I have to say that the Super Hoops are a London club I don't like very much. To me, they are always a third division south club, but a short spell of success in the top flight gave their fans excessive expectations. These have been reinforced by the takeover, although this has not led to instant success - I recall QPR fans predicting on 606 that the question in a few years' time would be whether they or Real Madrid were the biggest team in Europe! Of course, they have suffered from the curse of Dowie.
I don't much like their shoebox of a ground or their excessive security either. I can't be there tonight anyway as I have to go to a funeral this afternoon which always puts football in perspective.
If it was a club outside London I would link some stories from the local evening paper, but that is not an option in Hammersmith. Nor do they seem to have that many fan sites and those there are do not seem to be up to date. Admittedly, my trawl was a quick one, but perhaps we are better served at The Valley in that respect.
The team is still traumatised and I would not make any judgements on the basis of tonight's results either about them or the capabilities of Phil Parkinson. The majority view seems to be that he was deeply implicated in the former regime and is hence contaminated.
I haven't been able to get much concrete information on the role that he played in the set up, but maybe others know more than I do about that and are hence better placed to make a judgement. For now, he is the Charlton manager and I would make what admittedly sounds like a hollow plea for those going to get behind him and the team as they are the club for now. In fact I am sure the Addickted will give it large.
One positive development is that I have reached a modus vivendi with an old friend who has always been a bit scathing about Charlton which she regards as a rather down market club (as indicated by her admittedly amusing skit on a Rickshaw in reverse).
Anyway she now goes to Old Trafford which is reasonable enough for a resident of Greater Manchester - indeed she is probably in a minority in that respect. Becoming a United fan has made her more accepting of my support of Charlton. As she said, 'it's in your blood' and that is probably as a good a defintion of Addicktion as any. We may moan, we may complain, we may despair, but we stick with the club.
1 comment:
One of the great mysteries of recent times has been what precisely did Parky do.I seem to remember reading once that he coached the defence while Pardew concentrated on the attacking options.If that's true,we are in trouble!
During the George Graham years at Highbury Arsenal fans were asking the same question about Stewart Houston & gave him the name of Coneman.His only contribution was deemed to be putting the cones out prior to training.
Cecil was highly rated at Colchester leading to Charlton asking for permission to interview him after Curbs left.He eventually went to Hull where he failed.
Of more recent times he has been interviewed by Huddersfield & Norwich & prior to the weekend Swindon were rumoured to want him as manager.
Pardew's ego was such that I doubt that Cecil had much input.Will we get the Colchester or Hull version? Who knows but the board will be keen for him to succeed to offer them a cheap solution.
With Christmas looming 7/1 on him being installed as permanent manager looks attractive to the punters out there.Certainly Curbs at 1/2 represents very poor value.
I have a hunch that maybe, just maybe,Charlton will defy the odds & get something tonight.After all Rangers are in much the same boat except that they have already found a new manager who definitely does NOT inspire confidence.
COYA.
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