Russell Slade | Chicago Addick

Oct 20

Formulae

I wrote the other day that it’s nigh on impossible to guess how we will line up in games. Bow said yesterday that it was the first time the team had played to that formation. It looked like (from watching on Valley Pass) that we were 5-4-1 with Solly and JFC advanced wing backs and a flat midfield. That put a lot of trust in Bonne, but he did not disappoint, despite the fact a year ago he was playing in a FA Cup qualifying tie at Maidstone.

Whilst Jacko and Marsh are drilling the players on set-pieces, Bowyer must spend hours in a room studying opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Derby and Phillipe Cocu are no slouches but yesterday we picked them off at a corner and targeted the £10m Krystian Bielik. Teams appear to be obsessed in playing out from the back pedestrian like believing they are playing for Man City.

Please click for more

May 6

1 Comment

Wtf {…}

Another message from Roland Duchatelet.

“I would also like to pass on my congratulations Norwich City and to Chris Wilder and Sheffield United on their respective promotions to the Premier League.”

Honestly, how does the old fart’s brain work? Not one mention of Lee Bowyer in his latest OS missive, but clearly wants to remind us that he almost nearly signed up Chris Wilder as our manager. No mention of the fact that Wilder told Duchatelet to stick it and he then went and hired Russell Slade instead.

And that worked out well.

Please click for more

Mar 7

5 Comments

Baggy trousers

I didn’t really want to give this more oxygen, but the club have made it newsworthy.

Charlton have made a statement following the video The Sun released yesterday showing current and former Charlton players in various state of drunkenness and abusing Northern Irish team mates Mikhail Kennedy and Josh Magennis. If you want to, you can see the video here but be aware the language is shocking and Mother’s favourite Chris Solly you will never look at again in the same way.

Please click for more

Jan 9

6 Comments

Elliot Lee rumoured

Robert Lee’s youngest son Elliot has found himself in the rumour mill and his Dad hasn’t denied it. I know the Lee family pretty well and they always had high hopes of Elliot emulating his Dad but I think he stayed too long at West Ham and was probably a bit too comfortable there, although to be fair he did suffer from various managerial changes and at the point when he should have been knocking on the first team door Big Sam shunned him, much to Rob’s disgust.

Elliot moved to Barnsley in the summer on a free after being released by the Hammers and is on a two-year deal at Oakwell but after only a few sub appearances he would like to move back south. Any move to SE7, which was supported by his Dad on social media would probably be a loan. It is thought that Colchester United, where Lee has had two previous loan spells, were in the driving seat to sign him.

Please click for more

Nov 24

30 Comments

Marmite Robinson appointed

“Following a thorough appointment process.” Cut and paste and repeat.

Well welcome Karl and I sincerely hope that you don’t sell your Buckingshire home and buy that one in Greenwich that your missus has fallen in love with. Rent mate, rent.

I’ve always been a bit marmite on Karl Robinson. As a young coach he impressed at MK Dons with a limited budget and caught the eye of chairmen of bigger clubs but to his credit stayed loyal. They had a pleasing attacking style and Robinson has worked well with many young players, either homegrown or on loan. His record, although marred by nearly’s, does have a promotion on it, and despite a 20-year age gap is much better than Russell Slade’s.

Please click for more

Nov 23

3 Comments

Bristol Rovers 1 Charlton Athletic 5

Kevin Nugent played a very much in the background assistant manager role under Russell Slade. I don’t think I ever saw him interviewed or step out from behind his bosses shadow. He let his influence play out on the training field. Undoubtedly he was upset and shocked, as much as you can be working for Charlton these days, when his boss was sacked last week. However he has carried out the role of caretaker manager in a distinguished and venerable way.

If Meire is true to form she will pack Nugent off this week, you know, every decision better than the last. But if he is to go he should leave with his head held high and Addicks will remember him fondly.
Please click for more

Nov 20

8 Comments

Charlton Athletic 2 Port Vale 0

The 426th man to take charge of a Charlton team under Roland Duchatelet actually did better than most of the previous caretaker managers and won 3 points today beating Port Vale 2-0 at another morgue like Valley. It was very much Russell Slade’s team, and it was interesting listening to Kevin Nugent on video after. For sure Slade had a positive influence on the back room, making it even more impetuous of Duchatelet to kick him to the kerb so suddenly.
Please click for more

Nov 17

2 Comments

No manager, but Roly picks his coach

“Charlton Athletic Assistant Manager Kevin Nugent will take on the role of Caretaker Manager until a permanent replacement for Russell Slade is appointed. Nugent will be supported by Simon Clark and Chris O’Loughlin, a new addition to the club’s coaching staff who, contrary to reports, will not become the club’s new Manager.” (more)

Contrary to reports….. You have to laugh. Bit like contrary to reports that Russell Slade is the way forward. I’ll tell you what, let’s wait and see shall we.
Please click for more

Nov 16

2 Comments

Cracks were appearing for Slade in an earthquake behind the scenes

I was skeptical when Russell Slade was first unveiled as the club’s first manager since Chris Powell, but I warmed to him. He talked in honest terms in words we could understand and clearly was much better qualified for the English game than all of his recent predecessors. He also talked of promotion being the only goal.

However nothing ever seemed perfect, or anywhere close. There were rumblings of discontent over transfer policy and interference from Duchatelet’s network scouts. The signing of Andrew Crofts took an age, and it was clear to everybody that as the season kicked off at Bury we were very short on numbers, and this was not improved before the transfer deadline.

Nonetheless money was spent, and a lot for this level, and Russell Slade cannot complain that this was not a team that he built, albeit missing a few bricks in midfield. He bought known firepower, had a wealth of riches at centre-back, a goalie too good for League One and had the added benefit of the further emergence of Ademola Lookman and the potential of Ezri Konsa to work with. We were short on numbers and our midfield was like a 14-year old addicted to football manager had put it together…. but there was more than enough to have us knocking around the top 6, a position we made just once in the early weeks of the season.
Please click for more

Nov 14

8 Comments

Slade sacked

Within the next hour Charlton will announce that they have sacked Russell Slade after just 16 league games. Slade was heralded by Katrien Meire as some sort of saviour, thinking that appointing a British manager was the answer to the destruction her and Roland Duchatelet had caused since he bought the club in January 2014.
Please click for more

Nov 13

5 Comments

Swindon Town 3 Charlton Athletic 0

An enjoyble weekend at home for the football, only ruined by the football! I’m only glad that I didn’t waste time watching it on the telly. Oh….  

A 200-mile round trip across a very rainy London, the fact that it stopped raining when we reached the magic roundabout was the only highlight of another dismal day of being a Charlton fan. A couple of players out on international duty and our most creative and direct player injured showed up all of Russell Slade’s tactical weaknesses and how glaringly sparse and unbalanced our squad is, with 9 defenders in the 18 man squad!

How bad we were yesterday left me a little shell shocked to be honest. The first half was dreadful, but Swindon at least showed some splashes of intent and had a couple of players that could play the ball well on the ground. Meanwhile all we could do is move the ball sideways and backwards around the back four and eventually hoof it up front to no one in particular. Nicky Ajose attempted to make a fist of a couple of wayward high balls, but as an attacking force we showed no invention and less ambition.

In fact throughout the whole game we had just one shot on target. Novak and Ajose scored 39 goals between them last season yet Slade looks unable to get them playing together or individually to their strengths. I only found out once we got home that Slade had them set up in a diamond formation. I think those of us there were oblivious to that, although it might explain why Novak and Ajose kept being found out wide. Or then again it may not.
Please click for more

Oct 19

Port Vale 1 Charlton Athletic 1

Do you ever feel like you can’t do anything right? Roland blames us, Meire and Keohane hate us and now Slade wades in having a go at a train full of Charlton fans prepared to invest time and money and travel halfway up the country to support their team on a Tuesday night.
Please click for more

Oct 16

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 3 Coventry City 0

For me trying to follow the game remotely, the game and therefore the result was a little secondary on Saturday. Greater forces of importance were at play yesterday afternoon in a wonderful coming together of two sets of supporters. Coventry fans take a bow and I really hope you rid yourselves of the imposters that have somehow got themselves to be leaders of your famous club’s future.

As for us, the result, a much needed 3 points, showed again that there is no correlation between full scale protests and the team’s performance on the pitch, in fact to the contrary if anything, it has been a spark provided by fans to give the team a platform to actually show us what they can do.

The first half, a cracker of a goal by Ricky Holmes aside, was pretty uneventful on the pitch accept for the arrival of 3,000 pink pigs thrown on by Addicks and Sky Blues’ fans just after kick off to remind our respective owners that pigs are more likely to fly than they give two snorts about the future of our historic football clubs.
Please click for more

Oct 1

7 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Rochdale 1

“We know we made mistakes managerially. Everything is now in place with Russell to give us stability.” – Katrien Meire before the game getting her size 10 stilettos stuck in her big fat gob again.

If I remember rightly she said a similar thing about Chris Powell, Bob Peeters and Guy Luzon before she fired them.

1 point from three home games against AFC Wimbledon, Oldham and Rochdale. One point. Add that to the two points away at Fleetwood and Oxford, clubs that were in the National League just a few years ago. Now, we have no given right to beat anybody, but what we do have is a right to change. This club is rotten to the core, and if those that are intent on destroying it won’t do the honourable thing, then we need to enforce it.

Please click for more

Sep 28

2 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Oldham Athletic 1

Well that sounded utterly painful and depressing and not forgetting, rubbish.

Again we were ahead, although unlike last week against AFC Wimbledon, this time undeserved. But we were ahead thanks to a well worked goal scored by Josh Magennis, yet leading only appears to be a signal for Russell Slade to sit deep and lock up shop.

One up front, a pedestrian midfield and Lookman on the bench. Hardly a shot at goal for 95 minutes and lucky to escape with a point against a team second from bottom and who had not scored in 6 of their previous 9 league games.

All this played out in front of thousands upon thousands of empty seats with the real crowd estimated at under 7,000.
Please click for more

Sep 21

Scunthorpe United 0 Charlton Athletic 0

Sounded a decent game and I would happily have taken a clean sheet against a side that has been banging in the goals. The Iron had scored 9 in the preceding two home league games.

Slade set us up not to lose and waited until extraordinarily late to add some extra attacking force, which probably cost us all 3 points but with Bauer back alongside a much better Pearce we sounded much tighter at the back and all four defenders came out of the game with credit.

What a shame that Jacko couldn’t win it at the end with a trademark free-kick which cannoned off the woodwork.
Please click for more

Sep 18

4 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 AFC Wimbledon 2

There is no sugar coating that yesterday. That was a dreadful result. I was following the game online and journalist Rich Cawley echoed my own thoughts midway through the 2nd half when he wrote “That lack of a second #cafc goal is making it nervy now for the hosts. #afcw still not creating clear chances but pushing more.”

And after playing a game of clinging on, the Dons grew in confidence as we retreated and not only equalised but then had the audacity to take all 3 points with a 85th minute winner.
Please click for more

Sep 16

Apathetic

A little apathetic at the moment, not helped unusually by it being the middle of September and I haven’t see us play yet. I have a trip booked home for the middle of November and that, the televised game at Swindon, will probably be my first game. I am not alone, but of course Charlton Athletic still runs through my veins, they just don’t feel my head like they used to, hence why this Blog has been a little bare recently as I’m void of thoughts and opinions.

Anyway, a lot of you are still going, which I respect, so I am interested to how we are playing. It certainly appears that Slade has brought some fighting team spirit back, late goals against Bolton and Fleetwood attest to that, and that is a dramatic positive over last season when if we conceded, which was always just a matter of time, then that was it.
Please click for more

Sep 1

6 Comments

The window

I had never heard of Fredrik Ulvestad until his name came up yesterday alongside many others in Russell Slade’s efforts to bring in another much needed central midfielder. Slade added: “He’ll add a different dimension to us. He’s different to what we have got,” which hopefully means he is mobile, can pass the ball forward and can take a player on.

With free agent Chicksen added the day before but only replacing Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, just Ulvestad was added to Slade’s squad when he had been saying he needed three or four more since the beginning of August. And with Alou Diarra going today, it is another man down, and in my mind when suspensions and injuries come a knocking, I worry that we have a squad that can be in contention at the top half of the table.

The fact is that once again Meire and Duchatelet have left it too late. They had the pick of Ajose, Novak and Holmes early in the summer, which was good work, but once again we are left fishing in murky shallow waters on the afternoon of deadline day after more players had left. Who knows how far Ulvestad was down Slade’s list. Yet the Norwegian will be expected to carry a lot of our creative play along with Holmes.
Please click for more

Aug 30

2 Comments

Adam Chicksen

24-year old Adam Chicksen has signed a one-year deal, and fills the spot vacated by Tareiq Holmes-Dennis. Chicksen was released by Brighton who signed the then highly rated defender from MK Dons, Chicksen’s home town club.
Please click for more

Aug 27

3 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Bolton Wanderers 1

I followed on Twitter and it had me thinking how many thousands of Addicks now tune in remotely instead of going to games at The Valley. Just 10,000 official Addicks at the game, one of the season’s more attractive fixtures, with those in the ground putting the number more in the region of 8,000.

The first half we created the better opportunities, although Solly did have to clear off his line, this when playing in midfield after Johnnie Jackson went off with a slight injury. Why Bauer came on forcing a major reshuffle when either Lookman or Botaka appeared more obvious only Russell Slade will know why he preferred to make a negative move.

Bolton scored early in the 2nd half and it sounded as if we struggled after that against a very physical Phil Parkinson’s Bolton. However we kept plugging away and grabbed a share of the spoils, and ended Wanderers 100% start to the season, when Ademola Lookman fired home in the 7 minutes of added time.
Please click for more

Aug 9

2 Comments

Cheltenham Town 1 Charlton Athletic 0

Apparently a top 6 budget doesn’t buy you a cup run. Total respect to Cheltenham, especially their programme editor, but they were a non-league team 3 months ago.

We were relegated in April, everyone knew Riga would not stay, yet none of us are surprised by what we have witnessed so far. A squad unprepared, under-resourced, carrying long term unexplained injuries and on the back of a poor pre-season which followed according to Russell Slade absolutely no pre-planning at all by those at the head of the organization.
Please click for more

Aug 6

1 Comment

Bury 2 Charlton Athletic 0

Over a 1,000 Addicks made the long trip to Bury today. The first game of a new season prompting dreams, hopes and a small ray of sunlight peaking out from behind a big black cloud that still engulfs our historic football club.

Charlton fans sung the place out and backed the team to the hilt, but in return were treated to a dreadful performance in Russell Slade’s first competitive game. Added to that, at the final whistle to muted boos and sympathic applause, as the players walked over to those that had made the long and expensive journey, Roger Johnson to hundreds of witnesses screamed at fans: “don’t f*cking come if you don’t like it.” Honestly this club, our club, is rotten to the core.
Please click for more

Aug 5

4 Comments

The first pangs of a new season

I’m liking the cut of Russell Slade’s jib. He says it straight, and talks with authority and honesty. He’s got a little twinkle in his eye too. That can be quite infectious.

I said a while back that if they could bring Jason Pearce into the club, then that would say a lot about Slade’s influence and ability to manage our inadequate CEO, and to get what he wants and or was promised. Pearce joined yesterday and for me is the signing of the summer. Pearce is a winner, vocal and not stupid. He has also been team captain wherever he has played and I suspect he will be for us with Jacko remaining club captain.
Please click for more

Jul 31

1 Comment

Whilst Slade waits for incomings, one leaves

In another communication masterclass Roly’s favourite child STVV announced on their official website this evening the loan signing of Cristian Ceballos, whilst the CAFC media team said that the deal is not yet confirmed.

Ceballos, known only for being injured and taking possibly the worst ever corner kick in Charlton’s 111-year history, has signed for STVV for a season, and no doubt some clever accountant somewhere has worked out how to spread his wages in the most tax efficient manner.
Please click for more

Jul 25

3 Comments

Just the 5 or 6

Another day closer to Bury and another day still without the 5 or 6 players Russell Slade thinks we need as a minimum. And I think he is being kind. And that is 5 or 6 on the basis no one else leaves and Solly, Ajose and Bauer will be match ready.

Slade was very honest in his assessment after a poor performance at Leyton Orient and said:

“We’re miles away. I’d like to think between now and the start of the season that we can get another five or six additions to the group. In all honesty, if we’re going to be competitive at the top end then that’s what we need to do. Even against a Leyton Orient that will have a campaign in Division Two, they’re making substitutions and sending men on. I’m sending on a lot of young players.”

Interestingly a year ago after a shocking pre-season tour in Belgium previous man in charge Guy Luzon said:

“We also wait for another four or five players, so it was not a fair game, but it’s okay, today will not be in our first-team squad, it was the young players from the academy. 60 or 70 per cent of the players who played today will not be in our first-team squad, it was the young players from the academy.”
Please click for more

Jul 19

2 Comments

Players come, players go. Well players go..

It is neither a shock, nor the end of the world that players are being moved on. Players each partly culpable for our relegation sold to raise funds through fees and wages, or allowing them to move to a higher level because of contractual obligations (JBG), or because it is fair and proper (Cousins) or simply because they are rubbish (Sarr).

As expected Nick Pope and Johann Berg Gundmundsson were officially unveiled by Burnley today. Tony Watt beat the rush out of Austria to return home to pack his well worn overnight bag and looks set to move to Hearts of the SPL for family reasons. Must be a right pain for our Tony listing his past 5-year addresses when he’s applying to Sky for his movie channel.
Please click for more

Jun 29

Defender next

After making three attacking players his first signings, Russell Slade is now on the look out for a vocal central defender. Slade has three names on his list according to the SLP. They are 32-year old Matthew Kilgallon, released by Blackburn, 29-year old David Wheater, long time of Middlesbrough, but recently released by Bolton and probably the most popular choice amongst Addicks, Lewisham born Michael Turner, previously of our parish.

Turner left Charlton unable to force his way into a Premier League defence in 2004 but has had an excellent career including many seasons as a Premier League defender himself. He is 32 and is still under contract at Norwich but spent much of the past season and a half out at loan, firstly at Fulham, then at Sheffield Wednesday.
Please click for more

Jun 23

4 Comments

No closure. Yet

So last season. Have you moved on? The fixtures are out. Bury away on the first day. Northampton up first at home. Is there closure yet? Is the fact that the liar and her enabler may have after two and a half years finally accepted that their judgement was utter garbage. No apologies, but a poker faced acceptance that the two of them don’t have a clue what they are doing.

I am still mentally digesting this past season. It’s going to take me a while. In fact for me anyway there will never be closure. Those scars will not fade, the bare faced lies will never vanish. The treading of Belgium feet all over my Lego Millennium Falcon, disintegrating it into a thousand pieces, can never be rebuilt under the hands of Roland Duchatelet and Katrien Meire.
Please click for more

Jun 16

3 Comments

New signing. And he’s British

The first ever permanent British signing under the auspices of Roland Duchatelet joined Russell Slade’s Charlton this morning.

28-year old Essex born Northampton winger Ricky Holmes signed a two year deal for an undisclosed fee. It is thought that Chris Wilder initially gave Meire the heads up on Holmes but Slade was a fan to and said: “I am delighted to be able to make Ricky my first signing for the club. He was a top target for me and to be able to bring him to The Valley was very important for us, as we look to build a strong squad for the season ahead.”
Please click for more

Jun 9

1 Comment

Each lie better than the last

It will be interesting to see what happens today around late morning. Will Katrien Meire be in work yet? Will she issue an apology to Peter Varney. Or will she hope that no one noticed and think we are all friends now because she has finally made an appointment better than the one previously?

Varney is steadfastly not going to let this go away and has said he will release evidence of his, Duchatelet and Meire’s dialogue which not anywhere says his investor contacts will move the club away from The Valley.
Please click for more

Jun 7

2 Comments

Verbal agreement

“It’s not in my contract about having that control over my players, but it’s a verbal agreement.” *Bangs head on desk and nips down to bookies to put a tenner on Slade being gone by Christmas*

Just 20 minutes allowed for this morning’s press conference, with Meire getting an easy ride but making sure she got in that she was not fearful of her job and that everything will be alright, from today. Richard Murray thought the meeting was all about him and had a good old cry: “I was disappointed with the treatment I got last year, considering what I’ve tried to do for this club.” Yep, those ruddy customers. Pain in the ass aren’t they Rich.
Please click for more

Jun 6

5 Comments

Slade appointed as ‘manager’

As expected the club announced Russell Slade today as not the club’s new head coach, but it’s manager. The first time an individual has carried that title under Roland Duchatelet not just at Charlton, but at any of his clubs. He has signed a 3-year contract.

No one was witness to see if Meire’s nose grew bigger but she said: “Russell has vast experience in the division and is a two-time League One Manager of The Year. He joins us as Manager on a long-term contract and his appointment represents the start of an exciting new era at the club under his guidance.”

This certainly spells a change of direction from the owner, and also from Meire who from only weeks ago was telling customers not to raise their expectations has now charged her new employee with a target of promotion.

“We don’t underestimate the challenge of getting Charlton back into the Championship.We believe Russell is the man to help us achieve this and, with the help of everyone involved in the club, ensure that Charlton have a successful 2016/17 campaign.”
Please click for more