Delivering where it really matters
It really is what happens on the pitch that matters, and that has been garbage for many seasons now for which many are culpable.
Charlie Methven should be given some credit for regularly opening up with the ongoing progress of the football club. He talks a good game.
As a fan who believes that infrastructure and good planning creates a platform for a good football team I have been heartened to see the work that has been carried out in recent months behind the scenes.
The club’s communications team have rightly been championing the improvements at Sparrows Lane and The Valley as well as focusing particularly on people like Dr Will Abbott, who might turn out to be our best summer signing.
Sparrows Lane is looking mighty fine and will be eye catching to any potential new signings.
The investor group have invested, sensibly in many cases with a long term view, and that should be applauded.
The work however of the football management team has been far less noteworthy. Harry Isted the latest in a long list of failed signings under the watch of Andy Scott and Jim Rodwell.
Charlie Methven has nicely worked himself into a CEO role, but with responsibility solely on the non-footballing side of the operation. This really should be a home run as other than a few of Thomas Sandgaard’s less wacky ideas, commercially and operationally the football club have sucked for more than a decade.
Methven to be fair is full of good ideas, some sensible, some ambitious and I am watching carefully how he progresses them. It’s hard not to have pre-conceived ideas about him, but I am willing to see him attempt to take the football club forward. It has been in reverse far too long almost entirely alienating supporters and not aiding them.
Still, the outpouring of love and admiration of the new ownership and their self-installed management team from some quarters is far too premature in my mind.
Two absolutely inept managers, a litany of poor signings both permanent and loans, our three best players sold and our lowest league finish in 98-years played out in front of pitiful attendances. They are facts, things that have actually happened.
I’m liking the improvements, the investments, the talk, even the honesty and I live as much in the giddy Addicks world of hope as anyone else, but as of yet nothing has been achieved where it really matters.
The new desso pitch installed at The Valley is looking fantastic and the grounstaff have been nurturing every day to ensure its established ready for a busy season ahead.
Not only will will the mens teams play home fixtures both league and cup games but also the ladies team will will use the Valley too.
I’m looking forward to see how it plays this Saturday against Pompey.
I guarantee the pitch will play considerably better than the team! 🙂
Absolutely agree and glad you have said this. So often you have hit the nail right on the proverbial (must be the Catford nurture)
Some of our fellow supporters do seem to be either in the depths of despondency (with some just cause) or overly estatic. There doesn’t seem to be a mid range.
A few years ago I would have given anything to start the season with a new pitch,exciting improvements to The Valley and Sparrows as well as having a new and improved team. But something is holding me back.
Jones has got to do more to prove to me he is the bloke to take us up the league. The new players are good but they still look a little bit like the old ones in pre season. I know it is not the same but the team looked woefully short of ideas so far.
However come the first match I will be there either in person or with ear stuck to the radio as I have for the past 66 years shouting COUR’s
Yes, indeed they forget to say to new players that we do not own the Valley or Sparrows lane and Mike just love your comment but maybe we just hoing but that hope often kills us, literally.
Yes CM and many other certainly very good att talk the talk but that word ACTION on the pitch would be a nice change!!!
The commercial side seems to have improved a lot, and the pitches (Valley and Sparrows Lane) being relayed is a big plus.
First team quality is still lacking though. New signings have been okay but I’ve seen nothing with a ‘wow’ factor. Corey, Dobbo and May had that ‘wow’ factor whether it was pace, determination or goals. Jones mentioned he wants to add quality to the squad and I agree. He has the foundations, he now needs 2-3 top notch players including a leader and a talisman. An experienced CB, a strong ball-playing CM and a proven goal scorer. May need £5mill though. Without them I think we’re still short looking at the quality of the league.
I hear we’re sniffing around Rak-Saki?
Totally agree Rob. The new signings look like an upgrade on what we have seen previously and time will tell of course, but we still need that spine!
Rak-Sayki I would think will have better offers.