We have 7 less players then we did last season, 8 having left and only 1 signing on. If I remember correctly last season we were complaining that the squad was too thin or we lacked quality in depth, either the way we are going to be left much shorter then last season as we all know. But my question is with only 17 squad players who have featured in a league game from last season only in our books our team is definitely going to fatigue quickly especially with many of them above the age of 30 (Cort, Kermo, Jackson, Hughes and Gower). This is alarming for me as I don't feel any of the youngsters will go straight into the first team squad, does anyone believe they will? If they don't and no signings are made we are going to be in for a very tough ride this season.
Hard to predict, but it would be nice to get 1 or 2 of those players on the bench. If we sign Wood, plus a few strikers then I'll be momentarily happy. I'm interested to see how our midfield works, because towards the end of the season everyone was doing there job appropriatly, but for long periods of the season we couldn't find the balance.
There is an exclusive club day at The Valley on Sunday, one of the features is "The First opportunity to see new signings in action at The Valley", according to the invitation card.
What does worry me is the amount of players and the Manager who are out of contract in less than twelve months. Chris Powell (and I would assume the entire backroom staff) Chris Solly Johnnie Jackson Ben Hamer Rhoys Wiggins Michael Morrison Bradley Pritchard Yann Kermorgant Dale Stephens Danny Green Danny Hollands Dorian Dervite Leon Cort Jordan Cook David Button Andy Hughes Mark Gower Michael Smith Cedric Evina (if he re-signs on a 1 year deal) That is a hell of a lot of players.
Agree, mentioned that at the end of pre season. Short term contracts were one of the reasons we found ourselves sliding down the leagues. It leads to a lot of uncertainty within the squad, players will get nervous and start seeking transfers to secure their futures. I would prefer to tie down most of those players before diving in to the transfer market.
You can never have too much quality. The fans of Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and most of all Liverpool are always moaning they lack quality, so that is all relative. If you mean "thin" in quality, then same point. If you mean "thin" in numbers then I don't agree. You look at the other low budget clubs in our division and our squad was much bigger. At various times we had Taylor, Stephens, Evina, Green, Wagstaff and Wilson out of the team for long stretches, plus others out on loan. That was a luxury other low-budget clubs couldn't afford. They would have been glad to have had them to call on. We need two strikers and a LM then we are set. If we get hit by long term injuries we will have to take players on loan. If Evina is a success at LM that is one less we need. (A big "if", I agree). In addition, if we sell Stephens we could replace him with another midfield "creator" unless the club has to pocket the money, which seems more likely.
Frightening list, Dick. Just confirms what I have always posted: (1) Our second season up will be tougher than our first. I don't think we will get relegated unless we are really unlucky with injuries, but we will never feel comfortable. (2) All the club is doing is treading water until we can find a buyer. Looks like we have no more than six months to do so otherwise we are totally f****d. I wrote "six months" because I think players whose contracts are running out can start negotiating with other clubs from January. Is that correct?
Okay, in my soul I'm panicking too, but the playing field moved a bit this summer with fair play thing. Yes, we've broken up a team who spent most of last season struggling, and the new signings are'nt exactly much to set the pulse racing, but a lot of Championship clubs will be in the same boat. The next couple of weeks will be frantic as everyone tries to pick up a cheap bargain from the left overs, but that's not just the Addicks. Plus, the old days of putting a player on a three year contract and selling him for a massive profit are over outside the Prem. It's going to be a rough ride, no question, but that's just how football is at the moment.
I agree with your post except the above bit. How have we broken up the team? Out of match starters (and ignoring loanees) we have lost: Taylor BWP Haynes Wagstaff Kerkar Fuller Only Haynes and Fuller were first choice on merit, but their fitness problems meant they had to go. So we haven't (yet) lost a single player who leaves a real hole in the team. Hardly "breaking up". As for "spent most of last season struggling", we finished ninth. Four more points (which were well within our grasp in various matches) and we would have been in the play-offs. Yet with eight matches to go we still feared relegation. It was crazy division in which any team could beat any other (and often did).
Yeah, but a lot of last season we seemed to spend looking over our shoulders measuring the gap between ourselves and the bottom three. It was only the last month or so when we went on a charge up the table. Ninth was a great finish, but hand on heart, that season did'nt feel like a 'top ten finish season'. Plus the squad seemed a bit thin at times last season, and it's certainly thinner now. Personally, it seems to me that the youngsters coming through paint a picture of a bright future, assuming they don't get cherry picked by bigger clubs, but it would be asking a lot to hurl them into the starting eleven en masse.
Sir Alex Ferguson wrote that one of the first and best bits of advice he got about football management was from the late Jimmy Sirrel. It was along the lines of "Don't let too many of your players' contracts run out at the same time". So when I look at Dickp's list, which includes nearly all our vital players, it scares the bejasus out of me. Can there be any explanation for this other than we're heading for the rocks again?
I think part of the problem may be the purpose the squad was assembled for in the first place - as a group of players who would spend one season gelling as a unit, then go for promotion. The 'problem' was, they gelled in about five minutes flat and charged their way out of the division at a gallop and hit The Championship quicker than expected. New players had to be drafted in to maintain our position in the division, while the original squad either sank or swam. It could well be possible that the operation to preserve our status cost more than we were banking on, or rather that we knew roughly what it was going to cost but it came a year too soon. Either way, when it came to renegotiating contracts, it very much looks like the cupboard was bare. Dangerous situation, especially if we make a poor start.
You could do a Watford - they've just signed 7 players from Udinese (for free) stick that up your FFP arse UEFA
Fantastic move by the FL to restrict international loans... Richard Wood signed too. It's like the summer of 2011 now.
I still don't see the sense in letting our first team's contracts nearly all run down at the same time. If we're potless now, we'll be even more potless in a year's time, when Solly, Wiggins etc. are free to leave for nothing. OH, and The Doctor as well- there will be a limit to even his loyalty to Charlton. And the nearer we get to the end of their contracts the less we'll get for them. As John Luther says, "Something ain't right here"
I think the current owners are desperate for some new investment. By giving players one year contracts they will be hoping that the new owners will be in place to negotiate new deals. It is a dangerous strategy and one that could backfire badly. We run the risk of losing Solly, Kermy, Wiggins etc for nothing.
That's what I'm saying, Dickp. I can only see 3 alternatives 1- New Investment 2- Administration 3- Struggle on for a year and hope we muddle through somehow next summer.
Agree with what Dick and Billy have posted. And if you agree that things are really that bad, it is odd we are expending money on Gower, Wood, and Evina's wages. All good players on the cheap who we would normally welcome to strengthen the squad, but none of them filling the positions where we are weakest. It only makes sense if we are hoping to sell Stephens, Morrison and Wiggins. Solly too, as CP has been playing Wilson exclusively at RB rather than at RM where he looked more effective last season. Otherwise we would be conserving what little cash is available to sign and pay a striker or two. Most posters are bored and desperate for some Charlton news. Personally I am dreading any news because I fear it will always be bad news. We have already had a taste with the departures of Nathan Jones and Matt Wright, and seeing all our potential transfer targets being snapped up by other clubs at our level. The "Valley Spring" induced by Pigott's nineteen minute hat-trick has faded and winter may start in August for Charlton.
