I was quite disappointed by this and thought about it. If this were our "marquee" signing then disappointment would be justified, but hopefully it is not and it is a punt that may work out and if it does not well in the context of football then not a big cost.
There will be ups and downs in the next few months before the season starts, but then we have been on a roller coaster run for a few years now, the truth of the squad will be in the playing in August and beyond and not determined by any single signing whatever we think of them.
"Charlton introduce a new 'Development' level .......where they take young professionals moving up from the youth team and promising players from non-league clubs"
"Charlton introduce a new 'Development' level .......where they take young professionals moving up from the youth team and promising players from non-league clubs"
Where's that from? Aren't "development squads" what a lot of clubs call their reserve teams now? Might suggest we are re-entering the reserve league.
Non league player - yes, however we could possibly be losing up to 14 or so members of the squad this summer so a lot of new players to come in, they are not all going to be established championship or league one players. A couple from non league could turn out to be inspired signings that work well, or if not we won't lose too much financially. Most would agree that we need hungry, motivated players that want to progress up the leagues, hopefully with us, rather than older set in their ways professionals who do not seem to want to put much effort in on the pitch.Good luck to Bradley I say, become our Morrison / Austin and a new Charlton legend.
Don't quote me on this but I think the only reserve league now is the Premiership reserve league. Teams outside the Premiership have to arrange friendlies or not run a reserve team at all.
They should set up a new reserve league, clubs can join on a first come first served basis, no doubt there will be enough teams out there who would want a bit more competition for the playing staff, and would join a reserve league
Impossible to make a judgement until you've seen him play. I haven't seen him play, so I'll reserve judgement until pre-season. The manager obviously believes he can step up to League One level, otherwise theres no point in signing him. I hope he's an improvement on Dickson, Fleetwood & Holden, the recent signings from non-league.
And think Charlton should sign more players like him in the conference and League Two.
And get players that enjoy playing football and not doing this just for the easy money.
I think we have tried to do the "fill the squad with lower league" before with Pardew and this is where it got us, a couple of punts that can be farmed out on loan if they don't work out is fine, but lets not kid ourselves that bringing in loads of conference and div 2 players will be any more successful than signing league 1, international youth and div 2 players was when we were in the championship.
Think a bit of perspective is required. Pritchard is a non league punt which costs next to nothing. Pope is not going into the first team squad but is one for about four years time if he progresses and Holland is pretty well considered by most as a decent signing. We will be bringing in about nine more first team squad at least before the season kicks off. What's the problem ?
orly worth taking a punt on the lad if we actually PLAY him..............unlike the Dorian Smith's & Dean Sinclair's of this world !! No point him turning out for the reserves every thirdweek & never geing a game for the first team.
mark my words - you'll never see him in a CAFC shirt in a League match.
Think a bit of perspective is required. Pritchard is a non league punt which costs next to nothing. Pope is not going into the first team squad but is one for about four years time if he progresses and Holland is pretty well considered by most as a decent signing. We will be bringing in about nine more first team squad at least before the season kicks off. What's the problem ?
Just what I was thinking.
It's good to see we've signed a few players this early. Hollands was only available on Monday as well, after Bournemouth lost in the play-offs.
Blimey this thread has taken a turn for the worse hasn't it? From generally being pleasantly surprised at another early signing to gerneral wrist slitting that he's not a Premiership class striker we'd all be getting a semi over.
He's a punt. That's all. End of (until we see him play a few times)...
Watching those youtube videos, he certainly knows where to put the ball, and there's all sorts in there too, from headers to long range efforts to flicks to placed shots, I think he will be used more than some people think, let's be honest here we're not a million miles away from non league football ourselves
I'll throw another one into the pot for you.................Chris Dickson !! Personally I rated him & thought he could have caused defences some trouble, but management thought otherwise & let him go. IMHO he was better than Sodje, Abbott & even Benson - but he wasn';t given a run in the team , unlike the others just mentioned, so we will never know.
That was all I was trying to say - its alright saying that he is "one for the future" or "worth taking a punt - no fee & low wages" - but they have to be dropped into the deep end once in a while & see if they cut the mustard IN A LEAGUE GAME, where it matters. We've had to put up with McOxo & Francis playing a number of league games so it can't be that much of a risk.
Dickson was shite, my proof? His agent had to get him a club, and the best he could come up with was a Cypriot 2nd Division side. I'm no striker but I can guarantee I would have scored more goals for Charlton if I played in the same games as him, had fitness levels to match the rest of the squad and a 3 year old in goal
Watching those youtube videos, he certainly knows where to put the ball, and there's all sorts in there too, from headers to long range efforts to flicks to placed shots, I think he will be used more than some people think, let's be honest here we're not a million miles away from non league football ourselves
The football they were playing looked better than ours of late
last summer we signed McCormack from Southend, a side who had been relegated and he was allegedly one of their best players. He joined us on a 2 yr contract, a contract that was probably the biggest he'd ever got in his career. He thought it was all his birthday's rolled into one. From the off he was shit. Now we want to get rid if we can but he's got another year to run and I doubt very much he'd get as good a contract elsewhere. He saw us as a big payday.
We now sign Bradley Pritchard from non-league, on a lot less than McOxo is on, on a 1 year contract. Bradley sees us as a big step forward for his career and is looking forward to playing for us and doing well. He is excited to be playing for us. He's 26 and a bit of a gamble, so what.
Comments
"Charlton introduce a new 'Development' level .......where they take young professionals moving up from the youth team and promising players from non-league clubs"
Where's that from? Aren't "development squads" what a lot of clubs call their reserve teams now? Might suggest we are re-entering the reserve league.
Impossible to make a judgement until you've seen him play. I haven't seen him play, so I'll reserve judgement until pre-season. The manager obviously believes he can step up to League One level, otherwise theres no point in signing him. I hope he's an improvement on Dickson, Fleetwood & Holden, the recent signings from non-league.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLR2clrDhfI - Scored vs. Wycombe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI25nInDj64 - A scuffed/deflected goal and an assist at Wrexham (both in the 1st half, so you don't have to watch the whole thing..)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMFM2UKP7Ug - Opens the scoring with a header (0:50)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9iG2exnHB8 - A tidy finish. (1:01)
orly worth taking a punt on the lad if we actually PLAY him..............unlike the Dorian Smith's & Dean Sinclair's of this world !! No point him turning out for the reserves every thirdweek & never geing a game for the first team.
mark my words - you'll never see him in a CAFC shirt in a League match.
Blimey this thread has taken a turn for the worse hasn't it? From generally being pleasantly surprised at another early signing to gerneral wrist slitting that he's not a Premiership class striker we'd all be getting a semi over.
He's a punt. That's all. End of (until we see him play a few times)...
couldn't have said it better myself, Chunes !!
I'll throw another one into the pot for you.................Chris Dickson !! Personally I rated him & thought he could have caused defences some trouble, but management thought otherwise & let him go. IMHO he was better than Sodje, Abbott & even Benson - but he wasn';t given a run in the team , unlike the others just mentioned, so we will never know.
That was all I was trying to say - its alright saying that he is "one for the future" or "worth taking a punt - no fee & low wages" - but they have to be dropped into the deep end once in a while & see if they cut the mustard IN A LEAGUE GAME, where it matters. We've had to put up with McOxo & Francis playing a number of league games so it can't be that much of a risk.