In light of
@AFKABartram wanting to keep this sort of discussion off the transfer rumour thread I though it might be worth starting a new one.
From the
Newsshopper:
When asked how close he was to bringing one in, he said: “No. We’re not at the moment. We’re trying to bring one in. It’s obvious where we need players.
“I can’t guarantee anything, no. I’m not going to lie to anybody. We’ve brought in a lot of strikers, Tony Watt’s been one, we spent a lot of money bringing Nicky Ajose in last summer and Lee Novak came in. But I can’t guarantee [that a striker will be signed] just yet. It’s something I’m working on.”
He added: “It’s not my fault, it’s previous things that have been done and maybe people have been left to do what they need to do and put us in this position. We’ve not really spent money in the summer, we’ve done things right.
“I’m not one for wasting money, I like to do things in the correct way and give young players a chance. You look at our squad and it’s basically made up of academy players which is a good thing for the future of this football club. I can’t promise anything but we’re working on it.
“You can bring a striker in for a minimal fee but does he really have an effect and drive the football club forward? I’m not sure. We have to have someone who is going to have an effect.”
Yes, there's two weeks until the end of the transfer window but Robinson's quotes do not sound promising and it appears to be the usual Duchatelet and Meire policy of forcing the manager to use youngsters that may not be ready for this level of football so they can make a quick buck, with Robinson having to buy into it to keep his job.
According to cafc.co.uk's official squad list our only forwards are:
Billy Clarke - can play upfront but both Robinson and Meire have explicitly stated he was our number one target for the 'number ten' position: “Getting in a player that can play the number 10 role behind the striker was one of our priorities this summer, so we’re very pleased to bring in our primary target in that position." Katrien Meire, June 2017. If he is to move upfront who fills that role? Ben Reeves could but tends to sit a bit deeper than that.
Josh Magennis - Probably our most effective forward but has struggled to stay fit so far. He also has just a year left on his contract and doesn't seem to be close to agreeing a new one. Could he be sold before the end of the window / season if that situation doesn't change?
Lee Novak - I like Novak and think he gets some unfair criticism but how many goals is he realistically going to get us this season? Also a question of fitness with him.
Brandon Hanlan - A grand total of 17 career games, just 9 are with Charlton and he's currently injured.
That's it, although I'd include KAG, Umerah and maybe the lovechild of
@Henry Irving Reeco Hackett-Fairchild- neither of whom you'd expect to be leading any other promotion contender in this division and both could probably do with a loan spell somewhere.
Comments
I get it if he said this when he first joined but he's had two transfer windows since then and numerous opportunities to exert his influence. If he can't do anything then be honest and say what the situation is without casting blame on anyone (we know who to really blame anyway) or detrimentally putting too much pressure on kids who have played less than 5 games of competitive league football.
Im not judging those that have renewed, its their business, but I cant help but feel that surely even this report pours cold water on your hopes.
It will be another season like the rest, unless of course KR is playing a good poker hand (like Powell used to) and we do get a few more in, I really do hope Im wrong but at the moment I dont think I am.
He impressed in pre-season and looks set to be another starlet from the Addicks’ academy.
Robinson admits Hackett-Fairchild might have to make the permanent step-up to the senior team with the club’s shortage of strikers.
He added: “He might have to [make the step-up]. He’s a really talented individual. He’s got great feet and tremendous awareness on where he is on the football pitch."
"I'll be honest with you, I made some big mistakes at MK Dons where I was so eager to bring players in so soon," admitted Robinson. "I did it one year and I didn't bring in the type of player that aided the success of the club. And I learned from that very early on. Sometimes going with what you've got and youth players are sometimes better than who you can bring in immediately."
It's all been about gently lowering our expectations in the hope that we don't make too much of a fuss when - despite all the lessons they've supposedly learned - we yet again attempt to make it through the season with a threadbare squad.
He's pathetic. It gradually becomes more and more apparent that he's taken on the job on the understanding that he won't say anything critical of Katrien and Roland.
"The fans have got their team back" - have they f*%k. Belgians out, Robinson out.
We're basically having the same conversation in two threads now.
One decent striker away from probably being good enough to get promoted and these tight fuckers want to make do with academy kids. Never saw that coming.
League One records:
Paul Hayes 19 games and 3 goals
BWP 42 & 22
Yann 36 & 12
Haynes 38 & 2
Euell 11 & 0
Clarke 7 & 0
Also available were Tosan Popo and Michael Smith.
Indeed we started the season with BWP and Hayes, with Smith and Euell in reserve (plus youngsters) but to fill 2 places not 1, so we actually looked a bit weak until Yann joined in September
On top of that, we could loan players in September, October, etc, something we will not be able to do this season.
I see very little chance of getting out of this league without a striker.
and Novak's goals to games is about 0.2.
We wont score enough goals to go up unless we bring someone in. We had a stronger strike force this time last year
Must be someone out of favour in the championship that we can get on loan? Or a free agent floating about? if only to put pressure on them two
Sorry, Robinson - no. You're the manager now. Everything is your fault. That's the job, no excuses, just fix this mess or fnck off.
Nothing has changed barring one thing, Katrien is keeping her beak out of the limelight.
The regime have done well with Robbo, the mans in a win win and knows how to pull wool over eyes. He'll go for a loan, but we'll pick up injuries this season and he'll have his excuse, an excuse of which is his own doing (by virtue of acceptance and not countering the owners for a real budget to afford players - of which he should have with our sales).