I am going to say it!! Yes I am, Nathan Jones......................

mendonca

We have five fewer points this season than we did at the same 12 game mark last year. Looking at our in game management, we seem to be struggling without the "tactical timeouts" we relied on last season to help us regroup and restructure under pressure (much like after the 20-minute mark today).

Also, our substitutions have become nearly entirely reactionary, seeing triple or quadruple changes immediately after we concede.

It feels like we are making things up as we go this season. Outside of the three match winning streak, our overall form and results are now heavily mirroring our poor pre-season performances!

A win against either Norwich or Watford would have kept things ticking, but there's reason for concern now. 

DubaiCAFC

Recruitment is down to Jones he wanted more control, he got that. He bought in PC as the guy he wanted to head it up. The funny thing is today, you could see more positive signs. The shape and selection better than it has been, but mistakes and margins might have cost him.. Shame.. but everyone could see it wasn’t working but too stubborn 

NabySarr

DubaiCAFC said:

Recruitment is down to Jones he wanted more control, he got that. He bought in PC as the guy he wanted to head it up. The funny thing is today, you could see more positive signs. The shape and selection better than it has been, but mistakes and margins might have cost him.. Shame.. but everyone could see it wasn’t working but too stubborn 

It wasn’t down to him that we had no money to sign a good midfielder and didn’t sign a right winger this summer. If we’d done both of those we’d have been fine this season 

NabySarr

I’d rather put Bowyer in midfield than in the dugout at the moment 

DubaiCAFC

Money was there. But wasted on big salaries. Grant isn’t cheap and signing on fee. 

NabySarr

DubaiCAFC said:

Money was there. But wasted on big salaries. Grant isn’t cheap and signing on fee. 

The money was very clearly not there. Look at the rest of the championship and then look at us

FishCostaFortune

Bowyer would be continuation Jones but a worse version of I expect. People looking for a different and more attacking style won’t get it.

But would no doubt be cheap enough for our tight owners. 

DubaiCAFC

Club was never going to be spending big. And even if he was given the money, would you trust him? How many flops we had now? Or injured players. Money is available but was spent on wages, and new contracts. Comes out of the budget 

DubaiCAFC

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

blackpool72

DubaiCAFC said:

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

Carter says what he's told to say
He's full of shit 

DubaiCAFC

blackpool72 said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

Carter says what he's told to say
He's full of shit 

I would agree. He been very quiet. Happy to be out there when it’s going okay. 

Sword65pf

DubaiCAFC said:

Club was never going to be spending big. And even if he was given the money, would you trust him? How many flops we had now? Or injured players. Money is available but was spent on wages, and new contracts. Comes out of the budget 

So if they couldn’t trust him and knew we needed improving, why didn’t they get rid and bring in someone they trusted with the budget. Surely you back the man or not. Now they’re investment is looking precarious to say the least.

J BLOCK

shirty5 said:

They won’t sack him as they have no one in charge or would want to stand up and take the responsibility to do that deed

They got so lucky getting Jones in. Top manager who has achieved despite not being backed. 

NabySarr

DubaiCAFC said:

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

Carter said our budget has increased, that might be true. The problem is when the rest of the championship increase their budgets by more, we get left behind. That is what has happened, the new financial rules have allowed teams to spend more money and they have, we haven't and it shows in the squad we have vs every team we play against

DubaiCAFC

We gone from players on 10-15k a week, to spending money on wages of 25-30k a week. Big jump, and that’s where chunks budgets gone 

NabySarr

DubaiCAFC said:

We gone from players on 10-15k a week, to spending money on wages of 25-30k a week. Big jump, and that’s where chunks budgets gone 

None of our players are on 25-30k a week ffs. If they are Rodwell should be the one sacked not Jones

carly burn

DubaiCAFC said:

We gone from players on 10-15k a week, to spending money on wages of 25-30k a week. Big jump, and that’s where chunks budgets gone 

Who the f**k is on £25k + a week!!

Whoever they are,well done on pulling our pants down.

DubaiCAFC

Grant 25k a week million signing on. NC 19k a week Skipp we are paying 50% salary he on 60k a week 

J BLOCK

NabySarr said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

Carter said our budget has increased, that might be true. The problem is when the rest of the championship increase their budgets by more, we get left behind. That is what has happened, the new financial rules have allowed teams to spend more money and they have, we haven't and it shows in the squad we have vs every team we play against

Simply that is just not true, it’s clear to see. The Rak Sakyi money hasn’t been spent either. 

NabySarr

Sword65pf said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Club was never going to be spending big. And even if he was given the money, would you trust him? How many flops we had now? Or injured players. Money is available but was spent on wages, and new contracts. Comes out of the budget 

So if they couldn’t trust him and knew we needed improving, why didn’t they get rid and bring in someone they trusted with the budget. Surely you back the man or not. Now they’re investment is looking precarious to say the least.

Exactly. This easily brings down the silly argument that they aren't spending because they don't trust Jones. If they didn't trust Jones then he wouldn't be in the job. The reason we haven't backed Jones is quite clearly because at least one of the owners wants out

AberystwythAddick

The wrong players were recruited that’s what it comes down too. 

Value was there for those that looked. 

Jensen Metcalfe cost a reported 1.5 mill and he’s been very good 

J BLOCK

carly burn said:

DubaiCAFC said:

We gone from players on 10-15k a week, to spending money on wages of 25-30k a week. Big jump, and that’s where chunks budgets gone 

Who the f**k is on £25k + a week!!

Whoever they are,well done on pulling our pants down.

Grant and he offers absolutely nothing. 

DubaiCAFC

DubaiCAFC said:

Grant 25k a week million signing on. NC 19k a week Skipp we are paying 50% salary he on 60k a week 

Likes of jones and Ramsey pushing 20k if not over that a week now. 

oohaahmortimer

se9addick said:

CAFC_boi said:

It’s like when anyone suggested Lee Bowyer should be sacked - he had the same cult like following. 

The football has always been terrible, even in the promotion season but you don’t mind when you’re getting results. 

Now we have terrible football and terrible results so what’s even the point. 

Jones has been dealt a bad hand but his recruitment is partly to blame for that. 

I also think the squad is much better than it’s given credit for, we’ve just lost all identity, leadership and any form of style of play, so no one has a clue what they’re supposed to be doing and that comes down to the manager. 

I honestly think it’s the opposite compared to Bowyer. People blindly believed in him because he was “one of our own”. Look at the age of this thread - for 2 of Jones’ 2.5 years people have been calling for his head. Yet in that timeframe  he’s been our most successful manager since Curbs. It’s madness, but such is modern football.

I’ll re raise you SCP

DamoNorthStand

MarcusH26 said:

Bows isn't the right man for this at all. Feels like Carter wanting the cheap fan service option. 

Bowyers been in and around the directors box for a while…….. always seems to be in with the board 

DamoNorthStand

MarcusH26 said:

Bows isn't the right man for this at all. Feels like Carter wanting the cheap fan service option. 

Yep……the Charlton fan who I’m still to be convinced is a lifelong Charlton fan 

NabySarr

DubaiCAFC said:

Grant 25k a week million signing on. NC 19k a week Skipp we are paying 50% salary he on 60k a week 

You are just making up numbers here. I very highly doubt you know the players wages (none of us do). But if you were going to make it up at least make it more realistic than us deciding to pay Chalobah 19k a week, not even we are that stupid. 

Grant was on 25k a week at west brom in the championship, on a contract he signed when he was at his peak. He's definitely not on that much anymore

shirty5

DubaiCAFC said:

blackpool72 said:

DubaiCAFC said:

Or has Gavin Carter been lying to us about budgets?

Carter says what he's told to say
He's full of shit 

I would agree. He been very quiet. Happy to be out there when it’s going okay. 

When you go over 18 months without a CEO then the shit was always going to hit the fan when you go this long without a win.

When he was appointed as a Non Executive Chairman back in December 2024

https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/update-structure-clubs-board

We then saw the back of Andy Scott (February 2025) and Charlie Methven by the middle of March 2025 but we still await that appointment of a CEO

https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/andy-scott-departs-club


https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/charlie-methven-step-down-clubs-ceo

From the outside looking in the ship appears to be rudderless 

LargeAddick

DubaiCAFC said:

Grant 25k a week million signing on. NC 19k a week Skipp we are paying 50% salary he on 60k a week 

I could, unfortunately, believe the Grant and Skipp figures but Chalobah with his injury record, nah.

Chris_from_Sidcup

cabbles said:

MarcusH26 said:

@cabbles £80m is a ludicrous figure to want for the club when you'd then have to go and deal with Roland too. They won't shift it for a long time if that's their figure. I thought the £50m Matt Slater mentioned was on the high end... 

just what I heard mate, and I agree with you re: the ludicrous nature of the figure(s) being bandied about 

the important distinction is that it’s clear they want out.  We got the PR ‘seeking investment’ after the initial story broke, and I think our start to the season deflected from it.  Based on the team, the signings and the fact the squad isn’t good enough, I’d say we’re in a very bad position.  To Jones’ credit, I think he had to deal with the owners breaking the news to him over the summer that they’re likely reigning in spending and looking to get out, and this has impacted who he’s been able to bring in.  As mentioned, he absolutely has to take responsibility, but overall, I think he’s had to operate one hand tied behind his back this summer, which is why it’s unraveled this season 

If the owners want out and are looking to recoup some losses, then what doesn't make sense is a) the reported 4m bid for Rak-Sakyi and b) turning down 7m for Mbick.