So after section 4 of the mental health act comes section 2 (which issupposed to mke sense to the sain) and after the nigels (and uncle les) comes parky (or Jack as I like to call him). But what comes after that? More Phil? Paulo? Keano? Well I'm waiting to hear and am glad I used what little sense I had about me to resist full on endorsement for Parkinson to be named permanent manager. After the lord mayors show came - well, another two defeats. I know the saints match wasn't the resounding victory we all crave but boy was it a million times better than most of the gruel we've been served up over recent times. Contrast that with the dross we witnessed for large parts of the coventry match and it almost makes you feel like I'm not the only schizophrenic around here. Nor me.
There were several times, most noticeably at set pieces where the 'team' (or at least elements of it) didn't seem to know what was going on. The vastly improved style of football and team work from less than two weeks ago had disappeared. But why? I honestly don't know and my recent sabbatical has left me lacking in updates from fellow bloggers, forums and professional journalism alike. I'm serious when I ask what the feck is happening at Charlton?
I know I've said the board need to take time to make the right decision and I stand by that sentiment. I just hope they don't leave it too long - we need to know who will be leading us through the next stage of the REDVOLUTION and out of this mess.
As far as individuals are concerned there are a few who deserve special mention in (anti) despatches but I'll limit my targets to Cranie (please let's just get rid now regardless of loan period, who's paying his wages and whatever the deal was with 'Arry - the bloke's a lazy liability and I'm fed up with the sight of him, particularly when rentokil or Jose could do a far better job) and Bailey (the once promising ginger ninja doesn't seem to have managed the step up and whilst playing in a poor team obviously doesn't help he doesn't seem to be able to buy a pass - an old golf buddy of mine once offered wise advise when asking me what percentage of short putts settle in the hole? The answer of course is nil and that applies with football too - Bailey's passing seems to have been hit hard by the credit crunch). I could go on about others but I won't for now, except to sadly admit that even 2DAP's favourite Portuguese seems to be witnessing a dramatic downturn in form too.
One player who can hold his head up high in my opinion is Matt Holland whose tireless working may now lack the mileage of his Ipswich (and early Charlton) days but his intelligence makes up for this. As someone who thought he was possibly surplus to requirements a couple of years back I freely acknowledge I was wrong -although I still don't see him as a regular in the first eleven (unless we drop) his influence on and off the pitch is highly valuable, particularly in current climes. Add to his play his leadership and I wonder how worse (if possible) we might be without him. On that note I've held off commenting on a couple of things I've noticed over recent months for fear of being tarred (albeit correctly) as being a blinkered nigel hater. Well I'm guilty (just ask me who my least favoured five teams are and it'll explain ;-) and here's my latest rant why we should have little to do with anything or anyone ever associated with them tossers. In recent times I've noticed on more than one occasion that after the poncey pre-match handshakes our current skipper buggers off to do whatever he does. This has left a group of young mascots (I've preached on the virtues of our next generation of Addicks and will do so again!) Standing around looking lost - until Sir Matt steps in that is. Not his job anymore you know but still there to help when others fail. The other thing is the attitude of hudson during games when his head has dropped but there's Matty running, clapping and shouting to get the boys going again - particularly noticeable after letting in a goal (there's been plenty) and multiplied in the last match of pardew's reign (or should that be shower). Give the armband to Mr Holland on the way out - let his opus continue?
Anyway, I want to know what's going on with my team and its manager as its not looking particularly rosey at present and I really don't fancy writing 'third division and less proud than I used to be' next season.
So it's time for my medication and hopefully when the doctor sees what I've been up to he'll let me stay at home - see doc, back to my normal drunken incoherent negative ramblings - I'm OK really.
‘So after the good and the bad came the … actually it wasn’t that ugly. It wasn’t that pretty either …’
