So following our dogged disposal of Huddersfield yesterday it would seem we are now officially on a cup run!
There will be those saying 'oooh we need to be concentrating on the league...blah blah blah', personally I say bring it on.
We've only had a few in my memory from the last 33 years of watching and supporting Charlton, and those I was pretty fond of. I'll never forget my first ever away game with my Dad at Colchester. Followed by a shock 1-1 draw with Spurs and Mark 'marmite' Aizlewood's goal celebration of a double two fingered salute to the Charlton faithful who alot of whom had been giving him stick for much of the first half of that season. Having to get on my toes when confornted by an angry mob of Bristolians after beating them to book a quarter final place against Man Utd. (The ensuing trip, pre the purple patch premiership years, to Old Trafford). The disappointment of choking at Middlesborough. I bloody love it!
I'll be excitedly glued to the TV at half five this afternoon, beer in hand, not sure whether i'll be willing a big name to come out of the hat. Lets face it it's been some time since we played the likes of Everton, Liverpool, United, City, Arsenal (away, I fancy that one). Or hoping for something beatable to be put in front of us and the anticipation of a quarter final appearance with the possibility of even a Wembley visit for a semi final.
Yes, I know i'm getting carried away, but at a time when I was really beginning to fall out of love with the game this sort of thing really re-invigorates and galvanizes your enthusiasm for the game.
Av it!
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Expect the unexpected (but in a very sensible way, a bit like Belgium really!)
There seems to be quite a bit of knee jerk 'whats going on? whats not going on? Whys nothing going on?' reaction to our very recent takeover.
And some people suspicions that we'll sell some of our players of value and move in, initially loanee's, to plug those gaps left does ring a touch true.
However this is not necessarily a bad thing, just what needs to be done to make our club viable again.
Lets not forget that until this takeover took place the club we love was very much withering and on it's way to dying on the vine. And that's a fact. Relegation back to the third tier a month ago was the least of our worries in my opinion. Charlton could well have been the first high profile football club in England literally to evaporate into the history of footballs economics.
It's well documented that the new owner plays things sensibly from a economic point of view, and looks at creating revenue where there is not enough through player sales. Although this is done for the good of the club and to help it move forward.
What would people really want. Another Abramovich type Russian villain sacking managers willy nilly, or even an egomaniac from the far east with too much money and too little sense. Our kit changed to whatever whimsical color he feels will sell more shirts in Malaysia and make us luckier and our name changed to 'The Greenwich Royales' or some such nonsense.
I think perhaps it's time to take a deep breath and keep calm and carry on.
I'm sure the new board will make some minor decisions that are not popular, and those with shortsighted views will bemoan them, but the guys done a sensible job at Standard, reestablishing them as one of Belgium's top sides - whilst retaining the integrity of the clubs history AND running them as a going concern rather than a toy with which he can entertain himself and his mates until such a time as he gets bored or arrested leaving the club in the poo once he moves on.
Lets give Roland a chance to sort out the mess we've decended intoand let's face it things CAN only get better.
Cheers.
And some people suspicions that we'll sell some of our players of value and move in, initially loanee's, to plug those gaps left does ring a touch true.
However this is not necessarily a bad thing, just what needs to be done to make our club viable again.
Lets not forget that until this takeover took place the club we love was very much withering and on it's way to dying on the vine. And that's a fact. Relegation back to the third tier a month ago was the least of our worries in my opinion. Charlton could well have been the first high profile football club in England literally to evaporate into the history of footballs economics.
It's well documented that the new owner plays things sensibly from a economic point of view, and looks at creating revenue where there is not enough through player sales. Although this is done for the good of the club and to help it move forward.
What would people really want. Another Abramovich type Russian villain sacking managers willy nilly, or even an egomaniac from the far east with too much money and too little sense. Our kit changed to whatever whimsical color he feels will sell more shirts in Malaysia and make us luckier and our name changed to 'The Greenwich Royales' or some such nonsense.
I think perhaps it's time to take a deep breath and keep calm and carry on.
I'm sure the new board will make some minor decisions that are not popular, and those with shortsighted views will bemoan them, but the guys done a sensible job at Standard, reestablishing them as one of Belgium's top sides - whilst retaining the integrity of the clubs history AND running them as a going concern rather than a toy with which he can entertain himself and his mates until such a time as he gets bored or arrested leaving the club in the poo once he moves on.
Lets give Roland a chance to sort out the mess we've decended intoand let's face it things CAN only get better.
Cheers.
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Another Charlton legend returns...
I'd spent much of last week telling my Millwall supporting best mate and Palarse supporting boss that the Belgian takeover was never going to happen, and whatever was hiding in the closet at The Valley had put the anchors on the deal. Call it a natural leaning to pessimism/realism that us Addicks have.
I was wrong RD has taken over and immediately after such a long time of nout coming out of the boardroom actions taking place. Big time. Hopefully the attention that is being paid to sorting out the pitch is just a taste of sensible things to come. Along with the welcome return of Mr Murray. He may have been part of the management team that dropped the ball so magnificently when Dowie was appointed Curbs successor and our monumentally rapid decline therein after, but he hung on in there, managed to get the mugs to buy us, stave off administration, employ SCP AND get us back up from the third division. And most importantly, i'm sure was an integral player in getting this deal done. Hence, i'm guessing, his appointment as non exec chairman.
Despite some of the woeful performances this season, we are only two or three players short of having a very competitive Championship squad. And once contract issues are sorted with some of our senior players and manager i expect to see a return of the momentum we saw a season ago.
I certainly don't expect immediate glory. From what i can gather we now have a level headed owner, who may make some tough decisions, but they will be considered, measured and if Standard Liege are anything to go on will be for the long term best of our club.
Whatever has happened over the last few years, Murray has always had the best interests of the club HE supports just like us at heart. Whatever Jiminez and Slater have said in the press (following the best part of two years silence) it's Richard Murray we should thank for getting our great club back on track.
What a difference a week can make!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I was wrong RD has taken over and immediately after such a long time of nout coming out of the boardroom actions taking place. Big time. Hopefully the attention that is being paid to sorting out the pitch is just a taste of sensible things to come. Along with the welcome return of Mr Murray. He may have been part of the management team that dropped the ball so magnificently when Dowie was appointed Curbs successor and our monumentally rapid decline therein after, but he hung on in there, managed to get the mugs to buy us, stave off administration, employ SCP AND get us back up from the third division. And most importantly, i'm sure was an integral player in getting this deal done. Hence, i'm guessing, his appointment as non exec chairman.
Despite some of the woeful performances this season, we are only two or three players short of having a very competitive Championship squad. And once contract issues are sorted with some of our senior players and manager i expect to see a return of the momentum we saw a season ago.
I certainly don't expect immediate glory. From what i can gather we now have a level headed owner, who may make some tough decisions, but they will be considered, measured and if Standard Liege are anything to go on will be for the long term best of our club.
Whatever has happened over the last few years, Murray has always had the best interests of the club HE supports just like us at heart. Whatever Jiminez and Slater have said in the press (following the best part of two years silence) it's Richard Murray we should thank for getting our great club back on track.
What a difference a week can make!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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