So, its news by default. The cancellation of the Murray/Chappell Q&A, on legal advice, is perfectly understandable in the context of ongoing negotiations regarding the prospective Varney-led takeover/investment. But the cancellation is the first concrete development (rather than rumours) to actually indicate that such talks are indeed taking place. Presumably they were taking place before the event was scheduled, so arranging it at least implied that it was expected that matters would be resolved by now, one way or the other (let’s face it, there’s not a lot else to ask about as we are led to believe that the manager’s position and a number of player retentions are contingent on a deal). We have to infer, therefore, that at the very least a deal is taking longer than expected to agree (or faltering?).
None of this should be necessary. When the prospective Dubai takeover came along the club issued an appropriate statement (admittedly after having received an indicative offer; perhaps Varney is making offers that are less than indicative). Of course there’s a need for confidentiality and we don’t need chapter and verse until something’s signed and sealed, or indeed ruled out. But this time around there’s been just silence from the club – at the worst possible time (ie when the club needs all the goodwill from supporters it can get). I really just don’t understand why there has not been a simple statement issued given the time that has elapsed and the evident feelings of fans.
I was giving the Murray/Chappell gathering a miss in any event, having previously signed up to attend the Westminster electoral reform rally. I have never voted in a general election (and would have a spotless record on local elections were it not for the Valley Party). It always struck me as incongruous to support ‘one person, one vote’ but not the idea that each of the votes count equally. The campaign is all about encouraging debate on reform (it doesn’t have to be pure PR), discussion, openness, free flow of information. Seems like a current theme.
No doubt it will all come out in the wash, but it’s indicative that when you feel disgruntled about something other issues tend to grind. It starts to nark when the club releases an email newsflash that we have signed a new player – a welcome addition who of course we all hope goes on to have a long and successful spell with us – but no such emails when it comes to departures (Hudson, Wright and now Zheng Zhi). No disrespect to Manuel Angel Llera, but as soon as we saw he had signed the assumption was that the reports about Hudson going to Cardiff were true. It’s not as if there’s something to hide. We have a broad idea about the finances and netting a £1m-plus swap on presumably lower wages clearly makes sense. And let’s face it none of us are surprised either that Zhi has declined the chance to get kicked to bits (although I do seem to recall Steve Wiggott saying something before about how much he loved the club; ah, how fickle affairs of the heart can be).
So, it wasn’t exactly with a spring in the step that I boarded the 89 for Welling. The chance to see two composite teams for the two halves comprising a number of players we still have no clear idea whether they will be staying, under a manager who two months after the end of the campaign is still ‘unsure of his position’, with an assistant out of contract. I didn’t even know if the three players who are now out of contract but whose futures are unresolved (Holland, Fortune and Randolph) are eligible to play for us (or if the club would stump up for Matty’s train fare down from Colchester if he is). In the event Randolph played the second half. With none of my compatriots daft enough to attend, I really had the impression on the way that I might be the only one turning up. But while perhaps not as full as in past seasons the turnout wasn’t bad by any means (scientists may have discovered how to reproduce male sperm but they’re still nowhere near isolating the gene that pre-determines Charlton fans).
There’s no point in a proper report on what amounts to a training exercise, just a few personal observations. Undoubtedly the focus of attention in the first half was Llera, but not for the best of reasons. His first touch in a Charlton shirt was to collect the ball from Elliott, stride purposefully forward, then wellie a cross-field pass high into the stand (well, high relative to the size of the stand). That was just about his only decent strike of the ball. After that he managed to slice a couple into touch, managed one air shot, and got caught in possession. He did look suitably commanding in the air, but as for finding his feet he obviously had but managed to attach the right one to the left leg. He'd better get them sorted before the start of the season as at the moment, given possible departures, along with Elliott and perhaps Burton his is the first name on the team sheet.
Otherwise it was pretty nondescript, as was to be expected at this stage. Burton and Dickson started together up front in the first half, with Tuna and Sam down the flanks, while McLeod and Fleetwood took over in the second. All had moments, but nothing more. A Mambo header was ruled out for something and after a scoreless first period Wagstaff shot home from a tight angle early in the second, only for Welling to equalise from a low cross. After that the game petered out. What we were left to ponder were the names missing from the 21-name line-up: no Holland, no Gray (presumably we are doing all we can to offload), but for me perhaps most surprising was no Mouatouakil (has he gone, injured, not selected?).
You can’t call it a curtain-raiser. For that you need the orchestra to be seated, the conductor warming his baton, and the actors/singers ready and waiting. We don’t even know who’s writing the play.
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Friday, 26 June 2009
Beyond A Bloody Joke
As others have outlined eloquently over recent weeks, this has gone well beyond a bloody joke. Just on two months after the end of the season and not a word from the board about the prospective Varney takeover, if such exists/is imminent/has failed/never existed (and consequently nothing about whether Parkinson stays or goes, whether Kinsella is to be retained etc). We have to adjust to the lower media profile of the club while ploughing our trade in the third tier, but surely it’s some kind of record when the BBC’s sports site has the piece ‘Charlton Boss Uncertain Of Future’ as the only news item from 4 May (finally replaced by the long-awaited news of who we have drawn in the Carling Cup and the league fixtures).
I don’t pretend for a minute that the few shares in the club that I have entitle me to anything more than a copy of the annual report and a seat at the AGM. It’s not me putting my hand in my pocket to keep the club afloat. I also realise that since delisting the company has no formal obligation to make disclosures. Nevertheless, even at a basic level the Companies Act 2006 specifies (I believe) that directors must give 'equal consideration to all shareholders'. Of course, the overriding principle is directors acting in the best interests of the company and that may well include saying nothing during negotiations (if there are negotiations going on). For a period of time. That time is well passed and each passing day feels like an insult to fans who really want to get ‘up’ for the coming campaign. The club made the right noises about the greater importance now of the backing of the core support base, but the silence is at the least eroding hard-earned goodwill.
Yes, there is the meeting at The Valley with Richard Murray and Derek Chappell (and I’m not with the cynics over the Fans’ Forum, or even the decision to scrap the fans’ director – although the current silence only serves to encourage the feeling that the move has worked against the dissemination of information of interest to all fans). A year ago there was the bloggers’ meeting with Murray. Both are welcome, neither are substitutes for what might be considered normal, ongoing provision of information to a community (ie all supporters) which for right or wrong feels a part of the club.
In the interim, each well-intentioned new post on the official site comes across as at best farcical. I’m fascinated that Youga has shaved off his locks, mystified as to how club officials can be “encouraged” by the start of swap week (let’s face it we can choose to sit where we want for most games next season; and irrespective of swap week I was able to move seats during last season with no trouble at all), and slightly offended by the notion that the season ticket renewal rate is “very pleasing and extremely encouraging”. Times are hard and many have not renewed for financial reasons (after all, another bloody home game for the first fixture already means that the economic value of purchasing a season ticket has been lowered for me – and anyone else still on holiday; there are many merits in having a French partner, but flexibility over summer holiday times is not one of them). I’d rather hear some realism: something like ‘we will do our utmost to justify the backing of those who have renewed and to attract back those who have not’. But that’s not exactly compatible with silence over what really matters. Bottom line is until there is clarification over any takeover/investment and what follows I don’t give a monkeys about trivia, especially trivia which attempts to be upbeat.
Are we supposed to be encouraged by comparisons with the number of season ticket holders we had the last time we were in the third division? This only invites further comparisons: Shelvey being sold to the highest bidder and Lennie Lawrence offloading Paul Elliott to Luton for whatever they were prepared to pay. Things are different now. We do have a great stadium etc and selling Shelvey may well be the sensible move, given our finances. Just please don’t invite the comparisons with times we thought had gone for good – or rather if you do don’t try to put a positive spin on it. We need realism – and information.
I don’t pretend for a minute that the few shares in the club that I have entitle me to anything more than a copy of the annual report and a seat at the AGM. It’s not me putting my hand in my pocket to keep the club afloat. I also realise that since delisting the company has no formal obligation to make disclosures. Nevertheless, even at a basic level the Companies Act 2006 specifies (I believe) that directors must give 'equal consideration to all shareholders'. Of course, the overriding principle is directors acting in the best interests of the company and that may well include saying nothing during negotiations (if there are negotiations going on). For a period of time. That time is well passed and each passing day feels like an insult to fans who really want to get ‘up’ for the coming campaign. The club made the right noises about the greater importance now of the backing of the core support base, but the silence is at the least eroding hard-earned goodwill.
Yes, there is the meeting at The Valley with Richard Murray and Derek Chappell (and I’m not with the cynics over the Fans’ Forum, or even the decision to scrap the fans’ director – although the current silence only serves to encourage the feeling that the move has worked against the dissemination of information of interest to all fans). A year ago there was the bloggers’ meeting with Murray. Both are welcome, neither are substitutes for what might be considered normal, ongoing provision of information to a community (ie all supporters) which for right or wrong feels a part of the club.
In the interim, each well-intentioned new post on the official site comes across as at best farcical. I’m fascinated that Youga has shaved off his locks, mystified as to how club officials can be “encouraged” by the start of swap week (let’s face it we can choose to sit where we want for most games next season; and irrespective of swap week I was able to move seats during last season with no trouble at all), and slightly offended by the notion that the season ticket renewal rate is “very pleasing and extremely encouraging”. Times are hard and many have not renewed for financial reasons (after all, another bloody home game for the first fixture already means that the economic value of purchasing a season ticket has been lowered for me – and anyone else still on holiday; there are many merits in having a French partner, but flexibility over summer holiday times is not one of them). I’d rather hear some realism: something like ‘we will do our utmost to justify the backing of those who have renewed and to attract back those who have not’. But that’s not exactly compatible with silence over what really matters. Bottom line is until there is clarification over any takeover/investment and what follows I don’t give a monkeys about trivia, especially trivia which attempts to be upbeat.
Are we supposed to be encouraged by comparisons with the number of season ticket holders we had the last time we were in the third division? This only invites further comparisons: Shelvey being sold to the highest bidder and Lennie Lawrence offloading Paul Elliott to Luton for whatever they were prepared to pay. Things are different now. We do have a great stadium etc and selling Shelvey may well be the sensible move, given our finances. Just please don’t invite the comparisons with times we thought had gone for good – or rather if you do don’t try to put a positive spin on it. We need realism – and information.
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Charlton, Lyon Duchere, OL, Barcelona
“But, gentlemen of the jury, there are many kinds of silence. Consider first the silence of a man who is dead. Let us suppose we go into the room where he is laid out, and we listen: what do we hear? Silence. What does it betoken, this silence? Nothing; this is silence pure and simple. But let us take another case. Suppose I were to take a dagger from my sleeve and make to kill the prisoner with it; and my lordships there, instead of crying out for me to stop, maintained their silence. That would betoken! It would betoken a willingness that I should do it, and under the law, they will be guilty with me. So silence can, according to the circumstances, speak!”
So, what can we infer from Charlton’s silence of late? First and foremost, it’s reasonable to suppose that the prospective Varney takeover is indeed serious. If not, and if the rumours are to be believed (takeover goes ahead he’s replace, no takeover he stays) there would at the very least have been confirmation of Parkinson’s position. Of course, that’s not to say that it is going to happen; but until that matter is settled it would appear that everything – including the extent of player disposals – is on hold. And there’s bugger all to write about, other than the relative merits of Varney taking the reins. Not much to say there either. Let’s face it, anyone with a non-rubber cheque book would pass muster at the moment (which is not for a second to bracket Varney in the category of, for example, Man City’s new owners).
In the absence of anything better to do than wait, and to salivate at the sparkling line-up of pre-season friendlies, and to finally get around to season ticket renewal (don’t know about anyone else, but there always needs to be some sort of break at the end of a season, even a good one – remember those, the boring ones of mid-table Premiership mediocrity - before thinking about the next), I’m going to naff off to Barcelona for a jolly. At least the Catalans won’t be crying in their beer this side of Wednesday.
Finally, an update on the fortunes of Lyon Duchere, my adopted French team. The last mention of them covered their slide from fourth in the 18-team CFA Groupe B to 13th after three draws and four defeats in their previous seven games. Since then La Duch have broken their pattern of drawing at home and losing away – by starting to lose at home too (although a 0-1 reverse against table-topping Heyers was no real disgrace – they have the remarkable record of having scored only 35 goals in 32 games but conceded only 16; ‘1-0 to the Heyers’ must be a regular refrain). Duchere now stand 15th in the division with two games left. They have the local derby against Lyon B before finishing off with a home game against Toulon at the end of the month. I don’t think they can be relegated, but that’s a bit subjective as I’ve no idea how many are demoted.
Ah, expectations and success and failure. At least the massed ranks of Duchere supporters can delight in reminding their OL counterparts that for the first time in living memory their first team hasn’t won the French title, or even manage to qualify for the Champions League. They can’t catch Bordeaux or Marseilles and the season for Lyon has been an unmitigated disaster. They face heavy cutbacks to compensate for the loss of revenue – and are left to hope that Barcelona win on Wednesday as that apparently gives them a few more bob (Lyon having lost to Barcelona). You see, if you ramble on long enough you can find a link between Charlton, Lyon Duchere, Olympique Lyonnais – and Barcelona. If Duchere avoid relegation they will be the only one four to look back on this season with any sense of achievement.
So, what can we infer from Charlton’s silence of late? First and foremost, it’s reasonable to suppose that the prospective Varney takeover is indeed serious. If not, and if the rumours are to be believed (takeover goes ahead he’s replace, no takeover he stays) there would at the very least have been confirmation of Parkinson’s position. Of course, that’s not to say that it is going to happen; but until that matter is settled it would appear that everything – including the extent of player disposals – is on hold. And there’s bugger all to write about, other than the relative merits of Varney taking the reins. Not much to say there either. Let’s face it, anyone with a non-rubber cheque book would pass muster at the moment (which is not for a second to bracket Varney in the category of, for example, Man City’s new owners).
In the absence of anything better to do than wait, and to salivate at the sparkling line-up of pre-season friendlies, and to finally get around to season ticket renewal (don’t know about anyone else, but there always needs to be some sort of break at the end of a season, even a good one – remember those, the boring ones of mid-table Premiership mediocrity - before thinking about the next), I’m going to naff off to Barcelona for a jolly. At least the Catalans won’t be crying in their beer this side of Wednesday.
Finally, an update on the fortunes of Lyon Duchere, my adopted French team. The last mention of them covered their slide from fourth in the 18-team CFA Groupe B to 13th after three draws and four defeats in their previous seven games. Since then La Duch have broken their pattern of drawing at home and losing away – by starting to lose at home too (although a 0-1 reverse against table-topping Heyers was no real disgrace – they have the remarkable record of having scored only 35 goals in 32 games but conceded only 16; ‘1-0 to the Heyers’ must be a regular refrain). Duchere now stand 15th in the division with two games left. They have the local derby against Lyon B before finishing off with a home game against Toulon at the end of the month. I don’t think they can be relegated, but that’s a bit subjective as I’ve no idea how many are demoted.
Ah, expectations and success and failure. At least the massed ranks of Duchere supporters can delight in reminding their OL counterparts that for the first time in living memory their first team hasn’t won the French title, or even manage to qualify for the Champions League. They can’t catch Bordeaux or Marseilles and the season for Lyon has been an unmitigated disaster. They face heavy cutbacks to compensate for the loss of revenue – and are left to hope that Barcelona win on Wednesday as that apparently gives them a few more bob (Lyon having lost to Barcelona). You see, if you ramble on long enough you can find a link between Charlton, Lyon Duchere, Olympique Lyonnais – and Barcelona. If Duchere avoid relegation they will be the only one four to look back on this season with any sense of achievement.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
That Was The Season That Was
That was the season that was, it’s over, let it go. I think it was Millicent Martin that used to sing the TW3 theme song. She wasn’t at The Valley today, but she might have been. A global epidemic failed to come to our rescue and we were doomed. And just like a year ago Charlton sent us off for the summer with something close to a smile on our faces and thoughts of what might have been. Sod it, let’s just enjoy the victory.
Surely nobody wants a review of the game. It was fun, for us. It was fun for the Norwich fans – for about a minute. That was the time between their hearing that Barnsley had gone one down and us scoring. After that it was clutching at straws. We played well enough against a limited team, one that had no pace but which carried a threat from every set piece – especially after Doherty had managed to take out two Charlton defenders from a corner, one of which (Ward) was carried off. But having been given a sniff of a chance just before half-time, I was expecting them to come out after the break to really go for it. That they didn’t said a lot about their state of mind.
For the record, we scored good goals. Sam delivered a splendid cross from the right for Bailey to head in, then Racon worked the space for a shot from the right which spilled up and allowed Burton to finish. And a ball in from the left, one of those shots-come-crosses that the goalkeeper and defenders can’t deal with, was deflected by Burton for his second. With Doherty’s elephant-like behaviour having seen off Ward, and Youga switching to central defence, we were always light in the air at the back, and just before the break Norwich executed a fairly simple far post nod back for a finish to get them back in it. Next goal was going to win it, and Sam again provided, getting past the full-back and squaring it for Burton to complete his hat-trick. That Norwich pulled one back from a direct free kick was pretty much irrelevant. In the final 20 minutes either side could have scored more, without it mattering.
No player ratings (I’ve been to the pub and life’s too short), but some overall impressions. Burton, who in my opinion over the last few games has started to show that he wasn’t a daft signing, played well as the lone forward – and a hat-trick is something to celebrate whatever the circumstances. Sam, frustrating as he can be, delivered two of our goals on a plate. Solly came on and had a splendid first-team debut, while Tuna’s late introduction could easily have seen him score. Hudson, who had my vote as player of the season, had another impressive game, while Zhi ... looked from the start like he was saying goodbye.
Now we wait and see. Will there be a Varney-led takeover? Will we keep a nucleus of a team capable of bringing us back up? Will Parkinson be retained? All out of our hands. It was a decent send-off and an enjoyable afternoon. What the world looks like come August is another matter. Personally, I’m going to crack open another bottle of red and look forward to getting my DVD – just in case I feel a sense of optimism coming on. Then I’m going to get up at 03.30 to go to Amsterdam in the morning. There’s always someone worse off than yourself. At the moment he’s wearing yellow and green.
Surely nobody wants a review of the game. It was fun, for us. It was fun for the Norwich fans – for about a minute. That was the time between their hearing that Barnsley had gone one down and us scoring. After that it was clutching at straws. We played well enough against a limited team, one that had no pace but which carried a threat from every set piece – especially after Doherty had managed to take out two Charlton defenders from a corner, one of which (Ward) was carried off. But having been given a sniff of a chance just before half-time, I was expecting them to come out after the break to really go for it. That they didn’t said a lot about their state of mind.
For the record, we scored good goals. Sam delivered a splendid cross from the right for Bailey to head in, then Racon worked the space for a shot from the right which spilled up and allowed Burton to finish. And a ball in from the left, one of those shots-come-crosses that the goalkeeper and defenders can’t deal with, was deflected by Burton for his second. With Doherty’s elephant-like behaviour having seen off Ward, and Youga switching to central defence, we were always light in the air at the back, and just before the break Norwich executed a fairly simple far post nod back for a finish to get them back in it. Next goal was going to win it, and Sam again provided, getting past the full-back and squaring it for Burton to complete his hat-trick. That Norwich pulled one back from a direct free kick was pretty much irrelevant. In the final 20 minutes either side could have scored more, without it mattering.
No player ratings (I’ve been to the pub and life’s too short), but some overall impressions. Burton, who in my opinion over the last few games has started to show that he wasn’t a daft signing, played well as the lone forward – and a hat-trick is something to celebrate whatever the circumstances. Sam, frustrating as he can be, delivered two of our goals on a plate. Solly came on and had a splendid first-team debut, while Tuna’s late introduction could easily have seen him score. Hudson, who had my vote as player of the season, had another impressive game, while Zhi ... looked from the start like he was saying goodbye.
Now we wait and see. Will there be a Varney-led takeover? Will we keep a nucleus of a team capable of bringing us back up? Will Parkinson be retained? All out of our hands. It was a decent send-off and an enjoyable afternoon. What the world looks like come August is another matter. Personally, I’m going to crack open another bottle of red and look forward to getting my DVD – just in case I feel a sense of optimism coming on. Then I’m going to get up at 03.30 to go to Amsterdam in the morning. There’s always someone worse off than yourself. At the moment he’s wearing yellow and green.
Monday, 27 April 2009
Urgent Swine Flu Action Needed
It is already obvious that the outbreak and rapid spread of swine flu requires immediate and urgent action from the authorities. Surely it is imperative that all large gatherings of people are cancelled with immediate effect, in the interests of public health. This unfortunately would have to include concerts, cinemas, even sporting fixtures. The final round of Championship matches should necessarily be put off indefinitely. Unfortunately this surely means that the only viable option will be to declare the season incomplete and void. As and when normal services can safely be resumed, a new season can start afresh.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Nothing Left In The Tank
What to say this time around? Well, The Valley had something of a seaside atmosphere tonight. As in Scarborough in March, without the rain. A lot of empty seats and no great expectations. Another four-goal thriller, with an identical plot to the previous game. But I have to say I was more annoyed on Saturday, when we gave back a victory against a team that did not deserve a draw. Tonight the opposition was better, wanted it more than Blackpool (for obvious reasons), and it seemed to me that we just ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes. We couldn’t hold the ball, gave away a string of free kicks in dangerous areas, made substitutions in a vain attempt to inject fresh legs, but ended up surrendering another two points at the death. But the real sin wasn’t the last gasp equaliser for Cardiff; it was failing to hold on to a two-goal advantage for more than a minute or so and letting them back in.
No surprises with the team; same as Saturday, but with Kandol replacing Wagstaff on the bench. The first half was fairly even, with both sides having half-chances but not creating a clear-cut opening. For us Youga got down the left side to good advantage and delivered some dangerous low crosses, but Sam on the right was well shackled, being regularly ushered inside. We might have shaded it on balance of play, but had Elliot to thank for two splendid saves, with Bothroyd not exactly mobile but always a handful and Chopra threatening. Cardiff lacked real pace, but had enough about them to look capable of scoring.
Instead we took the lead when after a corner the ball found its way out wide to Sam. As before he was forced inside, but this time a dipping cross to the far post beat the defender and Shelvey coming in late put it away. The only other incident that sticks in my mind was an announcement over the tannoy calling for the cleaning supervisor to contact the club. The inevitable chant in reply of ‘where’s your cleaners gone’, like all half-decent jokes, had an element of truth in light of our coming cutbacks.
So, a shade fortunate to be ahead at the break. And Cardiff, after probably something of a dressing-down by the manager, upped the pace in the second half and had us on the back foot. The surprise was that after being under pressure we had a great chance to increase the lead, when Shelvey found Zhi with a glorious through ball. Zhi took it on the chest to cut inside the defender but with just the keeper to beat hit the outside of the post. It didn’t seem to matter, as not long afterwards a corner was half-cleared and Bailey steaming in drilled a shot low into the net.
Cardiff seemed to lose some discipline once they had conceded in the first half and after a 6-0 drubbing at the weekend you thought that if we just kept it tight for 10 minutes we should be able to see out the game. Instead Burke, who had replaced Chopra, outmuscled Racon and took the ball on at pace and fired home what to a neutral must have looked like a good goal. That gave Cardiff the lift they needed – and you could tell all we wanted was the final whistle.
Parkinson brought on Kandol for Burton, then Spring for Sam, with Shelvey moving out wide and Zhi moved into the hole (although in the final stages he looked so knackered it was hard to tell what role he was playing). Then it was Holland on for Shelvey. Nothing seemed to have a positive impact and we just found it impossible to find red shirts with passes. The pressure wasn’t relentless, but we gave away possession and enough free kicks for them to have equalised well before they did. And just when you think we might get away with it, as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, another corner broke to one of them in the box and it was the same end-result as Saturday. If it hurt less this time that was because it mattered less, but the common factor of being unable to hold a lead was all too obvious.
After the equaliser there were chants of ‘Parkinson out’, although they were by no means widespread and many had left by that stage in any event. So now, after a meaningless (for us) trip to Derby, there’s just the last hurrah against Norwich. If results go against them the final round of games could see nothing to play for at the top or the bottom, with us hosting a relegation party (one for which Norwich have apparently sold out their ticket allocation). I have a soft spot for Norwich and, while I would hope they stay up, if they join us there’s at least one decent away trip to look forward to next season.
If this review sounds tired that’s because it is. The players had nothing left in the tank towards the end tonight and I think for all of us the sooner this season is put to rest the better. No player ratings, not because they would have been bad but it’s getting late and there’s a large glass of cognac that’s got my name on it.
No surprises with the team; same as Saturday, but with Kandol replacing Wagstaff on the bench. The first half was fairly even, with both sides having half-chances but not creating a clear-cut opening. For us Youga got down the left side to good advantage and delivered some dangerous low crosses, but Sam on the right was well shackled, being regularly ushered inside. We might have shaded it on balance of play, but had Elliot to thank for two splendid saves, with Bothroyd not exactly mobile but always a handful and Chopra threatening. Cardiff lacked real pace, but had enough about them to look capable of scoring.
Instead we took the lead when after a corner the ball found its way out wide to Sam. As before he was forced inside, but this time a dipping cross to the far post beat the defender and Shelvey coming in late put it away. The only other incident that sticks in my mind was an announcement over the tannoy calling for the cleaning supervisor to contact the club. The inevitable chant in reply of ‘where’s your cleaners gone’, like all half-decent jokes, had an element of truth in light of our coming cutbacks.
So, a shade fortunate to be ahead at the break. And Cardiff, after probably something of a dressing-down by the manager, upped the pace in the second half and had us on the back foot. The surprise was that after being under pressure we had a great chance to increase the lead, when Shelvey found Zhi with a glorious through ball. Zhi took it on the chest to cut inside the defender but with just the keeper to beat hit the outside of the post. It didn’t seem to matter, as not long afterwards a corner was half-cleared and Bailey steaming in drilled a shot low into the net.
Cardiff seemed to lose some discipline once they had conceded in the first half and after a 6-0 drubbing at the weekend you thought that if we just kept it tight for 10 minutes we should be able to see out the game. Instead Burke, who had replaced Chopra, outmuscled Racon and took the ball on at pace and fired home what to a neutral must have looked like a good goal. That gave Cardiff the lift they needed – and you could tell all we wanted was the final whistle.
Parkinson brought on Kandol for Burton, then Spring for Sam, with Shelvey moving out wide and Zhi moved into the hole (although in the final stages he looked so knackered it was hard to tell what role he was playing). Then it was Holland on for Shelvey. Nothing seemed to have a positive impact and we just found it impossible to find red shirts with passes. The pressure wasn’t relentless, but we gave away possession and enough free kicks for them to have equalised well before they did. And just when you think we might get away with it, as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes, another corner broke to one of them in the box and it was the same end-result as Saturday. If it hurt less this time that was because it mattered less, but the common factor of being unable to hold a lead was all too obvious.
After the equaliser there were chants of ‘Parkinson out’, although they were by no means widespread and many had left by that stage in any event. So now, after a meaningless (for us) trip to Derby, there’s just the last hurrah against Norwich. If results go against them the final round of games could see nothing to play for at the top or the bottom, with us hosting a relegation party (one for which Norwich have apparently sold out their ticket allocation). I have a soft spot for Norwich and, while I would hope they stay up, if they join us there’s at least one decent away trip to look forward to next season.
If this review sounds tired that’s because it is. The players had nothing left in the tank towards the end tonight and I think for all of us the sooner this season is put to rest the better. No player ratings, not because they would have been bad but it’s getting late and there’s a large glass of cognac that’s got my name on it.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Time For A Vote Of Confidence
Now that one issue has been decided, the next one seems to be the fate of the manager. I must admit I’ve been inclined to view it as a done deal: that Parkinson will stay. But from talking to others, other blogs, comments etc it seems he’s managed to divide opinion between all available points of view: he should not have been appointed in January as we needed a ‘new broom’ then and need it even more now; he’s had his chance but failed and should go; he might as well stay as he’s the only viable option (as few others would want the job and sacking him will only cost more money that we don’t have); he’s the best man for the job to really turn us around.
Like any investment decision, it’s not easy to separate out previous positions/assumptions when assessing the best options going forward. Those who opposed Parkinson’s appointment in the first place are bound to regard their views as having been vindicated (and let’s face it things could not have turned out any worse, apart for the guy who would have had to write out his settlement cheque), while those who backed it will be inclined to pin less of the blame for relegation on him than on what went before and to focus on some of the positives of late, including the attitude and commitment of the players. Clearly if results were all that counted and money was not an issue Parkinson would be on his way out. But this is not an accountability exercise and no investment decision should be based purely on what has happened in the past (which is not to say the past is irrelevant).
Before I’m (justifiably) accused of sitting on the fence, here is my basic position. I think the decision to appoint Parkinson in the first place was reasonable in the circumstances (including a belief that there was little prospect of a ‘new broom’ approach working in the time available) and that he should stay. This has to be grounded on the opinion that he is the best man available to do the job – and in my opinion ‘the job’ for next season translates into the club re-establishing a sound financial position and the team being in contention to go back up. To think of ourselves as automatic favourites for promotion is quite frankly ridiculous until we have some idea of what sort of team might take the pitch in August (or whenever the season starts). It’s likely to be a mix of half of what we have now, one or two additions (basically cheaper options to cover positions that will become vacant), and some of the younger players. Whether that mix will be sufficient to secure immediate promotion is to my mind entirely unknowable; I hope that next season will end with us if not promoted with a developing and improving team that would leave us confident in the prospects for the following season – and beyond.
In short, I don’t believe in a quick fix. Whoever is in charge at the start of next season has to be overseeing a long-term plan for rebuilding the club. If that has to be under a new manager, this has to be because the board identifies a candidate likely to do a better job than Parkinson. I don’t see the merits in sacking him and throwing the job open to applications. Let’s face it, when we were an ‘established’ Premiership club (in my opinion we never were because with limited crowd capacity and financial resources we – unlike a Sunderland or even Birmingham – only ever had to have one bad season and it was over) the vacancy attracted the likes of Dowie, Davies, Taylor etc. I shudder to think who would apply this time around.
There are a couple of names usually mentioned. Paul Ince and Tony Adams. Us removed from the world of football can only go on gut feelings here. Personally I’ve never been convinced of Adams’ abilities as a manager (and nothing he did at Portsmouth persuades me otherwise, including a wonderful touchside rant at a player who simply ignored him and carried on talking to Adams’ assistant). Ince is a different matter. A natural winner as a player and a lot to prove now as a manager. Would he come to Charlton? That has to be down to his personal expectations and demands, things I know nothing about. He may well feel that his interests are best served waiting for a Championship job to crop up, or that whatever terms are available are insufficient.
This does mean that the ball is in the board’s court. Whether or not there was an element of accentuating the positive, at the AGM it was clear that Parkinson had the support of the directors. It was stressed that he was the man they wanted to replace Curbishley (but were denied permission to talk to him) and from the comments made it seems evident that the board was a good deal more comfortable with Parkinson than Pardew (he’s the pundit now selling himself as the ‘ex-West Ham manager’). That can have negative connotations if ‘comfortable’ means unchallenging. But I don’t think that’s the case. Remember the bloggers’ meeting with Richard Murray at the start of the season and Drinking During the Game’s comment about him appearing tired. Now all the talk is about his enthusiasm for the task ahead. I don’t think it’s coincidence – or a positive to be overlooked that the board and team management working well together is necessary for our recovery.
So, if the board has lost faith in Parkinson fair enough. If so, and someone like Ince is available and up for the job, make the change. But if the directors are of the same opinion as earlier in the season what has happened since is not a sound basis for sacking Parkinson; neither is avoiding responsibility for a decision by simply doing what it is felt the fans might want (even though there is the imperative of season ticket sales). This does mean, I think, that the time is right for the dreaded vote of confidence – or not. A clear statement of support for Parkinson from the board is needed if he is staying.
If relations between the board and the manager are better than before, that still leaves those between the manager and the supporters. I don’t think its an accident that Parkinson has been going out of his way to praise the attitude of the fans of late – and neither do I think it’s an accident that the attitude of the players has improved now that booing by the crowd is off the agenda (it could of course return if there is a lame performance tomorrow night as there’s no excuse for throwing in the towel even now). Unity of purpose this season has left Stoke to enjoy at least one more season in the top flight. Wagstaff and others have quite rightly been stressing the need for us to regain something similar. In my view that means the board stating clearly the attitude towards Parkinson in the near future and us supporters backing the decision.
Like any investment decision, it’s not easy to separate out previous positions/assumptions when assessing the best options going forward. Those who opposed Parkinson’s appointment in the first place are bound to regard their views as having been vindicated (and let’s face it things could not have turned out any worse, apart for the guy who would have had to write out his settlement cheque), while those who backed it will be inclined to pin less of the blame for relegation on him than on what went before and to focus on some of the positives of late, including the attitude and commitment of the players. Clearly if results were all that counted and money was not an issue Parkinson would be on his way out. But this is not an accountability exercise and no investment decision should be based purely on what has happened in the past (which is not to say the past is irrelevant).
Before I’m (justifiably) accused of sitting on the fence, here is my basic position. I think the decision to appoint Parkinson in the first place was reasonable in the circumstances (including a belief that there was little prospect of a ‘new broom’ approach working in the time available) and that he should stay. This has to be grounded on the opinion that he is the best man available to do the job – and in my opinion ‘the job’ for next season translates into the club re-establishing a sound financial position and the team being in contention to go back up. To think of ourselves as automatic favourites for promotion is quite frankly ridiculous until we have some idea of what sort of team might take the pitch in August (or whenever the season starts). It’s likely to be a mix of half of what we have now, one or two additions (basically cheaper options to cover positions that will become vacant), and some of the younger players. Whether that mix will be sufficient to secure immediate promotion is to my mind entirely unknowable; I hope that next season will end with us if not promoted with a developing and improving team that would leave us confident in the prospects for the following season – and beyond.
In short, I don’t believe in a quick fix. Whoever is in charge at the start of next season has to be overseeing a long-term plan for rebuilding the club. If that has to be under a new manager, this has to be because the board identifies a candidate likely to do a better job than Parkinson. I don’t see the merits in sacking him and throwing the job open to applications. Let’s face it, when we were an ‘established’ Premiership club (in my opinion we never were because with limited crowd capacity and financial resources we – unlike a Sunderland or even Birmingham – only ever had to have one bad season and it was over) the vacancy attracted the likes of Dowie, Davies, Taylor etc. I shudder to think who would apply this time around.
There are a couple of names usually mentioned. Paul Ince and Tony Adams. Us removed from the world of football can only go on gut feelings here. Personally I’ve never been convinced of Adams’ abilities as a manager (and nothing he did at Portsmouth persuades me otherwise, including a wonderful touchside rant at a player who simply ignored him and carried on talking to Adams’ assistant). Ince is a different matter. A natural winner as a player and a lot to prove now as a manager. Would he come to Charlton? That has to be down to his personal expectations and demands, things I know nothing about. He may well feel that his interests are best served waiting for a Championship job to crop up, or that whatever terms are available are insufficient.
This does mean that the ball is in the board’s court. Whether or not there was an element of accentuating the positive, at the AGM it was clear that Parkinson had the support of the directors. It was stressed that he was the man they wanted to replace Curbishley (but were denied permission to talk to him) and from the comments made it seems evident that the board was a good deal more comfortable with Parkinson than Pardew (he’s the pundit now selling himself as the ‘ex-West Ham manager’). That can have negative connotations if ‘comfortable’ means unchallenging. But I don’t think that’s the case. Remember the bloggers’ meeting with Richard Murray at the start of the season and Drinking During the Game’s comment about him appearing tired. Now all the talk is about his enthusiasm for the task ahead. I don’t think it’s coincidence – or a positive to be overlooked that the board and team management working well together is necessary for our recovery.
So, if the board has lost faith in Parkinson fair enough. If so, and someone like Ince is available and up for the job, make the change. But if the directors are of the same opinion as earlier in the season what has happened since is not a sound basis for sacking Parkinson; neither is avoiding responsibility for a decision by simply doing what it is felt the fans might want (even though there is the imperative of season ticket sales). This does mean, I think, that the time is right for the dreaded vote of confidence – or not. A clear statement of support for Parkinson from the board is needed if he is staying.
If relations between the board and the manager are better than before, that still leaves those between the manager and the supporters. I don’t think its an accident that Parkinson has been going out of his way to praise the attitude of the fans of late – and neither do I think it’s an accident that the attitude of the players has improved now that booing by the crowd is off the agenda (it could of course return if there is a lame performance tomorrow night as there’s no excuse for throwing in the towel even now). Unity of purpose this season has left Stoke to enjoy at least one more season in the top flight. Wagstaff and others have quite rightly been stressing the need for us to regain something similar. In my view that means the board stating clearly the attitude towards Parkinson in the near future and us supporters backing the decision.
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