Deadline Day Final Thoughts | What Are Yours?

[weststandfruitloop]

HERE ARE MY OVERALL THOUGHTS ON DEADLINE DAY. WHAT ARE YOURS?

OK, so I have been calling the new regime out a bit in other posts/threads this week, but credit where it's due for today's deadline day dealings.

Unless you're truly dumb you knew we weren't going to be signing players like JCH for huge sums (or anyone for any sum tbh). Cutting the annual losses by about £5m has always been the stated aim and a big chunk of that has to come from replacing older players with kids (whose wages are a fraction of that of senior players).

I think we almost certainly have a £2m per year lower annual salary bill now than we had a calendar year ago. Fair play for doing that whilst still maintaining a generally functional overall squad.

Let's summarise today genuinely (not in the cry baby, anti-CM, slag off anything way that most folks on the Boredof Life forum do):

TENNAI WATSON is a free agent we have been chasing for six weeks (since SE7 took over) who was only otherwise linked with Championship teams (presumably other L1 ones thought they couldn't afford his wages) and can play on either side as a full back.

LOUIS WATSON only has very few senior games because he's never been sent out on loan before, but has a good track record in the U18 and U23 Premier Leagues and came as a surprise (wasn't expecting a defensive midfielder tbh).

JAMES ABANKWAH is my pick of the day's dealings. The most expensive transfer fee ever paid for an Irish league player (800k Euro + add-ons when signed last year) and coming direct from Serie A. Leaking goals through central defence has been our achilles heel this season. This pacy youngling (who has been dubbed the next Paul McGrath by many in Ireland) could fix our biggest problem.

SLOBODAN TEDIC might not have been everyone's choice as striker but he's 6'3" (ie the target man type we're after) and most Barnsley forumites were hoping to get him back. He's possibly a political right-winger [someone on CL pointed out the name - the fact he opted for Serbia rather than Montenegro after the split despite being born in Podgorica might also be telling] but heck, we embraced the openly fascistic Roman-saluting Paolo Di Canio, so welcome to the madhouse Slob!

Outgoings were limited to JAIYSEIMI and (for experience) MITCHELL, but with PAYNE already gone and ANEKE and McGRANDLES injured, only KIRK was really left of those many expected to move on. I suspect he (like Chuks) will still be at Charlton when AI robots controlled by Skynet reduce the rest of us (and the planet) to rubble. Ho hum though, not his fault - unless he's the one who founds Skynet with his Valley bench-warming wages. I wouldn't put it past him, gadnammit.

In summary, anyone who doesn't think this was our best deadline day in at least five years (that's admittedly a fairly low bar) is an idiot, the end x

[seriouslyred]

SE7 Partners have been running the club now for six or seven weeks and have certainly made their mark on that which they inherited.

As ever we need to see the new look side in action, including Campbell, Leaburn and Fraser returning from injury.

Who knows who the new manager might be nor the preferred formation. But my money would be on a back four and a front six. We won't have long to wait. Then after 10 more games we might even discuss the January window!

The only other thing I'd add is that cutting back on operating losses requires bigger attendances AND far higher commercial revenues. Today we have a full on qualified SMT and the non football side needs to deliver their part. If they start that now then the club will be in a better place to compete in the Championship. A league where players are on silly money and wage budgets vary from £20-50M!

[bigandy99]

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, and I’m feeling good! COYA!!.. let’s hope the new boys hit the ground running..

[jonkool]

Sept 2, 2023 7:24:57 GMT massivebeak said:

I’m not saying it was a bad window- But why would it be truly dumb to expect someone like JCH? He was bought for 800k. Given the high expectations and rumoured ‘money to spend’ I thought that was reachable.

I suspect that the new SMT thought they could shift all the deadwood in this window which would enable them to purchase another player for a fee in addition to Alfie.

But Chuks and Kirk are our dead weights … maybe McGrandles has just been unlucky and will go in January.

The new gaffer will have the chance to coach Kirk into becoming a better player … you can only hope 🤨

[massivebeak]

Sept 2, 2023 7:47:56 GMT jonkool said:

Sept 2, 2023 7:24:57 GMT massivebeak said:

I’m not saying it was a bad window- But why would it be truly dumb to expect someone like JCH? He was bought for 800k. Given the high expectations and rumoured ‘money to spend’ I thought that was reachable.

I suspect that the new SMT thought they could shift all the deadwood in this window which would enable them to purchase another player for a fee in addition to Alfie.

But Chuks and Kirk are our dead weights … maybe McGrandles has just been unlucky and will go in January.

The new gaffer will have the chance to coach Kirk into becoming a better player … you can only hope 🤨

Yeah I get you, I deleted my comment as you replied as I just read that the JCH move fell through anyway? My point remained but not so relevant as the guy didn’t even move.

[DFT]

Sept 1, 2023 23:06:57 GMT weststandfruitloop said:

SLOBODAN TEDIC might not have been everyone's choice as striker but he's 6'3" (ie the target man type we're after) and most Barnsley forumites were hoping to get him back. He's possibly a political right-winger [someone on CL pointed out the name - the fact he opted for Serbia rather than Montenegro after the split despite being born in Podgorica might also be telling] but heck, we embraced the openly fascistic Roman-saluting Paolo Di Canio, so welcome to the madhouse Slob!

I'm not claiming to be an expert, nowhere near it but I do know some eastern Europeans (not Serbs) and although they are predominately right wing, they do not seem to be overtly racist (that WOULD be a problem!). However, they are very anti-Islamic but I don't think many Charlton players are Muslim (I haven't checked).

They are right wing as a reaction to being ruled by Communist Russia and anti-Islamic in many cases for the same reason (historically, Hungary, Romania etc.).

He knows who he is going to be playing alongside and will have to get on with so I don't see this being a problem at all.

[manikin]

Latest window turned out OK ( time will tell ), it's certainly the best we've had since Bowyer's time.

[thesunisred]

We may not have got the named signings that we hoped for, but we have now covered all the positions where we were weak, or exposed and look a much more balanced unit now. With Leaburn back, and hopefully Fraser and Camara not too far behind we could have a very decent starting 11. A new manager who can get those players moulded to a defined style is critical now. Overall, a very positive window.

[aaronaldo]

Generally happy with the end result of the window. Could’ve been a lot better but could’ve been a lot lot worse.

I’m keen to see who comes in, including the coaches etc, and what formation they want to play. I think we have plenty of options with the squad we now have.

I’m certainly a lot happier this morning than I was the morning after we sacked Dean and we still had huge gaps in the squad. Let’s hope we can get them fit and ready to go.

[Mundell]

Good question. On balance I’m cautiously optimistic. 

It’s very clear that we are following a ‘Development Strategy’, where the club looks to build sustainably, to grow revenues, perhaps especially non match day income, while managing costs carefully, rather than an Ipswich Town ‘throw money at it’ Strategy. 

In that context the recruitment is on message, but it’s not going to work, obviously, unless the judgements being made about players, both those signed and those coming up from the academy, are very good. Only time will tell. 

The downside, of course, is that all the loan players will need to be replaced next season, whether we’re in League One or the Championship. I assume that the hope is that by then, a) the players on permanent contracts will have developed further and improved, b) the new head coach will be established, c) more of the surplus to requirements players will have moved on d) revenues will be higher and e) one or two players sold, all enabling more expensive recruitment next summer without the need to increase losses. 

Only time will tell how effective this approach is going to be. 

[somerton]

As I know very little about the 4 signings I will wait to see. I do note we still have a small squad even in this window we are net one down, and we reduced the squad size last January.
Also why have we wasted 5 league games to get here, by the end of todays match we may well have thrown 12pts away.

[zenga]

Disappointed that we didn't get another Jones, Thomas, Anderson and Kanu; since there are plenty professional players with that name.

Guess 2x Campell and 2x Watson will do for now. Maybe we should explore the South Korean market next window and get us a couple of Kims and Songs?

[aaronaldo]

Sept 2, 2023 10:44:03 GMT zenga said:

Disappointed that we didn't get another Jones, Thomas, Anderson and Kanu; since there are plenty professional players with that name.

Guess 2x Campell and 2x Watson will do for now. Maybe we should explore the South Korean market next window and get us a couple of Kims and Songs?

I did notice this too. We have a Taylor and Blackett-Taylor too. Plus we might have been in for Ladapo (don’t believe they are related). We tried!

[dartford36]

I see the lad from Harrogate went to Wrexham. Claiming any credit, reams?🤣

[garrynelson]

Sept 2, 2023 19:23:10 GMT dartford36 said:

I see the lad from Harrogate went to Wrexham. Claiming any credit, reams?🤣

The move fell through - he’s still at Harrogate

[dartford36]

Sept 2, 2023 22:55:27 GMT garrynelson said:

Sept 2, 2023 19:23:10 GMT dartford36 said:

I see the lad from Harrogate went to Wrexham. Claiming any credit, reams?🤣

The move fell through - he’s still at Harrogate

Thank you - missed that, obviously!

[hongkongaddick]

Watson the only senior pro signed so we’re going to be in difficulties if our experienced core get injured. However, the quality (on paper) of the i comers suggests better than what we’ve had for a while.

Shame we couldn’t buy an established striker but I’d rather that than end up with an over-hyped/paid Grigg type or an Aneke-type crock.

Have to hope CC isn’t badly hurt because he’s our JRS Mark 2.