In a way the last day was more disappointing because up until then it really had been pretty good. We've bought in some promising players and a coach with genuine talent and vision, we've even cleared out some of the dreck of seasons past.
We were very very close to having a squad/season that just maybe might have us believing again. Everyone knew what was needed to turn the squad into genuine contenders. Instead it's now just a case of seeing just what magic Garner can do when the inevitable injuries and suspensions kick in.
We’re left in a weird situation now where Stockley really doesn’t fit the system we want to play (and it shows) but we’re also screwed if he gets injured/suspended.
I wonder if this will prompt Garner to consider changing style to one that suits the players we have rather than the current system which seems built around players we wish we had.
I'm not having the "better no one than Bonne" bollocks either
We were never gonna pay for a forward to rival Stockley (imo) we spent close to a mil last season on forwards, Stockley is el capitán and gonna start, Chuks will have to earn his wage eventually coming off the bench, would we really have paid out for a third decent pedigree forward, plus wages to sit on the bench, unlikely, with someone like Simpson fair enough as they're still young enough to not expect the world and time to develop - resale etc.
A loan like Bonne would have given us an established forward to bridge the gap between Stockley and Aneke, we all know about Anekes injury history but look at Stockley, missed a good chunk of last season through an awkward injury and he played games not fully fit - even this season we've already had to play him unfit and we're only 6 games in.
Some say the deal collapsed because QPR couldn't get a forward in, others because they tried to diddle us at the last minute. But really, we just shouldn't have let ourselves get in that position in the first place.
A very disappointing end to the transfer window. I believe Garner is a decent manager and if we gave him the extra couple of players we need to challenge for the top six ( striker and centre half ) then most of us would be happy. As things stand we are going to finish mid table in the 3rd division and another opportunity wasted. Still there's nothing we can do about it as it's not us paying the bills. I just hope that when Guitar boy decides he's had enough that there will be someone out there prepared to pick up the pieces.
A very disappointing end to the transfer window. I believe Garner is a decent manager and if we gave him the extra couple of players we need to challenge for the top six ( striker and centre half ) then most of us would be happy. As things stand we are going to finish mid table in the 3rd division and another opportunity wasted. Still there's nothing we can do about it as it's not us paying the bills. I just hope that when Guitar boy decides he's had enough that there will be someone out there prepared to pick up the pieces.
I think we will come up short. That is very likely. It is typical Charlton that Garner would turn out to be good but not be fully backed. It is the story of the last decade and a bit of missed opportunities and the wankers who own us. Crooks or fools, take your pick but that is all you can F*ing choose from.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
I despair at some of the people/depressives on here. So we didn't get a deal for MB over the line through no fault of our own. It happens. Grow up. Notwithstanding I remain quietly confident that this will be a very good season. After all the signs have been there for weeks on the pitch, where it matters. Even the youngsters are showing that if needs be they can step up.
I am less confident than you it will be a “very” good season, assuming you are defining that as at least getting into the play offs.
Great that we are currently 8th having lost only 1 out of 6. However, I think we are going to draw rather than win a significant number of games through a lack of a mobile/quick striker who fits into the system Garner likes to play. The football will likely be more entertaining than last season and we undoubtedly will not be flirting with relegation, as it felt we were after the poor start we had last year. But frankly I don’t currently see us as being able to sustain a top 6 position right now.
Personally I didn’t see Bonne as the answer, but clearly we are short up front, so I understand people venting their frustrations. Time will tell.
What is abundantly clear, and has been for some time, is that TS does not have deep enough pockets to match his ambitions. If Garner continues to do a good job you can anticipate him attracting the attention of club owners with more financial resources than TS.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
Washington left over 3 months ago. He should have been replaced and he wasn't. Leaving it until transfer deadline day was idiotic to say the least.
I despair at some of the people/depressives on here. So we didn't get a deal for MB over the line through no fault of our own. It happens. Grow up. Notwithstanding I remain quietly confident that this will be a very good season. After all the signs have been there for weeks on the pitch, where it matters. Even the youngsters are showing that if needs be they can step up.
I would be optimistic if I had 100 pounds on us going up as well
A very disappointing end to the transfer window. I believe Garner is a decent manager and if we gave him the extra couple of players we need to challenge for the top six ( striker and centre half ) then most of us would be happy. As things stand we are going to finish mid table in the 3rd division and another opportunity wasted. Still there's nothing we can do about it as it's not us paying the bills. I just hope that when Guitar boy decides he's had enough that there will be someone out there prepared to pick up the pieces.
Sums my feelings up perfectly mate, another opportunity wasted, particularly as some of our competitors have strengthened their squads.
Bad deadline day. As others have said, missed the opportunity to make this an excellent window. Needed a striker. CB we may get lucky and have only 1 injury at a time, in which case we may be ok, but we don't have that luxury up front which is why this was the priority. But I'm confused at those who are writing off the season. Overall it's been a good window and we're playing good football. We have a team we can get behind again. Think we'll have more good days than bad this year which is a massive step up. And those quoting 17 out 7 in as a negative really need to look at the 17, and the comments about clear outs from last year. Happy with all that have gone, bar none. But proper annoyed at the absence of a few-hundred thousand bid to get us a proper choice up front.
I like to hear the explanation for why something didn't pan out before passing comment. Well I'm happy to take the statement put out at face value, but that takes me to the conclusion that it's gross incompetence and naivety to blame. If there was a contingency plan, even that failed.
I suppose it could be argued that the free agent market is the back stop and we might get lucky there, but it's unlikely to contain players of the calibre for us to sustain a promotion push. And what message does that, combined with yesterday's debacle, send out?
If the owner has genuinely been taken by surprise by what happened, or rather didn't happen, he might be forced into a rethink of how best to move forward. I'm sure the recruitment team were all trying their best, but their best wasn't good enough on this occasion.
Ben and the team are doing well but are going to need a large slice of good fortune with injuries if they're to get promoted this season.
I'm sorry to say this but there were quite a few people on here who were determined to ignore the obvious. The bad news is that TS is cutting costs, that means wages, staff, transfer and agent fees. The very good news is the young players coming through and it could be argued that those very players are going to be better than any signing we could have made. The direction of this club will be determined by TS's response when big clubs make bids for those young players.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
Washington left over 3 months ago. He should have been replaced and he wasn't. Leaving it until transfer deadline day was idiotic to say the least.
The 95% comment on Wednesday was idiotic. I think we put all our eggs in the Simpson basket and then he went elsewhere.
I have no problem with waiting for the right player but there should have been a cut off point. We should have had a plan b, c, d etc lined up and in motion.
the striker was never going to be signed to rival stockley in my view. The emergence of leaburn could mean we are looking for a 4th choice, who would sign up to those terms.
on the basis of the guy being 4th choice, I'm happy with a free agent on a short contract.
I understand that the Bonne medical revealed a long-standing neck injury seemingly caused by excessive head turning some years back during his first spell with Charlton.
Apologies if this observation has already been made, can't face the prospect of going through the overnight postings to check.
Washington didn’t necessarily have to be replaced. We play 1 less striker than last season so he was replaced by an additional midfielder.
Numbers wise we are only a centre back short.
What I will say is if we are dipping into the free agent market it should be done quick because we’re only a O’Connell injury away from a defensive catastrophe. The free agent is likely to be unfit so will need a few weeks of training.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
Washington left over 3 months ago. He should have been replaced and he wasn't. Leaving it until transfer deadline day was idiotic to say the least.
The 95% comment on Wednesday was idiotic. I think we put all our eggs in the Simpson basket and then he went elsewhere.
I have no problem with waiting for the right player but there should have been a cut off point. We should have had a plan b, c, d etc lined up and in motion.
the striker was never going to be signed to rival stockley in my view. The emergence of leaburn could mean we are looking for a 4th choice, who would sign up to those terms.
on the basis of the guy being 4th choice, I'm happy with a free agent on a short contract.
But it's not 4th choice really. Aneke is always injured and Leaburn is yoof. It's 2nd choice we're trying to find, pushing 1st choice.
Bear in mind the 95% comment was in a 121 conversation, not a public statement.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
Washington left over 3 months ago. He should have been replaced and he wasn't. Leaving it until transfer deadline day was idiotic to say the least.
The 95% comment on Wednesday was idiotic. I think we put all our eggs in the Simpson basket and then he went elsewhere.
I have no problem with waiting for the right player but there should have been a cut off point. We should have had a plan b, c, d etc lined up and in motion.
the striker was never going to be signed to rival stockley in my view. The emergence of leaburn could mean we are looking for a 4th choice, who would sign up to those terms.
on the basis of the guy being 4th choice, I'm happy with a free agent on a short contract.
But it's not 4th choice really. Aneke is always injured and Leaburn is yoof. It's 2nd choice we're trying to find, pushing 1st choice.
Bear in mind the 95% comment was in a 121 conversation, not a public statement.
There has been some positives to this summer transfer window. Some very decent players were signed who fit a system, while others who didn’t were moved on.
But why say we’re not going to leave it to the last minute, then do exactly that for the crucial last two pieces of the jigsaw?
It’s especially galling when you consider the extra money we got for former players like Pope moving on.
I know, I know, Thomas is shelling out on running costs. But he’ll be doing that next summer too. He had some extra money this summer, but didn’t use it. All the other signings were free transfers. Spending £500k on a striker or a centre back would have made a big difference to our chances.
That’s the biggest disappointment imo. But it seems cost cutting is the mantra from now on.
So…we need to back Garner and the team and hope they can swerve an injury crisis and stay on course for the play offs. COYRs.
Buy an expensive car but don't bother with a spare tyre or breakdown cover as they cost a lot and you might not need them.
Yet again Sandgaard over promises and under delivers.
And I don't just mean Thomas.
Martin was telling all and sundry, it seems, on Wednesday night about McG turning down a move to Wrexham and that Clare was available for £2m plus we were after this and that. Did he learn nothing from the Washington fiasco?
Meanwhile, Thomas was giving unnecessary updates on the OS before the window had closed.
Yes, deals fall through, yes, every team's fans (bar Forest) always want one more signing than they get but while this is a decent squad and can, bar the injuries already plaguing it, compete it has obvious weaknesses, acknowledged by TS in his latest vanity statement, that haven't been addressed.
The whole break even mantra is nonsense as it's based as much on increasing income as reducing costs but the club just lost its third biggest sponsor (Sandgaard’s words) in Robots DAO, an ill thought out and damaging deal that smacked of desperation and lack of diligence anyway.
Fill the Valley. Admirable but unrealistic especially given the ticket prices so that just leaves cuts in spending.
And the only place where significant savings can be made, because it is by far the biggest area of spending, is player costs.
And if you cut player spending then you end up with a half decent squad but without experienced cover up front or on one side of defence relying on very promising but as yet untested kids to fill the gaps.
Which is where we are, sadly but unnecessarily, now.
Supporting Charlton has rarely been easy and this is not the worst team or the worst situation even in this century but it is still bloody depressing when you realise how close we could be with just a little less conversation and a little more, positive, action, please.
On wednesday night we saw how good some of our youngsters are.As long as we dont get a mass of injuries to senior players,these lads can step in and play alongside and will not look out of place.Would Bonne score more goals than Leaburn this year,would a journeyman CB be better cover than Ness.Henry looks as though he is waiting for that opportunity of a run in the team.Used correctly these lads will do the job ,no panic from me over the non signings.
Comments
We were very very close to having a squad/season that just maybe might have us believing again. Everyone knew what was needed to turn the squad into genuine contenders. Instead it's now just a case of seeing just what magic Garner can do when the inevitable injuries and suspensions kick in.
Good luck Mr Garner. You're going to need it.
I wonder if this will prompt Garner to consider changing style to one that suits the players we have rather than the current system which seems built around players we wish we had.
We were never gonna pay for a forward to rival Stockley (imo) we spent close to a mil last season on forwards, Stockley is el capitán and gonna start, Chuks will have to earn his wage eventually coming off the bench, would we really have paid out for a third decent pedigree forward, plus wages to sit on the bench, unlikely, with someone like Simpson fair enough as they're still young enough to not expect the world and time to develop - resale etc.
A loan like Bonne would have given us an established forward to bridge the gap between Stockley and Aneke, we all know about Anekes injury history but look at Stockley, missed a good chunk of last season through an awkward injury and he played games not fully fit - even this season we've already had to play him unfit and we're only 6 games in.
Some say the deal collapsed because QPR couldn't get a forward in, others because they tried to diddle us at the last minute. But really, we just shouldn't have let ourselves get in that position in the first place.
Ah well, proper Charlton at least.
I believe Garner is a decent manager and if we gave him the extra couple of players we need to challenge for the top six ( striker and centre half ) then most of us would be happy.
As things stand we are going to finish mid table in the 3rd division and another opportunity wasted.
Still there's nothing we can do about it as it's not us paying the bills.
I just hope that when Guitar boy decides he's had enough that there will be someone out there prepared to pick up the pieces.
dontou believe we started our striker search yesterday morning? Do you not think we worked through a list of targets? They either moved elsewhere, cost too high, didn't want to come etc. we had a forward in the building and the parent club moved the goal post at the last minute.
with the defender, it would be interesting to see what happened there. Maybe we pulled out because the manager and coaching staff have had three months to look at ness and think he is a good back up option.
frustrating, yes. Disappointing, yes. Shambolic, definitely not
Personally I didn’t see Bonne as the answer, but clearly we are short up front, so I understand people venting their frustrations. Time will tell.
He should have been replaced and he wasn't.
Leaving it until transfer deadline day was idiotic to say the least.
But proper annoyed at the absence of a few-hundred thousand bid to get us a proper choice up front.
I suppose it could be argued that the free agent market is the back stop and we might get lucky there, but it's unlikely to contain players of the calibre for us to sustain a promotion push. And what message does that, combined with yesterday's debacle, send out?
If the owner has genuinely been taken by surprise by what happened, or rather didn't happen, he might be forced into a rethink of how best to move forward. I'm sure the recruitment team were all trying their best, but their best wasn't good enough on this occasion.
Ben and the team are doing well but are going to need a large slice of good fortune with injuries if they're to get promoted this season.
the striker was never going to be signed to rival stockley in my view. The emergence of leaburn could mean we are looking for a 4th choice, who would sign up to those terms.
on the basis of the guy being 4th choice, I'm happy with a free agent on a short contract.
Apologies if this observation has already been made, can't face the prospect of going through the overnight postings to check.
Bear in mind the 95% comment was in a 121 conversation, not a public statement.
I totally agree on the cut off though.
Bear in mind the 95% comment was in a 121 conversation, not a public statement.
I totally agree on the cut off though.
But why say we’re not going to leave it to the last minute, then do exactly that for the crucial last two pieces of the jigsaw?
But it seems cost cutting is the mantra from now on.
Yet again Sandgaard over promises and under delivers.
And I don't just mean Thomas.
Martin was telling all and sundry, it seems, on Wednesday night about McG turning down a move to Wrexham and that Clare was available for £2m plus we were after this and that. Did he learn nothing from the Washington fiasco?
Meanwhile, Thomas was giving unnecessary updates on the OS before the window had closed.
Yes, deals fall through, yes, every team's fans (bar Forest) always want one more signing than they get but while this is a decent squad and can, bar the injuries already plaguing it, compete it has obvious weaknesses, acknowledged by TS in his latest vanity statement, that haven't been addressed.
The whole break even mantra is nonsense as it's based as much on increasing income as reducing costs but the club just lost its third biggest sponsor (Sandgaard’s words) in Robots DAO, an ill thought out and damaging deal that smacked of desperation and lack of diligence anyway.
Fill the Valley. Admirable but unrealistic especially given the ticket prices so that just leaves cuts in spending.
And the only place where significant savings can be made, because it is by far the biggest area of spending, is player costs.
And if you cut player spending then you end up with a half decent squad but without experienced cover up front or on one side of defence relying on very promising but as yet untested kids to fill the gaps.
Which is where we are, sadly but unnecessarily, now.
Supporting Charlton has rarely been easy and this is not the worst team or the worst situation even in this century but it is still bloody depressing when you realise how close we could be with just a little less conversation and a little more, positive, action, please.