Welling already?

A whole week in Blighty and not even a sniff of a new Addicks signing to shout from the roof tops.

From behind the curtain it looks as if Guy Luzon is attempting to manage his budget and his transfer targets within the restrictions imposed on him, and the sale of Standard Liege has not only corked the flow of Belgium imports but actually obstructed them.

Frederic Bulot has been allowed to train and actually play in pre-season friendlies for Charlton but it is thought that Standard are playing hardball in the transfer negotiations, and to add to the obstacles, French club Reims have now joined the fray for the French speaking midfielder.

Rhoys Wiggins, Joe Piggot, Callum Harriott and Andre Bikey all remain available for transfer and the club has already turned down a bid from Wigan for Harriott. Southend remain in the wings for Joe Piggot but it is expected that Wiggins will feature in pre-season games as normal unlike Bikey, whom it is thought won’t play under Luzon again.

Today’s SLP confirmed that Reza Ghoochannejhad and Piotr Parzyszek are no longer wanted at the club. I suspect we can add Loic Nego to that list as well.

Playing two 45 minute teams at Welling tomorrow could prove difficult for Luzon. Johnnie Jackson is in the final stages of recovering from his injury and will miss out and Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Marko Dmitrović are also unlikely to feature as they began pre-season later due to international commitments. Additionally Franck Moussa is also not fit.

Maybe the team sheet will feature the names of A. Trialist but in all honesty it shows how low we are on numbers and presently the scent has gone cold on new recruits other than Bulot.

I always think pre-season friendlies come to soon into the summer and am never prepared for the season to start, and tomorrow’s opener is no different. We lost for only the 2nd time at Park View Road last pre-season, hopefully Addicks who go along tomorrow will see a decent run out, even if they may get a game themselves!