Sometimes you have to face up to the facts. I had no complaints then or now about his departure. ..and at the time he publicly admitted that his goal was to show he was good enough for L1
No player gets to play for the first team of a championship club by being crap, shit, hopeless or any other adjectives so often used by supporters. There are always mitigating circumstances why they are not performing as expected. It could be lack of fitness, confidence, unsettled or numerous other reasons. Some fans are far too quick to target players for abuse, write them off and describe them as above, only to be ultimately be proved wrong. Morgan Fox being the latest example. Had he been a lesser character he may well have been looking for a club in the lower leagues at the end of this season. Anyway well done to Simon Francis.
I was one of his biggest critics but fair play to him as he now looks a decent player. For us though maybe it was wrong club, wrong time, maybe not ready for the step up, who knows.
I'm happy to say well done Simon, had a good season.
There are plenty of supporter now eating large portions of humble pie and amazingly still trying to justify their own bad judgement.
Well done Simon Francis
I'm with NLA. I could see that going forward Francis had something about him. He was quick and potentially had a very good cross on him.
However, defending he was very poor.
Perhaps, the crowd got to him, but that's still his problem. Charlton fans are less vocal than most, so if he can't take fan criticism, he'll continue to suffer.
He's likely been so good for Bournemouth, because in a strong attacking team, his attacking play has excelled and his defensive abilities haven't been tested too much.
Let's see how he does against Hazard & Sterling next season.
Unfortunately he joined us injured adn did not do a full preseason, was drafted into the side and was immediately targeted, partly because he was a Parkinson choice, partly because we expect players to perform 100% when they get into the team, even without match fitness. he never got the confidence that he had when winning player of the season at his previous club which culminated in the most abject of abject performances in the cup v Preston.
Eddie Howe took a risk and has obviously nurtured that confidence and he is seeing the player we never saw. That said, I don't think he is fast enough for the Prem and will almost certainly be victim of the Russian money.
Fair play he's gone on to do well at another club. Good for him.
Doesn't detract that when he was wearing a Charlton shirt he spent more time passing it to fans in the West stand than to his team mates. He will only 'prove me wrong' if he ever came back and turned in good performances in a Charlton shirt.
Lawrie Wilson proved me wrong in that he went from a shite Charlton player to a decent Charlton player, something I never thought would happen.
Liked him going forward for us but he was appalling defensively. That Preston game in the cup must be the worst performance from a defender I've ever seen.
Liked him going forward for us but he was appalling defensively. That Preston game in the cup must be the worst performance from a defender I've ever seen.
That was a great game didn't we have both Michael Alonso and Francis self destructing.
Liked him going forward for us but he was appalling defensively. That Preston game in the cup must be the worst performance from a defender I've ever seen.
That was a great game didn't we have both Michael Alonso and Francis self destructing.
No, Alonso played in the JPT against Brentford when we lost 3-0.
Always had it in him to be a good player. Just needed to work on positioning and concentration as he was guilty of ball watching on more than a few occasions. A good man manager to point it out and give him belief. Never gonna be a star but can be a solid player and have a wonderful career in football.
Liked him going forward for us but he was appalling defensively. That Preston game in the cup must be the worst performance from a defender I've ever seen.
Still have nightmares about that Preston performance. Danny Mayor utterly humiliated Francis that night.
Humble pie? You are joking aren't you? He was total and utter crap when he played for us. I get the impression that he couldn't cope with the step up from Southend to a bigger stage.
He's done ok for Bournemouth. That doesn't change the fact that he was consistently appalling everytime he put a red shirt on.
Comments
We just couldn't find it .... He was junk most of the time for us
we may live in a world next season where mccormack and francis are premier league players.
How many of us could do our jobs (not that I have one) with people constantly abusing or slagging us off?
Well done Simon Francis
Simon Francis was dog shit worst player in the team by miles
Good luck to him turned a corner doesn't remove the fact he was a woeful shit signing
I'm happy to say well done Simon, had a good season.
However, defending he was very poor.
Perhaps, the crowd got to him, but that's still his problem. Charlton fans are less vocal than most, so if he can't take fan criticism, he'll continue to suffer.
He's likely been so good for Bournemouth, because in a strong attacking team, his attacking play has excelled and his defensive abilities haven't been tested too much.
Let's see how he does against Hazard & Sterling next season.
Eddie Howe took a risk and has obviously nurtured that confidence and he is seeing the player we never saw. That said, I don't think he is fast enough for the Prem and will almost certainly be victim of the Russian money.
Matt Holland looked good alongside Parker or Keane and or Kinsella but was unable to be the main man.
Simon Francis shines under the radar. Once in the spotlight, which he inevitably was with dross like Doherty in the back 4 with him, he buckled.
Like Holland a good player with the right support around him.
In summary it's all about the blend.
He was atrocious for us on a consistent basis.
Fair play he's gone on to do well at another club. Good for him.
Doesn't detract that when he was wearing a Charlton shirt he spent more time passing it to fans in the West stand than to his team mates. He will only 'prove me wrong' if he ever came back and turned in good performances in a Charlton shirt.
Lawrie Wilson proved me wrong in that he went from a shite Charlton player to a decent Charlton player, something I never thought would happen.
Humble pie? You are joking aren't you? He was total and utter crap when he played for us. I get the impression that he couldn't cope with the step up from Southend to a bigger stage.
He's done ok for Bournemouth. That doesn't change the fact that he was consistently appalling everytime he put a red shirt on.