CALLUM Harriott is in red-hot form for Colchester United - and admits he had to get out of Charlton to get the game time he craved. If the 21-year-old winger moved to the U’s to put himself in the shop window then he has done exactly that with a dream start. Harriott scored his first goal for Colchester in their 2-1 win over Gillingham on Saturday. And he has seven assists in his first five matches. United had been without a win before his arrival and were 23rd - but his influence has helped to pull them up the table to 12th after two wins. He is yet to lose in the league - the sole reverse was to Northampton in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The Lambeth-born attacker looked as if he could be set for a major breakthrough at Charlton when he scored a hat-trick in the final day win at Blackpool in the 2013-14 season - his brace in the previous match had secured a 3-1 victory over Watford that ended any fears of relegation. But since Jose Riga left, Harriott has failed to get major look-ins under both Bob Peeters and his successor Guy Luzon. Valley sources told the South London Press that Wigan bid for the South Londoner in the summer. It was rejected - with the Addicks expecting them to up their offer - but they never returned with improved terms. “I’ve been at Charlton since I was eight years old and I’ve come right through the academy,” said Harriott. “But I wasn’t really playing. I didn’t want to be on the bench or nor involved. I wanted to go out and prove myself and that’s what I did. I’m happy that I’m doing well. “It’s been a really good start. The boys have been really welcoming and the gaffer wants to play me. He has faith in me and I felt loved from when I first came here. Having new surroundings and proving yourself again makes you want to work 10 times harder. It’s a good club that I’m at. “I’ve always been hungry to play. I just needed a good run of games. I’m going to stay hungry and try to get more goals, assists and help the team to keep on winning.” Harriott is not the first to fall out of favour with Luzon. Andre Bikey was training with Charlton’s U21 squad before his contract was terminated by mutual consent. “I didn’t feel valued,” said Harriott. “At first I was going to go on a permanent move but that didn’t work out. Then there was the loan option.” Harriott will only have six months on his contract come January and if he continues his attacking exploits at Colchester then there is sure to be even greater interest in his services. “At the minute I’m just pleased to be playing and doing well - I can’t say if I will end up going back or won’t go back to Charlton,” he said. “My sole focus is on doing my best here until January. “Different managers have come and gone at Charlton and for whatever reason I wasn’t playing. I was working hard in training every day and not getting a chance. I just don’t think he [Luzon] saw me in his 11, nothing more was said on that. I tried to change his mind.” Harriott has never been a player to allow self-doubt to enter his game. He has spoken before of his goal to play in the Premier League. Even his Twitter profile - @cally_messi - combines his own nickname with Barcelona’s golden boy. “Every game I tell myself ‘I can, I can’,” he said. “You can’t hold back. I got frustrated when I wasn’t playing at Charlton but you can’t lose yourself. “You keep the faith inside so that when your time comes you’re ready. My time didn’t come at Charlton but it has been working out for me on loan. “There is not much difference between the standard of the Championship and League One. The intensity is the same, but the quality is not at the same level.” Harriott’s highlight of his stay in Colchester came last weekend as he scored his first goal for Colchester - ending a 10-month wait since he last notched, for the Addicks at Forest. Harriott said: “I spoke to Jordan [Cousins} the other day and he said ‘it is going well for you. I’m happy to see that, keep it going - you deserve to be playing and doing well’. “I keep an eye on the Charlton results. It hasn’t been going too well at the moment but I’m sure they will pick up in the league - they have got a good squad.”
Dear oh dear. A bit of pomp and a few decent performances in league one and apparently he is our saviour!
I'll judge on what I've seen on the pitch. For CAFC he has consistently flattered to deceive, has appeared to have no footballing brain and simply hasn't seemed up to it.
If he comes back and sets the world on fire great. I can't see it though.
No footballing brain? I'd like to see you make assists and score goals at a professional level before accusing one of our own players of that.
Moving on...
I've slated cally on many occasions but in recent times I cant remember any of our players going out on loan and reacting as well as Callum has. Good on him.
The sentence of note for me is 'I felt loved from when I first came here.' Callum's always been a confidence player, and Riga seemed to put an arm round his shoulder and believe in him. Since then Peeters and Luzon have pretty much done the opposite.
I doubt he'll ever be a world beater, but I think there's a Championship player in there - he's shown there is I think, but perhaps as he gets older he'll start to take more responsibility for his own confidence and mature into the player he's shown the potential to be. I think we rate him overly harshly at Charlton, and we're never slow to get on a player's back.
Callum has looked outstanding on the highlights, since he's been at Colchester. Easily above league 1 standard. Good for him. I hope he becomes a top player for us, when he returns.
Callum has looked outstanding on the highlights, since he's been at Colchester. Easily above league 1 standard. Good for him. I hope he becomes a top player for us, when he returns.
Why the hell would he want to come back to a club that doesn't love him, coach and many supporters? Good luck to him and won't be surprised if he ends up at a rival club knocking in goals against us. We are usually so good with our academy players - it's a shame he's been treated like shit recently.
Get him back . We have nobody else to play on the left and this loan spell has served its purpose
Bergdich, McAleny, Moussa and Ceballos?
@Scoham -really? I normally respect your footballing judgment on here but am seriously struggling with this. Since when have any of those delivered what Callum has at Charlton in the first team? Don't see any of them having scored five in two games at Championship level yet or much chance of it in the near future...
Something that most of you are blatantly missing is that he's currently playing on the left of a front 3. Their formation is 4-3-3 which is the same formation we played when he scored 5 in 2 games under Riga.
Unfortunately Luzon seems set on a 4-4-2 which Callum doesn't play as well in. Seeing as we literally have no decent left midfielder I'd love it if we changed to 4-3-3 and bring Callum back but I think Luzon is a one trick pony and won't change.
Under Riga we played the most attractive attacking football I've seen for years at Charlton. Most teams in the PL play 4-3-3 so why can't we...and get Callum back to play a major part of it?
Get him back . We have nobody else to play on the left and this loan spell has served its purpose
Bergdich, McAleny, Moussa and Ceballos?
@Scoham -really? I normally respect your footballing judgment on here but am seriously struggling with this. Since when have any of those delivered what Callum has at Charlton in the first team? Don't see any of them having scored five in two games at Championship level yet or much chance of it in the near future...
Somewhat disingenuous to only comment on his 2 best games & none of the others where he was in the main poor.
Also, the Blackpool game, although technically a Championship Team, were marooned at the bottom of the league and were middle League 1 level at best.
Get him back . We have nobody else to play on the left and this loan spell has served its purpose
Bergdich, McAleny, Moussa and Ceballos?
@Scoham -really? I normally respect your footballing judgment on here but am seriously struggling with this. Since when have any of those delivered what Callum has at Charlton in the first team? Don't see any of them having scored five in two games at Championship level yet or much chance of it in the near future...
I was more making the point how RD might see it. Luzon is hardly going to write off his new players so quickly either.
People want to see more patience and support for Harriott, what about the new signings? Some seem to have already written them off. McAleny was being compared to Church after one appearance off the bench. Bergdich is possibly out of position and adjusting to a new country/league.
Not saying they're better but it wasn't long ago many were saying Harriott needs to go out on loan and how excited they were about Ceballos. Harriott has a good of form in League One and now he's apparently the answer. You could argue his hat trick was against a very poor Blackpool side and it's easy to forget how his decision making and poor touch often let him down.
McAleny has scored a couple of Championship goals himself for Cardiff, while Moussa had a good scoring record for Coventry in League One. In terms of ability I doubt there's that much difference between them all, but Harriott's form and our struggles mean he is now seen as the player we need and the others are poor signings of the owner.
The bigger problems are the lack of alternative to Makienok and the amount of injuries we have picked up in just a couple of months. Putting Harriott in the team won't stop us conceding from set pieces or help our frontline hold up the ball.
Comments
I'd like to see you make assists and score goals at a professional level before accusing one of our own players of that.
Moving on...
I've slated cally on many occasions but in recent times I cant remember any of our players going out on loan and reacting as well as Callum has.
Good on him.
I doubt he'll ever be a world beater, but I think there's a Championship player in there - he's shown there is I think, but perhaps as he gets older he'll start to take more responsibility for his own confidence and mature into the player he's shown the potential to be. I think we rate him overly harshly at Charlton, and we're never slow to get on a player's back.
Good for him. I hope he becomes a top player for us, when he returns.
Good luck to him and won't be surprised if he ends up at a rival club knocking in goals against us.
We are usually so good with our academy players - it's a shame he's been treated like shit recently.
Unfortunately Luzon seems set on a 4-4-2 which Callum doesn't play as well in. Seeing as we literally have no decent left midfielder I'd love it if we changed to 4-3-3 and bring Callum back but I think Luzon is a one trick pony and won't change.
Under Riga we played the most attractive attacking football I've seen for years at Charlton. Most teams in the PL play 4-3-3 so why can't we...and get Callum back to play a major part of it?
Also, the Blackpool game, although technically a Championship Team, were marooned at the bottom of the league and were middle League 1 level at best.
People want to see more patience and support for Harriott, what about the new signings? Some seem to have already written them off. McAleny was being compared to Church after one appearance off the bench. Bergdich is possibly out of position and adjusting to a new country/league.
Not saying they're better but it wasn't long ago many were saying Harriott needs to go out on loan and how excited they were about Ceballos. Harriott has a good of form in League One and now he's apparently the answer. You could argue his hat trick was against a very poor Blackpool side and it's easy to forget how his decision making and poor touch often let him down.
McAleny has scored a couple of Championship goals himself for Cardiff, while Moussa had a good scoring record for Coventry in League One. In terms of ability I doubt there's that much difference between them all, but Harriott's form and our struggles mean he is now seen as the player we need and the others are poor signings of the owner.
The bigger problems are the lack of alternative to Makienok and the amount of injuries we have picked up in just a couple of months. Putting Harriott in the team won't stop us conceding from set pieces or help our frontline hold up the ball.