Two More In With One About To Go

So Stabilo Boss joins us on a three year deal. For those of you who were unfortunate enough to see the game against Exeter at The Valley last season, you will no doubt understand why I call our new goalkeeper that, but for those of you who may have quite reasonably forgotten the experience of being beaten 3-1 by them, Hamer stood out like a marker pen, wearing a fluorescent green top in one half, and an equally bright pink version in the other half.

With Elliot being touted as moving to Newcastle earlier in the summer, this signing can come as no surprise. I think it is more likely to be West Ham rather than Newcastle that will be the recipients of his signature though. Apparently he was watched by West Ham at the Den Bosch game, so in the interests of maximising our return, let's hope the same scouts weren't at the Millwall game where by all accounts Elliot was at fault for one if not two of the goals conceded.

I suspect the reason for the move is purely down to the terms of the deal extension Charlton were willing to give him, as I am pretty sure other clubs were notified of his availability at the start of the close season. The fact that he is still with us tells me that there wasn't a huge queue for his services. Having said that, I suspect his departure will be within hours, or at most a couple of days given the speed that the club has moved to sign a replacement.

As for the signing of Hughes, this is one for the short term, given that he is already 33 years old, even though he has been signed for two years, which no doubt was the last big payday carrot that enticed him to us in the first place. At best he is a utility player, experienced at both left and right back positions, but also comfortable in midfield. He is naturally left footed, and I can't say that I am wildly enthused by him. My concerns about Solly remain, and I am not sure whether Hughes will be seen as the first choice right back. Time will tell.

I still believe that one new centre back is required, and one big lump up front also. Schlupp of Leicester is one name in the frame for the latter position, and how about Howard from the same club as an alternative name in the same frame?

Contract End - Dec 2011

(25) Davisson

Contract End - June 2012

(23) Alonso
(14) Benson
(12) Doherty
(44) Elliot
(19) Francis
(15) Mambo
(18) Pritchard
(11) Wagstaff
(10) Wright-Phillips

Contract End - June 2013

(3) Evina
(32) Harriott
(2) Hughes
(33) Osborne
(30) Pope
(20) Solly
(13) Sullivan
(6) Taylor

Contract End - June 2014

(7) Green
(1) Hamer
(9) Hayes
(22) Hollands
(4) Jackson
(5) Morrison
(8) Stephens
(16) Wiggins

First Professional Contract

(31) Cousins
(29) Gough
(21) Bover-Izquierdo
(26) Popo
(27) Warren

Loan

None

Give Me Strength

So Benni McCarthy is set for a loan deal with Charlton?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1361608/Benni-McCarthy-set-Charlton-loan-deal.html?ITO=1490

I hope that as with everything else the Mail produces, this is just idle gossip, but I suspect it isn't. The need for a "large" target man is one thing, and there are sources suggesting that Powell was after such a creature, but does Piggybank spring to anyones mind here?

It could of course be part of a cunning plan, and that Sir Chris actually sees the way forward as converting him to a central defender. After all, why look for a mobile, fast centre back when McCarthy should certainly be able to cover most of the goalmouth just by standing still.

All Change

Am I the only one thinking that Bradley Wright-Philips is something of a trophy signing? A declaration of intent by Slater and Jimenez rather than necessarily being a necessity to strengthen the team. We don't seem to have that many problems scoring goals, but letting them in is a different matter entirely. It is difficult to tell how much input Powell had on the decision to bring him to the Valley, as even if they were the first words out of his mouth when he walked through the door, the deal was signed sealed and delivered extraordinarily quickly.

Sodje to be sold, or more likely to go on loan is now in the public domain, and I suspect Abbott may not be too long after him, but what of other signings? The necessity to get players through the door by midnight tomorrow night whilst desirable is not the be all and end all, given that the loan window opens up on February 8th. Stories abound regarding a new left back, and a new target man style striker from Belgium, but very quiet on the possibility of a new centre back and midfield dynamo. Left back had to be dealt with as Fry's loan expires after next Saturday's game away to Yeovil, but do we really need yet another front man?

Dyer moving from Wet Spam to be Powell's number two doesn't fill me with a huge amount of enthusiasm, as I would have preferred somebody with a bit of experience to go alongside our new manager, but as has been said before, Curbishley and Gritt didn't have any experience either, and look where the experience of Dowie and Pardew in particular got us. I would still have preferred somebody with a track record though.

Dubai, Dubai, Wipe The Tear Baby Dear From Your Eye

So the Sun claims to have an exclusive, that our prospective buyers are eyeing up Everton instead of South London's finest!

If it is true, I can't say I am surprised. Everton would always be a far more interesting proposition than either Wet Spam, Portsmouth, or dare I say it, Charlton. I still struggle to see why they would want to buy us, when there are plenty of Prem targets available. Having lost out on Liverpool, Everton would indeed be an appropriate target; a club that has threatened to knock on the door of the big four, without ever having the funds to take that next step.

I have been heavily involved in the takeover, or sale of four companies in recent times, and I don't mean to sound negative, but due diligence is a period fraught with danger. Three of the takeovers I have been involved with, involved my company buying another, and during the due diligence phase in all three deals, we were approached by other companies similar to our takeover target, offering themselves for sale. In one case, we almost did switch horses in mid stream, but decided against it after much serious thought. I only hope Zabeel do the same.