Interesting news in the last few days that we have announced overseas "tie-ups" in China and the Ivory Coast. In deals with local sides Shandong Luneng and Asec Mimosas, Charlton will look to benefit from working closely with these clubs to share ideas and players.
The link with Shandong Luneng is obviously an extension of the communication that lead to us loaning and signing Zheng Zhi. Too much is made of the potential fan base in China for those of us outside the Premier League, and probably outside the Big Four, but I guess you have to start somewhere.
Like most of the other African countries, Ivory Coast has produced it's own seam of top flight footballers in recent years and we are obviously mining for one of these rather than any commercial benefit from the local fan base. Peter Varney has made the point that African players are hungrier for the success of top flight football than British boys.
I can't get too excited about these announcements as we have a long recent history of striking these deals that have delivered very little if anything at all. Other clubs just sign Spanish strikers - we seem to develop links with particular clubs and set-up coaching schools and are still waiting for someone to come through. The PR is obviously good for us here and out there but the proof of the pudding is in the eating and you wouldn't want to be living off it!
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