Remember the seasons 2008-2010? Charlton had what everyone thought was the best midfield outside the prem. 5 players that should have seen Charlton climb back up the leagues.... Jose Semedo, Therry Racon, Lloyd Sam, Nicky Bailey, and Jonjo Shelvey. A line up most league one and Championship managers at the time would quite like to have had. Charlton fans had their favourites, many favoured the defensive qualities of Semedo. Others Racon for his quality in midfield,Sam for his step overs, Bailey for his gun-ho leadership and ability to get goals, and Shelvey for his youth and exuberance. A few recent discussions got me thinking where is that great quintet now.... Semedo last went on a free transfer to Wednesday, Racon is currently without a club, Sam went on a free to New York Red Bulls, Bailey is currently without a club but looking at offers and Shelvey is just about to start a stint in Wales. To be fair I would have expected more from that group of players. Maybe If the manager had found a winning combination amongst them we would have gone up the leagues and the would now be household names or maybe they just wasn't as good as everyone thought they was. Oh and if you doubt how good people thought they was, trawl through the history of comments about them. I just did...... But then again I'm really bored tonight. See you all Saturday.
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Bailey was liked/rated by about 50% as his assets were counteracted by his negatives.
Sam was liked/rated by about 30% ...............//...........................
Racon was liked/rated by about 30% ...........//.............................
Also, to be accurate. Semedo did not go on a free. He was out of contract & we did offer a new one, which he rejected in favour of a better offer by Sheff W.
Bailey will get a club, most likely QPR, he's waiting for the best offer.
Racon was out injured for most of last season, so I'm not surprised no one's signed him up yet.
Sam looks like he's on good money in the US.
8) see ya sat hamster
The point is Gareth Bale could be out of contract at the end of next season & sign for Real Madrid, but it wouldn't be a free transfer. Free transfer gives the impression that a contracted player has no value.
Anyway I don't mean to nit pick. I'm just trying to relay the facts.
I think without Bosman we would have taken Leeds and Sheff Wed to a tribunal for a transfer fee for Sam and Semedo. I also expect that Bailey might have been offered a contract at Middlesborough had there been no Bosman rule preventing a transfer tribunal when he left there.
Steve McManamon left Liverpool on a 'free' and signed for Real Madrid where he won the Champions League. I think that is a good example of the difference between a free transfer and an out of contract move.
In answer to the question, that midfield was nowhere near good enough to be the envy of any team outside of League One. It wasn't even the best midfield in League One. Shelvey was the only real talent in the side, and if rumors are to be believed it went to his head and he was dropped because the manager (and some of the senior squad members) believed that he 'lost his focus'.
Behave. Who thought that?
Sam was a talented coward. Racon was anonymous most of the time. Bailey was decent. Also liked Semedo - though he was always limited as a midfielder. Jonjo was a kid - albeit a good one who had more than a bit about him.
I still shudder when I think of the Racon/Semedo axis in the middle. Still, better than the Traore/Faye combo I guess.
Parky's biggest managerial failure, and the reason why I don't think he can manage above League 1 level.
Solly jenkinson or shelvey this is his biggest weakness
People always had mixed opinions on him but I could not see it myself, maybe people thought he had something about him because his name was Thierry and he was French I don't know.
Remember watching him the two seasons we had him in League One, he couldn't control the ball, put in much of a battle, score goals, prevent goals and his workrate wasn't brilliant, will go down as one of the worst players I've seen at the club. IMO
Some quotes off a random players ratings thread, against orient I think
He def was a better player than most of the rest of the team, but thats not saying much I agree
Semedo - 6.5 One wayward header, but otherwise busy and missed when he came off
Semedo - 7 I am still flabbergasted he was subbed. Once he departed we were so overrun it was a joke
Semedo - 6 - Solid in the middle - think he misses Racon...
Semedo - 6 - We need his strength in there against any half decent motivated side, midfield just doesn't have any otherwise. Made mistakes but we're better with him there than without.