I was surprised that Solly didn't just turn up for training as I'm not certain he would have started a game anyway, or got on. With Matthews' Ossie and Blondie George all able to play RB. He next club will surely be a wage cut as League 1 or 2 and how does Chris pass a medical ?
Taylor's was self interest but with a 400% pay rise and a possible two and a half year contact it's understandable but still makes him a Judas in the eyes of some Cafc fans. In Lyle's case the comedic running of the club put pay to him staying.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for not playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
Solly hasn't been injured these last 6 months though unless I've missed something?
Kicking a ball in anger even when dropped is a footballer's job, it's what they do and you do it even when the chips are down and you're out of favour. He should have been keeping himself ready to return, been training and made available to Bowyer to consider playing a role in these 9 games, especially last night but we'll never know now if he'd have been involved if he'd done the right thing, and be the professional he was supposed to have been.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for not playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
Solly isn't a young pro, he's the club captain! Even if he wasn't playing much, he should have been in the dressing room, giving encouragement, talking to the younger players.
He could have stayed to the end of the season in July, and finished his career with us as one of the heroes who kept us up. Maybe he could have returned in a few years as a coach...that prospect seems rather more remote now.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
These aren't comparable. Page has been out injured for about 18 months. Solly hasn't, he's been out of favour. He's had injury issues in the past but he's in nothing like the same situation as Page. Solly has been training all through the season and if he looked after himself during lockdown could have come back on a fairly even keel with other players; just look at how improved Hemed looks having used the lockdown period to catch up (or at least have other people's match fitness dragged down to his level) after getting over his injury issues.
I think you're tying yourself in knots here trying to defend Chris, which is fine because I still like him too despite him making a terrible choice, but none of this makes sense. If Solly's contract expired today, he signed for another club having played last night and put out a statement saying that he wasn't getting a new deal at Charlton and so he took the actual offer he had then no right-minded person would criticise him. Maybe some nasty trolls would, but since when do we count their opinions in anything? Players are under no obligation to play out of contract; they are however expected to honour the agreements they sign to get paid.
The idea that Solly is justified in bailing because he's not 'that important' doesn't hold water either. He's very important as a reserve option in our squad. He's not as good as our first choice, but he comes in when we need to rotate. Like during a period where we play 9 games in 33 days while fighting for our lives down the bottom, with a first choice RB who struggles to play two games in a week. Saying that it's fine to decide not to do your job because you're not first choice is something that children do, not professionals. Bowyer has already said he changed the formation last night and stuck a central midfielder in at RWB due to lack of alternatives so there's no denying that we needed our back up RB last night, he just decided not to show up for work. Sure, we managed without him, but that's not what we're talking about is it? We're talking about whether or not it's a big ask to expect your club captain to turn up to work before his contract expires and contribute to the team he's a part of. It isn't. I hope he does well wherever he goes and sees out his career in style, but there's no doubt that he's behaved badly here and there's no justification for that.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
These aren't comparable. Page has been out injured for about 18 months. Solly hasn't, he's been out of favour. He's had injury issues in the past but he's in nothing like the same situation as Page. Solly has been training all through the season and if he looked after himself during lockdown could have come back on a fairly even keel with other players; just look at how improved Hemed looks having used the lockdown period to catch up (or at least have other people's match fitness dragged down to his level) after getting over his injury issues.
I think you're tying yourself in knots here trying to defend Chris, which is fine because I still like him too despite him making a terrible choice, but none of this makes sense. If Solly's contract expired today, he signed for another club having played last night and put out a statement saying that he wasn't getting a new deal at Charlton and so he took the actual offer he had then no right-minded person would criticise him. Maybe some nasty trolls would, but since when do we count their opinions in anything? Players are under no obligation to play out of contract; they are however expected to honour the agreements they sign to get paid.
The idea that Solly is justified in bailing because he's not 'that important' doesn't hold water either. He's very important as a reserve option in our squad. He's not as good as our first choice, but he comes in when we need to rotate. Like during a period where we play 9 games in 33 days while fighting for our lives down the bottom, with a first choice RB who struggles to play two games in a week. Saying that it's fine to decide not to do your job because you're not first choice is something that children do, not professionals. Bowyer has already said he changed the formation last night and stuck a central midfielder in at RWB due to lack of alternatives so there's no denying that we needed our back up RB last night, he just decided not to show up for work. Sure, we managed without him, but that's not what we're talking about is it? We're talking about whether or not it's a big ask to expect your club captain to turn up to work before his contract expires and contribute to the team he's a part of. It isn't. I hope he does well wherever he goes and sees out his career in style, but there's no doubt that he's behaved badly here and there's no justification for that.
If Solly was really the reserve option why was Oshilaja being picked in front of him?
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
These aren't comparable. Page has been out injured for about 18 months. Solly hasn't, he's been out of favour. He's had injury issues in the past but he's in nothing like the same situation as Page. Solly has been training all through the season and if he looked after himself during lockdown could have come back on a fairly even keel with other players; just look at how improved Hemed looks having used the lockdown period to catch up (or at least have other people's match fitness dragged down to his level) after getting over his injury issues.
I think you're tying yourself in knots here trying to defend Chris, which is fine because I still like him too despite him making a terrible choice, but none of this makes sense. If Solly's contract expired today, he signed for another club having played last night and put out a statement saying that he wasn't getting a new deal at Charlton and so he took the actual offer he had then no right-minded person would criticise him. Maybe some nasty trolls would, but since when do we count their opinions in anything? Players are under no obligation to play out of contract; they are however expected to honour the agreements they sign to get paid.
The idea that Solly is justified in bailing because he's not 'that important' doesn't hold water either. He's very important as a reserve option in our squad. He's not as good as our first choice, but he comes in when we need to rotate. Like during a period where we play 9 games in 33 days while fighting for our lives down the bottom, with a first choice RB who struggles to play two games in a week. Saying that it's fine to decide not to do your job because you're not first choice is something that children do, not professionals. Bowyer has already said he changed the formation last night and stuck a central midfielder in at RWB due to lack of alternatives so there's no denying that we needed our back up RB last night, he just decided not to show up for work. Sure, we managed without him, but that's not what we're talking about is it? We're talking about whether or not it's a big ask to expect your club captain to turn up to work before his contract expires and contribute to the team he's a part of. It isn't. I hope he does well wherever he goes and sees out his career in style, but there's no doubt that he's behaved badly here and there's no justification for that.
If Solly was really the reserve option why was Oshilaja being picked in front of him?
Through merit but Oshilaja also is the main cover for Lockyer meaning if Lockyer gets injured or suspended then Oshilaja steps in at CB and Solly then was the next option to cover at RB.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
These aren't comparable. Page has been out injured for about 18 months. Solly hasn't, he's been out of favour. He's had injury issues in the past but he's in nothing like the same situation as Page. Solly has been training all through the season and if he looked after himself during lockdown could have come back on a fairly even keel with other players; just look at how improved Hemed looks having used the lockdown period to catch up (or at least have other people's match fitness dragged down to his level) after getting over his injury issues.
I think you're tying yourself in knots here trying to defend Chris, which is fine because I still like him too despite him making a terrible choice, but none of this makes sense. If Solly's contract expired today, he signed for another club having played last night and put out a statement saying that he wasn't getting a new deal at Charlton and so he took the actual offer he had then no right-minded person would criticise him. Maybe some nasty trolls would, but since when do we count their opinions in anything? Players are under no obligation to play out of contract; they are however expected to honour the agreements they sign to get paid.
The idea that Solly is justified in bailing because he's not 'that important' doesn't hold water either. He's very important as a reserve option in our squad. He's not as good as our first choice, but he comes in when we need to rotate. Like during a period where we play 9 games in 33 days while fighting for our lives down the bottom, with a first choice RB who struggles to play two games in a week. Saying that it's fine to decide not to do your job because you're not first choice is something that children do, not professionals. Bowyer has already said he changed the formation last night and stuck a central midfielder in at RWB due to lack of alternatives so there's no denying that we needed our back up RB last night, he just decided not to show up for work. Sure, we managed without him, but that's not what we're talking about is it? We're talking about whether or not it's a big ask to expect your club captain to turn up to work before his contract expires and contribute to the team he's a part of. It isn't. I hope he does well wherever he goes and sees out his career in style, but there's no doubt that he's behaved badly here and there's no justification for that.
If Solly was really the reserve option why was Oshilaja being picked in front of him?
Because Bowyer thought he offered more. There's no hierarchy of favouredness that allows you to decide not to turn up anymore. If you're needed, you play, and you're compensated financially whether you're picked or not. That's the deal. The idea that you can decide not to rock up because you've fallen to third choice and don't fancy it is not a goer.
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
And we are not party to any of that or discussions that Solly has had with LB. And yes I know that LB didn't have to lump him in with Taylor and Davis but, equally, anything he did say would only serve to undermine Solly's potential of getting another club.
We might never know the true story. But sometimes things aren't quite as black and white as we perceive.
Equally sad that it has ended like this for Solly. Remember seeing him first as our best player in the F A Youth Cup defeat in 2009 to a very good Spurs side that had the likes of Andros Townsend, John Bostock, Jonathan Obika, Steven Caulker and Dean Parrett.
Still believe that it is a reflection of his long term injury situation and the fact is that he has only started 12 games this season - LB hasn't picked him in the League this year. Yes he was contracted to play 'til 30th June but to ask someone who has been sidelined for six months to rock up and give 100% given his history is a big ask. In his head, if we hadn't needed him before, when we played Dijksteel, Matthews and
Oshilaja in front of him, why should he risk any chance of him getting one last career move now especially as I assume that we didn't offer him a contract?
Not saying it's right what he has done but do believe that there are mitigating circumstances. And would prefer to remember him who gave absolutely everything when he did play for us.
No it isn't, it's his job. It's what he's paid to do. Solly would have played one game in this period. I don't think anyone would have given him any grief for seeing out his contract and then leaving for a new one on 1st July given that he would be unlikely to get another one at Charlton. That would have been fine. All he had to do was turn up to training, run around a bit and then play one final game against Cardiff. He would have left a club hero who we fondly remembered as our captain during some good and some difficult periods. Instead he leaves as a bloke who couldn't be arsed when we needed him, in a squad so limited we had to change our formation because we don't have another specialist backup without him. I don't think there's any mitigation here, he made his choice and it was the one where he refused to turn up to work for a few weeks.
If only being a pro were that easy to just train a little and be match fit having not kicked a ball in anger in six months - ask Page how he's finding getting back after a period out for the answer to that one.
Equally, given the scenario that, in the final game of the season, we don't have anyone to play right back and Solly refuses to come back for that one last "hurrah" and we lose and go down and you don't think a single fan would give Solly grief for playing? You might understand that he was out of contract and have right to refuse but I guarantee you that the minute someone finds out that he was asked and refused to play there would be more than one fan pointing the finger at him.
The fact is fans are fickle. If Solly was really that important to us then LB would have started him more than 12 times this season and given him at least a minute of football this year. And we would have offered him a contract. But he and we didn't.
Stop his wages by all means for breach of contract. But the fact is we don't want him any more than he now wants us. I even doubt that LB would have risked him against Cardiff given how little football he would have played. And we managed without him didn't we?
These aren't comparable. Page has been out injured for about 18 months. Solly hasn't, he's been out of favour. He's had injury issues in the past but he's in nothing like the same situation as Page. Solly has been training all through the season and if he looked after himself during lockdown could have come back on a fairly even keel with other players; just look at how improved Hemed looks having used the lockdown period to catch up (or at least have other people's match fitness dragged down to his level) after getting over his injury issues.
I think you're tying yourself in knots here trying to defend Chris, which is fine because I still like him too despite him making a terrible choice, but none of this makes sense. If Solly's contract expired today, he signed for another club having played last night and put out a statement saying that he wasn't getting a new deal at Charlton and so he took the actual offer he had then no right-minded person would criticise him. Maybe some nasty trolls would, but since when do we count their opinions in anything? Players are under no obligation to play out of contract; they are however expected to honour the agreements they sign to get paid.
The idea that Solly is justified in bailing because he's not 'that important' doesn't hold water either. He's very important as a reserve option in our squad. He's not as good as our first choice, but he comes in when we need to rotate. Like during a period where we play 9 games in 33 days while fighting for our lives down the bottom, with a first choice RB who struggles to play two games in a week. Saying that it's fine to decide not to do your job because you're not first choice is something that children do, not professionals. Bowyer has already said he changed the formation last night and stuck a central midfielder in at RWB due to lack of alternatives so there's no denying that we needed our back up RB last night, he just decided not to show up for work. Sure, we managed without him, but that's not what we're talking about is it? We're talking about whether or not it's a big ask to expect your club captain to turn up to work before his contract expires and contribute to the team he's a part of. It isn't. I hope he does well wherever he goes and sees out his career in style, but there's no doubt that he's behaved badly here and there's no justification for that.
If Solly was really the reserve option why was Oshilaja being picked in front of him?
Totally irrelevant. He was our player and should have been available for selection. He chose not to be. He let the club down. If there are circumstances that we are not aware of then all I can say is we can only judge by what we see or are told. No point in speculating there’s more to it. Until proven otherwise. He’s let the club down.
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
Maybe he was told he wouldn’t be getting a new deal and decided to down tools. IMO he would have been 3rd choice right back had he seen the season out. I personally think that as soon as Dijksteel took his place last season there wasn’t any coming back for him. Hopefully he sorts a deal out elsewhere. I think League 1 is the best he can hope for.
He’s a 🐍 like Taylor. Never welcome back at the Valley.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin. I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
He’s a 🐍 like Taylor. Never welcome back at the Valley.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin. I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
Very good Sam 😂 for me, those 313 performances are irrelevant now. We stood by him through all his injuries & he ditched us in our darkest hour. Until there is any evidence that there is more to this than meets the eye, he goes in the traitor bin.
He’s a 🐍 like Taylor. Never welcome back at the Valley.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin. I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
Something doesn't adder up. I wonder if Luis Boa Morte did the same thing...
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
Well, he ought to stand up and explain himself. Right now he looks like a gutless shirker. He can fix that in a 10 minute interview.
He’s a 🐍 like Taylor. Never welcome back at the Valley.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin. I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
Something doesn't adder up. I wonder if Luis Boa Morte did the same thing...
One day the scales will drop from his eyes and he'll realise what he's done.
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
Well, he ought to stand up and explain himself. Right now he looks like a gutless shirker. He can fix that in a 10 minute interview.
"The truth is that I have been struggling with my knee as I have for the last decade. In addition, LB sees me as third choice RB because he doesn't think I'm good enough. I hope that this appeases the fans and will enable me to get a new contract elsewhere".
Cant believe people disregarding him just on his decision not to play out his contract, literally hes gone from a club legend to villian ala Scotty P.
I get peoples frustrations, but he made a decision which is best for him. We dont know the full situation, he might not even had played... It might be due to his injury problems he couldn't afford to risk it so wants to find another club first or maybe there are other reasons to it.
Personally i am sad to see it end this way, he is a legend for the club and has always given his all on the pitch and was great captain in spells. Its hard to let people go but some of the 'fuck him' remarks seem a bit over the top.
Cant believe people disregarding him just on his decision not to play out his contract, literally hes gone from a club legend to villian ala Scotty P.
I get peoples frustrations, but he made a decision which is best for him. We dont know the full situation, he might not even had played... It might be due to his injury problems he couldn't afford to risk it so wants to find another club first or maybe there are other reasons to it.
Personally i am sad to see it end this way, he is a legend for the club and has always given his all on the pitch and was great captain in spells. Its hard to let people go but some of the 'fuck him' remarks seem a bit over the top.
And that is the thing. We all have our perception of the truth but the only people that really know what is going on is those involved.
For example, LB knew that we were under a transfer embargo. He didn't tell anyone because he was asked not to. We had our own perception throughout January as to whether we were going to sign anyone but only a few at the Club did know the full story at the time.
Hopefully, in time, we will find out but I wonder if people who have been so quick to dismiss him would change their mind about him if he didn't manage to get another club because of a chronic injury?
He’s a 🐍 like Taylor. Never welcome back at the Valley.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin. I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
I think we will get a better indication when the reasoning behind his decision is discussed at the next Government Cobra meeting.
I cannot help but think Solly's absence is not as straightforward as assumed.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
Well, he ought to stand up and explain himself. Right now he looks like a gutless shirker. He can fix that in a 10 minute interview.
"The truth is that I have been struggling with my knee as I have for the last decade. In addition, LB sees me as third choice RB because he doesn't think I'm good enough. I hope that this appeases the fans and will enable me to get a new contract elsewhere".
Good god, he's much better off staying quiet than saying that. That would basically be confirmation that he's thrown his toys out of the pram because he's not seen as important enough. That would be worse for his reputation than the silence. Why on earth would that appease the fans?
I wonder if there has been more to the Solly story, for a long while than we know.
He signed his last contract in the summer of 2016, when even by our low standards, we were a basket case. Every manager we have had, since Powell, has picked someone else above him.
I would love to know how many games he has played, split before and after Xmas, for the last 6 years. Some of those picked in front of him were unfit, center halves, mid fielders or just very good.
I wonder if it was just as simple as his knee, because it always seemed OK in August.
Comments
With Matthews' Ossie and Blondie George all able to play RB. He next club will surely be a wage cut as League 1 or 2 and how does Chris pass a medical ?
Taylor's was self interest but with a 400% pay rise and a possible two and a half year contact it's understandable but still makes him a Judas in the eyes of some Cafc fans.
In Lyle's case the comedic running of the club put pay to him staying.
We move on.
Kicking a ball in anger even when dropped is a footballer's job, it's what they do and you do it even when the chips are down and you're out of favour. He should have been keeping himself ready to return, been training and made available to Bowyer to consider playing a role in these 9 games, especially last night but we'll never know now if he'd have been involved if he'd done the right thing, and be the professional he was supposed to have been.
He could have stayed to the end of the season in July, and finished his career with us as one of the heroes who kept us up. Maybe he could have returned in a few years as a coach...that prospect seems rather more remote now.
He has never been the most voluble or forthcoming and it might be that there are personal issues which are for him rather than the Club to disclose.
I have no knowledge and might be talking bollocks but I think you see something of the underlying personality of an individual by their attitude to their work and for 10 years Solly was as committed as any to the cause.
He simply doesn't strike me as the type to just walk away without good reason.
We might never know the true story. But sometimes things aren't quite as black and white as we perceive.
After 313 apps in all competitions and playing in pain at times, that just doesn't adder up to me. I agree it makes him seem slippery, but that amount of venom for our longest serving player who has been a good serpent to the club through thick and thin.
I don't want to rattle on but it's Pythonesque not to appreciate Hiss Solly. Such a shame to see him slither away as because of his knee issues, it will be a real constrictor on his wage demands.
I get peoples frustrations, but he made a decision which is best for him. We dont know the full situation, he might not even had played... It might be due to his injury problems he couldn't afford to risk it so wants to find another club first or maybe there are other reasons to it.
Personally i am sad to see it end this way, he is a legend for the club and has always given his all on the pitch and was great captain in spells. Its hard to let people go but some of the 'fuck him' remarks seem a bit over the top.
For example, LB knew that we were under a transfer embargo. He didn't tell anyone because he was asked not to. We had our own perception throughout January as to whether we were going to sign anyone but only a few at the Club did know the full story at the time.
Hopefully, in time, we will find out but I wonder if people who have been so quick to dismiss him would change their mind about him if he didn't manage to get another club because of a chronic injury?
He signed his last contract in the summer of 2016, when even by our low standards, we were a basket case. Every manager we have had, since Powell, has picked someone else above him.
I would love to know how many games he has played, split before and after Xmas, for the last 6 years. Some of those picked in front of him were unfit, center halves, mid fielders or just very good.
I wonder if it was just as simple as his knee, because it always seemed OK in August.