News today that Joe Piggott, Andre Bikey-A, Callum Harriott and Rhoys Wiggins have all been told they can leave the club. With Yoni Buyens heading to join Bob Peeters at Lokeren and Johan Berg Gudmundsson and Igor Vetekole the subject of money moves away, a clear-out is well underway.
Joe Piggott might have been too young to establish himself when thrown into the fray at the Valley but the consensus is he will only make a career for himself in Leagues One or Two. Southend looks the right place for him and Phil Brown is keen. Good luck Joe.
I am sorry to see Andre Bikey being sidelined and touted. He was a solid and competent defender when he first joined and he was unfortunate, in my view, to be dropped this year and very unlucky not to get another go. His face clearly doesn't fit with Guy Luzon or he earns too much, although as a Duchatelet signing I would be concerned if he is now deemed to be unaffordable. Thanks Andre for your swashbuckling performances and that beautiful volleyed goal from a corner earlier last season. For the most part you were a joy to watch.
Callum Harriott has time and pace to find a berth elsewhere but where did it all go wrong. At the end of the 2013-14 season under Jose Riga he hit a purple patch and looked like he had finally cracked it and could really threaten in the Championship as a goal-scorer. Unfortunately, this season he reverted to headless chicken in possession and was once again incredibly frustrating to watch. Harriott is one of those classically athletic young men who aren't really naturally footballers. All that pace and not a footballing brain or the right level of technique to fit. He could tread a well-worn footpath and prove himself elsewhere but that's no reason to hang onto him when he has proven an inability to do the business for us.
Finally, very disappointed to see Rolls-Rhoys Wiggins thrown on the scrap-heap. At his best and pre-injury he was near peerless for us. Consummate at the back he raided well and created plenty. He struggled to regain form after injury but he did get back towards his best under Riga. Unfortunately, he had further injuries this season and increasing competition from Morgan Fox who is a better long term bet. What disappoints me most is I hear Wiggins' salary has gone against him and we are keen to trim his wages.
If JBG and Vetekole are sold to Championship opposition for profit, then I am afraid it will look very much like the Duchatelet plan remains as is i.e. we are being run to break even and survive. On that basis, I expect a tranche of short-term replacements to arrive and Guy Luzon to hope for the best when we kick-off. If that's what happens, then my decision not to renew my season ticket won't change and I will go week-to-week. The 38 year cycle will be broken and I will be prepared not to commit to being at every home match irrespective of how we are playing. Sad to say but I can't support an owner who has very deep pockets and shallow ambition. His network model is built on Financial Fair Play and that has been laughed at by the big clubs and ridiculed by QP-Fucking Ha. The threat of Administration might have gone but with a wealthy owner real ambition should be part of building a better future together.
Joe Piggott might have been too young to establish himself when thrown into the fray at the Valley but the consensus is he will only make a career for himself in Leagues One or Two. Southend looks the right place for him and Phil Brown is keen. Good luck Joe.
I am sorry to see Andre Bikey being sidelined and touted. He was a solid and competent defender when he first joined and he was unfortunate, in my view, to be dropped this year and very unlucky not to get another go. His face clearly doesn't fit with Guy Luzon or he earns too much, although as a Duchatelet signing I would be concerned if he is now deemed to be unaffordable. Thanks Andre for your swashbuckling performances and that beautiful volleyed goal from a corner earlier last season. For the most part you were a joy to watch.
Callum Harriott has time and pace to find a berth elsewhere but where did it all go wrong. At the end of the 2013-14 season under Jose Riga he hit a purple patch and looked like he had finally cracked it and could really threaten in the Championship as a goal-scorer. Unfortunately, this season he reverted to headless chicken in possession and was once again incredibly frustrating to watch. Harriott is one of those classically athletic young men who aren't really naturally footballers. All that pace and not a footballing brain or the right level of technique to fit. He could tread a well-worn footpath and prove himself elsewhere but that's no reason to hang onto him when he has proven an inability to do the business for us.
Finally, very disappointed to see Rolls-Rhoys Wiggins thrown on the scrap-heap. At his best and pre-injury he was near peerless for us. Consummate at the back he raided well and created plenty. He struggled to regain form after injury but he did get back towards his best under Riga. Unfortunately, he had further injuries this season and increasing competition from Morgan Fox who is a better long term bet. What disappoints me most is I hear Wiggins' salary has gone against him and we are keen to trim his wages.
If JBG and Vetekole are sold to Championship opposition for profit, then I am afraid it will look very much like the Duchatelet plan remains as is i.e. we are being run to break even and survive. On that basis, I expect a tranche of short-term replacements to arrive and Guy Luzon to hope for the best when we kick-off. If that's what happens, then my decision not to renew my season ticket won't change and I will go week-to-week. The 38 year cycle will be broken and I will be prepared not to commit to being at every home match irrespective of how we are playing. Sad to say but I can't support an owner who has very deep pockets and shallow ambition. His network model is built on Financial Fair Play and that has been laughed at by the big clubs and ridiculed by QP-Fucking Ha. The threat of Administration might have gone but with a wealthy owner real ambition should be part of building a better future together.
Disappointed to see both Wiggins and Bikey go. At the very least they would provide decent competition for places if (the optimist in me speaking here) we are going to bring in similar but slightly stronger players.
ReplyDeleteBuyens off to Big Bobs lot leaves me a touch bemused. I know at points last season he did disappear last term, but when he did decide to turn up he was one of the best midfielders we've seen in SE7 for some time.
Probably the most disappointing move would be Gudmunnson to another Championship side. This would indicate a real lack of ambition to me.
Vetokele outwards would not be the end of the world in my opinion. But again to another potential promotion chasing championship side shows what the general plan for moving forward (standing still) will be. The most enjoyable thing in all of my years supporting Charlton has been those few weeks building up to the kick off of the season dreaming this could actually be the year my unfashionable, slightly shit football club defy the odds (1985-86 springs to mind, which will remain one of the happiest moments of my formative years) and getting promoted.
We will just need to sit it out and see who's incoming through the Valleys revolving players entrance.