Charlton Athletic Online

I suppose it’s about a month since the Swindon game, and about time I penned something else about our esteemed club on this blog.

Firstly, comings and goings: Six players have been released, none without a surprise. Matt Spring, Leon McKenzie, Tony Warner, Chris Dickson, Jack Clark and Dean Sinclair have all been told to find employ elsewhere. Although there could be some sort of argument for keeping all of the above players, none made any significant contribution to Charlton’s season just gone, and it is therefore hard to see them making an impact next year, whoever else comes and goes. Yassin Moutaouakil has also left the club, agreeing a deal to bring his contract to an early end. Rumours are that his pay-off was a six-figure sum, but that it falls well short of the salary he would have picked up had he merely trained and not played for the club next season (as he did most of this).

Nobody has signed for Charlton yet (apart from Akpo Sodje just before the Swindon home game), though Parky is keen to get players in as early as possible. This was also the case last year, and understandable for his perspective. Firstly, he will want to secure any of the better players coming to the club so that they aren’t pinched from under his nose, and secondly, it shows willing. The problem is that finances are such that it is often better to wait as long as possible before having to pay the players concerned. As such, I do expect a couple of new Bosman signings at the end of this month (or very early in July), but any further signings are likely to be just before the season commences as happened with Christian Dailly this year.

We haven’t sold anyone, which is good, but not a surprise. Other clubs also have to be very careful financially, and unless you are guaranteed Sky Premiership TV money then there is not a lot going on. It would be no surprise to see players of the ilk of Frazer Richardson, Nicky Bailey and Jose Semedo being bid for, and at Charlton we know that any good offer has to be accepted, but I hope that they do stay and at least see the first few games of the new season in Charlton shirts.

Those other players out of contract have probably now been offered new contracts, and no doubt some will re-sign, and some will not. Lloyd Sam has seen much speculation over his future, which has varied from a cast-iron certainty to join QPR, then to one which saw him retire early from football in favour of a fashion and music career, and now to one which has him directly quoted as staying at The Valley with a new contract ready to be agreed. What to believe?!? I have no idea if players like Deon Burton and Darren Randolph will be happy with any new contract offers, but I suspect that Christian Dailly and Grant Basey will want to stay. Chris Solly would be foolish to move on I suggest, as would Scott Wagstaff. Sam Sodje is a problem and one I can see waiting on other signings. When fit, he is good enough for this league, but his knee-knack got worse as the season progressed, and it was a major issue in April and May.

Labels: Charlton