Terrible terrible news. RIP the Tank. I was gutted Curbs didnt (apparently) want to keep him and instead wanted Gary Rowett.
I wasnt there but as I recall late in his last game for us at Old Trafford he was about to score and equaliser. Then Kevin Lisbie got in the way…
I was there, my Dad still recounts that moment regularly, it would've been the cherry on top of his faultless spell with us. Costa's time with Charlton is the epitome of quality over quantity. His 26 appearances are remembered far more fondly and vividly than the countless mercenaries who've worn the shirt since. Truly a class act.
I was there,as I recall at the end of the game,Jorge got a fantastic send off by the fans,he seemed embarrassed by the adulation that was shown to him,such was the humility of this great man.
Terrible terrible news. RIP the Tank. I was gutted Curbs didnt (apparently) want to keep him and instead wanted Gary Rowett.
I wasnt there but as I recall late in his last game for us at Old Trafford he was about to score and equaliser. Then Kevin Lisbie got in the way…
Curbs did want to keep him and Jorge was on for staying - heard it from Curbs himself - but Jorge’s wife had just had a baby and wanted to go home to Portugal. Also Mourinho came in as Porto manager so his earlier issues resolved.
It would have been the winner at OT - the match finished 0-0 and the big man was hugely emotional coming over to the fans.
Curbs's revelation that they'd talked about Jorge thinking about managing Charlton makes his untimely demise all the more upsetting. What might have been...
RIP Jorge, it was a pleasure to see you in a Charlton shirt. I remember you using your body to hold off another player near the corner and said player going flying. A man mountain with no little skill, you made a huge impact in such a short period of time. I was gutted we couldn't sign you permanently. Enjoy your sleep big man.
Just seen the news via Cawley's sunstack email alert. Really shocked at his death at such a young age.
I worked with a half-Potuguese guy at the time he was with us. He was useless at his job and a total tosser that no one liked, however, he and I had one mutual love, and that was one Jorge Costa.
What a player. So fondly remembered, despite his short time with us.
Absolutely gutted, the best defender ive ever seen play for us. A Colossus, immovable object that helped us at a time we needed it. An incredible player and an incredible loss, he also seemed to ale a keen interest in Charlton on social media, always seen Jorge Costa liked this on the clubs posts
As others have said, I don't typically write on RIP threads but one has absolutely floored me. Some of my greatest individual CAFC memories are of JC...
Coming out to warm up in front of us for his debut at Stamford Bridge, I just remember thinking to myself 'oh...so that's why he's called the tank, then'
Slipping over by the half way line while turning for a ball played through the middle by the oppo...chasing after it on his hands and knees...and still doing enough to hold off the attacker with pure strength and determination until covering defender cleared.
Fulham (?) At home. Charlton awarded a free kick, and Fulham players knocking ball about while someone was treated by physio, essentially bullying Scott Parker who wanted it to position it for the free kick. JC noticed and strutted over, as soon as Fulham players saw him coming, they shit themselves, picked the ball up and gave it to him.
The calmness and authority he played with is something I will never forget, and the respect I have for a man, I've never met is unreal. I truly believe he loved his time at Charlton as much as we loved him.
RIP Jorge.
If any of the above is factually incorrect. Please don't put it right...they're the memories I want!
I was sitting in my taxi at Marylebone looked across there he was with the team he was managing at the time . Who were playing Tottenham that night I ran across shouting Jorge Charlton . He shook my hand lovely man . RIP
Such a short time with the club, but also such an enduring memory. Surely our greatest ever loan signing.
While he was very good (easily in the top 3 or 4 defenders to play for us during those successful Premier League years), the mists of time have perhaps exaggerated his legend just a little. However, the legendary status he took on, over the years, is a measure of how fondly fans of that generation remember him and what he symbolised as a signing.
For those us a little too young to have seen Allan Simonsen turn out for us, he was comfortably the highest profile player we'd ever seen appear for us and signed at time when there was still a small amount of extra mystery and excitement around signing an overseas international. His arrival made our seat at the top table of the English game seem more real and like we actually belonged. We just didn't sign international captains... ever. The fact he then came in and fitted in so well to the spirit of Curbs' Charlton, playing with commitment and determination, despite knowing he was only ever here for a few months, well... it just cemented his place in everyone's hearts. Such a far cry from some of the other high-profile names we brought in after him *cough* Hasselbaink *cough* and testament to his character.
I'm really genuinely saddened to hear of his passing, I hope he smashes his way through the Pearly Gates like he's going through the back of a centre forward.
I don't think he lacked pace, he just rarely used it. I'm sure a few occasions he surprised me how quickly he got to balls he had no right to win.
I agree with this. He always looked to me like he played within himself - he used just enough effort to do the job. Best quality defender I've seen play for us.
I bought this Porto shirt and had his name put on the back just after he went back to Porto. I still wear it for five-a-side to channel my inner-Jorge.
An absolute Animal at the back for us. (His other nickname being Bicho in Portuguese, as well as Tank.)
One of my favourite players ever to wear the shirt. And I was eight when he played for us, so did I give much of a toss about centre backs? Not until him. The tackle he made out of nowhere when, I think it was Eidur Gudjohnsen was through on goal is well in the memory.
Comments
I hope the club are planning something to honour him on Saturday.
RIP Tank.
What might have been...
I worked with a half-Potuguese guy at the time he was with us. He was useless at his job and a total tosser that no one liked, however, he and I had one mutual love, and that was one Jorge Costa.
What a player. So fondly remembered, despite his short time with us.
RIP Tank
Jorge Costa, woaaahhhhh, R.I.P
Some of my greatest individual CAFC memories are of JC...
Coming out to warm up in front of us for his debut at Stamford Bridge, I just remember thinking to myself 'oh...so that's why he's called the tank, then'
Slipping over by the half way line while turning for a ball played through the middle by the oppo...chasing after it on his hands and knees...and still doing enough to hold off the attacker with pure strength and determination until covering defender cleared.
Fulham (?) At home. Charlton awarded a free kick, and Fulham players knocking ball about while someone was treated by physio, essentially bullying Scott Parker who wanted it to position it for the free kick. JC noticed and strutted over, as soon as Fulham players saw him coming, they shit themselves, picked the ball up and gave it to him.
The calmness and authority he played with is something I will never forget, and the respect I have for a man, I've never met is unreal. I truly believe he loved his time at Charlton as much as we loved him.
RIP Jorge.
If any of the above is factually incorrect. Please don't put it right...they're the memories I want!
Jorge Costa - 'the tank' has been taken from us way before his time.
Imo his impact at Charlton was as great or greater than Paulo Di Canio.
By all accounts he was a great guy & humble with it.
RIP Jorge.
Such a short time with the club, but also such an enduring memory. Surely our greatest ever loan signing.
While he was very good (easily in the top 3 or 4 defenders to play for us during those successful Premier League years), the mists of time have perhaps exaggerated his legend just a little. However, the legendary status he took on, over the years, is a measure of how fondly fans of that generation remember him and what he symbolised as a signing.
For those us a little too young to have seen Allan Simonsen turn out for us, he was comfortably the highest profile player we'd ever seen appear for us and signed at time when there was still a small amount of extra mystery and excitement around signing an overseas international. His arrival made our seat at the top table of the English game seem more real and like we actually belonged. We just didn't sign international captains... ever. The fact he then came in and fitted in so well to the spirit of Curbs' Charlton, playing with commitment and determination, despite knowing he was only ever here for a few months, well... it just cemented his place in everyone's hearts. Such a far cry from some of the other high-profile names we brought in after him *cough* Hasselbaink *cough* and testament to his character.
I'm really genuinely saddened to hear of his passing, I hope he smashes his way through the Pearly Gates like he's going through the back of a centre forward.
RIP