Simon Church **SIGNED TWO YEAR DEAL**

Surprises me that so many of these nothing players are not nearer full fitness .
I know match time is the best way but surely if you were a young hungry pro, without a contract, you'd be making sure you were in tip top shape and working your nuts off so as to give yourself the best chance of being signed up by someone asap
Makes me think these players don't want it enough or are just plain thick

oohaahmortimer said:

Surprises me that so many of these nothing players are not nearer full fitness .
I know match time is the best way but surely if you were a young hungry pro, without a contract, you'd be making sure you were in tip top shape and working your nuts off so as to give yourself the best chance of being signed up by someone asap
Makes me think these players don't want it enough or are just plain thick

I agree with this. Players might lack sharpness if they've not had a club to train with but being physically unfit is rediculous at this stage of pre season. Pretty bad attitude if it makes the difference between getting a salary or not. Not aimed at church particularly as we don't know how fit or not he is but more and more clubs are seemingly having to work around unfit out of contract players

SLP reports that contract negotiations have started and that Church would like them to be completed by the end of the week.

Loco said:

SLP reports that contract negotiations have started and that Church would like them to be completed by the end of the week.

I bet he would !

Ross_cafc said:

oohaahmortimer said:

Surprises me that so many of these nothing players are not nearer full fitness .
I know match time is the best way but surely if you were a young hungry pro, without a contract, you'd be making sure you were in tip top shape and working your nuts off so as to give yourself the best chance of being signed up by someone asap
Makes me think these players don't want it enough or are just plain thick

I agree with this. Players might lack sharpness if they've not had a club to train with but being physically unfit is rediculous at this stage of pre season. Pretty bad attitude if it makes the difference between getting a salary or not. Not aimed at church particularly as we don't know how fit or not he is but more and more clubs are seemingly having to work around unfit out of contract players

Match fitness is NOT physical fitness, it's more about if you can keep up with the passing and movement of other players, your instincts for making runs and so on. Which however hard you try you can't do alone, you can practice all you want but that's why it's best to get people in early - they can train as a team and get to know how to play with each other.

ValleyGary said:

A lot of people that go jogging or running every night would class themselves as fit. Stick them in a Championship game for 90 minutes and they will quickly realise they arent 'pro footballer match fit'.

I just hope our fans give the guy a chance. Not bothered what he's done elsewhere, its what he does in a Charlton shirt that matters.

Good post. Lots of people will be clueless about him and use wikipedia to judge their opinion.

I remember him being used a lot during reading's play off final season so he knows how to play at this level even if his record is not world class.

TEL said:

Blucher said:

A mate of mine, who is a Reading season ticket holder, quite likes him ( although, in my experience, people always tend to be sympathetic to players who have come through their youth scheme ).

His view is that, on the plus side, Church works hard, makes good runs and is reasonable technically; on the negative side, he never converts as many chances as he should, given the number he gets on the end of or creates, and nor is he as aggressive or imposing as he should be.

Sensible for our management to have a look at the player and assess whether he's worth a punt. Given that we need at least two forwards in and aren't spoilt for choice, it may come down to Hobson's Choice, albeit there is likely to be more movement in the market once the Premiership teams name their squads in two weeks or so.

Sounds like another ex Reading striker......

David Mooney :-)

*shudders*

has anyone on here ever seen him play ? .. & if so, is he any good ?

^^^ I remember listening to this game .. yet twas a famous victory ... it seems to me that all the hype, opinion and (methinks) semi hysteria over Church is that some CLers are desperate that a striker is signed, ANY striker so long as he has four limbs in roughly the right place, a head, and never mind if he's two left feet ..... Chaps, let's give Pigott a go eh !! .. he is one of ours after all and not a freebie or a buy one get one at half price offer

LargeAddick said:

AdTheAddicK said:

Birmingham are in talks with him now too.

source?

As always, some bloke on Twitter.

WSS said:

Gazumped!

I think they are more skint than us!

So Fuller's going to Blackpool
Church is going to Birmingham
Obika is going to partner Soldado up front for Spurs
WE'RE DOOMED.

se9addick said:

No chance, it's nonsense, he's coming here !

Who soldado? I hope we do get soldado very good player for this level

But could Soldado do the business on a cold Tuesday night away at Yeovil?