May 31
Last week Charlton players returned to group training for the first time for 11 weeks. Week one of a planned four-week mini pre-season was non-contact with the players in small groups of five working on three different pitches. Lee Bowyer had 25 players back, everyone was tested and all results came back negative.
The three players who didn’t return were loanees Matt Smith and David Davis, and Tomer Hemed, who by all accounts will return from his home in Israel.
Ben Purrington maybe the 7/10 no headlines player, but he will be missed greatly at Fulham on Saturday when Lee Bowyer will turn to either Deji Oshilaja or probably Naby Sarr in a back three as we take on the threat of the joint leading goal scorers.
Bowyer described the absence of Lewis Page as “mind boggling.” The 23-year old has not played for over a year after beginning last season so well showing tenacity and a real threat going forward, and quickly becoming popular with Addicks.
The transfer window may well have closed but Steve Gallen keeps rocking on. Ehrun Oztumer signed on Friday and today after a week and a half of waiting the EFL finally gave the clearance for Tomer Hemed to move from Brighton to Charlton on a free. Incredibly Lee Bowyer’s 14th signing of the summer.
Brighton had already agreed to cancel the final year of Hemed’s contract so we could sign him as a free agent, it was just that the paperwork went in right on the 5pm deadline allowing for the FA and EFL to do some long drawn out stroking of chins.
Hello, anyone at home? The FA have passed the Tomer Hemed transfer decision onto the brains trust of the EFL, which may explain just about everything. Roland has probably asked them to buy him.
It’s a week today since Brighton and Charlton attempted to rush through the permanent move of Hemed, and still we wait on an answer to whether the transfer can go through, or not. A simple yes or no, but nothing is simple at those renowned decision makers, the EFL.
Oh look. A new pronouncement from our leader.
The old bugger escaped from his ward again this afternoon and managed to crank open the charge nurse’s typewriter.
No…. not a well done message to Lee Bowyer for our very encouraging start, or to the noisy Addicks in the big crowd on Saturday. Or to explain how he supported the manager in the transfer window, even though it meant selling another Premier League star of the future. Not even a pat on his own back by telling the story of turning down Brentford’s seven offers for Lyle Taylor.
Chicago Addick 