caught the end of an item on TalkSport this morning about Luke arranging a players bonding session at TGI's and only four turned up. Also said there were problems with JFH in training. Item in a paper today along the lines of 'Trouble at The Valley'. Anyone throw any light on this ??
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IT'S THE PITS AT THE VALLEY
THE PREMIERSHIP'S BOTTOM CLUB IN CRISIS Dowie faces meltdown as squad squabbles
By Darren Lewis And Sarah Tetteh
IAIN DOWIE is battling to heal a dressing-room rift threatening to wreck Charlton's season.
The issue came to a head two weeks ago when just four players turned up to an emergency team bonding session organised by skipper Luke Young.
There are now fears poor team spirit at the bottom-of-the-table club could condemn them to relegation.
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Other alarming developments include:
SQUAD unrest at Dowie's management style'
DISPUTES during training between tough-talking new signing Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and his team-mates'
PLAYERS insisting morale was far better under previous manager Alan Curbishley.
There are fears all the progress made at The Valley during Curbishley's 11-year reign is in danger of being destroyed by the rift.
At the start of last season, the club were riding high having won five of their opening six fixtures.
Operating on tight budget, Curbishley - who quit at the end of the last campaign - took the club into the Premiership in 2000.
This term they have won just one of their seven league games, at home to Bolton on August 28, and lost to West Ham, Manchester United, Chelsea, Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Arsenal.
As defeats have piled up, tension has risen between Dowie and some of the squad upset by his hardline approach, at being dropped or being made to play in the reserves. Other players have taken exception to being criticised in training by Hasselbaink for misplaced passes or not coming up to his standards. The 34-year-old former Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Holland striker was brought in by Dowie in the summer to add much-needed experience and goals to the squad.
Instead, his no-nonsense attitude has upset teammates and led to heated exchanges at the club's south London training ground.
In a desperate attempt to resolve matters, Young set up a meal at the TGI Friday restaurant in Leicester Square, which is popular with Premiership players.
The gathering was for October 1 - a day after Charlton lost to Arsenal.
The plan was for the squad to join him before going on to a party. But only winger Andy Reid, defender Jon Fortune and striker Kevin Lisbie turned up. And only Fortune and Lisbie went with Young to the party .
Sources say several players are to blame, but claimed Hasslebaink sparked a few bust-ups.
One insider said: "They have been fighting on and off the pitch because they are at the bottom of the table.
"Hasslebaink is known for his temper and his fighting and has clashed with Marcus Bent before.
'They shout things to each other like, 'you're playing s**t' because of all the pressure they are under.
"It's so sad. Last season they were doing really well under Alan Curbishley but this season they're struggling.
"It was getting out of hand so Luke Young organised this team-building dinner but he was so disheartened hardly anyone came."
A club spokeswoman said last night: "We've seen nothing to suggest there is a problem since the start of the season. It's business as usual."
JFh rowing with Marcus bent,
Luke arranged a team bonding after Aresenal game and only Fiortune, Lisbie and Reid showed
I'm sure someone can find a link.
Info has come from " sources" so how much truth ??
Who were the four that turned up do you think?
My guess is
Holland (good pro and ex-captain),
Herman (in the hope that there would be a row),
Kish (lovely bloke - plus there's no TGI's in Sofia!) and
Reid (thought it was going to be a meth-a-thon)
would take talksport withh a pinch of salt, the red top of the radio world.
would not be suprised with JFH, he's body language has been awful since day one.
:o)
Still, one out of 4 isn't bad. Would've put Fortune in ahead of HH too - if I'd remembered him!
Nice of the "foreign legion" to put in an appearance eh?
As for the meet, it looks obvious to me a few players met for a bit to eat before a party. No real substance in it i would of thought.
I would of had the same players for the same reasons as well Off It !!
Cant they give him a job serving pints at half time or something.
He would definately win the 'least likely to work in retail' award :-)
I suppose the last thing we want is a team being bottom of the league being a 'happy camp'.
Articles like this make help actually serve a purpose, and put a bit of unity back together.
What a load of ballacks - I bet they have a laugh about that at Eltham today.
The point I was about to make, I presume Darren Bent, Kish, HH, Scott Carson, and one or two others would likely be travelling and how comfortable would some of the newer players feel about attending such a meeting? Pouso, Diawarra etc may not even speak very good English.
I expect something will be issued today refuting this.
So he can hit the bar... Geddit?!
No? I'll get me coat....
did anyone read the very negative article from jordan again last night in the standard about us? it didnt sound good. ill hve a look for it.
As for the U21s, they needed to be at the Malmaison in Birmingham by 9pm on the Sunday after the Premiership games.
So there's two reasons why Bent and Carson weren't there, then you'll get virtually the same story for the other internationals who needed to get round Europe
pathetic innit.
Probably right on the Jordan conspiracy theory, Curb_It.
it was jordan spouting on saying how long we were taking with our defence and dowie would be mental if he didnt settle cos jordans lawyers were going to have a field day in court.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=jordan-delay-jibe-&method=full&objectid=17923769&siteid=94762-name_page.html
Meanwhile, I see Jordan's friend has been back in court again.
i did laugh to hear during part of the court hearting that Jordan takes valium as he suffers panic attacks... you wouldnt have thought that would you?
I have; in a calm and rational manner of course (and not too lengthy).
Daily Mirror contacts
i submitted a comment below this article... weirdly enough it hasnt been approved so far. im hoping they are just slow in authorising or can they get sued for the words "loud mouth" and "tangoed".
I also referenced the Jordan article above and said that it seemed to me as if their journalists had been put up to it by Jordan.
He has had the decency to reply :
"I have forwarded this to the sports writer involved in the story who is better placed to know what actually happened. There may well be a follow-up story in tomorrow's Mirror after speaking to those players who did turn up for the session. "
Let's see what is in tomorrow's Mirror.
PS I also sent him a link for the the Luke Young piece on cafc.co.uk.
mind you the journo is hardly going to write tomorrow... that story was made up.