The second striker has arrived. Standard Liege squad player, George Tucudean, has signed following a season long loan to Dinamo Bucharest in his home country where he first made a name for himself. Not yet prolific but only 23 years old and at six foot one, I am guessing he will be better in the air than any of the current crop. By my reckoning, that probably leaves us short of just a left-sided midfielder and a spare goalie following the Summer clear out.
The team are in southern Spain for a few days and will entertain a Gibralter XI tomorrow where I am taking us to score a goal or two. Just over three weeks to Griffin Park we need to start building some confidence and understanding of our attacking strengths which we have seen very little of so far.
Looking back on 12 months ago, we really are in a much better position as a club. Back then we were signing no-one and the club was up for sale. There was no money and the club was suffering all-around. The much-needed investment in new drainage was turned down and the ground was beginning to look tired. Richard Murray was rumoured to be writing last gasp cheques and the word on everyone's lips was "Administration," something that would have condemned us to League One football this season.
The relative disappointment of getting a new owner worth £600m and hearing him tell us we would be run to break even and that his network model would mean our better players having a chance to move up the pyramid to be replaced by free transfers from his club stable was akin to finding sixpence and losing half-a-crown.
It does look like Roland Duchatelet has decided to take more of a gamble on Charlton and to protect his investment. He has pumped a £1m into the Valley and has plans to future-proof and upgrade the Academy. His Summer signings were needed and he has shown more ambition here than was expected and, clearly, we haven't adhered to the network model thus far.
Having slashed the price of some season tickets too, he deserves to see gates hold up this season and to get some backing from fans. Just how much will depend on how quickly Bob Peeters hits the ground running and whether we have bought the right players to compliment those who we know can do a job.
The sun is shining and despite that loss to Welling, I am looking forward to Brentford and a better start to this season than the last.
The team are in southern Spain for a few days and will entertain a Gibralter XI tomorrow where I am taking us to score a goal or two. Just over three weeks to Griffin Park we need to start building some confidence and understanding of our attacking strengths which we have seen very little of so far.
Looking back on 12 months ago, we really are in a much better position as a club. Back then we were signing no-one and the club was up for sale. There was no money and the club was suffering all-around. The much-needed investment in new drainage was turned down and the ground was beginning to look tired. Richard Murray was rumoured to be writing last gasp cheques and the word on everyone's lips was "Administration," something that would have condemned us to League One football this season.
The relative disappointment of getting a new owner worth £600m and hearing him tell us we would be run to break even and that his network model would mean our better players having a chance to move up the pyramid to be replaced by free transfers from his club stable was akin to finding sixpence and losing half-a-crown.
It does look like Roland Duchatelet has decided to take more of a gamble on Charlton and to protect his investment. He has pumped a £1m into the Valley and has plans to future-proof and upgrade the Academy. His Summer signings were needed and he has shown more ambition here than was expected and, clearly, we haven't adhered to the network model thus far.
Having slashed the price of some season tickets too, he deserves to see gates hold up this season and to get some backing from fans. Just how much will depend on how quickly Bob Peeters hits the ground running and whether we have bought the right players to compliment those who we know can do a job.
The sun is shining and despite that loss to Welling, I am looking forward to Brentford and a better start to this season than the last.
Really good read, Dave, and very refreshing to read something, albeit a brief piece, that recognises the potential positives of the new owner's plans. It really has demorolised me just how skeptical and cynical Charlton fans have become of late.
ReplyDeleteTed - not least of all, me. Let's hope Bob Peeters is the man.
ReplyDelete