Whether there are really good signs from the camp or not will slowly unfold. We know for sure that there will be nothing on the OS saying that everyone is pessimistic. There are, of course, a few season tickets to sell which will mean wanting an upbeat message to be sent out.
The players that were there last season know that it was a disaster. Those that have joined, including the manager, will be learning more about what really happened last year.
The sooner those that are leaving go, the better. Then, when the new recruits are in place a proper picture will start to emerge. Slade may well have the wherewithal to assemble a hotchpotch of players that click.
I'm an optimist by nature, but at this stage, I would settle for mid-table. I feel we are some way off being promotion candidates.
You can say that it's bad luck with the injuries but there must be doubts about whether some of these injured players will get through 10 or 20, let alone 50 odd, games this year.
More-or-less exactly what I'm thinking.
I think the club are doing things right at the moment, already very encouraged by Slade and who we've brought in so far, but the squad needs a total rebuild and a lot of talent will be leaving us... Cousins and JBG as good as confirmed, Pope looking very likely at this stage, and plenty more still to go... Not many of us can envisage Watt playing for us in League 1, for example.
The right things are happening though, those that we can't hold on to are on their way, players coming in look the right standard (or even better), and the dross are getting cut (Bergdich being the latest one). It's a huge ask to be competitive at the first time of asking with that amount of upheaval, bringing in a whole new team AND offloading the core of the current one.
If we can finish mid-table next season and Slade gets backing next summer I think that things will work out. My worry is that this will be seen as underachievement, he'll get sacked and we're back in square one. He might have made a rod for his own back by stating that play-offs is a "minimum requirement" though.
You hope that Charlton can finish mid table league one, but your are worried that will be seen as underachievement !
What has happened to the ambitious, brilliant club, I support that was seen as a model for every other club to follow. It is very sad that supporters are now seeing finishing mid table league one as an acceptable outcome. I can barely believe what I am reading.
Are you sure that Slade isn't going to turn out to be really his own man and have the team turn out in the protest shirt for the first game of the season?
Your not going to get them before Aug because the transfer window don't shut till end of Aug and as Slade says teams are not doing business at the moment till they get there squad sorted so it may take time to get the players we want
After taking at least 3-4 attempts to work out what you were saying, i think what you're trying to say is that we're going to wait until other clubs have done their transfer business first and got their squads sorted, then we'll snap up some unwanted players on the cheap at the end of August?
we have offers in for players a team not going to sell until they have a replacement or see if they can start an auction ...... players out of contract again won't jump at the first offer as Slade says its awaiting game ...
Players out of contract at the level we find ourselves will bite your hand off for a monthly contract. We are not looking to buy in or get out of contract players from the higher leagues. More like last year, have a look who's on a free from India. Slade will do what he's told despite what he says at press conferences. League 3 manager at a league 3 club in decline. You only have to remember this regimes track record for all hope to evaporate.
So why have we got two bids in for players then ? And spent over a mill ? Slade is his own man already proved that and 4-5 new bodies coming in before the window shuts we will be strong and have players who want to wear the red shirt
Oh, Colin !
Has Katrien not given you the heads up that Roland's doing a Vincent Tan & we'll be sporting black/yellow/red striped shirts at Bury ?
Comments
What has happened to the ambitious, brilliant club, I support that was seen as a model for every other club to follow. It is very sad that supporters are now seeing finishing mid table league one as an acceptable outcome. I can barely believe what I am reading.
DON'T BET ON IT.
I did that bet for the Championship last August and i'm still selling the big issue now for penance.
We're seriously weak in central midfield as it stands.
Has Katrien not given you the heads up that Roland's doing a Vincent Tan & we'll be sporting black/yellow/red striped shirts at Bury ?