Harry Lennon has signed a contract until 2016, and you can see a sort of pattern now. If our senior pro's really want to play for Charlton next season, presumably they'll have to accept the club's valuation of what they are worth. Our owners have invested quite heavily in the Academy, and it seems that's where they see the future of our club. Good. And sod the loanees as well judging by the ones we've had recently. Will The Doctor buy into this strategy, though? Can he?
We will need the signatures of some senior pro's to supplement the youngsters if moving forward we are to put more of an emphasis on youth (be that through necessity or strategy) so I would still like to see the likes of Wiggins, Jackson, Morrison, Stephens sign on. It is good to see that we are commited to bringing through the youngsters, fingers crossed that faith is repaid and they can step up to the mark like Cousins has when given a chance.
As a regular watcher of the U18s and U21s I am happy that we are signing up the youngsters. But there is a reason for that, they are cheap and if like Cousins they shine in the first Team, the resale value is higher. Church, Solly, Wilson, Cousins, Lennon, Pigott, Pope, the Harriotts are the only players whose contracts don't run out in 2014. We have about twenty players whose contracts run out in 2014, that is a big cause for concern.
I think Holmes-Dennis has also signed up, but the concern is that Poyet hasn't. Solly is the one senior player to sign, and I wonder on whose advice the contracts are being offered? Do you agree, Dickp, that Poyet should be around the first-team squad now? I'm sure that would encourage him to sign up.
I do think Diego should be around the first team squad. I really hope he signs up soon as I feel a lot of Clubs will be sniffing around. Was Holmes- Dennis signed up for longer than 2014. I think the contracts are being offered on Powell's advice but it is one of Steve Bradshaw's jobs, as he informed us in a Valley Review.
I know a chap who is very high up in the posh school that CP sends his kids to. He speaks to CP regularly. I saw him (the chap) before Saturday's game and he said that: 1. CP was still reasonably chipper but obviously feeling the heat.. 2. CP Recognised that he has little quality in the squad but has "absolutely no money whatsoever". 3. CP Regards the youngsters highly and recognises that they are potentially more talented than several of the first team squad. However he (CP) believes that they are just not ready yet. Make of that what you will but seems reasonable consistent with our evolving contract policy.
Didn't CP say recently that he was looking to get poyet out on loan? Not sure if he will be in the first team squad this season if that's the case.
