The Truth Is Out There !

And it will come out in the end just as Deano's real transfer fee has. Originally reported by both us and Portsmouth as 'undisclosed' it has now been disclosed by Charlton as being 150k with the potential of up to a futher 350k if Pompey remain a Premiership club at the end of the season. No hope there then. I know he was 35 and out of favour but 150k !

Furthermore, just when will the truth out with regard to Danny Murphy. The rumours about Danny are flying around everywhere and avoiding them is proving more difficult than evading the bat poo in Melbourne's Botanical Gardens. Firstly, he's in the West Stand on Saturday merrily signing autograph's without a care in the world, no sorry he was there on Saturday but dashed off before the game started, but hang on he's had a bust up with Curbs/Rommerdahl/Hreidersson(take your pick) and asked for a transfer, no forget all that he has 'terrible' family problems that he is currently dealing with. No no all wrong I'm afraid as according to the Premier League fitness room physio website he has a hamstring injury. Personally I'm getting a bit bored by it all and will be glad when Tuesday has come and gone and either Danny will have departed with it or we will be left with a creative midfielder, albeit one with some personal problem or another, allegedly. However, if he does have a personal problem to deal with or is injured surely the Club can issue a statement to that effect to put to bed all these wild stories and rumours. It really isn't doing anyone any good.

The only rumours of transfers are JLloyd Samuel, it's always a mistake to go back don't they say, and a defensive midfielder Blaise Matuidi, 19, from French club Troyes who is available for 3.5m. Can't see Curbs splashing that sort of dough on an relative unknown especially when money is tight. At least we know he is willing to offload JJ, Jeffers, Euell and Lisbie. I'd add Bartlett to that list who was absolutely woeful on Saturday, the day after he announced he was hoping for another contract extension. If I had my way, no way Jose.

The next few days look to be quite hectic on the transfer front and let's hope it doesn't distract anyone from the very important business of three points from West Brom and revenge for last season's debacle against them.

From Deano to Lisbinho !

Blimey. So much has happened since my last blog update it’s hard to know where to begin.

So I’ll begin with a fond farewell to Deano. Nicky Johns excepted he is probably the best goalkeeper I’ve seen play for Charlton. In his six or so years at The Valley it is no coincidence that we have seen the rise of Charlton to the established Premier League side we are today. Okay things have gone a little pear-shaped this season but let’s remember the good times and that toothy grin. When he returns with Pompey later this season he is assured of a tremendous welcome. Good luck Deano (and I think you’re going to need it). What else has happened ? Oh yes. The feverish election campaigning has died down as voting gets underway and I expect a close finish between Ben Hayes and the ’young’ pretender being championed by Derek Hales, Vince The Pole. Ben Hayes to win on a recount. On the pitch Curbs has gone back to basics and results have followed. It may not be pretty but it’s been effective. Journeymen like Holland and Hughes have come in, applied themselves properly, and hey presto, a couple of home wins, through in the cup and a more than creditable draw at Chelski. As Curbs said, now we’ve steadier the ship more expansive football may once again follow.

Talk of Chelski leads us neatly onto Marcus Bent. His signing was met with comments of “2.5m you’re ’aving a larf” and “’ave you seen ’is goalscoring record?”. Well, his goalscoring record for us is 1 in 1 (and after all that’s all that matters) and compared to £1.75m for Akinbiyi then Marcus was an absolute steal. So, Deano out and ’Big’ Benty in. Anyone else on the move? Euell to Birmingham was on, off and now seemingly on again. Johansson is in talks with Serie A (probably B) side Treviso, Jeffers is linked with Millwall most days and someone else every other day. Considering another appearance will trigger a further payment to Arsenal and the fact he’s out of contract in the summer I expect him to depart one way or another before midnight 31st January. Lisbie, and we’ll return to him later, is linked to Narwich in a cash plus player deal for £2m rated keeper Robert Green. So that’s £ 1,999,999.00 plus Lisbie (lights blue touch paper and retires). Why we need another top-class keeper remains a mystery to me. We’ve just lost one who was unhappy so signing Greeno would just make Tommy or Steph desperately unhappy. We’ve always got Randolph as emergency cover. Expect Green to sign tomorrow then, ok ? Elsewhere, we are continually linked with Zat Knight who although 6ft 5inches isn’t particularly mobile and not much better than what we’ve got. However, with El Kak likely to return early from the African Cup of Nations perhaps we had better sign another centre - half if only to keep him away from the action. Seriously, with JJ, Jeffers, Euell and Lisbie all set to go in the next few days, so freeing up valuable wages, I think we can expect at least two incomings and possibly three before the window slams shut. Strewth, just realised I have not even mentioned Murphy whom it is now rumoured has been missing due to an undisclosed personal, family reason. Uhmm. And what of Bowyer I wonder.

So finally this from the BBC Messageboard, message 25,Lisbinho. Said we’d return to him later. Either this guy is the most deluded person on the planet or this is a brilliant wind-up. Enjoy.

Vote Kennedy !

Whoops, wrong election.

However, in the election for the Fans Representative on the Board of Charlton Athletic Football Club four candidates have emerged; Sue Townsend, Ben Hayes, Brian Cole and Vince Nieszwiec.

Sue Townsend, present emcumbant, shouldn't in my opinion be standing for re-election, as it's only fair to give someone else a go. Also, two years in and amid accusations of being unable to communicate with the fans who elected her she still has no dedicated website. Says it all really.

In my opinion, Ben Hayes is the best man for the job. Vince comes in a very close second.

Vote Ben Hayes !!! (and definately not for that lush Kennedy).

Same Old Story

Three defensive lapses, few chances created, plenty of huff and puff, another away defeat. Sound familiar ?

The New Year's Eve victory over West Ham has proved to be a false dawn. Renewed optimism, although limited, has already evaporated. A decent performance and a comfortable 2-0 victory has to be taken into context as to against whom it was achieved. West Ham, recently promoted, are in the middle of their own run of five straight defeats and were hardly 'buzzing' themselves. A midfield consisting of Rommerdahl, Hughes, Holland and Kishishev are a match for no-one in the Premier League and yet we got away with it. Why ? Because West Ham were poor. We played well but against most other sides we would have struggled. A much needed win but once again it was just a case of papering over the cracks, just as the Sunderland win had done. Two days later and Everton proved that point.

The facts are we have won just three home games this season, against the three promoted sides incidentally, and just five in the whole of 2005. We have taken just six points from those sides currently occupying the twelve places above us and that includes the three from West Ham. We have suffered four straight away defeats with Chelsea next up. Everton, who are having an awful season apparently, are just two points behind us. We are currently just six points off the bottom four and play two of them at The Valley, hardly a fortress, before the end of the month. And all this with the best squad ever assembled by Alan Curbishley and, salary wise, by far the most expensive. Yet the squad still needs major surgery.

Several players should leave with them being replaced by three or four major signings. Take your pick from Keily, Johansson, Lisbie, Bartlett, Holland, Euell, Hughes and Jeffers. Maybe even throw Murphy's name into the mix if he isn't 'up' for it. The squad numbers may then be down but the quality needs to be drastically improved. The Board need to back Curbs but if they do then Curbs is definately in the last chance saloon. Further failure and his number is well and truely up. Things can't continue as they are.

Whether we like it or not we are very nervously looking over our shoulders when we should be challenging for Europe. It's time for the talking to stop. If Curbs can't sort it out then someone else will have to.