André Bikey | Chicago Addick

Aug 31

Bikey out, anyone biking in?

Three out and no new arrivals as we enter the last day of the August transfer window. Andre Bikey had his contract cancelled yesterday, why both parties waited that long to divorce I don’t know, but it allows Bikey free agency and the chance to find another club.

Bikey had been frozen out by Guy Luzon and was playing in the stiffs, if the reserve team made up of youngsters can be called that these days. A year ago he was an intricate part of Bob Peeters unbeaten start to the season, but Luzon didn’t like how the experienced Cameroonian negatively dominated the dressing room. Add to that a couple of defensive howlers and a drop in professionalism and Luzon pulled rank.
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Aug 4

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New squad numbers

Nothing earth shattering regarding the new squad numbers on first glance. Cousins moves to no. 8, there is no no.2 perhaps hinting at the club’s hopes to sign another defender imminently. Patrick Bauer and Naby Sarr become 5 and 6, and the young Spaniard Cristian Ceballos is given the no.10 shirt.

However upon scrutiny there is no shirt for Andre Bikey or Loic Nego and apparently Franck Moussa is only deserved of one once he can prove fitness, which presumes will not be for a long while.

A year ago Andre Bikey and Tal Ben Haim began the season as our centre-half pairings, eventually forcing Michael Morrison to leave. Admittedly once Guy Luzon showed up Morrison was already half out of the door, but that move still grates with me and his handling Bikey leaves a little bit of a bad taste, and one assumes he will be left to ‘rot’ in the reserves.
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Jul 10

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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.
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May 12

15 players released

Part one of Luzon/Duchatelet/Meire’s summer transfer strategy was executed today with the announcement of 15 players released.

They are: Tal Ben Haim; Simon Church; Chris Eagles; Roger Johnson; Lawrie Wilson; Oguchi Onyewu; Neil Etheridge; Jack Munns; Harry Osborne; Harry Gerard; Kadell Daniel; Kurtis Cumberbatch; Kieran Monlouis; Rhys Browne; Levander Pyke.

A mixture of the unfortunate attrition of young pros who were unable to step up plus 7 first teamers. My only disappointment is seeing Ben Haim go, although it was apparently his own decision. Not so much disappointed but sad to see Lawrie Wilson and Simon Church move on.

The Welshman scored just 10 goals in Charlton colours, but his work rate could never be questioned, but I expect his career will have to continue down a division.

Lawrie Wilson’s form dipped this season after an excellent 2014/15 season, when I personally thought he was player of the year. He was very friendly with Hamer, Morrison, Hughes and Jackson and an integral part of Chris Powell’s squad but he was sidelined under both Peeters and Luzon and the writing was on the wall. However I am pleased that he was able to come back to the club where he began his career to show us what a great pro he is. Best of luck Lawrie.
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Jan 5

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Arguments in dressing room

“There were some arguments in the dressing room – it has to happen. The manager has to understand. No one is happy. We have to try and get a solution.” Andre Bikey (more)

Probably comes as no surprise to most, but cracks have started to appear in Bob Peeters armour, and need to be addressed.

Whether Bikey was right to take this to the press I don’t know, but it clearly smells of frustration and exhaustion.
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Oct 19

AFC Bournemouth 1 Charlton Athletic 0

I left Bermuda on Thursday night due to there being a hurricane blowing a little too powerful for comfort, but even if I was avoiding a hurricane I was still hoping for a little more than a puff of air from my Addicks in Dorset yesterday.

There should be no sugarcoating this performance – it was poor, rubbish in fact.

The Addicks were obviously going to lose their unbeaten record at some time, but to lose it without so much of a whimper was very disappointing. From the off to the last minute our ball retention was poor, we lacked invention, never looked like scoring and were bereft of any pace, sinew or coherence.
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Sep 17

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Charlton Athletic 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1

“I said before the two games that if we can get four out of six against Watford and Wolves then we would have done very well and in the end they’ve done that.”

And Bob is spot on. 6 points from those two games is a very good return and quite rightly Addicks can be happy with their lot at the moment.

It was a game of two half’s yesterday, although there is a common consent that we got away with it in the end and Kenny Jackett will be the more disappointed of the two managers. Wolves are still wallowing in their excellent League One winning season, and that was plain to see although my brother at the game was a less impressed with them than others.
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Jul 9

On your Bikey

Not sure about you, but I’m still trying to get my head around last night. In the meantime the Addicks have made their 4th summer signing with 29-year old André Bikey joining the ranks on a 2-year deal.
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Jul 7

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Gomez under contract

I watched bits of Charlton’s pre-season games in St-Truiden this past weekend on the Addicks You Tube service, which was very good by the way.

I am sure those that travelled had a fun time despite the driving rain during yesterday’s game and Stayen looked a neat little stadium. Nonetheless pre-season games are simply that, an opportunity for fitness, preparation and team building. Training games that you can pay to watch.

This was underlined by Standard even wearing their training bibs in Saturday’s 45-minute kick about. Friendlies play with your expectations, be careful, but no one has ever been promoted or relegated after a pre-season friendly and one week of training.
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