First summer signing – Ivan Mesík
The club do keep these names quiet, don’t they.
25-year old Slovakian left sided defender has signed from Dutch club Heracles Almelo on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.
Mesík has obviously been on the radar for a while, and his signing shows that the club are looking beyond these shores as they build a squad for the future.
Mesík played 63 games for Heracles in the Eredivise over the last two seasons. Prior to that he played football in Italy with Pescara and Norway with Nordsjælland. He has 3 Slovak international caps.
Looks as if he can play left centre back or left back. An area we have struggled in and spells the end of Gillesphey one would think.
It’s a step up for Mesík but the Eredivisie is a strong division with a lot of young talent from across the world within it, let us hope we have plucked one of those out.
Heracles were relegated last season but Mesík’s stats stood up very well.
Rich Cawley was quick to talk to Ivan: “I think he (Jones) knows what he can expect from me. I really can say he described me very well – he had a very good analysis. That is why I’ve been impressed.
“My main strength is aggression. I like duels and to go sometimes fully to the ball. I like to tackle – but in a good way. I’m trying to play aggressively but also bring the ball up when there is open space. I like to dribble the ball to open the gate, to play between the lines. I’m a modern type of player.” (more)
Welcome to The Valley, Ivan.
With Ivan signed and paper talk about Koumetio, I am concerned about Josh Edwards and his recovery from last season’s bad injury. I wish the club would update us on that.
Hopefully Edwards is back healthy and training soon, but last season definitely proved how poorly we were set up for depth.
Our first Slovakian?
It seems he played mostly at left-back last season a position we struggled to cover once Josh Edwards got injured and we need left-sided centre back cover as Amari’i Bell probably isn’t going to play the entire season. The options we had as cover – eg Macauley Gillesphey did their best but struggled with the speed and physicality of the Championship.
On paper this looks a good signing and we have him in the house for most of the pre-season. It also allows us to free up a centre-back for transfer, so I assume Alex Mitchell will be on his way once a deal with Plymouth has been arranged.
It seems that we paid a fee – as always undisclosed – maybe the rumours that SE7 partners were looking to cut their spending are just rumours?
Our first Slovakian and our first Ivan unless you count Luke Ivan Varney!
They do keep their cards close to their chest, don’t they!
It makes me feel positive that more are on their way. Interestingly, the BBC say that he is a left-back, rather than a left-sided defender, so that may well mean Koumetio is still a possibility.
Every signing we make has to be an upgrade if we are to avoid a season of struggle, and some strength in depth is necessary to endure a long season, once the injuries and suspensions kick in. So this is a good start, for what was a problematic position last season.
I know that a lot of people want more forwards in through the door, but I feel that we have goals amongst our current crop, if we can resolve the issue of the supply line. So I’m hoping for a statement signing in the midfield area, sooner rather than later!
Not sure how much of a statement signing we’ll see in this window, but would still be happy with 4-5 quality loans to get the midfield sorted at least for this season.
I’m afraid I’ve become a glass half empty person when it comes to Charlton transfer windows. We have had some seriously bad ones over the past several years.
I don’t know a thing about our first signing, or how many games Ivan played for Heracles last season, but the club’s stats send out warning signals. Relegated bottom with 5 wins out of 34, some 10 points adrift of the club above them, conceded 85 goals, with a GD of minus 50. One man can’t shoulder the blame for the whole performance, but as a central defender for them……….. I do hope I’m proved wrong to have concerns.
I think he maybe a good signing as now NJ may play TC in his and everybodys preferred position and get off his back but we will see prob play TC in goal welcome ivan to SE7
I hope he turns out to be useful. But I also remember the excitement when we signed Gassan Ahadme……
The seasons not started yet, and already there’s so much negativity about, we need to stay positive and get behind NJ and the board they know the players they want good look to Ivan look forward to seeing him play coyr
We need a playmaker in midfield as the front men don’t get enough quality service. NJ has a good record recruiting defenders but very poor at recruiting midfield and strikers.
Last summers recruitment was a disaster only Carey and Bell emerged with any credit the rest are now worth much less than we paid and we are stuck with them on high wages.
NJ surely cannot persist with two holding players in midfield, Docherty and Coventry should be competing for one place.
NJ persistence with the three at the back with wing backs is very negative as the players at wing back are not good enough.
Both Ramsey and Edwards are good full backs so I favour a back four which would allow Campbell to play as a winger, he is not a wing back or second striker. Hopefully Leaburn will show improved fitness and form as Dykes will be missed and Mbick probably needs another year to develop.
Rather than spending big money on permanent signings I think we should be looking at the loan market. If loanees don’t perform in the first half of the season replace them in January.