I think Hollands is more likely to be a Racon replacement. He's not as defensive as some are making out on here. He is capable playing a more attacking role too, creating and scoring goals. He could play with Semedo.
I think Hollands is more likely to be a Racon replacement. He's not as defensive as some are making out on here. He is capable playing a more attacking role too, creating and scoring goals. He could play with Semedo.
I agree I see him as a more well-rounded midfielder than either Racon or Semedo. I don't think he's as easily pigeon-holed and certainly not a like for like with Semedo.
Regardless of who stays/goes this is a good signing if it comes off. To me it signals that we're at the very least looking at the right kind of players to build a decent squad.
Impressed with this signing. Is obviously a naturally gifted footballer from coming through the Chelsea academy and has been a big cog in the Howe team that survived relegation and almost had promotions in successive seasons. Still relatively young and about to hit his prime.
Hollands could be in line to pocket a life-changing salary. And, with his partner expecting triplets later this year and his next payday potentially defining to his career,
Does this means he gets three times the paternity leave?
Meanwhile, Pritchard, who can play across the midfield, hit 14 goals for Hayes & Yeading United in the Blue Square Bet Premier last term, helping to seal survival for his club in the top tier of non-League football.
Zimbabwe-born Pritchard, who impressed Powell during a trial at the club towards the end of last season, joined United from Tamworth last summer and made 47 appearances for the club.
He had previously played for Nuneaton Borough before joining the Lambs in 2008, and the 25-year-old has agreed a one-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months.Powell said: "Bradley is a player we watched quite a bit in the second half of last season. He scored a number of goals from midfield which was always a good sign, and he came in and spent some time with us training with the squad and played in a reserve game."He's a good midfielder with a good use of the ball but what he is, and what I like about him, is he is very energetic and technically aware. Also he has that knack, which doesn't happen a lot with players, of arriving in the box unnoticed and that's why he got into double figures last year from midfield."People may say it was at Conference level but in my eyes that's the fifth league. So he's jumped up a couple of levels and we feel he has the right attitude to progress and to carry on learning his trade with us."A graduate of Loughborough University, Pritchard won promotion to the Blue Square Premier with Tamworth in his first season at the club, and hit seven goals in 2009/10 before sealing a switch to Church Road.
He was named as the club's player of the season and his four goals in successive games against Wrexham, Mansfield, Darlington and Gateshead in April went a long way to helping Hayes & Yeading maintain their place in the league.
Added Pritchard: "I'm really excited. Charlton is a huge club, and one I never really thought I'd be a part of.
"It was a whirlwind in terms of how quick it moved. A month before the season finished at Hayes & Yeading season finished all I'd heard was interest from other non-league teams but my good performances continued and I carried on scoring goals and then I heard from Charlton.
"They asked me to come in and train, and I played one reserve game and spoke to the gaffer after and he said he would like to keep me on.
"I'm used to playing in front of 500 people at the most at Church Road and now I'm looking at playing in front of thousands of people with high expectations.
"To be associated with Charlton Athletic is incredible. It's a fantastic opportunity for me and one I want to take."
is it only me more excited about pritchard than hollands?
Yes! He's a 25 year old who's never played league football. As we know too well sometimes these things come off, e.g. Mackail-Smith, most of the time they don't. But as Rothko says, it's a cheap deal and bound to be 1 year max, the fact is we are very short in the middle of the park, especially when/if Semedo and Racon move on.
last year we had James Mulley on trial from Hayes and he looked good and imo should have signed instead of that useless McOxo. No reason why Pritchard can't come in and do a job. Not that big a leap from Conference to League 1.
The three year contract is the thing really interesting me (well, apart from being really happy about getting Hollands anyway). Normally at this level it's a two year contract just in case things go wrong at teams have to get wages off their payroll and re-structure. A 3 year deal for me implies that there's a bit of money going around which is encouraging
yes but his 3 yr contract probably works out at less than a year of Semedo's last one. Plus we are trying to assemble a squad that is good enough to compete in the Championship too so contracts need some longevity to them.
The three year contract is the thing really interesting me (well, apart from being really happy about getting Hollands anyway). Normally at this level it's a two year contract just in case things go wrong at teams have to get wages off their payroll and re-structure. A 3 year deal for me implies that there's a bit of money going around which is encouraging
What I thought. That's what financial stability and significant investment means, perhaps. The ability to attract decent players with a decent length of contract.
Comments
his partner expecting triplets later this year and his next payday
potentially defining to his career,
Does this means he gets three times the paternity leave?
Zimbabwe-born Pritchard, who impressed Powell during a trial at the club towards the end of last season, joined United from Tamworth last summer and made 47 appearances for the club.
He had previously played for Nuneaton Borough before joining the Lambs in 2008, and the 25-year-old has agreed a one-year deal, with the option of a further 12 months.Powell said: "Bradley is a player we watched quite a bit in the second half of last season. He scored a number of goals from midfield which was always a good sign, and he came in and spent some time with us training with the squad and played in a reserve game."He's a good midfielder with a good use of the ball but what he is, and what I like about him, is he is very energetic and technically aware. Also he has that knack, which doesn't happen a lot with players, of arriving in the box unnoticed and that's why he got into double figures last year from midfield."People may say it was at Conference level but in my eyes that's the fifth league. So he's jumped up a couple of levels and we feel he has the right attitude to progress and to carry on learning his trade with us."
He was named as the club's player of the season and his four goals in successive games against Wrexham, Mansfield, Darlington and Gateshead in April went a long way to helping Hayes & Yeading maintain their place in the league.
Added Pritchard: "I'm really excited. Charlton is a huge club, and one I never really thought I'd be a part of.
"It was a whirlwind in terms of how quick it moved. A month before the season finished at Hayes & Yeading season finished all I'd heard was interest from other non-league teams but my good performances continued and I carried on scoring goals and then I heard from Charlton.
"They asked me to come in and train, and I played one reserve game and spoke to the gaffer after and he said he would like to keep me on.
"I'm used to playing in front of 500 people at the most at Church Road and now I'm looking at playing in front of thousands of people with high expectations.
"To be associated with Charlton Athletic is incredible. It's a fantastic opportunity for me and one I want to take."