Darren Pratley (Page 25 - Detailed interview with the SLP pre Leyton Orient match )

cafcfan1990 said:

Many of us will say we got it wrong, I don't think we did, Pratley only had a handful of decent games when we got promoted a couple of years back. It's so strange how he was so much better last season, and has started brilliantly again this one. 

Definitely agree with Swisdom about his coaching badges, I think he'd have a lot to offer. 

He was rubbish in 18/19 for a few months mid season, but played a huge part in the playoffs and has been great since

Oggy Red said:

cafcfan1990 said:

Many of us will say we got it wrong, I don't think we did, Pratley only had a handful of decent games when we got promoted a couple of years back. It's so strange how he was so much better last season, and has started brilliantly again this one. 

A bit of perspective though. 

In his first summer pre-season, Prats got injured and was out for several weeks before, because of several other players missing, being needed for the 1st team squad before he was properly fit and ready.
Surprise, surprise he soon got injured again and then rushed back. He was playing, not training, play the next game, miss one and then asked to play again carrying the niggle and not match sharp.

People sat in judgement of him, declared him to be too slow, past it and anyway, he's useless.

The injury persisted; he then had to miss a chunk of the season which allowed his injury to heal.
As he regained fitness, we then started to see his influence on games, even from the bench - you can't forget his impact on the playoff semi at The Valley, or Wembley.

Nothing strange. He just needed the chance to let the injury properly heal and get match fitness.

Spot on Oggy.

He's played in the premier league. All these "he was useless" "he can't trap a ball, can't pass a ball" excuses are nonsense.

Gallen explained at Bromley Addicks his value to the side.

Pratley is a fantastic player and always has been for us, it's just taken some people a long time to overcome their prejudices about him and realise that football isn't just what you do on the ball.

Pratley is a leader of men, something we have lacked over the years. What makes this side so full of potential is that Pratley is not the only leader in the squad.
During the 60's and 70's, we were bullied far too often by the opposition, summed up succinctly by Eamon Dunphy in his excellent book 'Only a Game' when, as a Millwall player he wrote "As a team, (Charlton)  always seemed like a nice load of nancy boys. We've always loved playing against them, because we've never had a game against them. It's been too easy."
I don't think anyone would dare call this team a load of nancy boys. Not to their faces at least.

Inniss or Aneke or Bogle or Pratley or Pearce or Oshilaja

LOL

Six-a-bag-of-nuts said:

cafcfan1990 said:

Many of us will say we got it wrong, 

Good, you should 

What did I say then?

Who can forget his contribution to our Wembley playoff win.
He seemed to galvanize the team after a shaky start.    

Isawsummersplay said:

Pratley is a leader of men, something we have lacked over the years. What makes this side so full of potential is that Pratley is not the only leader in the squad.
During the 60's and 70's, we were bullied far too often by the opposition, summed up succinctly by Eamon Dunphy in his excellent book 'Only a Game' when, as a Millwall player he wrote "As a team, (Charlton)  always seemed like a nice load of nancy boys. We've always loved playing against them, because we've never had a game against them. It's been too easy."
I don't think anyone would dare call this team a load of nancy boys. Not to their faces at least.

Barton noted after the Fleetwood game that Bowyer had built a big, physical side. When you look at who we brought in after TS took us over, there's bags of experience and/or physical presence - Watson, Gunter, Bogle, Shinnie, Innis - to go alongside the talented kids like Maatsen and Famewo

Super Daz

At the Business end of the promotion season, Darren Pratley's character and sheer professionalism in the semi finals against Doncaster shone through and his goal when the game was slipping away was paramount in our narrow success in the semi final of the Play offs.

Pratley and Watson are water carriers who are so important to teams. They are the workhorses which every teams needs to get the balance between putting your foot in and creative flair players who tend to be weaker without the ball.

When we are at full strength: the box to box midfielder Gilbey fit and Maddison, Morgan, Shinnie, JFC then I would imagine both Pratley or Watson will alternate as unless Pratley is covering at CB I wouldn't have both in the same team as I prefer we are more offensive in our play.

Darren Pratley is so important to cafc this season with his nous and winning mentality. In the autumn of his playing career but I would be amazed if coaching and management doesn't follow.  

JohnfromNorfolk said:

DOUCHER said:

He's played really well last year and this (relatively speaking given he doesn't have much football to his game) but won't be in the first choice 11 once we have everybody fit - he's a great player if trying to grind out a win / win ugly but not the answer if we want to start smashing teams and not be hanging on for wins. 

"Relatively speaking given he doesn't have much football to his game".
Strange comment doucher. as Pratley has played over 500 games and scored over 50 goals.
What Pratley brings to a team is balance.
After winning 6 games on the trot by "winning ugly," It wouldn't be a surprise If Bowyer thinks winning ugly is the way to "smash" this league. 

all about opinions - most teams that go up win a lot of games, particularly at home, by a clear margin where you aren't having to put bodies on line and give everything right up to the final whistle - he has a role to play, yes, but i'm happy with what i've said and he won't feature so much once we are properly up and running

soapboxsam said:

I was pleasantly surprised at the first half against Fleetwood despite the bad 90 seconds as I thought we played some sweet football despite Barton's boys having the bulk of possession. Shinnie first half and Morgan for the 60+ minutes he was on played some good attacking passes and unlike other games I didn't personally think it was ugly with both teams playing some decent football. 

I agree for the large part I thought it was a decent game of Football played by two honest sides... its especially always nice to see (what happened a lot during the game) that any heavy challenges got met with smiles from the players on both sides rather than petulance which for me makes it an even better spectacle as means you've got two sets of teams just trying to be honest and win a game of Football

The only two incidents that werent like that were the Ched Evans stamp (I still think it was more accidental than malicious) and Sam Finley's push on Maatsen, shock horror - Barton has got his Fleetwood side playing good football and could well have a good career in Management himself, he'll struggle to lose that historic reputation (like Bowyer) but then he equally didnt help himself against Barnsley two years ago

DOUCHER said:

He's played really well last year and this (relatively speaking given he doesn't have much football to his game) but won't be in the first choice 11 once we have everybody fit - he's a great player if trying to grind out a win / win ugly but not the answer if we want to start smashing teams and not be hanging on for wins. 

Pratley is often judged on his ability with the ball. But that's not what he's here for.
Bowyer, talking at the time Prats first signed:

"He's definitely something that we need. We have a man coming through the door - someone who is going to compete and fight and we were lacking that towards the end of last season.

"He's seen it, been there and done it, he's got promotions so he knows what it takes."

And above all, Pratley is a leader, and a winner.

Without him we would never have got past Doncaster in the play off semi.
And even if by some miracle we had, he stopped us folding and getting us back on track after the own goal at Wembley.

Those qualities are priceless in football. It wins games. Bowyer knows that.

 

When everyone is fit, I'd rotate him and Watson at the base of the diamond... I think they're similar players, and against the cloggers in this league you don't need both

I think he is quality. Wish we’d had him a lot longer than what we have.