I think it has been an excellent season (for the owner).
He solved a managerial crisis with someone who was already on his payroll and the playing crisis with players (mostly) already on his books.
He was able to successfully showcase young Academy products like Solly, Fox, Cousins and Gomez, at least two of whom will be sold in the summer for a significant profit. Those players he did pay real Euros for (eg. JBG and Igor) increased their value and at least one of them will also be sold on with a healthy margin. His failing network personnel (eg Buyens, Bulot and Watt) got a new lease of life should Liege need them back and more market exposure should they need to be sold .
I assume the overall business overhead was also slashed so the week-to week losses were reduced and his Chief Executive held her own up during a rocky patch with fans, without him having to get too involved.
With continued careful business planning, the new owner should be congratulated on being able to recover a large chunk of his original investment in his first full season. A rare achievement indeed in professional football.
What position we finished (as long as it was generally mid table) and how you or I might feel about the season is neither here nor there.
Won't go into reasons why, we all have our own highs and lows, but personally this has been my least enjoyable season following Charlton over the last 20 odd years. Pray next season is different.
Is it to do with moving your season ticket next to me?
Started like a dream, fell away, had a little worry, got good again and strolled home. What's not to like? Some excellent days out and Rotherham for the old faces parade stands out.
I'm not sure if the mid season wobble was down to factors around BP, or injuries to key players, but whatever it was, GL soon put a stop to it. Maybe GL had some luck, but you need to be lucky to succeed in sport. If GL is a lucky person, then that's fine by me.
We now have good reason to be optimistic that we can challenge for the play offs or maybe better next season. I'm more optimistic about our prospects than I have been for many a long year.
I think if you look at the end table we have had an average season.
More pertinently did Roland have a good season? In my opinion, No. He replaced a manager who the fans wanted to keep with a Millwall man who enjoyed a good start but then thought two draws were better than a win and a loss and employed negative tactics. Roland then failed to back his appointment with new players to push on from the good start. He then alienated the fans with the nature of replacing his failed managerial appointment. If he had kept Riga or appointed Luzon in first place instead of out of his depth Peters we may have been looking forward to play offs.
But then again if 'ifs and ands were pots and pans there would be no need for tinkers' so we may have ended up with Peters saving us from a disastrous Luzon run.
I think it has been an excellent season (for the owner).
He solved a managerial crisis with someone who was already on his payroll and the playing crisis with players (mostly) already on his books.
He was able to successfully showcase young Academy products like Solly, Fox, Cousins and Gomez, at least two of whom will be sold in the summer for a significant profit. Those players he did pay real Euros for (eg. JBG and Igor) increased their value and at least one of them will also be sold on with a healthy margin. His failing network personnel (eg Buyens, Bulot and Watt) got a new lease of life should Liege need them back and more market exposure should they need to be sold .
I assume the overall business overhead was also slashed so the week-to week losses were reduced and his Chief Executive held her own up during a rocky patch with fans, without him having to get too involved.
With continued careful business planning, the new owner should be congratulated on being able to recover a large chunk of his original investment in his first full season. A rare achievement indeed in professional football.
What position we finished (as long as it was generally mid table) and how you or I might feel about the season is neither here nor there.
We end the season with more fragmentation and disunity than we have for many a year. It looks like the 'togethrr' part of building a better future together is going to be a challenge for this regime. I believe having our spectacularly excellent pitch is a unifying factor, but most of all we would like to see success on that pitch. We need an 18℅ improvement from Guy Luzon as a minimum next season.
A good first third (P15 PTS23) followed by an awful middle third (P15 PTS10) and a fantastic final third (P15 PTS27).
Or... a top-half first third, followed by a bottom-three middle and a play-off contenders final third.
To put into perspective how bad that middle third is: average the other two thirds for 25 points and add that to 23+27. We'd have 75 points and we'd be talking about play-offs this afternoon.
We end the season with more fragmentation and disunity than we have for many a year. It looks like the 'togethrr' part of building a better future together is going to be a challenge for this regime. I believe having our spectacularly excellent pitch is a unifying factor, but most of all we would like to see success on that pitch. We need an 18℅ improvement from Guy Luzon as a minimum next season.
Really ? I don't feel that the club is that disunited. I think the squad is stronger than in "many a year" we have a manager that has already proved that he knows what he wants and how to achieve it. A rich owner that is not compelled to accept the first offer that comes in for our Crown Jewels. A fantastic pitch to make us proud again. A progressive youth policy which I think most would agree is a very big positive. We are not looking over our shoulders worrying when the next bill arrives and we were like that under both Murray and the spivs.
Sure there are issues and you will never satisfy everybody but you tell me a club where that isnt the case. Our fall was monumental and it was never likely to be halted and reversed quickly. I think RD is an oddball but he has halted our slide and the tankers engines are now firmly taking us back in the right direction.
For me this season was always about consolidation and I believe that's been well and truly achieved.
Overall I've enjoyed the season. Real roller coaster stuff and good recovery from a proper crisis. I do have a sense of oreboding though about the summer. Roland may not be so lucky with his next influx of players. The consolation Is that we appear to be through the stage of signing someone who turns out to be a dud and being stuck with them. Church is the last of those I think. At least under Roland's system it is easy to move people on. Bad news for building attachments to our favourites but never dull. A number of questions remain - how many STs have we sold? Which players will move on? Can Guy cut it over a full season? Etc. Remains to be seen what resemblance next season bears to this for a whole host of reasons.
Oohaah answered these questions for me above. I just don't care. I turn up because I have done for my whole life and because my family are there, and I get into it at the games... but I just don't care. I've missed more games then ever this season out of choice to do other things, and I was no more or less bothered / happy when we were unbeaten, when we hadn't won for god knows how many games, and then when we had won so many in a row again.
In fact, perversely, my most satisfied point of the season was after we got utterly embarrassed at Watford. Because I thought there was a minor chance that people were actually realising what a vulgar, egotistical and charmless experiment we have become, and might revolt.
I've been in an often blissful and always devoted relationship with Charlton my entire life, but Roland has sucked the love out of it.
A funny season. A block of games where we didn't concede many and didn't lose, a block of games where we couldn't score and beat anyone, a block of games where we kept winning and then a mixed bag. Like the end of a rollercoaster ride, you feel some elation, some sickness and, dare I say, some relief that it's all over. But, I look forward to the dodgems of the summer transfer market.
Oohaah answered these questions for me above. I just don't care. I turn up because I have done for my whole life and because my family are there, and I get into it at the games... but I just don't care. I've missed more games then ever this season out of choice to do other things, and I was no more or less bothered / happy when we were unbeaten, when we hadn't won for god knows how many games, and then when we had won so many in a row again.
In fact, perversely, my most satisfied point of the season was after we got utterly embarrassed at Watford. Because I thought there was a minor chance that people were actually realising what a vulgar, egotistical and charmless experiment we have become, and might revolt.
I've been in an often blissful and always devoted relationship with Charlton my entire life, but Roland has sucked the love out of it.
We end the season with more fragmentation and disunity than we have for many a year. It looks like the 'togethrr' part of building a better future together is going to be a challenge for this regime. I believe having our spectacularly excellent pitch is a unifying factor, but most of all we would like to see success on that pitch. We need an 18℅ improvement from Guy Luzon as a minimum next season.
SHG - nope. I was very worried under them because of all the uncertainty but I still felt hope because we had a manager - albeit frighteningly under-resourced - who I trusted picking his team, and a group of players fighting for the club.
My fear levels doubled when Thuram and Nego turned up and the Roland merry go began, and quadrupled when Kermogant was sold. When Powell went a huge chunk of apathy sank in, and then when he got rid of Riga as well, that was pretty much the final straw and my level of interest has pretty much plateaued ever since then, probably at about 10% of its peak.
Pointless regurgitating it all... a small number of people I think feel the same way as me - most don't. I am where I am.
SHG - nope. I was very worried under them because of all the uncertainty but I still felt hope because we had a manager - albeit frighteningly under-resourced - who I trusted picking his team, and a group of players fighting for the club.
My fear levels doubled when Thuram and Nego turned up and the Roland merry go began, and quadrupled when Kermogant was sold. When Powell went a huge chunk of apathy sank in, and then when he got rid of Riga as well, that was pretty much the final straw and my level of interest has pretty much plateaued ever since then, probably at about 10% of its peak.
Pointless regurgitating it all... a small number of people I think feel the same way as me - most don't. I am where I am.
Interesting.
I've been to less games this year then ever. Mostly thorough work not choice I add. My love of Charlton has not diminished but I feel that because I am very disillusioned with football and how greedy it's become that my enthusiasm for even Charlton has waned. I'm going to really give it my all next season. It's been such an important part of my life that I can't think about it going wonky on me.
I have renewed and will still be turning up next season as ever. As you say can't really imagine life without it... hopefully something will happen to give me a renewed excitement.
I agree though about the general disillusionment with football as a whole... a lot of it turns me off which doesn't help.
I have renewed and will still be turning up next season as ever. As you say can't really imagine life without it... hopefully something will happen to give me a renewed excitement.
I agree though about the general disillusionment with football as a whole... a lot of it turns me off which doesn't help.
Same as you, I get disillusioned about it maybe because:-
The big clubs are getting bigger and taking all the talent and money. The increase in money at the top not filtering down, it shouldn't be all about the top division. The FA/UEFA/FIFA not leading the game but being led by the money men.
Who knows where the Football League will be in ten years? Its a good product as shown week in week out, decent football, goals, surprising results most weeks.
Some weeks I don't fancy it but I go (apart from today) because you never know what you're going to get.
If you don't go its a cracking game, if you do go its an awful game!!
The games that I've seen ? .. far more good than bad .. a few youngsters have been blooded and more youngsters have gone forwards rather than backwards .. we now have a decent squad, some shrewd signings of unknown players .. if we can keep all our new 'stars', we just need one or two additions .. all in all .. GooD
If we finish as the 10th best team in the Championship I'll be happy with that. As others have said its been a roller coaster of a season. If we can retain the likes of JBG, Buyens and Gomez and add some additional quality to the side I firmly believe that we can make a challenge for the playoffs next season with Luzon at the helm.
What might have been if we had strengthen earlier. Hearing Johann and Yoni say we needed a target man and another forward only confirms what 75% of us have been saying all season on CL. Did we only bring the extra bodies in because we were in free fall and may even have been relegated if it had carried on much longer.
Mid table is fine but will we be able to hold on to JBG and Gomez ? Bulot and Buyens sound like their going back, This was the season to go for it. Brentford could be in the playoffs still ? Were they better than us? Were Ipswich that much better than us ? The league table said they were. Only having 2 strikers most of the season, Igor and George, Igor and Tony has cost us dear. Watford and Bournemouth had 5 strikers to rotate. what ever they invested they have got back with interest. If you try to stand still in football, you end up going backwards. Over to you Roland.
So only Watford and Bournemouth invested? If you invest and get the results, it's ok, but a lot of teams invested and didn't get the return of promotion. In that case you make a lot of debt, without gaining a single thing
You make it sound like it's only making the investment and promotion will follow automatically...
I'm looking forward to next season. Without the benefit of hind site I think RD has done ok with his managerial appointments. CP was taking us down so he was replaced. Riga was a good appointment but was a stop gap and served a purpose. That purpose worked and we avoided relegation. I can see why he was replaced in the summer. RD has worked with him before and knew his limitations. Also, I believe he wanted a younger man to take us forward. BP was a mistake after a bright start but RD replaced him pretty sharpish. GL has done a good job since he came in. Steadied the ship when it was needed and the last few games have just been end of season fizz outs which is understandable. I'm looking forward to what next season brings after GL has had an off season to get things the way he wants.
Overall I'd say we've had a season moving in the right direction.
We didn't go down, in fact mid-table - therefore, good. However, hoping we bring in some much-needed guile and spirit during the summer, otherwise next season will be a nail-biter in what will be a tougher division.
The 15 game winless run killed any ambition our season could have had and survival became our aim for a while until the run of wins made it safe with weeks to go. So a deflating endto an average season is about the mark. Somehow having nothing to play for over the last few games makes it hard to feel motivated about what's going on on the pitch. As for our season when comparedto last season where we went into the final three games needing points, it was a completely different feeling. Joy and relief from last season's ending has been replaced with nothing to be excited about this year.
Cup half full for me most definately, but it would have been nice to be competing for a play-off place going into today.
I'm pretty shocked that Derby fecked it up, but how their fans must be gutted beyond belief. Really hope Brentford don't make it up as another London club overtaking us would be unwelcome , so for me Norwich to go up in play-offs.
Comments
I think it has been an excellent season (for the owner).
He solved a managerial crisis with someone who was already on his payroll and the playing crisis with players (mostly) already on his books.
He was able to successfully showcase young Academy products like Solly, Fox, Cousins and Gomez, at least two of whom will be sold in the summer for a significant profit. Those players he did pay real Euros for (eg. JBG and Igor) increased their value and at least one of them will also be sold on with a healthy margin. His failing network personnel (eg Buyens, Bulot and Watt) got a new lease of life should Liege need them back and more market exposure should they need to be sold .
I assume the overall business overhead was also slashed so the week-to week losses were reduced and his Chief Executive held her own up during a rocky patch with fans, without him having to get too involved.
With continued careful business planning, the new owner should be congratulated on being able to recover a large chunk of his original investment in his first full season. A rare achievement indeed in professional football.
What position we finished (as long as it was generally mid table) and how you or I might feel about the season is neither here nor there.
I CAN CHANGE
I'm not sure if the mid season wobble was down to factors around BP, or injuries to key players, but whatever it was, GL soon put a stop to it. Maybe GL had some luck, but you need to be lucky to succeed in sport. If GL is a lucky person, then that's fine by me.
We now have good reason to be optimistic that we can challenge for the play offs or maybe better next season. I'm more optimistic about our prospects than I have been for many a long year.
More pertinently did Roland have a good season?
In my opinion, No.
He replaced a manager who the fans wanted to keep with a Millwall man who enjoyed a good start but then thought two draws were better than a win and a loss and employed negative tactics. Roland then failed to back his appointment with new players to push on from the good start. He then alienated the fans with the nature of replacing his failed managerial appointment. If he had kept Riga or appointed Luzon in first place instead of out of his depth Peters we may have been looking forward to play offs.
But then again if 'ifs and ands were pots and pans there would be no need for tinkers' so we may have ended up with Peters saving us from a disastrous Luzon run.
I believe having our spectacularly excellent pitch is a unifying factor, but most of all we would like to see success on that pitch.
We need an 18℅ improvement from Guy Luzon as a minimum next season.
Really ? I don't feel that the club is that disunited. I think the squad is stronger than in "many a year" we have a manager that has already proved that he knows what he wants and how to achieve it. A rich owner that is not compelled to accept the first offer that comes in for our Crown Jewels. A fantastic pitch to make us proud again. A progressive youth policy which I think most would agree is a very big positive. We are not looking over our shoulders worrying when the next bill arrives and we were like that under both Murray and the spivs.
Sure there are issues and you will never satisfy everybody but you tell me a club where that isnt the case. Our fall was monumental and it was never likely to be halted and reversed quickly. I think RD is an oddball but he has halted our slide and the tankers engines are now firmly taking us back in the right direction.
For me this season was always about consolidation and I believe that's been well and truly achieved.
Oohaah answered these questions for me above. I just don't care. I turn up because I have done for my whole life and because my family are there, and I get into it at the games... but I just don't care. I've missed more games then ever this season out of choice to do other things, and I was no more or less bothered / happy when we were unbeaten, when we hadn't won for god knows how many games, and then when we had won so many in a row again.
In fact, perversely, my most satisfied point of the season was after we got utterly embarrassed at Watford. Because I thought there was a minor chance that people were actually realising what a vulgar, egotistical and charmless experiment we have become, and might revolt.
I've been in an often blissful and always devoted relationship with Charlton my entire life, but Roland has sucked the love out of it.
My fear levels doubled when Thuram and Nego turned up and the Roland merry go began, and quadrupled when Kermogant was sold. When Powell went a huge chunk of apathy sank in, and then when he got rid of Riga as well, that was pretty much the final straw and my level of interest has pretty much plateaued ever since then, probably at about 10% of its peak.
Pointless regurgitating it all... a small number of people I think feel the same way as me - most don't. I am where I am.
I've been to less games this year then ever. Mostly thorough work not choice I add. My love of Charlton has not diminished but I feel that because I am very disillusioned with football and how greedy it's become that my enthusiasm for even Charlton has waned. I'm going to really give it my all next season. It's been such an important part of my life that I can't think about it going wonky on me.
I agree though about the general disillusionment with football as a whole... a lot of it turns me off which doesn't help.
The big clubs are getting bigger and taking all the talent and money.
The increase in money at the top not filtering down, it shouldn't be all about the top division.
The FA/UEFA/FIFA not leading the game but being led by the money men.
Who knows where the Football League will be in ten years? Its a good product as shown week in week out, decent football, goals, surprising results most weeks.
Some weeks I don't fancy it but I go (apart from today) because you never know what you're going to get.
If you don't go its a cracking game, if you do go its an awful game!!
If you invest and get the results, it's ok, but a lot of teams invested and didn't get the return of promotion.
In that case you make a lot of debt, without gaining a single thing
You make it sound like it's only making the investment and promotion will follow automatically...
Overall I'd say we've had a season moving in the right direction.
Cup half full for me most definately, but it would have been nice to be competing for a play-off place going into today.
I'm pretty shocked that Derby fecked it up, but how their fans must be gutted beyond belief. Really hope Brentford don't make it up as another London club overtaking us would be unwelcome , so for me Norwich to go up in play-offs.