I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
Was it saved? We signed OO at the same time as Morrison left.
Maybe he is on less that Morrison but at least some of the money "saved" went to provide the cover at centre half that we already had with Morrison.
And OO is a lot older and as we've have learnt injury prone.
And maybe OO is on a bigger wage being ex- Milan etc. We just don't know. So you can't definitively state "money was saved" especially as it seems we'll have to replace both of them in this window.
But the squad was paper thin at the start of the season and many of us made that point at the time to be told it was OK as more players would come in (other than Coquelin they didn't) or we were given the laughable line about the young players being a year old. Older doesn't automatically mean better as Fox has shown. Young players are inconsistent and have ups and downs as they learn. And some just never kick on.
Which is why you want experienced championship players in the squad like, I don't know, Michael Morrison.
I'm not anti-RD and have said consistently for the past year that he is
1. better than the old lot that some constantly praised and defended even when it was clear that their "strategy" was killing the club.
2. going to take a few years for his plan to bear fruit and that in the meantime it will be a "bumpy ride". Said it last Jan and repeat it now.
But that doesn't mean he can't be criticised or his actions questioned.
Injuries - how exactly does one predict which positions will suffer? Or do you burn money by doubling up with experienced pros while at the same time block the progress of younger players. In fact why have an academy if you never play them?!
The reality is that Pope gets exposure then out on loan again...Harriott is at a make or break stage of his Charlton career...anyone can see Gomez is a star and has also provided cover at right back where Solly not ever present... Cousins keeps going and now adding long range shooting to his game.
"bumpy road" means nothing - generic term to cover any eventuality in football, life etc.
"Paper thin squad" better players cost more money...transfer fees cost money in the accounts...and Cafc is being run with the same budgetted loss as last season. Fox was perfectly adequate last season when Wiggins was out so why assume any different this time. The reality is we have no-one wearing the number nine shirt and all strikers bar Vetokele have been shown wanting over half a season.
The bigger picture would suggest that we are well on our way to a decent competitive squad for next season - what we don't have is any indication as to how M.Duchatelet will respond to the change in FFP limits...we simply don't know what the budget might be for next season in terms of losses, prices and player acquisition.
What hasn't happened is the effective use of the loan system October-December after injuries / loss of form occurs. This doesn't mean you need more players on permanent contracts even though some would like to see a return to the hoards of dross from last season. It simply indicates that this season is not about win at all costs.
Similarly loans weren't available last season and we saw where that landed us, but we did have Hulse and Fuller the year before. And that made a difference. Fuller wasn't a loan obviously but his nine month deal was in effect the same thing.
Young players getting better? Some do and some don't "kick on". Millwall lose £10m a year and their squad has an average age of 28 whereas CAFC loses £5m and the average is 24. The players who do kick on such as Cousins, Gomez and Vetokele will be worth a fortune by 2016. To argue anything else shows an incredible lack of understanding of a championship football club business!
It's a simple fact that in August this year we will have perhaps 75% of the current squad and they will be one year older than last season. For a 19-21 year old this makes a hell of a difference. And for the whole squad many will have 30-40 games each playing together and against Championship opposition. That vital experience could make all the difference. And to the fans, I sense they want stability and familiarity along with decent new signings so I expect many will welcome a second season of this new look squad.
Nobody can accurately predict who will arrive over the summer but it's more likely to be Coquelin than cock up! Having spent £20m+ on acquiring and funding CAFC, the logical and rational conclusion is that more money will be invested to ensure improvement for next season. As CAFC develops a reputation across target countries for decent football and promoting young players this should enhance recruitment chances. Maybe acquiring Vetokele and Gudmundsson was a one off but somehow I doubt it.
Of course mistakes are made around player acquisition and obviously squad dynamics and requirements shift throughout the season. I stated last May that the departure of so many players was in effect a platform upon which a new squad could be built. Next May there will be ample opportunity to add to the mix and time will tell how that is executed.
Alternatively the only investment in 2015-16 might be in Academy cat 1 buildings but you don't get 20,000+ crowds for u18 football and you don't have a tilt at the play-offs by only relying on the academy.
But the squad was paper thin at the start of the season and many of us made that point at the time to be told it was OK as more players would come in (other than Coquelin they didn't) or we were given the laughable line about the young players being a year old. Older doesn't automatically mean better as Fox has shown. Young players are inconsistent and have ups and downs as they learn. And some just never kick on.
Which is why you want experienced championship players in the squad like, I don't know, Michael Morrison.
I'm not anti-RD and have said consistently for the past year that he is
1. better than the old lot that some constantly praised and defended even when it was clear that their "strategy" was killing the club.
2. going to take a few years for his plan to bear fruit and that in the meantime it will be a "bumpy ride". Said it last Jan and repeat it now.
But that doesn't mean he can't be criticised or his actions questioned.
I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
How on earth can your 3rd best CB (far from a fact) be surplus to requirements? Infact he was only 3rd best because TBH & Bikey started the season well, within less than a dozen of games they were tired and making mistakes, they had no push up the backside to keep performing. They now know their position is pretty much safe, there's not much risk of them being dropped if we have no proven CB to push them for the spot.
It's a ridiculous business/football whatever you like to call it move whichever way you look at it.
This is where I get confused and don't really understand the strategy. Morro ticked all the boxes - relatively young, experienced in the Championship, virtually ever present for three seasons and Vice Captain - even one of the "faces" of the club when it came to things like distributing season tickets and visiting hospitals. So much so that the new regime secured him on a new contract - so far, so good.
We also now have a Head Coach rather than a Manager, and one of the reasons for this (given by Katrien) is that player recruitment is not directly/ solely down to him - in that way we avoid Managers building their own squads, leaving the Club with hefty contracts and long-term commitments when a new Manager comes in and does not "fancy" some of the players, wanting to build his own squad / style at considerable expense instead. Charlton, supposedly, would no longer do that.
Yet it now seems that Morro was moved on because Peeters did not fancy him (and I' don't mean like Curb-It does...) - which is at odds with the strategy of building a valuable, manager-proof squad.
And what is even more strange is that he left for free - perhaps a nice gesture for a loyal servant - but that to me is more appropriate for an older player towards the end of his career, not one in his prime. That does not make good business-sense, yet everything else we hear is that the network strategy is all about building the asset value of players.
The release of Morro for me was simply irrational.
Then there is the emotional side - the way we have turned Wilson, who was virtual POTY last season, into a player lacking all confidence and perhaps even commitment. That's a waste of an asset, too.
However appalling things were behind the scenes under the last regime, at least we still had a strong team spirit holding things together. Morro's departure is not only bad for team/squad spirit, it also calls into question the strategy we are supposedly following.
Confused of Glasgow...
Spot on Weegie...... and one of the few people who have interviewed KM recently, I think your view is both valid and up to date. I spoke to MM at the training ground in September at the kit launch, he seemed very settled and delighted that the contract had been agreed. Personally I have always been a very supportive advocate of his ability, and more importantly his attitude, like so many others. Okay things change, and players and personnel are not constant, but you also need people on board that are dependable and you rely on. For the reason's you state it seems not to fit any of the tests, or so called reasons. Having met Morro on a few occassions he did not seem the type to 'sulk', or pull a 'strop', of course he wanted to play, he would not be alone there would he? I admit he was one of my favourite players, but this was simply irrational. Surely he could have been persuaded to stay till the end of the season, personally I think a player like him will always be wanted. But like most people you have to have the man management skills to make them feel wanted. To me manager's that can do that, earn there money.
I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
How on earth can your 3rd best CB (far from a fact) be surplus to requirements? Infact he was only 3rd best because TBH & Bikey started the season well, within less than a dozen of games they were tired and making mistakes, they had no push up the backside to keep performing. They now know their position is pretty much safe, there's not much risk of them being dropped if we have no proven CB to push them for the spot.
It's a ridiculous business/football whatever you like to call it move whichever way you look at it.
Ask Bob Peeters why he wouldn't play him and was happy to see him leave. Either way the first team coach thought he was surplus and money better spent on OO.
I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
Was it saved? We signed OO at the same time as Morrison left.
Maybe he is on less that Morrison but at least some of the money "saved" went to provide the cover at centre half that we already had with Morrison.
And OO is a lot older and as we've have learnt injury prone.
And maybe OO is on a bigger wage being ex- Milan etc. We just don't know. So you can't definitively state "money was saved" especially as it seems we'll have to replace both of them in this window.
But the squad was paper thin at the start of the season and many of us made that point at the time to be told it was OK as more players would come in (other than Coquelin they didn't) or we were given the laughable line about the young players being a year old. Older doesn't automatically mean better as Fox has shown. Young players are inconsistent and have ups and downs as they learn. And some just never kick on.
Which is why you want experienced championship players in the squad like, I don't know, Michael Morrison.
I'm not anti-RD and have said consistently for the past year that he is
1. better than the old lot that some constantly praised and defended even when it was clear that their "strategy" was killing the club.
2. going to take a few years for his plan to bear fruit and that in the meantime it will be a "bumpy ride". Said it last Jan and repeat it now.
But that doesn't mean he can't be criticised or his actions questioned.
I
Another scenario : Bob Peeters says I need another CB because I don't think MM fits in with how I want to set up the back four. I hear OO is available. You can't have him unless we lose MM first.
A plus or minus on wages would be the decision of the Chairman but regardless as soon as MM was gone we had saved money because he wasn't either in or ever going to be in Peeters plans. His salary was "dead money"
I thought MM was a very steady competent championship defender and an honest pro. Are Bikey and TBH better than him ? In my opinion yes. BP wants defenders comfortable on the ball and the reality is that Morro was a traditional british style centre half. Nothing wrong in that but not what our current coach wanted. Nothing wrong in that either. Footballers fall in and out of favour with managers, clubs and fans. It's the way it is. It's the way it will always be. Good luck Michael Morrison. You did us proud while you were here and I'm sure you will do likewise for Birmingham.
With a small squad I think there is something wrong with the way bob treated him just because he's a different type of player. It was obvious to most he would be needed at some point in the season so keep him in the fold use him involve him. Mistake by Bob. I probably agree that Bikey an TBh are better i dont think Onyewu will be. And having morro to push them an keep the on their toes would be perfect. Also I'd have brought him in for the out of former Bikey more recently.
Or the CEO said to Bob. What's going on with Michael Morrison ? He's not getting game time. Why is that ? If you don't really feel you need him or will use him can we ship him out and use the money to bring in someone else ? Yes. Ok I'll get on it.
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
Was it saved? We signed OO at the same time as Morrison left.
Maybe he is on less that Morrison but at least some of the money "saved" went to provide the cover at centre half that we already had with Morrison.
And OO is a lot older and as we've have learnt injury prone.
And maybe OO is on a bigger wage being ex- Milan etc. We just don't know. So you can't definitively state "money was saved" especially as it seems we'll have to replace both of them in this window.
But the squad was paper thin at the start of the season and many of us made that point at the time to be told it was OK as more players would come in (other than Coquelin they didn't) or we were given the laughable line about the young players being a year old. Older doesn't automatically mean better as Fox has shown. Young players are inconsistent and have ups and downs as they learn. And some just never kick on.
Which is why you want experienced championship players in the squad like, I don't know, Michael Morrison.
I'm not anti-RD and have said consistently for the past year that he is
1. better than the old lot that some constantly praised and defended even when it was clear that their "strategy" was killing the club.
2. going to take a few years for his plan to bear fruit and that in the meantime it will be a "bumpy ride". Said it last Jan and repeat it now.
But that doesn't mean he can't be criticised or his actions questioned.
I
Another scenario : Bob Peeters says I need another CB because I don't think MM fits in with how I want to set up the back four. I hear OO is available. You can't have him unless we lose MM first.
A plus or minus on wages would be the decision of the Chairman but regardless as soon as MM was gone we had saved money because he wasn't either in or ever going to be in Peeters plans. His salary was "dead money"
But he went on loan, at first. Was his full wages paid?..... he obviously was 'valued' by Birmingham, because they subsequently signed him. The issue, or point why for no fee?. The concept of 'dead money' could be levelled at any player not playing in the first 14 or so, or even 11 if you want to be pedantic. Of course you win and loose as a team, and sometimes individuals may have all sorts of injuries and fitness issues, loss of form etc. Was MM an issue in the dressing room?...... I do not know, I was not in there? but always seemed to give his all to me, like Jackko. Wether he/they were/are good enough, I agree that is for the manager to decide, or coach in this case. If you are going to let players go for free, there are a few more I would have put before MM. But then I am not the coach, and just my opinion......
I think you will find that, under Staprix, the manager / coach is not the one to make final decision on ins and outs! The only theory that makes sense to me is a mix of doing the honourable thing by Morro, freeing up the wage bill and freeing up space for Gomez. To understand any of this we need to think what the squad and budget might look like for next season. And to me it looks like Morro, Church and possibly Wilson (?) don't feature.
I think the game has changed and not very many players at Championship level and below will be attracting a fee from now on. Having him on the books and not getting a look in because Peeters didn't fancy him was just a waste of our meagre resources. I'm not criticising Morro. Far from it. He was right for Birmingham at that moment but not the right fit for us in the eyes of our coach.
I think the game has changed and not very many players at Championship level and below will be attracting a fee from now on. Having him on the books and not getting a look in because Peeters didn't fancy him was just a waste of our meagre resources. I'm not criticising Morro. Far from it. He was right for Birmingham at that moment but not the right fit for us in the eyes of our coach.
agreed .. and also Morrison was probably very, indeed VERY keen to get away and play first team football
Michael Morrison when not in the team (not sure if it was injury or suspension) went in the away end at millwall and sat with the Charlton fans That to me deserves a pat on the back Would any of these playing imports do that , do they care that much , have they got anywhere near that amount of feeling for our club In a dream world yes but I fear reality is somewhat different Who decided to give MM a new contract and who decided he was surplus
All I hope is with this so called develop youth and sell em on stuff we end up getting proper decent fees like palace do for some of their shit young players who always get worse when they leave (Bostock/Zaha) and palace sell the player at the top In recent years (jonjo, Jenkinson , Poyet) we didn't appear to get top dollar for and they are worth more to their next clubs
Lest we forget that when all and sundry were jumping ship Morrow re-signed. Not sure why Bob never played him, but points more to Bob being clueless. Reckon in the end he was getting more vocal about wanting to play.
Firstly, I'd like to say that the original post by tma is looking even more astute than it did at the time.
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Rich Cawley put it in the public domain, I think in the SLP. I have spoken to him about it and he is very confident It's true. He also believes other clubs were interested in MM, which makes it even more odd.
Firstly, I'd like to say that the original post by tma is looking even more astute than it did at the time.
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Maybe, I was just 'lucky' to appear to be ahead of what has been unwrapping. All I would say is that even when things looked OK-ish, I felt an unease. I nearly stuck £200 on us to go down when the odds were 20-1, but a sense of loyalty stopped me. I felt that something was amiss.
I do strongly feel that the best teams, particularly at Championship level and below, are not the ones with the best individuals. Team spirit, as I said on another thread, is just as important at Charlton Athletic as it is as Charlton Park Rangers 3rd XI playing in Charlton Park.
When the going got tough last year, Morrison, Dervite, Jackson and others pulled out the stops and we stayed up. I don't feel the same about this lot. I may be wrong and I sincerely hope I am. The early points on the board should save us in the way that Blackpool stayed up last year, but I feel uneasy about things. It will, of course, all unfurl over the next few weeks and we will all have our take on it. I just feel there are some bad signs, which, of course, may be unwarranted.
Firstly, I'd like to say that the original post by tma is looking even more astute than it did at the time.
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Rich Cawley put it in the public domain, I think in the SLP. I have spoken to him about it and he is very confident It's true. He also believes other clubs were interested in MM, which makes it even more odd.
Thanks Airman. Mind you Rich Cawley also tweeted that Peeters wasn't going to be sacked & replaced by Luzon :-)
Firstly, I'd like to say that the original post by tma is looking even more astute than it did at the time.
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Rich Cawley put it in the public domain, I think in the SLP. I have spoken to him about it and he is very confident It's true. He also believes other clubs were interested in MM, which makes it even more odd.
Thanks Airman. Mind you Rich Cawley also tweeted that Peeters wasn't going to be sacked & replaced by Luzon :-)
Ah, but he didn't. He tweeted that it hadn't happened, which was correct. Well, as far as Peeters knew anyway ... :-)
Firstly, I'd like to say that the original post by tma is looking even more astute than it did at the time.
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Rich Cawley put it in the public domain, I think in the SLP. I have spoken to him about it and he is very confident It's true. He also believes other clubs were interested in MM, which makes it even more odd.
Thanks Airman. Mind you Rich Cawley also tweeted that Peeters wasn't going to be sacked & replaced by Luzon :-)
Ah, but he didn't. He tweeted that it hadn't happened, which was correct. Well, as far as Peeters knew anyway ... :-)
I think the game has changed and not very many players at Championship level and below will be attracting a fee from now on. Having him on the books and not getting a look in because Peeters didn't fancy him was just a waste of our meagre resources. I'm not criticising Morro. Far from it. He was right for Birmingham at that moment but not the right fit for us in the eyes of our coach.
agreed .. and also Morrison was probably very, indeed VERY keen to get away and play first team football
And now we do not have the coach? I wonder if this was such an astute move now? Personally, was not impressed at the time, frankly very unhappy at this moment in time.
Comments
We have been told we have one of the smallest budgets in the division. That needs discipline, innovative thinking and being hard nosed and calculating. It's called business. Regardless of what some of us think. Morro was surplus to requirements in the eyes of the man that mattered and money was saved.
Maybe he is on less that Morrison but at least some of the money "saved" went to provide the cover at centre half that we already had with Morrison.
And OO is a lot older and as we've have learnt injury prone.
And maybe OO is on a bigger wage being ex- Milan etc. We just don't know. So you can't definitively state "money was saved" especially as it seems we'll have to replace both of them in this window.
But the squad was paper thin at the start of the season and many of us made that point at the time to be told it was OK as more players would come in (other than Coquelin they didn't) or we were given the laughable line about the young players being a year old. Older doesn't automatically mean better as Fox has shown. Young players are inconsistent and have ups and downs as they learn. And some just never kick on.
Which is why you want experienced championship players in the squad like, I don't know, Michael Morrison.
I'm not anti-RD and have said consistently for the past year that he is
1. better than the old lot that some constantly praised and defended even when it was clear that their "strategy" was killing the club.
2. going to take a few years for his plan to bear fruit and that in the meantime it will be a "bumpy ride". Said it last Jan and repeat it now.
But that doesn't mean he can't be criticised or his actions questioned.
I
The reality is that Pope gets exposure then out on loan again...Harriott is at a make or break stage of his Charlton career...anyone can see Gomez is a star and has also provided cover at right back where Solly not ever present... Cousins keeps going and now adding long range shooting to his game.
"bumpy road" means nothing - generic term to cover any eventuality in football, life etc.
"Paper thin squad" better players cost more money...transfer fees cost money in the accounts...and Cafc is being run with the same budgetted loss as last season. Fox was perfectly adequate last season when Wiggins was out so why assume any different this time. The reality is we have no-one wearing the number nine shirt and all strikers bar Vetokele have been shown wanting over half a season.
The bigger picture would suggest that we are well on our way to a decent competitive squad for next season - what we don't have is any indication as to how M.Duchatelet will respond to the change in FFP limits...we simply don't know what the budget might be for next season in terms of losses, prices and player acquisition.
What hasn't happened is the effective use of the loan system October-December after injuries / loss of form occurs. This doesn't mean you need more players on permanent contracts even though some would like to see a return to the hoards of dross from last season. It simply indicates that this season is not about win at all costs.
Similarly loans weren't available last season and we saw where that landed us, but we did have Hulse and Fuller the year before. And that made a difference. Fuller wasn't a loan obviously but his nine month deal was in effect the same thing.
Young players getting better? Some do and some don't "kick on". Millwall lose £10m a year and their squad has an average age of 28 whereas CAFC loses £5m and the average is 24. The players who do kick on such as Cousins, Gomez and Vetokele will be worth a fortune by 2016. To argue anything else shows an incredible lack of understanding of a championship football club business!
It's a simple fact that in August this year we will have perhaps 75% of the current squad and they will be one year older than last season. For a 19-21 year old this makes a hell of a difference. And for the whole squad many will have 30-40 games each playing together and against Championship opposition. That vital experience could make all the difference. And to the fans, I sense they want stability and familiarity along with decent new signings so I expect many will welcome a second season of this new look squad.
Nobody can accurately predict who will arrive over the summer but it's more likely to be Coquelin than cock up! Having spent £20m+ on acquiring and funding CAFC, the logical and rational conclusion is that more money will be invested to ensure improvement for next season. As CAFC develops a reputation across target countries for decent football and promoting young players this should enhance recruitment chances. Maybe acquiring Vetokele and Gudmundsson was a one off but somehow I doubt it.
Of course mistakes are made around player acquisition and obviously squad dynamics and requirements shift throughout the season. I stated last May that the departure of so many players was in effect a platform upon which a new squad could be built. Next May there will be ample opportunity to add to the mix and time will tell how that is executed.
Alternatively the only investment in 2015-16 might be in Academy cat 1 buildings but you don't get 20,000+ crowds for u18 football and you don't have a tilt at the play-offs by only relying on the academy.
It's a ridiculous business/football whatever you like to call it move whichever way you look at it.
I spoke to MM at the training ground in September at the kit launch, he seemed very settled and delighted that the contract had been agreed.
Personally I have always been a very supportive advocate of his ability, and more importantly his attitude, like so many others.
Okay things change, and players and personnel are not constant, but you also need people on board that are dependable and you rely on.
For the reason's you state it seems not to fit any of the tests, or so called reasons. Having met Morro on a few occassions he did not seem the type to 'sulk', or pull a 'strop', of course he wanted to play, he would not be alone there would he?
I admit he was one of my favourite players, but this was simply irrational. Surely he could have been persuaded to stay till the end of the season, personally I think a player like him will always be wanted. But like most people you have to have the man management skills to make them feel wanted. To me manager's that can do that, earn there money.
Another scenario : Bob Peeters says I need another CB because I don't think MM fits in with how I want to set up the back four. I hear OO is available. You can't have him unless we lose MM first.
A plus or minus on wages would be the decision of the Chairman but regardless as soon as MM was gone we had saved money because he wasn't either in or ever going to be in Peeters plans. His salary was "dead money"
The issue, or point why for no fee?. The concept of 'dead money' could be levelled at any player not playing in the first 14 or so, or even 11 if you want to be pedantic. Of course you win and loose as a team, and sometimes individuals may have all sorts of injuries and fitness issues, loss of form etc. Was MM an issue in the dressing room?...... I do not know, I was not in there? but always seemed to give his all to me, like Jackko.
Wether he/they were/are good enough, I agree that is for the manager to decide, or coach in this case. If you are going to let players go for free, there are a few more I would have put before MM. But then I am not the coach, and just my opinion......
The only theory that makes sense to me is a mix of doing the honourable thing by Morro, freeing up the wage bill and freeing up space for Gomez.
To understand any of this we need to think what the squad and budget might look like for next season. And to me it looks like Morro, Church and possibly Wilson (?) don't feature.
That to me deserves a pat on the back
Would any of these playing imports do that , do they care that much , have they got anywhere near that amount of feeling for our club
In a dream world yes but I fear reality is somewhat different
Who decided to give MM a new contract and who decided he was surplus
All I hope is with this so called develop youth and sell em on stuff we end up getting proper decent fees like palace do for some of their shit young players
who always get worse when they leave (Bostock/Zaha) and palace sell the player at the top
In recent years (jonjo, Jenkinson , Poyet) we didn't appear to get top dollar for and they are worth more to their next clubs
Secondly, I'd like to know why it seems to be accepted that we didn't get a fee for Morrison.
I'm 100% positive CAFC said the fee was undisclosed. So that could have meant £300K for all we know.
Ok, it quite likely was free, but where did this "conclusion" come from ?
Someone must be able to shed some light ?
Not sure why Bob never played him, but points more to Bob being clueless.
Reckon in the end he was getting more vocal about wanting to play.
I do strongly feel that the best teams, particularly at Championship level and below, are not the ones with the best individuals. Team spirit, as I said on another thread, is just as important at Charlton Athletic as it is as Charlton Park Rangers 3rd XI playing in Charlton Park.
When the going got tough last year, Morrison, Dervite, Jackson and others pulled out the stops and we stayed up. I don't feel the same about this lot. I may be wrong and I sincerely hope I am. The early points on the board should save us in the way that Blackpool stayed up last year, but I feel uneasy about things. It will, of course, all unfurl over the next few weeks and we will all have our take on it. I just feel there are some bad signs, which, of course, may be unwarranted.
...and Katrien.
I wonder if this was such an astute move now?
Personally, was not impressed at the time, frankly very unhappy at this moment in time.