Just on the way back from Orient . We had about 500 there this afternoon, and every one of them left the ground unhappy after that performance. Shaky in defence (Johnson terrible), non existent in the midfield and powder puff up front. Sorry, but new strikers look a step below the likes of Reza and even Makienok - they are that bad. I called it early on about Makienok last season and I say the same about Novak - he is excrement. If you didn't know the teams you would have said Orient were in a higher division than us. I find it inconceivable that Teixera and Bauer will stay with us having seen that today - they are wasting their careers. A bunch of kids on the bench today just to make up the numbers - just about said it all. Worrying times. PS - pray for Baeur to get fit and Lennon because Johnson made Orient look like Bayern Munich today
Colin on twitter is very impressed with Slades post match interview. Just needs 5/6 new players. I have advised him of my availability come August.
We were thinking of maybe signing up Buxton and the other guy on trial, but that is now on hold as a new keeper in the priority? Are they mutually exclusive? If Slade thinks those two would fit in, sign 'em up, or are we so short of money now that one signing precludes the other. My fear earlier this month that this summer is closely resembling last (a couple of decent signings followed by nowt) is hardening into reality. The squad is paifully short, and thw whole purpose of getting the team to gel has been defeated by selling off integral parts and not replacing them. I also read this interview by Slade as a shot across the bows for the regime. Seems early to be saying back me or sack me, but Slade may be waking up to life at the Valley.
Ken - Interesting comments about Buxton and Foley from RS suggesting they were left out because the priorities have changed ie - we now have no goalkeeper. Look at Slade's body language in that interview - it screams to me that he has been "Meire'd". Why is there so little money for Slade when we have just accepted a "huge" bid for Pope. Where has the money gone ? Konsa, Hanlon and Muldoon are nowhere near ready for this level of football and once again Meire is damaging youngsters careers on the alter of making Roland richer. Anyone who renewed their ST is a mug. I hope we go down this season if it guarantees the Belgian virus is forced out.
Interesting comments from local journalist Liam Happe @LiamHappe. Well worth a read. He reckons that a power struggle is now well and truly underway behind the scenes between Meire and Slade, and that the "offers" of trying free foreign Network crap have started again. The real classic is that Meire refused to sign Crofts initially, and told Slade "You have Diarra". Diarra is out injured until October of course , but doesn't that quote say it all. #YouHaveDiarra
Not surprising. I can't imagine he will be allowed anymore CM's, either. Our CM options consist of: Jackson (sicknote/past it), Diarra (sicknote), Kashi (sicknote), Crofts (sicknote), Ba (****).
Jackson absolutely shocking yesterday - reminded me of the annual 500/1 shot in the Grand National tailed off after 3 fences. Definitely going on too long in his career and will be a very minor player this season on that showing. I said it after Welling but Muldoon will get loads of game time in CM even though he is miles off the pace. Interesting that Meire has quickly reverted to type and is trying to foist cheap Network crap on Slade, despite publicly promising not to do so.
Easy for me to say as its not my job & pay cheque, but Slade should do what Powell failed to do when they sold Kermorgant from under him, resign making it crystal clear to BBC/ITV/National Press why he is taking this drastic action. Better now than Christmas when we are in a relegation dog fight & he is made the scape goat.
That's the problem fans to accepting and if by a fluke we do ok this season 95% of the decent from fans will end. We have already seen a u turn by CARD re disruption of matches. Full of bravado in May,first game of the season won't reach a conclusion ,then by July no disruption in August. Maybe the LIAR banner should of been incorporated into their pointless protest shirts as it refers to them too.
The interview he gave after yesterday's (awful)game was of a man very concerned about his team. I reckon he was told a lot of crap at the interview and he can see he has been led up the garden path. It would not surprise me if he walked, perhaps they have Nugent set up as manager!
If he's going to walk, now is the time, he'd get respect for that rather than waiting for Roland to sack him. It must be crystal clear that "verbal assurances" = Lies at Charlton, so go on Russell, walk the walk, make yourself a Charlton legend.
Who knows. The rumour mill does suggest that where Meire has tried to cut him off with the Croft signing (thanks Liam Happe), he is prepared to stand his ground and demand the squad he was verbally promised rather than the one Meire thinks he needs (the network imports business is painfull given that both Meire and Murray have been trumpeting the 'learning from our mistakes' music, but as they never actually stated what it was they learned, maybe they wanted to say they had learned something that could be repeated). To be honest, it does suggest that Slade is NOT a puppet, despite the suggestions to the contrary, which is to be welcomed. I don't know if Meire has ever had to share power with someone who will fight his corner before, so this maybe a wake up momento for her. The other fascinating thing (for me) is how many people called it right that these guys will not change their ways. A painfull and pointless relegation, season ticket sales 45% down on the same point last year (as well as previous visits to league 1), and still Katrien wants to fill the team with cheap off loads from the network, presumably because with Slade, Holmes, Novak and Ajose, our UK quota is now full, and in her view, the team is finished and simply needs a couple of reinforcements in case of injuries. You might imagine she'd realise her expertise on the playing front is zero, and sit back and let the manager they are paying chose his staff and put his own neck on the line, but no, she's still determined to break even or as near as, on the bank balance, and leave fhe football for the idiots who think that a football club is about silly stuff like winning matches. Just a quick aside. CARD may not have done much, but I really don't see what they can do just yet.If Slade wins an internal battle with Meire and puts out a half decent team, CARD run the risk of losing credibility with the fans by protesting - there are a lot of fans who just want to watch football, and probably see grumping on about the owner as part of the CAFC package since time immemorial. There will be time for protests, these guys will innevitably give us a reason to do so, but starting now may induce some sort of 'protest fatigue', and there is no sense in doing that in pre season. No one knows who will come in between now and Bury away, and Slade may yet triumph over Meire
