like 4 seasons of poor performances are finally being rewarded
But before my pessimism takes hold, lets bask in the glory of the season so far and even track back a little to the last game of the season when we sent the Norwich down.
The Valley faithful, who have endured something like 4 seasons of poor performances are finally being rewarded
– 4 home wins in a row – 11 goals scored, 4 conceded. (Plus we beat Roy Keanes Ipswich 2-1)
6 games played, 0 lost, 0 drawn, 6 wins – best ever start to a league seasons.
15 goals scored, 3 conceded.
Three clean sheets in a row.
4 clean sheets out of 6.
The highest goal difference in the top flight of English Football
Three players with a 1 in 2 goal scoring record.
5 point buffer between us and the play off places and 8 points off 7th place
24 points off bottom place and fellow relegatee Southampton
10 points off fellow relegatee Norwich.
Only 11 players starting this season, whereas 18 had started after 5 games last season.
Its heady, but early day’s for Charlton supporters. We must not let ourselves get run away with the success but bask in the early glory and gird our loins for the marathon ahead.
That apart every body, get your throwing arms ready for Saturday, give our former manager the welcome he deserves – figuratively speaking of course.
6 games played, 0 lost, 0 drawn, 6 wins – best ever start to a league seasons.
15 goals scored, 3 conceded.
Three clean sheets in a row.
4 clean sheets out of 6.
The highest goal difference in the top flight of English Football
Three players with a 1 in 2 goal scoring record.
5 point buffer between us and the play off places and 8 points off 7th place
24 points off bottom place and fellow relegatee Southampton
10 points off fellow relegatee Norwich.
Only 11 players starting this season, whereas 18 had started after 5 games last season.
Its heady, but early day’s for Charlton supporters. We must not let ourselves get run away with the success but bask in the early glory and gird our loins for the marathon ahead.
That apart every body, get your throwing arms ready for Saturday, give our former manager the welcome he deserves – figuratively speaking of course.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
Parkie parking here?
Five games, five wins and we are top of the league, even above the mighty Leeds who share a 100% record. My nose is bleeding from the dizzy heights we have reached and I am enjoying my Saturdays again. Every game we play we feel we have a chance, something that was not the case in the Prem and although it should have been in the Championship was not for the last season and a half. Plus Pardew has yet to get a win, thanks to a very late Stockport equaliser yesterday. If I was Pards, I would look at the fans and blame it on them.
But enough of him and his failures, enough will be written about him in a couple of weeks. I just hope that the Saints get the same treatment that the last returning manager to the Valley received.
Whenever a club fails, as we have in recent years, every body has to take a share of the blame. The board, the manager, the players, the staff and, yes, even us the fans. But this applies when the Club goes through a period of success. For each of these groups the degree of their contribution varies. Arguably over the period since Curbs left the board has been most culpable, but over the last 18 months the finger firmly points at Pardew. What is not known is the contribution of the backroom staff and more specifically Phil Parkinson. What we do know is he has said some of the right things, indicating he was not entirely on Pardews wave length – Lack of centre half cover at the beginning of last season, too early use of Wagstaff ruining his confidence and the inference that loan players are not better than having your own.
If we had our way, Parkie would not be here now. In previous blogs, I have both supported him and called for his departure. Its not hard to build the case against him, upto August this year and to be honest it is quite likely if the takeover had gone through in May, we could be sitting pondering on the performance of Paul Ince. Many suspect that Parkie is here because we have no money. It has been stated that board members have said that Parkie would go when the takeover was completed, back before the “barbecue summer” took off.
People succeed in life because they have ability and skill for whatever it is that they have chosen to follow. They also succeed because they are in the right place at the right time and because when the opportunity comes their way they grab the opportunity by the scruff of the neck and go for it. Parkie has gone for it.
Despite the poor performances under his tutelage, the failure of the board to ever announce that he is the manager, the lack of transfer funds last season, the lack of transfer funds throughout the summer, the questioning of his formation, use of bailey on the wing despite all of this he seems to be on track, he seems to have got the players playing for the shirt, not for themselves and not for a move but for us the fans, each other and the team.
It is easier to build team spirit when we are performing and the next test for Parkie is to pick the team up after a single defeat and then after a sequence of defeats.
It is early days, the fans are warming to Parkie but it is a fragile warmth and the baggage of Pardew and relegation leaves many fans wary of giving Parkie un conditional support in the way Reed and Pards received. The lack of support for Parkie, financial and vocal, from whatever board is in charge leaves him vulnerable to fan attack after our current run becomes more challenging, after we pick up a few injuries.
Parkie reminds me of another Charlton manager, who was not fully accepted by the fans for different reasons, he was appointed over a Charlton legend. On Charlton Life the question has been asked has “Parkie found his level or engineered his team”, and “Parky or Curbs”, is Parky becoming a legend.
It is early day’s given his own hand to play, Parkie has made a good fist of his role so far this season, he is no Curbs yet and I am not sure he will be with us in 15 months let alone 15 years, but I believe he is the best thing we have going for us for now and win, draw or lose over the next few months he has done enough to deserve our whole hearted support and, if he gets promotion, then the backing he needs to build us in the Championship, not the sack for a more experienced and successful championship manager as some have suggested.
This has been a successful season so far, it could turn into a disaster - but if it does then I don't think its going to be Parkies fault!!!
But enough of him and his failures, enough will be written about him in a couple of weeks. I just hope that the Saints get the same treatment that the last returning manager to the Valley received.
Whenever a club fails, as we have in recent years, every body has to take a share of the blame. The board, the manager, the players, the staff and, yes, even us the fans. But this applies when the Club goes through a period of success. For each of these groups the degree of their contribution varies. Arguably over the period since Curbs left the board has been most culpable, but over the last 18 months the finger firmly points at Pardew. What is not known is the contribution of the backroom staff and more specifically Phil Parkinson. What we do know is he has said some of the right things, indicating he was not entirely on Pardews wave length – Lack of centre half cover at the beginning of last season, too early use of Wagstaff ruining his confidence and the inference that loan players are not better than having your own.
If we had our way, Parkie would not be here now. In previous blogs, I have both supported him and called for his departure. Its not hard to build the case against him, upto August this year and to be honest it is quite likely if the takeover had gone through in May, we could be sitting pondering on the performance of Paul Ince. Many suspect that Parkie is here because we have no money. It has been stated that board members have said that Parkie would go when the takeover was completed, back before the “barbecue summer” took off.
People succeed in life because they have ability and skill for whatever it is that they have chosen to follow. They also succeed because they are in the right place at the right time and because when the opportunity comes their way they grab the opportunity by the scruff of the neck and go for it. Parkie has gone for it.
Despite the poor performances under his tutelage, the failure of the board to ever announce that he is the manager, the lack of transfer funds last season, the lack of transfer funds throughout the summer, the questioning of his formation, use of bailey on the wing despite all of this he seems to be on track, he seems to have got the players playing for the shirt, not for themselves and not for a move but for us the fans, each other and the team.
It is easier to build team spirit when we are performing and the next test for Parkie is to pick the team up after a single defeat and then after a sequence of defeats.
It is early days, the fans are warming to Parkie but it is a fragile warmth and the baggage of Pardew and relegation leaves many fans wary of giving Parkie un conditional support in the way Reed and Pards received. The lack of support for Parkie, financial and vocal, from whatever board is in charge leaves him vulnerable to fan attack after our current run becomes more challenging, after we pick up a few injuries.
Parkie reminds me of another Charlton manager, who was not fully accepted by the fans for different reasons, he was appointed over a Charlton legend. On Charlton Life the question has been asked has “Parkie found his level or engineered his team”, and “Parky or Curbs”, is Parky becoming a legend.
It is early day’s given his own hand to play, Parkie has made a good fist of his role so far this season, he is no Curbs yet and I am not sure he will be with us in 15 months let alone 15 years, but I believe he is the best thing we have going for us for now and win, draw or lose over the next few months he has done enough to deserve our whole hearted support and, if he gets promotion, then the backing he needs to build us in the Championship, not the sack for a more experienced and successful championship manager as some have suggested.
This has been a successful season so far, it could turn into a disaster - but if it does then I don't think its going to be Parkies fault!!!
Sunday, 23 August 2009
Beware The Ides Of March
Gray has gone and Dickson is allegedly on his way, there are no rumours coming out of the Valley of players coming in, other than Parkies continued comments that he would like to add players to the squad.
The assumption with Gray going is that the take over is all but done. I like the current regime, Murray has always had Charlton at his heart and Martin Simmons has always been a good guy to meet for a chat and a pint, but the demands of modern football and the failures of decisions made over the last few years have put the resources required to run a club beyond them. Not only that but the demands on them through three seasons of failure must have drawn on their own personal energies. Whatever the takeover brings, the resources, just to manage the day to day will be very welcome.
Whoever they are, the takeover consortium will inherit a team on top of its game and on top of its league. However, they will also be taking over a squad short on personnel in defence and strikers who can score. In midfield we are well served, although a winger would not go amiss, if Small is not seen as a long term prospect on the left.
In defence, we have a strong 1st choice, Dailly is proving to be solid and outshines any of the central defenders, including Ward, in his marshalling of the defence. He has also formed a strong relationship with Llera, who is rapidly becoming a cult figure. Richardson has added consistency to a position that has had a revolving door in place for two seasons. Kelly Youga continues to be the weakest link, but with the amount of coaching he receives during the game I do think he is showing signs of improvement, taking him back to the post Scunthorpe Youga. Whilst we have Solly and Basey in reserve and maybe even Mambo (No. 5), the defence needs reinforcements.
In attack, we have a plethora of forwards who cannot score. Burton has shown his quality and put away two chances already, but him apart the manager has no trust in those that are left Fleetwood, Izale and Dickson, if he stays. There are rumours of Kandol coming in, guy from Southend and of course we have put down our marker for the guy from Gillingham.
Whilst there are only 9 days of the transfer window left we then move into the loans window and whilst we prefer to have our own playing for us, I would not object to taking on a couple of Prem league youth season long loans, but no more journey men looking to get fit.
We need to get new recruits in or the results like yesterday will dryn up before our normal March time dip and in this season we want to keep going right till the end.
Charlton Wallsall Player ratings
Elliot - 6 - Rating suffers from having nothing to do
Richardson - 7 - Beginning to develop a strong attacking relationship with Sam
Dailly - 7 - Talks the players around him through the game, may not have the arm band but has the spirit of he captain.
Llera - 8 -Truly making an early stake for being a legend. He and Dailly are giving us the stability at the back that we lacked last season
Youga - 7 - 7 may slightly flatter him, but Kelly is putting in the effort and is improving game by game. He is receiving a lot of coaching from the sidelines and his defensive partners.
Sam - 5.5 - At this level Sam needs to be taking on defenders and beating them. Would he have scored Wagstaff's opportunity or would the ball have got caught under his feet. As long as we are winning his place will remain safe, especially as he and Richardson are working well together, but a down turn in form and Wagstaff maybe seen the answer.
Semedo - 8 -This player purchased as a centre half is making the defensive midfield position his own and becoming the lynchpin between defence and attack.
Racon - 7 - Playing well but not fulfilling his potential and really taking the game by the horns, once he does that he will be awesome.
Shelvey - 6.5 - Jonjo is difficult to mark, we expect him to be outstanding every game but he is still only 17. Played well but not outstanding, below par of his Orient 2nd half display, but still effective and without the recklessness of the 1st half of Orient.
Bailey - 6.5 - Busy, but fairly quiet.
Burton - 8 - If you accept that DB won't score every game but works hard and brings players into the game, could have had another lob over the keeper, just did not get the ball quite high enough.
Wagstaff - 7 - 1st time he has not looked light weight and took his goal well, will put pressure on Sam to be a more cutting edge attacker
The assumption with Gray going is that the take over is all but done. I like the current regime, Murray has always had Charlton at his heart and Martin Simmons has always been a good guy to meet for a chat and a pint, but the demands of modern football and the failures of decisions made over the last few years have put the resources required to run a club beyond them. Not only that but the demands on them through three seasons of failure must have drawn on their own personal energies. Whatever the takeover brings, the resources, just to manage the day to day will be very welcome.
Whoever they are, the takeover consortium will inherit a team on top of its game and on top of its league. However, they will also be taking over a squad short on personnel in defence and strikers who can score. In midfield we are well served, although a winger would not go amiss, if Small is not seen as a long term prospect on the left.
In defence, we have a strong 1st choice, Dailly is proving to be solid and outshines any of the central defenders, including Ward, in his marshalling of the defence. He has also formed a strong relationship with Llera, who is rapidly becoming a cult figure. Richardson has added consistency to a position that has had a revolving door in place for two seasons. Kelly Youga continues to be the weakest link, but with the amount of coaching he receives during the game I do think he is showing signs of improvement, taking him back to the post Scunthorpe Youga. Whilst we have Solly and Basey in reserve and maybe even Mambo (No. 5), the defence needs reinforcements.
In attack, we have a plethora of forwards who cannot score. Burton has shown his quality and put away two chances already, but him apart the manager has no trust in those that are left Fleetwood, Izale and Dickson, if he stays. There are rumours of Kandol coming in, guy from Southend and of course we have put down our marker for the guy from Gillingham.
Whilst there are only 9 days of the transfer window left we then move into the loans window and whilst we prefer to have our own playing for us, I would not object to taking on a couple of Prem league youth season long loans, but no more journey men looking to get fit.
We need to get new recruits in or the results like yesterday will dryn up before our normal March time dip and in this season we want to keep going right till the end.
Charlton Wallsall Player ratings
Elliot - 6 - Rating suffers from having nothing to do
Richardson - 7 - Beginning to develop a strong attacking relationship with Sam
Dailly - 7 - Talks the players around him through the game, may not have the arm band but has the spirit of he captain.
Llera - 8 -Truly making an early stake for being a legend. He and Dailly are giving us the stability at the back that we lacked last season
Youga - 7 - 7 may slightly flatter him, but Kelly is putting in the effort and is improving game by game. He is receiving a lot of coaching from the sidelines and his defensive partners.
Sam - 5.5 - At this level Sam needs to be taking on defenders and beating them. Would he have scored Wagstaff's opportunity or would the ball have got caught under his feet. As long as we are winning his place will remain safe, especially as he and Richardson are working well together, but a down turn in form and Wagstaff maybe seen the answer.
Semedo - 8 -This player purchased as a centre half is making the defensive midfield position his own and becoming the lynchpin between defence and attack.
Racon - 7 - Playing well but not fulfilling his potential and really taking the game by the horns, once he does that he will be awesome.
Shelvey - 6.5 - Jonjo is difficult to mark, we expect him to be outstanding every game but he is still only 17. Played well but not outstanding, below par of his Orient 2nd half display, but still effective and without the recklessness of the 1st half of Orient.
Bailey - 6.5 - Busy, but fairly quiet.
Burton - 8 - If you accept that DB won't score every game but works hard and brings players into the game, could have had another lob over the keeper, just did not get the ball quite high enough.
Wagstaff - 7 - 1st time he has not looked light weight and took his goal well, will put pressure on Sam to be a more cutting edge attacker
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