New Article: RD has played a brilliant hand

Chizz

I am going to break ranks. So forgive me if this seems too rose-tinted. But, right now, on the eve of the four-month period that's going to seal Charlton's fate, I have a huge admiration for what RD has done. Let me explain...

There's no question whatsoever that, come 1 July, Charlton's value will have increased following the deals done this month, compared to the club's value had those deals not been done. The capital income from the player sales, plus the operational cost savings of high-paid players more than outweighs the fees paid and the new staff costs. And the average age of the squad has been reduced. In July, we'll have an experienced, young, exciting group of players on which to build. If you're in Charlton's squad right now, you know one thing for certain: you're going to need sharp elbows to keep ahead of new players being scouted to come in over the Summer. Play your socks off now, win, show what you can do and you'll stay as part of the picture.

As far as the league position is concerned, that will be determined over the next few months. But in black-and-white terms, the squad that got us into the relegation zone has been broken up; and the players brought in are hungry and determined to show what they can do, either to Charlton, to their "parent" clubs or to prospective buyers. Lennie Lawrence at his best used to do one thing very well in his perennial escapology trick: find players who were hungry and angry. This is what we have now got. In spades.

One, big position needs to be finalised. So let's hope that Chris Powell shows RD how much he's worth and what the club will be missing if he goes. But even here, RD has played a really smart hand. In effect, he's saying to Powell, "it's over to you. You can now concentrate on only one thing between now and May: winning as many games as possible". The team's boss now focuses totally, and only on the team and its results.

So the costs have been controlled; fiercely-motivated young, hungry players have been brought in; and the manager now has one, focused clear objective: show us what you can do between now and the end of the season.

It's falling into place. Right now, Charlton's new, 2014-brand squad is sitting on a train heading up north, to start a new chapter for our club. We're not there yet. But this month and this week, we've taken very exciting steps into the future of Charlton. And if that's not exciting enough for some people, I don't know what is!
Come on you reds!

oohaahmortimer

I'll get back to you end of the season but in selling our better players and saving a mill or whatever it will have increased our chances of relegation the better players needed to be added too imo

SELR_addicks

What about the midfield? Hardly better since when he came in.

golfaddick

I admire your optimism & whilst I am looking forward to seeing these new players (esp the strikers) it wont help if CP continues with playing players out of position. The midfield looks a bit weak, unless Green & Harriott are going to be played more often and that CP decides upon a more passing game.

CrisP_owell

RD has gambled but what choice did he have. We were in the bottom 3 not scoring goals and looking like relegation. So having a shake up was for me a gamble worth taking. As things stood we had a squad of players that have won 5 games this season so changing it up had to worth trying.

golfaddick

PS - Cp has also grow some & start tomorrow with Reza & Pete the Pole up front. We've tried Church & Sordell and they are part of the reason why we are where we are. Both the new boys will be buzzing & we will miss a trick if we don't play them.

Cardinal Sin

A bit too early to start getting carried away by any of the new players. What's going to be far more telling is whether or not the existing first-teamers are all going to remain focused. Some still need their contracts sorting or they will start planning to follow Stephens and Kermogant in May and that won't be good for morale. Kermogant wanted to stay but we wouldn't match Bournemouth's offer. Alnwick has been treated shabbily given his performances since he came into the side and those two alone may be fostering some discontent. I agree Powell is crucial to this, so they need to pull their Effing fingers out. If he has to go until May without securing a new deal, I fear it may cost us him and our Championship status. What security does he have otherwise that he can keep us up and keep his job? Pretty shabby way to treat a man who has punched above his weight since becoming Charlton Manager.

Scoham

oohaahmortimer said:

I'll get back to you end of the season but in selling our better players and saving a mill or whatever it will have increased our chances of relegation the better players needed to be added too imo

Agree with oohaah. Not convinced Ajdarevic and Koc are going to be good enough to replace Stephens and Stewart, and we didn't create loads even with them. Think they were signed to add to the squad, not replace what we already had.

Still need a couple of midfielders for me and if possible another striker.

Mckforester

Yann and Stephens were not going to keep us up. They will be missed but we now have some exciting new players; with support from the terraces who knows what they can achieve. CP will hopefully be given enough time to show he is equal to the challenge: good for us & good for RD.

KLAddick

Chizz said:

I am going to break ranks. So forgive me if this seems too rose-tinted. But, right now, on the eve of the four-month period that's going to seal Charlton's fate, I have a huge admiration for what RD has done. Let me explain...

There's no question whatsoever that, come 1 July, Charlton's value will have increased following the deals done this month, compared to the club's value had those deals not been done. The capital income from the player sales, plus the operational cost savings of high-paid players more than outweighs the fees paid and the new staff costs. And the average age of the squad has been reduced. In July, we'll have an experienced, young, exciting group of players on which to build. If you're in Charlton's squad right now, you know one thing for certain: you're going to need sharp elbows to keep ahead of new players being scouted to come in over the Summer. Play your socks off now, win, show what you can do and you'll stay as part of the picture.

As far as the league position is concerned, that will be determined over the next few months. But in black-and-white terms, the squad that got us into the relegation zone has been broken up; and the players brought in are hungry and determined to show what they can do, either to Charlton, to their "parent" clubs or to prospective buyers. Lennie Lawrence at his best used to do one thing very well in his perennial escapology trick: find players who were hungry and angry. This is what we have now got. In spades.

One, big position needs to be finalised. So let's hope that Chris Powell shows RD how much he's worth and what the club will be missing if he goes. But even here, RD has played a really smart hand. In effect, he's saying to Powell, "it's over to you. You can now concentrate on only one thing between now and May: winning as many games as possible". The team's boss now focuses totally, and only on the team and its results.

So the costs have been controlled; fiercely-motivated young, hungry players have been brought in; and the manager now has one, focused clear objective: show us what you can do between now and the end of the season.

It's falling into place. Right now, Charlton's new, 2014-brand squad is sitting on a train heading up north, to start a new chapter for our club. We're not there yet. But this month and this week, we've taken very exciting steps into the future of Charlton. And if that's not exciting enough for some people, I don't know what is!
Come on you reds!

Really? He has sold some of our best players and brought in a group of novices with no experience of British football. I think this is very optimistic at best. It also does nothing to answer the concerns about the identity of the club and the relationship with the manager, playing staff and fans.

I'd love us to do well and avoid relegation, but in your assertions about the qualities about the new signings, I'm going to say you know nothing- because none of us do.

Lincsaddick

Let's hope you're right Chizz .. did the payment from RD come in a brown or white envelope ? ... ((:>) .. only jesting

Scoham

KLAddick said:

Chizz said:

I am going to break ranks. So forgive me if this seems too rose-tinted. But, right now, on the eve of the four-month period that's going to seal Charlton's fate, I have a huge admiration for what RD has done. Let me explain...

There's no question whatsoever that, come 1 July, Charlton's value will have increased following the deals done this month, compared to the club's value had those deals not been done. The capital income from the player sales, plus the operational cost savings of high-paid players more than outweighs the fees paid and the new staff costs. And the average age of the squad has been reduced. In July, we'll have an experienced, young, exciting group of players on which to build. If you're in Charlton's squad right now, you know one thing for certain: you're going to need sharp elbows to keep ahead of new players being scouted to come in over the Summer. Play your socks off now, win, show what you can do and you'll stay as part of the picture.

As far as the league position is concerned, that will be determined over the next few months. But in black-and-white terms, the squad that got us into the relegation zone has been broken up; and the players brought in are hungry and determined to show what they can do, either to Charlton, to their "parent" clubs or to prospective buyers. Lennie Lawrence at his best used to do one thing very well in his perennial escapology trick: find players who were hungry and angry. This is what we have now got. In spades.

One, big position needs to be finalised. So let's hope that Chris Powell shows RD how much he's worth and what the club will be missing if he goes. But even here, RD has played a really smart hand. In effect, he's saying to Powell, "it's over to you. You can now concentrate on only one thing between now and May: winning as many games as possible". The team's boss now focuses totally, and only on the team and its results.

So the costs have been controlled; fiercely-motivated young, hungry players have been brought in; and the manager now has one, focused clear objective: show us what you can do between now and the end of the season.

It's falling into place. Right now, Charlton's new, 2014-brand squad is sitting on a train heading up north, to start a new chapter for our club. We're not there yet. But this month and this week, we've taken very exciting steps into the future of Charlton. And if that's not exciting enough for some people, I don't know what is!
Come on you reds!

Really? He has sold some of our best players and brought in a group of novices with no experience of British football. I think this is very optimistic at best. It also does nothing to answer the concerns about the identity of the club and the relationship with the manager, playing staff and fans.

I'd love us to do well and avoid relegation, but in your assertions about the qualities about the new signings, I'm going to say you know nothing- because none of us do.

Young, talented and hungry. That's what we thought we were getting with Semedo, Racon and Moutaouakil.

All sound promising but it's a big step up and they need to make it very quickly.

nth_london_addick

Chizz you are right imo

Mckforester

Was that the Semedo that fans voted Player of the Year?

Rob

I tend to agree with Chizz. Still a work in progress. Rome wasn't built in a day and all that.

Scoham

In League One. We signed all three hoping they'd take us back to the Prem and be capable of making the step up. We gave them all 4 year deals.

AFKABartram

Well its fairly obvious I disagree with you Chizz as things currently stand, but I hope more than anything you are right and I am wrong.

boogica

Its a massive gamble, im worried .

Henry Irving

Good to see some optimism but a lot of assumptions over costs, player attitudes etc

Agree with Ooah that we need to wait and see and that means beyond the Wigan game, Golfie. If PP doesn't start that is more likely because he only signed today not because Powell is missing a trick.

As I said before we have swapped a bird in the hand for two in the bush.

Lots of hungry kids or lots of homesick loanees not up for a relegation battle?

Not going to judge them on one, two of five games.

Powell is under huge pressure to very quickly integrate the six new players while lifting the existing players who may well be unhappy about the departures while wondering if they will be next.

And meanwhile he has to win every game playing like Brazil 70 to placate some on here.

Good luck Chris, you are gonna need it.

The_President

Can i have some of your tablets Chizz?

Bedsaddick

I disagree wholeheartedly with Chizz . We have sold our best keeper , midfielder and striker and brought in players who have absolutely no experience of Championship football and we have a manager who doesn't know what his future is .
We need experience to get us out of the mess we are in and Powell to be given a contract extension.

There is nothing i would like more than to say i was wrong but i somehow doubt i will be.

Plaaayer

You're mental.

Goonerhater

"played a brilliant hand" maybe for his portfolio fo clubs but for CAFC i dont think so.

20 games to go lets hope he has.

soapy_jones

Yer frickin bunch of CL wet lettuces...

Lets get ready to rumble!

Airman Brown

I think we're about to find out. We might not learn everything tomorrow, but we will learn something.

Uboat

The new players and Rhoys might be well motivated, but I doubt the rest will be.

Oakster

CP is on a hiding to nothing - if he succeeds with the players he's been saddled with then the plaudits largely go to whoever in RD's empire selected these players for Charlton and sold his key players from under him. CP of course would get some credit you would hope for getting the silk purse to work.

If the new blood doesn't generate a quick turn around in fortunes well that's only leading to one conclusion as far as I can see.

Braziliance

I agree tbh, completely. To everyone saying we've lost our best players and we're going down. Take a look at the table. It wasn't working anyway.

Selling Alnwick was not the worst move. Yeah he's been in form lately but he's not going to keep us up or make a huge impact to the squad. No more than Hamer or Thuram anyway, it's not like they've come from the local pub team to play for us. Thuram was a bit dodgy on his debut for us but what did everyone expect? We were against an in form Boro and our defense wasn't great. He pulled off a few stops and I don't see the problem with him stepping in. If Alnwick was such a gem then why was he offloaded everywhere and is now playing for a League1 team? We got the best out of him but we can do better, that's that. I will praise his performances lately but that doesn't mean we needed to keep him.

Yann I'm a bit pissy over, his goal ratio isn't good but what he did for us was brilliant. He's not a 20 goals a season player but he was important to us. Still if the club wanted to sell him on/he wanted to leave then so be it, we've got two new forwards and I'm really excited to see them play. They both seem to want to be here and both have decent goal records and there is no way on earth they can be worse than Church. I think Yann looked a lot better at times than what he is purely cause of the lack of talent around him, but we'll see.

As for Dale again not too fussed, he's stepped it up for us but for the amount we got for him, I don't think it was a bad move. Bare in mind how lucky we got at Huddersfield with his incident and the fact that he 'misses north' what a load of shit that was. Do we really want a player here who's heart wasn't in the right place anyway? AA or Poyet can take his role if we can't find someone by the end of tonight. Who knows they may even work out better for us than he did with all our new players coming in.

People need to give Roland a chance to figure out the kinks for the club HE paid for. He got us out of debt and tbh I haven't found Charlton this exciting to follow in a long time in the transfer business. Imagine if he didn't buy us? We'd have lost all our players and signed no one and we'd no doubt be complaining that no one bought us and to top it all off no ambition for the future.

Overall I may be wrong but I think he is making some decent decisions and I think we're going to stay up and next season we'll be in a far better position. I really hope he sticks with Powell and sees where things go. CP deserves this opportunity he has and I really hope he's our manager on a permanent basis.

Seriously need to get behind our club, far too much negativity, the fact i've seen people compare RD to Vincent Tan is a joke.

Nug

Big gamble for me, I would say too much of one. Think Powell has been undermined, think he will primarily stick with his original squad which might get him the sack as it's now weaker. I think Reza looks like he's a good addition and will offer something different. PP is a wildcard, very young, lots of potential, but probably never came up against teams of Championship quality. The new RB looks to be very inexperienced. Trouble is none of us know, including the coaching staff. Gonna be interesting to see and I hope you are right.

Lincsaddick

^^^ well argued @Braziliance .. and as with Chizz's contribution, I REALLY hope that you're right

seriously_red

No time to wait and see we all need to be 100% behind the new look team! the average age must have fallen a little and will fall a lot more in the summer.

Can't wait for the Birmingham game. Must win to get this team up and running - if Powell can get it to gel then we are laughing. If not well I don't want to go there!

After new signings and Wiggins extension, the number of players on long term deals is now 10 or 11and I guess maybe half of those running out this summer might get 1 year renewals so everything to play for.

Always knew Stephens would not sign again after the Villa non-deal 18 months ago but was surprised how the Kermorgant thing panned out. Two players gone but a fair few in - let's see.