Three stories in the national press today; Stoke and Crystal Palace are said to be making bids for Dale Stephens. (Dale wants to move back up North, Thornton Heath is a **** hole but I am not sure it counts?) Michael Morrison is interesting Celtic. If this one is true (FHB may know...) then it says more about the grim state of the SPL than it does about our chaotic contract sitaution. MM going would be a huge loss for us if he does depart in January but maybe the lure of playing in front of 2,500 on a park pitch v St Mirren will prove too much for him.
More confident in keep Morro than I am Stephens. But still think Morro needs an experienced head next to him - he isn't a leader in defence yet. If we sell both without improving on them though, then we are in deep doo doo.
Surely i am not going to hear more about our better players leaving, over who we are/are not getting. I wanted good news you dutch oven !
He has the ability, but too many times last season, and this, he gets flat footed and the attackers movement allowes him to get the better of Morro. That said, I think we dont do enough to stop crosses getting in to our box. He has come under a considerable amount of pressure far too much, far too often.
I think these rumours have to be expected... Its silly season so everyone is going to be linked with everyone and in the case of Michael Morrison and Dale Stephens this is probably the work of their agents as their Contracts are running down i.e. the Agents arent just advertising their own Client's availability but its also to send a message to Charlton by creating rumour and trying to get their player a new Contract As for people saying that Dale Stephens is unsettled and wants a move back North?? - I thought reading in the Programme a few matches ago he was saying himself that him and his family are settled down here now and that he's loving life playing alongside Cousins!!
The Morrison thing is pure agent talk trying to force Charlton's hand. Celtic is the easiest chestnut for Agents to play for players who are not up to Premiership class but would command a fee. Remember the Kermit link from a year or so ago. Morrison is not up to Celtic's class (He could play in the SPL but he would be hilarious in the Champions League). I think he is at his level - bottom half of Championship. I like him. Good stalwart and I would like to keep him for now. If we have loftier ambitions then we would need to do better. I'd offer him another year. We know Stephens wants a move. His agent is simply doing his job. Its the transfer window.
First up, don't knock St Mirren. They're the team I follow in Scotland, and very nice it is to see Helen Mirrens grandmother got a footie club named after her. As far as the players go we are paying for the previous regime's faliure to sttle players contracts. Now, we should have money to do so, so it's a statement of intent what we do now. Sell and replace them, offer new contracts and strengthen elsewhere or sell them, juggle the players we've got and go down. CP seems to think we'll be buying, so I'm semi confident, but Leeds beat us to Cameron Stewart, which is the sort of thing that happened so often last summer.
Humphs was a professional footballer who needed to earn a living to support his family, he was not a Charlton supporter like us (I am not saying he didn't have an affection for us). This is exactly the same reason why Lenny worked for the Croydon Club.
The most straightforward is that they are players. We all grew up as fans and it's part of the blood now. Whether it was ground into your soul the day we left the Valley against Stoke, the night we drew with Preston to get promoted to the old división two (my one), the Play off win against Sunderland or the night Spurs sent us down, we've all enjoyed too many emotions with Charlton to consider a change. With the exception of those who grow through the ranks (and Scott Parker will always be the good/bad example of this), the players move from Bolton to Leicester to Charlton to Southend etc etc and it's pointless to expect them to turn down a good work contract with this club or that one because of our feelings as fans.
All true but I'm a fan so irrational and moving to them is unacceptable and always will be . I remember palace bein interested in Steve brown when we were letting him go he said he'd never sign for them and didn't. My kinda player Legend !
Surely that is very different. We can forgive sinners and welcome into the fold. That is different from going over to the dark side. Personally I think it is all nonsense. Which of wouldn't join a rival firm if the salary and prospects are much better? I am sure Brown would have joined Palace if the terms had been sufficiently attractive.
