This is probably more than a little controversial. However, my $0.02 is that one of the BIGGEST problem down at The Valley is US, that FANS.
The players are gripped with fear, they're jittery and nervous because they know that a wide ball, a loose free kick, a mis-timed tackle or a scrappy pass are going to result in the crowd booing or bellowing abuse at them.
We can sit here blame tactics, blame the manager, blame the board but maybe if we looked a bit more inward we would find one of the contributing factors that mean we keep going round in this circle of blame.
Everyone plays a part in the success/failure of the "team" and our "job" as fans is to cheer the team on and get behind them no matter how badly we think they're playing. Let me tell you by booing and jeering that is not the way they're going to improve, they'll just get worse.
I'm bound to get the "same old same old" reponses (I'll list a few):
I've been going since 1956 I've earnt my right to boo if I want
I pay £25 a ticket I can boo if Iwant.
Since the team had a poor season in the Premier league the boo boys have been gettting worse, and as they've got worse so have the team performances.
I'm pretty sure if the WHOLE of The Valley got behind the team and cheered them on no matter what the results after 4 or 5 games you might find the players lift their heads and play without fear and we get some of the results we all want.
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If we don't tell the players how we feel? they will just carry on playing nothing football and every week collecting thier wages thinking eveything is ok!
Agree with you...........
Some of the people sitting round us at the front of J Block can't wait for the first misplaced pass so as they can "boo".
I thought being a "Supporter" meant just that.
Sorry to ask, but, in your opinion, What IS the answer Nolly ?
That's not to say everything is the crowd's fault - but the negative atmosphere generated by the crowd doesn't help one jot.
Players do want to play football and they want to win - but they do make mistakes, performances get disjointed and confidence dips.
Getting on players' backs and mindlessly barracking them helps no one.
And does nothing towards getting a good result.
Lets be fair, Charlton are a big club at this level and the players understand the expectation when they sign that contract. This season, so far, they haven't lived up to it. If they can't deal with the criticism they are going to receive at a "bigger" club then perhaps they should have stayed at Southend, Daggenham, Oldham etc.
Nobody goes to a game with the intention to boo, however it's pretty much the only way to show our dissatisfaction as a fan. We can live in a complete fairytale world where we say "lets all get behind the team and cheer them on even when we've drawn with the worst team in the league at home and lost to the bottom away", but it's probably better to be realistic and accept that this won't happen. Lets also be realistic and accept that the only people who can change the atmosphere from a negative to a positive one are the players.
You are so far wide of the mark with your suggestion it is laughable. My mate went to Tuesdays game, he manages an under 15 team, and says he has never seen such a bad homes side, ever, it was like watching a sunday team, football is his life and that says it all, So the knives are out now, I stated at the beginning of the season that Parky gets my backing, however it is now clear that he is clueless!! He must go, we as fans must let the board know our feelings, if we are being honest we know it aint gonna get better, if the board are honest they must see it too! Its Parkys team, Parkys training methods and the buck stops with him not with me or anyone else who may get a lttle frustrated, the board must act now, not in another 10 games, now!
It's all down to us paying fans that are to blame....
Booing does seem to have become common place at football grounds, we seem to not be exclusive these days, the players just have to get over it.
Hello, Uncle!
Yep, I'm back. An hour of reading Charlton Life makes me want to top myself.
Perhaps, everyone should "support" Chelsea......? ha ha
Ive been to so many games in the past few seasons where practically everyone has got behind the team and vocally supported them only for them to be poor.
Whilst booing doesnt help and may even make them play worse it is not anywhere near the biggest problem at our club.
Jesus we really are in trouble if people cannot see what is really wrong at board and management level.
We give nothing but support for this team and yet we get treated with that utter rubbish yet again. Stop blaming the fans it's getting boring now. The manager is responsible for the teams performence not us.
What is the answer away from home do you reckon? Should we play more defensively and hit teams on the break, we do have pace on Reid, Waggy, Benson, Anyinsah
4-5-1 that quickly converts to 4-3-3?
I know exactly what you mean. Its not a very happy place here at the moment. Its a bit chicken and egg. What comes first supporters getting behind the team to lift them or the team trying harder to lift the fans. Still it could be worse could be a Liverpool fan, done at home to blackpool.
Good point, Uncle.
Charlton have always been at their most successful when players and supporters pull together.
A lot of supporters seem to have an "Us and them" mentality........ they appear to see themselves as separate from the team.
Maybe that's a big part of the problem, the "Us and them" mentality?
Perhaps the players feel the same way too.
The sheer amount of negativity at The Valley is not going to help anybody.
Surely supporters can see this?
The fans are not the whole problem. But they are PART of it.
4-5-1 that quickly converts to 4-3-3?[/quote]
Would def go back to 4-5-1, with Abbott up top on his own, we are getting overun in midfield game after game, I would like to see Racon, Semedo and Jackson in the middle, Jackson can create and Racon and Semedo can do the donkey work, with Wagstaff and Reid on the wings.
Would def go back to 4-5-1, with Abbott up top on his own, we are getting overun in midfield game after game, I would like to see Racon, Semedo and Jackson in the middle, Jackson can create and Racon and Semedo can do the donkey work, with Wagstaff and Reid on the wings.[/quote]
I dont think Parky can do that now, not after spending money on Benson. He will feel the need to justify spending it.
We're missing Akpo.
It's our away performances that are woeful.
Rob, all due respect mate, but if you were watching this week, in week out I think youd see things differently through your rose tinted specs....the standard of football just wears even the most loyal fans down.