Friday 31 December 2010

A frustrating year

It's been a frustrating year for Charlton supporters. Defeat in the play offs in a penalty shoot out by Swindon condemned us to another season in League 1, although it was probably better than being beaten in the final by Millwall. We also would not have been financially equipped for the Championship, although investors might have found us a more interesting prospect.

League 1 football is not very entertaining. If anything, the standard has deteriorated since I went to watch Rushden & Diamonds some years ago. Hoofball is rampant. Why don't Charlton play more on the ground? Because it's more difficult to when the other team is lofting the ball in the air.

I don't think Phil Parkinson is a manager of the calibre of Jimmy Seed, Lennie Lawrence or Alan Curbishley. But I think he has done a decent job for us on a very restricted budget. Some of his signings have disappointed, but if you pay peanuts .. We are joint second with a game in hand over the Owls.

Expectations remain high at The Valley and I think we are punching below our weight in this division. However, sometimes there is too much pessimism and negativity and the crowd is too ready to jump on the back of the team.

We now await the takeover or the alternative of going into administration. Apart from Peter Varney, I think it will be four Englishmen, one of whom will be Dennis Wise. Whether he will be director of football remains to be seen, but in my view it is a post we could do without.

With a modest injection of funds, our chances of promotion should improve.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

We were playing 'Hoofball' under Curbs when Bent was the main foil.
Alas, if thats what it takes to get out of this league, then so be it.
Your comment on Dennis Wise (being one of the gang of four) depresses me. If true, at least Taxi drivers won't be visiting the Valley.
Happy New Year and keep the blog active. Well done.