In the first season of the Championship just after Christmas we were about second and poised for a good push on an immediate return to the Premiership. Team mismanagement, through over use of the loan system and financial necessity, the sale of Andy Reid and injuries put paid to that and we ended up mid table. With the squad we had after years of punching above our weight, we were patting below it. So two years later what has changed, well divisions for a start. We started the year 2nd though and we are at a cross roads in our chase for the poor mans riches of the Championship.
The positives are that we have Parkinson and not Pardew. We have seen that Parkinson is not an impact manager, he slowly builds putting the pieces in place till he has some semblance of a team. Some may say that Parkinson is not the man and that recently some of his substitutions have seemed bizarre, but overall he has performed well and on no money even to have got us to where we are has bee n little short of amazing. Whilst he had some failures last season with his loanees, it must be remembered that they were brought in as we scrapped the bottom of the barrel once everybody else had had a pick of the “crème de la crème” of loanees. This season it has been difficult to complain, whilst Mooney has looked ropey in the last couple of games, despite scoring, he has overall made a positive contribution, Omosuzi has got better and better and in my mind is a strong competitor for the right back position, whilst Ikeme was not a decision many of us agreed with, once he got rid of his ring rustyness he did well.
The negative is that we are skint, where as Pardew could wheel and deal in the loan market at least, we do not have two brass farthings to rub together and we have no topless white knights riding in to save us. We do not have an out and out goal scorer at this level (Chris Dickson’s spell at Gillingham seems to have been the peak of his career and the failure to sell him to Gillingham may be a mistake we rue, come the summer when he hopefully walks away.).
After the recent three home games on the trot we could reasonably expect to have picked up 9 points and with Leeds stuttering their games in hand could have been negated, instead three abject performances have resulted in only 4 points and the gap between 2nd and 3rd widening and next weeks opponents Swindon soaring along on the outside rails.
So we are at a cross roads, we could continue to drive towards promotion or we could as many now believe sink towards mid table obscurity. Many fans predicted relegation this season, so even mid table obscurity can’t be bad – can it? For the sake of our club, we need promotion, our squad is on borrowed time or is it borrowed money, if we are in this division next season then we will lose most of the senior squad, for two reasons. We won’t be able to afford them and we will no longer be able to feed their ambition .
The board have poured £7 million in the club to keep it afloat this season, one has to ask, what about another £1 million please just for a striker – says the man who has little money to contribute himself .
The signing of Reid has been good, but we need to use him and Sam to enable us to go about playing the football that we were playing earlier this season. With the exception of maybe Norwich and Leeds, there are no teams home or away that can live with us as a footballing, passing team and we have to get back to that. We also need to go back to strong foundations at the back, to be a platform for driving forward. If we are solid then we can have the confidence to break forward and put the opposition under pressure. Christian daily has lost some of that assurance that he had earlier this season with the changes of the other three around him, hopefully now we are back to full strength with the exception n of Youga (who it appears from his comments in the shop last week is a while away from contention), the assuredness of the defence will return.
February, beginning with three away games, against leading contenders for the playoffs and March are critical and then we move into the April games of death with Colchester, Norwich and Leeds all at home (Leeds is May, but that is close enough). We are at a cross roads now, because if we do not pick up form now, then April will be meaningless as we are condemned to future years of potential mediocrity.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Friday, 18 December 2009
Be Careful what you wish for!!
Be careful what you wish for. Having at first been distressed at the thought that soft porn barons Gold and Sullivan, the Valley faithful have turned their distress to the fact that the target is not in South London but across the river to one of our temporary homes at Upton Park. As we all know the initial bid is unlikely to be accepted by the Icelandic owners of West Ham and now that the Icelandic’s have been given an extension on solving their debt situation. For Gold and Sullivan that is bad news, as it gives time for alternative investment to be found, West Ham will be relegated by the time they can take ownership and the Icelandic’s have taken a dislike to Gold and Sullivan, following the latter pair revealed the nature of their bid.
If the Gold and Sullivan bid fails and they decide not to pursue their interest then apparently we are next on the list, which does not seem to be all bad. I am wary however of any white knights flying in to save us. A year ago we were looking at the white nights of Dubai, but where would we be now following the collapse of that principality, would we have been part of the bail out from the Emirates or would a football club be seen as superfluous to requirements and sold some where on the cheap. It did not happen, so nothing to worry about there.
But what of other white knights, Portsmouths plight is horrendous, bought by Middle East businessman( a), with promises of investment, ignoring a consortium led by Peter Storey, no money is forthcoming except a £1 coin from Middle East businessman (b) and of course promises of investment, nothing has been forthcoming, players keep on receiving delayed payments and the club seems to be racing between relegation and administration. Pompey are not alone, Mark Hughes may have had a lot of money to spend on Man City this summer, but this is through new owners, the last new owners were not the most reputable with the ex Thai President Thaskin who was wanted in his homeland for various misdemeanours, not a fit and proper person. Are these just exceptions, because the big clubs the established leaders would not be affected, would they? Are then there are the yankee duo, who have created confusion and disarray at Anfield . I wonder how the fans at Notts County are feeling, they were as if not more euphoric than us, they saw the dream, former England manager as Director of football and even better news it was not Peter Taylor, but where are they now, they are a club with no Sol and the only good news there is still no Peter Taylor, they got rid of a decent manager and now his replacement has walked out.
So where did we begin, aah! Gold & Sullivan, a fine pair, not forgetting Karen Brady. Would they be good for us, well we are in a similar position to Birmingham when they were taken over and look what they did for them. So this trio would potentially be good for us, but anyone expecting a continuation of the cosy relationship that we have experienced under the tutelage of Richard Murray are seriously deluded. The trio have no affection for Charlton, no link with our fans no ties to the area, they are in this for one thing and one thing only ……… Profit. If we sell to Gold and Sullivan then we may well reach back in to the promise land of the Premiership, we may too see un pronounceable names from far distant lands in our first team, and we may see success of mid Premiership obscurity, but there is a cost and that cost is a remote ownership, who will after a few years sell up for profit and then we will be on the merry go round that has afflicted football ownership for recent times.
Whatever happens in the short term the long term stability we once had under Murray, Curbishley and Varney has gone and will never return in any form,before long Charlton will be just another club,it will be sad but total demise would be the only option. On the plus side for us older fansd there is always the shapely Mrs Peschcilido to ogle at whilst Man U are stuffing us.
If the Gold and Sullivan bid fails and they decide not to pursue their interest then apparently we are next on the list, which does not seem to be all bad. I am wary however of any white knights flying in to save us. A year ago we were looking at the white nights of Dubai, but where would we be now following the collapse of that principality, would we have been part of the bail out from the Emirates or would a football club be seen as superfluous to requirements and sold some where on the cheap. It did not happen, so nothing to worry about there.
But what of other white knights, Portsmouths plight is horrendous, bought by Middle East businessman( a), with promises of investment, ignoring a consortium led by Peter Storey, no money is forthcoming except a £1 coin from Middle East businessman (b) and of course promises of investment, nothing has been forthcoming, players keep on receiving delayed payments and the club seems to be racing between relegation and administration. Pompey are not alone, Mark Hughes may have had a lot of money to spend on Man City this summer, but this is through new owners, the last new owners were not the most reputable with the ex Thai President Thaskin who was wanted in his homeland for various misdemeanours, not a fit and proper person. Are these just exceptions, because the big clubs the established leaders would not be affected, would they? Are then there are the yankee duo, who have created confusion and disarray at Anfield . I wonder how the fans at Notts County are feeling, they were as if not more euphoric than us, they saw the dream, former England manager as Director of football and even better news it was not Peter Taylor, but where are they now, they are a club with no Sol and the only good news there is still no Peter Taylor, they got rid of a decent manager and now his replacement has walked out.
So where did we begin, aah! Gold & Sullivan, a fine pair, not forgetting Karen Brady. Would they be good for us, well we are in a similar position to Birmingham when they were taken over and look what they did for them. So this trio would potentially be good for us, but anyone expecting a continuation of the cosy relationship that we have experienced under the tutelage of Richard Murray are seriously deluded. The trio have no affection for Charlton, no link with our fans no ties to the area, they are in this for one thing and one thing only ……… Profit. If we sell to Gold and Sullivan then we may well reach back in to the promise land of the Premiership, we may too see un pronounceable names from far distant lands in our first team, and we may see success of mid Premiership obscurity, but there is a cost and that cost is a remote ownership, who will after a few years sell up for profit and then we will be on the merry go round that has afflicted football ownership for recent times.
Whatever happens in the short term the long term stability we once had under Murray, Curbishley and Varney has gone and will never return in any form,before long Charlton will be just another club,it will be sad but total demise would be the only option. On the plus side for us older fansd there is always the shapely Mrs Peschcilido to ogle at whilst Man U are stuffing us.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Robert Enke
Rest in Peace, may your pain and hurt be over, 45,000 people showed you their love today, it is so sad that it could not help you in your depression and your grief, Rest in Peace.
Saturday, 7 November 2009
Time for a change at the Valley --- Noooo!
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.
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.
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.
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