Revolving Doors

"I expect to lose a couple more players, not because I want to, but because I have to. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring in a couple to replace them, but whether I can bring players in of the same level remains to be seen". - Alan Pardew 28th July 2008.

I found the above comment a tad depressing, although I can't pretend to be surprised at the sentiment expressed. The clubs finances dictated that we would have to sell, but not being able to bring in players of the same level, shows that ambition is definitely running behind prudence at The Valley these days. As mentioned in a previous post, I suspect that our additional defender, and midfielder requirement, will have to be secured by the use of loans.

Given the lack of incoming activity, I do wonder what Alan Pardew's relationship with the Board is like though, as he appears to have got very little thus far, by way of a transfer kitty. It may, of course, be that he has to sell, to release funding, but given that Marcus Bent has gone, and Magic is almost definitely on the way as well, I would have expected that if a signing was imminent, then as soon as the Bent deal was announced, it would have triggered an incoming player for whom we had splashed out a transfer fee. This hasn't happened, and given Pardews statement up top of this post, I am not convinced that the situation will change with Magic gone. As for the other player of two to leave, I have to hope that it is Amady Faye.

Ex Works

Grays Athletic beat a second string Charlton side 3-1 yesterday, and apart from our very own ex, Jamie Stuart scoring against us, who else should be on show, but the so far invisible man Amady Faye. I have little doubt that there are many behind the scenes, representing the club, and Amady, who are desperately trying to move him on, but it probably isn't a surprise to learn that there doesn't appear to be a host of suitors beating a path to his agents door. For now then, Amady Faye remains stubbornly ours. Elsewhere, another ex, namely Charlie Macdonald, scored for his new Brentford team, against our promotion rivals, Watford

Season Tickets

According to the official website, Charlton had 17,784 season ticket holders last season, and apparently 84% of that number have renewed, or does that 84% include the 700 new applicants I wonder? Assuming the number does include the newbies, then we have sold 14,939 for the coming term. which is at the top end of where I expected the number to land,

I suspect that Charlton have actually lost almost exactly 20% of the season ticket base that we had last season as I previously predicted. This has been mitigated by the arrival of 700 new applicants to offset the damage, so with just a few days to go until the August 1st deadline, the board should by now be exhaling their collectively held breath. As good a result as could be expected seems to have been achieved, but let's not kid ourselves, the missing money will be a worry, and limits the club further.

And speaking of missing things - my two season tickets haven't arrived yet. Sort it out Waggsy!!

It's A Mystery

To mislay one match against a national team is careless, but to do it twice? Interesting article on the Dover match on the official website, which 'fesses up to the mighty Addicks not actually having played the Gibraltar national team at all. What is it with Charlton and national teams? I mean, it is not as if we are talking about mixing up teams with similar sounding names is it? For Gibraltar, read Lincoln, and I don't even mean the mighty Imps. I can't even think of a team that sounds like "Iran", so that one had to go didn't it?

The same article informs us that we have a French triallist playing in midfield, which is good, and Jon Fortune playing in defence, which is bad, as it suggests he may not be going to Preston after all. Maybe, we can't get that defender Pards is allegedly after, and as such can't release Fortune. No Magic, of course, so the rumour mill must still believe that he is on his way to sunnier climes any day soon. Shame about Timar as well, as we really do need a headline capture or two. As each day passes, the chances of that happening, must be looking more remote. Maybe, we are caught up in a domino effect, where the money from Magic is needed to make a tile or two of our own tumble. Here's hoping!!

UPDATE

As Anonymous has pointed out in his comment, Magic did play last night at Dover, despite what the official site was saying earlier in the day. Is the transfer off?, or are we watching the last throw of the negotiating dice, that on behalf of Charlton, or Magic himself, tells his Spanish suitor to put up, or shut up? I hope it's the former.

The Case For The Defence

Well, if we do manage to get Timar and Crainie to come in, with Bougherra and Fortune going out, then for me, the balance of the defence will be better. I have always felt that Pards doesn't rate Moo2 as his number er.... two choice for right back, hence the appearance of Halford last season, so I do like the sound of a backline that reads Crainie, Hudson, Timar, and Youga.

Oh, and Amady Faye can play central defence can't he?

I'll get me coat.

One Gone

Phew! I was getting worried that Marcus little volte face, would see us stuck with him, and his salary, for the foreseeable. I still have a sneaking suspicion that the Cardiff deal would have been better for the club, as simple commercial sense tells me that Birmingham would naturally take advantage of being the only game in town, when Cardiff quite rightly walked away. Yes, yes, it could be worth up to £1m, but I would be pleasantly surprised if Charlton ever see anything close to it.

Still, small matter, he has gone, hopefully releasing some financial breathing space, which Pardew can turn into the defender and midfielder he is after. That assumes of course, that the Board give him the full benefit of whatever funding has been released, and that it is not already committed to plugging a hole somewhere else in the clubs foundering finances, or indeed that he hasn't been told that there is no additional money to strengthen the squad - period. If so, then free transfers and loans, are all we are likely to see. Amady Faye anyone?

For Those Of A Commercial Bent

If I was Karren Brady, I think I would be offering Charlton about £750k right now. So what if Cardiff were offering £1m, we only want to offer £750k. After all, we appear to be the only game in town right now. You want to buy a defender and a central midfielder, and I am sure the removal of young Marcus will help you there. Well Mr. Murray, do we have a deal?

Ebbs & Flows

Well that was fun, wasn't it? Nothing half hearted about a 6-0 scoreline, which more than made up for the drubbing received by the same opponents at the same stage last year, who ran out
5-1 winners on that occasion. All that and Marcus Bent going to Cardiff, what more could I ask for? Well quite a lot actually. Where is Amady Faye? has anyone seen him? If, as has been reported elsewhere, he is somewhere in the Potteries, then great, and I shall keep everything crossed for a successful outcome!

Chris Iwelumo to Crystal Palace? Well the local press here in Nigel land, don't even rate it as worth a mention, which given that Clinton Morrison is now out of contract, and has refused thus far to sign a new one, does leave our stripey cousins somewhat short of attacking options, which Colin is trying to rectify, so big Chris to SE25 may have some legs. Morrison has just turned down an offer from Coventry City, on the basis of wanting to stay in London, and with 16 goals last season, that should have made him interesting to us, if we weren't already tripping over strikers at Sparrows Lane, albeit that we may well be reduced by two in the next week or so.

I see elsewhere that Alan Pardew feels we are short of defensive cover, which I agree with, and that shortfall, will look like a bigger issue, if Magic does indeed book himself on a flight to Spain. but my bigger concern is with the midfield, where I still feel we need to make our highest profile addition to the squad. With Bent at long last off the books, hopefully the funds will be available to make just such an acquisition.

This Is The Future

So, two friendly games down, (even though the Charlton website seems to have conveniently ignored Bromley), and what do we know? I have never gone with the theory that friendlies are unimportant. For me, the confidence factor that a good pre-season can bring should not be under estimated, so it was good to see that a solid performance was put in against Welling, even though the previous night's performance against Bromley was apparently less convincing. Good reports for some of the squad, Fleetwood in particular, are always pleasing, but a consistent thread about both performances revolving around the word "lightweight" are of slight concern, but hey-ho early days.

Where are they now?

Magic not being present was I think inevitable, given that the last thing any club would want to do, would be to put a potential £2.3m at risk, so fair do's, but what of Todorov, Gray, and Iwelumo? Toddy recovering from injury still, will get a run out soon hopefully, but I wasn't aware that the other two were also injured. I still have a feeling that Iwelumo is possibly being protected pending a sale. Bent will hopefully go to Cardiff, but what of Amady Faye? Could it be that despite the best efforts of the club, he may end up with us for the start of the season, and if he does, will Alan Pardew play him? If the club do manage to sell him for anything, then fair play, but I suspect the best we will get is another season long loan.

The Future

It's here. I don't know whether to be excited or worried, probably both. The financial restraints at the club, are becoming ever more apparent, and nowhere more so than on the pitch. Whilst our U18 side of last term was no doubt special, I don't believe it was special enough to see so many youngsters coming through simultaneously. Maybe I had too many years of Curbishley caution, but our reliance on so many of these youngsters in the coming season, would be a concern for me, particularly if the fragility in confidence shown by the side last term, rears its head again.

Ebbsfleet on Saturday, sees another step up, and hopefully the result this year, will be somewhat better than the 5-1 drubbing of last season!

Booze & Boogie

Most of my friends hate the meaningless transfer chitter chatter that goes on in the English meejah during the close season, but not me, I must confess that I quite enjoy it. Two more stories doing the rounds on Sky Sports at present, concern the ongoing "will he won't he" departure of Madjid Bougherra, and a new one on the blocks, is the possible signing of Hameur Bouazza from Fulham.

Predominantly a left winger, Bouazza transferred from Watford on a four year deal, for an initial £3m, but to use the footballing parlance, Roy Hodgson "doesn't fancy him". I quite like the sound of this one, as it may oil the wheels for the departure of Jerome Thomas, or possibly Darren Ambrose. For me, I would prefer it to be the former, as Charlton's equivalent of Marmite Man, Ambrose, I feel still has a part to play for us next season.

The Portrait of Dorian Smith

The tale of a youth whose features and stature, and fitness level, year after year, retain the same appearance of a young(ish) Andy Reid, while the shame of his inability to impress Alan Pardew after four months at Sparrows Lane, becomes mirrored on the features of his team photo.

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Yeah alright maybe not.

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The normally reliable Sky Sports, paints him as the target for a number of Div 1 and 2 clubs, a premise no doubt fuelled by his agent. I know, I know, before you say it, I appreciate that it is a game of speculate to accumulate, but I just hope that this is not another "old boy" who will return to The Valley in the fullness of time, play a blinder, and score the winning goal against us.