Andy gray rejects stoke

dmjn

Charlton Athletic striker Andy Gray has turned down a move to Premier League strugglers Stoke City.

Potters boss Tony Pulis is looking to beef up his attacking options in January and has already brought in James Beattie from Sheffield United.

He has also made an enquiry for Gray, who has scored seven goals in 25 appearances for the Championship's bottom club this season.

However, Addicks chief Phil Parkinson has revealed the former Burnley forward rejected the move due to concerns over how often he would play at Stoke.

"There was an enquiry from Stoke about Andy, but he turned it down," Parkinson told the club's official website.

"It came out of the blue, but Andy wasn't keen on going up there. They're a big club - a Premier League club - but Andy wants to play and it looked like he would be back-up to all the strikers they've got up there and it didn't appeal to him.

"It's flattering for Andy that a Premier League side enquired about him, but he's in my thoughts for Saturday and I'm looking forward to him putting in a very good performance."

Gray is now expected to come back into Charlton's starting line-up for Saturday's Championship game at Sheffield

taken from ssn

is this a show of commitment or was it just money?

falconwood_1

Is it me or is we in the Twilight Zone at The Valley?

Andy Gray has been poor/borderline Mike Small for us and yet a Prem club sees something in him?

Oggy Red

The team hasn't played to him, so he hasn't delivered.

Yet he has delivered with his previous clubs in the CCC. Play to his strengths or don't play him at all.

It's not that we haven't already done this to death.

Exiled_Addick

[cite]Posted By: falconwood_1[/cite]Is it me or is we in the Twilight Zone at The Valley?

Andy Gray has been poor/borderline Mike Small for us and yet a Prem club sees something in him?

Or could it be that a successful football manager is a better judge of a player than your average Charlton fan?

Swisdom

[cite]Posted By: Exiled_Addick[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: falconwood_1[/cite]Is it me or is we in the Twilight Zone at The Valley?

Andy Gray has been poor/borderline Mike Small for us and yet a Prem club sees something in him?

Or could it be that a successful football manager is a better judge of a player than your average Charlton fan?

I see what you are implying there Exiled - but I 100% support the sentiment of Falconwood - Andy Gray has been completely pants for us. I can imagine Parky's face when he heard of the offer.

nigel

''Or could it be that a successful football manager is a better judge of a player than your average Charlton fan? ''

Fair point. Pulis certainly counts as a successful manager, a description that can be applied neither to Pardew nor Parky...

Swisdom

But Andy Gray is pants in the air and can't hold the ball up - why on earth would they want him

Charlton Dan

[cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]But Andy Gray is pants in the air and can't hold the ball up - why on earth would they want him

He's not that bad Swisdom....He's our top scorer this season, got 15 ish last season. He's a decent player but because he's a big lump that doesnt win that many headers some people automatically assume he's crap. Ignorant IMO

Oggy Red

Because he's scored goals consistantly in his career ....?

And even at clueless Charlton who won't use him properly he's still leading goalscorer

Ledge

[cite]Posted By: falconwood_1[/cite]Is it me or is we in the Twilight Zone at The Valley?

Andy Gray has been poor/borderline Mike Small for us and yet a Prem club sees something in him?

This IS one of the most laughable posts ever seen on Charlton Life. Likening Andy Gray to Mike Small LOL

nigel

"Clueless Charlton". I'm shocked, Oggy. We don't expect that sort of language from you! Go and wash your mouth out...

stubs1310

Wouldn't have to be very agile/mobile as Delap would throw the ball straight to his feet- save him having to try and actually WIN the ball for a change!

Exiled_Addick

[cite]Posted By: Swisdom[/cite]Andy Gray has been completely pants for us.

I wouldn't be quite that damning Swis, but I would certainly agree he's not been great. Pullis' interest does add creadance to the argument that we've dragged a good player down to our level through poor tactics and service though rather than we just signed a duff 'un, that was my point really.

The question is, can we build on the improvements made to our general team shape and organisation in recent weeks AND play in a way that better suits Andy Gray or is he just not suited to the way we are going to play and should be shipped out. If we can do the former he can still be a good player for us.

I'm not sure what it says about his character that he's turned down a chance to play in the Premier League (when surely at 30 and out of form his chances to show what he can do there are going to be very few and far between). Is it a sign of loyalty to Charlton and a desire to fight for us or is it a sign he wants to stay whether he can get regualar games without having to push himself very hard?

Oggy Red

It's probably just as much says of his character after the family illness crisis he endured recently, that he just wants a bit of stability in his life - and to spend his free time with his family?

nigel

I think it's probably because they wanted him merely as back-up and he'd have been pretty far down the pecking order and unlikely to get a game unless there were heavy injuries and suspensions...

LenGlover

[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]It's probably just as much says of his character after the family illness crisis he endured recently, that he just wants a bit of stability in his life - and to spend his free time with his family?

Agreed

Dazzler21

What len says about what oggy says

Exiled_Addick

I'm a bit confused about this family issue though as I thought they were still based up north, in which case a move to Stoke would've been ideal, or has his family moved south now?

As for being down the pecking order at Stoke, that's my point - he'd have to fight for his place there, but the reward might be doing well in the Prem and earning himself a contract somewhere in the top flight, late in his career - one last hurrah if you like. Staying at Charlton he knows he's unlikely to fall more than a couple of places down the order so isn't going to have to break sweat to keep himslef in the frame. I have no idea if that's his motivation - just it's one way of looking at it.

I'd obviously love him to bang a couple in tomorrow though and put himself about a bit and nail his place in our team firmly down.

Oggy Red

I believe I heard Gray and his family have finally based themselves in the London area, but they've all had an anxious time - so I guess any proposed move is wrong timing.

Any move with more travelling and family upheaval is probably not something his family would welcome just now.

Scoham

[cite]Posted By: nigel w[/cite]I think it's probably because they wanted him merely as back-up and he'd have been pretty far down the pecking order and unlikely to get a game unless there were heavy injuries and suspensions...

That's what I think it is, along with not wanting to move again.

Dazzler21

[cite]Posted By: Oggy Red[/cite]I believe I heard Gray and his family have finally based themselves in the London area, but they've all had an anxious time - so I guess any proposed move is wrong timing.

Any move with more travelling and family upheaval is probably not something his family would welcome just now.

agree.