On December 12, Richard Murray said:-
"As there can be no further changes to the playing squad until the transfer window opens on January 1st, and as Phil and his coaching and backroom staff know the players, it is our view to give Phil a run up until the end of the year, when there will be a strategic review of the position.
"We have been very busy behind the scenes, and there has been plenty of interest in the position.
"But Phil - with the support of former Charlton players Mark Kinsella and Phil Chapple - knows the demands of the Championship and is stamping his own managerial style on the team during this interim period.”
I have been one of the first on this message board to point out the failings and poor decision-making of our Board of Directors over the past two seasons and nothing can change the fact that the sacking of Alan Pardew was months overdue, in truth, and his continued tenure beyond the Barnsley game reeked of a club in financial meltdown and reluctant to take even the most basic of decisions due to the budgetary impact.
I don’t think we can get away from that fact but such is life and criticism is justified at the appropriate time. Richard Murray is held in a lot of affection by supporters but he, and the other directors, have to carry the can for that delay which might cost us our Championship status.
So, now to the quote above. A lot of supporters, including myself I’ll admit, have been sharpening knives as each day passes while Phil Parkinson remains in his job, as this inaction implies the Board are looking to duck taking painful, and, more importantly, costly, decisions.
Reading the words above and recognising that Richard Murray appears a straightforward and sincere man, I think supporters just have to show a little patience and the right decision will be made and hopefully very soon. There is no earthly way Richard Murray or Derek Chappell can claim the ‘strategic review’ of Phil Parkinson’s ‘position’, after no wins in eight matches and only three points won, can lead to anything but his dismissal. They must also acknowledge his significant role in Alan Pardew’s unsuccessful period in charge.
One thing I will say is that Richard Murray’s next public statement will be one of the most important he has made since joining the Board. If Parkinson is retained and some justification is put on this, other than that the Board simply cannot afford to sack him, then I think the relationship between directors and supporters will suffer a huge blow.
Sadly, if Richard Murray, or Derek Chappell, do display transparency and courageously suggest they cannot actually afford to dismiss Parkinson then questions will rightly be raised as to how all those years in the Premier League, during which the likes of Murray himself and Peter Varney were at pains to emphasise how responsibly our finances were being managed by them, could lead to a football club being powerless to take necessary and far-reaching decisions.
That’s why I think, or hope at least, a change in manager and some subsequent investment in new players is just around the corner.
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As soon as they mentioned 'Strategic Review' most people realised that by 1st January we would possibly be well adrift from the other clubs and that mentioning a 'Strategic Review' only added to a sense of dithering.
Well 1st January is tomorrow and guess what. . . .
There's not much credibility left, on or off the park.
"We have been very busy behind the scenes, and there has been plenty of interest in the position."
Also, Derek Chappell said at Bromley Addicks something along the lines of, Phil Parkinson will be judged on results.
So, based on what they've both said, we should expect some developments .....?
if he does then as said above the Board need to spell out their reasons, which can nly be lack of money.
there have been some high calibre apllicants but as you say the renumeration on offer might be a problem
That’s absolutely correct. Nobody put those words into their mouths and, as a consequence, they don’t really have much room for manoeuvre. They, RM and DC, are both long in the tooth businessmen and they will know just how much of an obligation they currently have.
But as the likes of Inspector Sands might say, well, it is their money and they can do what they please. That’s absolutely right, and we can’t stop them, but no matter who BUYS a football club, the fans still think they OWN it. That is one of the weird quirks of the football industry.
So if they decide to run for cover and keep their cheque books closed they will pay a price with regard to trust and respect with a large number of supporters I’m afraid.
Razil – you might well be right, who knows, but again it boils down to a team that spent so many years, so recently, in the richest league in the world, not being able to afford the recruitment of a decent manager. That’s grim and reflects very poorly on the administration.
Let's see what happens in the next 48 hours.
Its baffling imho.
Perhaps Curbs is not available until 1st January ....?
;o)
We have been in limbo since the Barnsley game when Pardew was left as a dead man walking. That's 12 games and 9 nine weeks ago.
Since then signals have been confusing at best and all point towards indecision. We know the club has no real long-term target at the moment, and with people at the top wanting to get out, that is understandable.
But the fact there appears a lack of a cohesive short-term plan is what is severely going to impact the next few months, and in turn may shape our future.
Someone with balls at the top please put your head above the paraphet, and spell things out so everyone knows how the hell is the best way for us to approach the final 4-5 months of this season.
That's why I couldn't understand why they said it made sense for him to stay until January. A new manager could have come in, assessed the squad, and already be working on bringing players in. Fair enough Parkinson said he is doing that, but if he leaves now, a new manager might not want the players we were trying to bring in, and have different views and ideas on our squad.
Hear hear!! This is precisely how I feel. Keeping Parky on now after 8 win less games and flying in the face of statements on the record about him being judged on results suggests no co-herant plan and just an other fudge to avoid the need to spend any money. If they are going to keep him, then come on and explain the thinking so that we can at least have some confidence that the decision was made in the best interest of the club.
Well I'm guessing here but how about :
i) we've already spent over budget for 2008-9 in paying off Pardew
ii) cheaper to keep Parky than get rid cos he's on a contract ,too
iii) the squad Pardew left is so not fit for purpose that we've no real confidence any manager can turn it around
iv) we've rather left it all too late anyway...
After some Peter Mandelson clone has spun this , it will come out as :
"Although the results haven't been quite as positive as we would have liked, there are encouraging signs that things have improved over recent games. Phil Parkinson knows the players and the Charlton set-up better than anybody and we have every confidence that given a slice of the kind of luck you need to succeed in football, he is still the best man to turn it around''.
lol as I believe they say...
That said if we are so skint that we can only afford dross rather than Curbslike quality as manager then we may as well save the compensation and hope for a Cliff Holton reincarnated in January to arrive amongst our "new" players.
I know.pretty depressing stuff.But i think we should just be thankfull for the good years we had and that we were there to witness them,cause they ain't coming back for a long time.
Happy new year !
;-)
I disagree.
As I tried to point out on my what goes round comes round thread the Glikstens did a lot for Charlton then lost interest / ran out of money.
History is repeating itself.
lets hope someone can turn it round in time.
nearly word for word Nigel, well done !!!!!
I think the only chance of salvaging something now is if Phil Parkinson takes the matter out of the board's hands by walking, like Paul Jewell at Derby. He should call a press conference tomorrow and say that he hopes everybody appreciates he has done his best as a caretaker but he accepts it hasn't been good enough and in the interests of allowing this great club to move forwards, he is withdrawing his name from consideration for the post of Charlton manager..
SEE THE TOP OF THE BOARD !!!!
HE'S BEEN GIVEN THE JOB !!!!
the man is a joke and the board are becoming more so by the day. Top that off with Ambrose coming back i think 2009 is gonna be a long yr
Jesus!! I thought those days were long gone. God help us.
1) Burton
2) Macevley
3) Cranie (loan extended)
4) Ambrose returning
No stone left unturned as none were moved.