Last one of the season in the Sub-standard. Honest assessment
This time next week I'll be on my way to Cyprus with my girlfriend Jess and our daughter Ruby.
Before that, though, we've got our final game of the season against Hartlepool and I'm desperate to finish my first year at Charlton on a high note.
I always look back and take stock of how a season has gone and this is probably the one where I'd criticise myself the most. The two red cards I got in January and March weren't great and I feel I could have played better in certain games, so I'll look back and be a bit critical of how I've done.
It's always difficult moving to a new club and adapting to new styles, so there are reasons it has been an indifferent season but while I can be critical of myself, I have enjoyed it. Things haven't gone exactly as the club would have wanted but it's been something different for me.
I moved away from Dagenham and Redbridge where I'd had great times and it's all part of the experience: you learn so much more when things aren't going for you than when they are.
I feel I'm a lot tougher mentally than at the start of this season. I've gone through a few difficult moments, such as the sacking of Phil Parkinson the manager who signed me, in January.
I've also had to win over the new boss Chris Powell which I think I've done. These are all things that toughen you up. My old manager, John Still used to say adversity makes weak people weaker and strong people stronger, and hopefully I'm stronger.
One of the reasons for moving to Charlton was to improve certain parts of my game and I feel I've done that. I'm better with my back to goal and I'm adapting to dropping deeper and picking the ball up. My left foot used to be only for standing on but I've actually taken a few shots with it this season!
On Monday, we'll go to the training ground for the final time before heading off for the summer. There will be fitness tests and we'll have our body fat measured before a debrief from the manager and a meeting with the fitness staff, who will give us our programmes for the summer.
In my first year at Dagenham, we did absolutely nothing over the summer and used pre-season to get fit - and it was horrendous.
I much prefer the way things are done now, which involves building up gradually to ensure that you're in good shape for the start of pre-season so it doesn't become one long slog-fest.
There is usually a two-week break where you do nothing but in the third week, I'll head to the local gym, get on the treadmill and go from there. I tend to do a fair bit of swimming, which I find more beneficial than just running all the time, and it's easy if you're on holiday and near a pool.
We're due back for pre-season on June 30 and I'll make sure I'm ready to hit the ground running when we return. Before that, though, it's the Hartlepool game - and a well-earned break in Cyprus.
Comments
"Well - earned break in Cyprus"....these blokes really don't live in the real world. "Extension to the life of Reilly" would be more apt! ;-)
What worries me, is that its taken him this long to realise he has a left foot!!!
Hope he is one that stays. With the right service, there is no reason why he & BWP cannot form a very good striking partnership delivering 30-40 goals between them.
One foot
He's only got one foot
He's only got one foot
Etc
Although his girlfriend may disagree.
apparently he might be drinking red wine out there
proper rubbing our noses in it
Some bits missing from the version I saw:
"One of the reasons for moving to Charlton was to improve certain parts of my game and I feel I've done that. I'm better with my back to goal and I'm adapting to dropping deeper and picking the ball up. I have to admit, though, that my attempts to close down defenders really don't amount to much, although I am getting quite good at jogging around in the right general direction to give the impression that I'm making the effort.
My 'Charles Hawtry' physique doesn't really lend itself to competing with big, strong defenders so I tend to give that a miss. After all, headers are only to be won if you are unchallenged otherwise there is no telling what nasty bumps you might get. Oh yes, and the criticism that I have failed to score in about 70% of my appearances doesn't worry me ... I am a provider as well as a goalscorer. Ask Nathan Ecclestone about his goal against Rochdale and ... err ... well ... ask Nathan Ecclestone."
I think he has improved and his game is looking better, though goals are drying up.
I like him, found his level but considering where he was 4/5 years ago when I was reading about him every week in the local paper banging them in for a pub side he has had a pretty good stab at league football.
His two sendings off were stupid, especially MK Dons but I hope we keep him at least as back up next season.
Strange thing is Parky was supposedly sacked for not being able to spend money wisely yet his 'big money signing' hasnt actually turned out that bad, his goals to games ratio must be pretty good?
Stranger still I actually think he is playing better under Powell in a crap side than he was under Parky in a top 5 side.
Thanks to all for your observations. Whether I'm a bitch or perfect doesn't enter into it as far as I'm concerned. This thread is about Benson.
Just providing a view on how limited a player Benson is, in my opinion (yes, FA qualified). And don't even get me started on his underhit passes and balls played back towards the midfielder's throat.
He's a Charlton player, so he starts off in credit with me, but it's interesting that no-one has pointed out where I'm wrong about him.
Yes, he has improved (very slightly) since his ban. But I still make him a poor player and not one that I can personally warm to as my hero centre forward.
Could anyone seriously see Benson operating in the Championship? Do you get promotion with players operating at the limit of their ability?
On the whole I like Benson - he's not the most talented and in many respects is very limited, but he gives it his best shot. He could have stayed at D&R in a comfort zone but moved to improve himself, though I suspect we offered a bit more money, but equally he could have disappeared from view as one or two others have done and I don't think that he's the type to go on twitter after a home defeat and boast about going to the Oxo Tower.
beeno and pub league
i like benno , good honest pro , is he good enough to be a promotion push regular , who knows