Charlton Athletics fall to League 1

A former well established premiership club, and now a league 1 team fighting to restore the glory days at The Valley. Indeed, the past few years have been nothing short of a nightmare for Charlton fans as they watched their favourite team fall to the club's lowest point for almost 20 years. Much debate has risen as to what is the main cause for the Addicks downfall and even the legendary Alan Curbishley has been the subject of much criticism after leaving the club at a pivotal time. "Curbs" left the club as a hero in 2006 after placing Charlton in an era of ecstasy where they competed for European football. Since his departure, no manager has been able to restore the passion in the Charlton shirt and reignite a plagued club. This left much anger within the Charlton faithful as some argued that Curbishley left the club in an unstable situation and should have left once they were secured for the years ahead.

The tenure of Ian Dowie is the subject of which fans try to forget as money was wasted and the club was placed on a downwards spiral which would continue right to the present day. Alan Pardew can not be forgetten, his wreckless use of money has to be scrutinised thoroughly and especially when you evaluate the 2.5 million signing of Luke Varney. Many Charlton fans would agree Varney was a decent signing, however, for such a heavy price tag many would have expected a much better record than what he produced. Millions more were thrown on failures such as Chris Iwelumo and Andy Gray, a strike partnership that was inevitably never going to set the footballing world on fire. This wreckless spending seems to be a formality for Pardew as he evidently has proven at his new club Southampton. Despite arguably doing an excellent job for the Saints, he has spent over 5 million in his first year at the club, and for a league 1 club this is extremely excessive. I recognise that their new owners aren't exactly lacking cash, however, this spending spree for Pardew could destroy many other clubs who haven't got such secure finances as he proved in his prolonged stay at SE7.

Speaking from an unbiased point of view, i do also recognise that the blame must equally be passed right to the top at the hands of the board. Its all very well condemning Pardew for his excessive spending, but the root of this money comes from the likes of Richard Murray who could have easily had said 'no'. Perhaps the real blame is that of the Chairman, perhaps not but one thing is for sure, something has to give at Charlton Athletic soon to kick start and revitalise a club that is punching way below its weight.

In 1984 Charlton Athletic went into administration, and i feel i speak for many Addicks as i say that de ja vu isnt out of the question as fans are constantly kept in the dark over financial affairs. Phil Parkinson, despite his critics, does appear to have restored some pride in the red Charlton shirt and has attracted many supporters back to the Valley which became an intimidating journey for league 1 clubs this year. Despite losing in a fiercely contested play off semi-final against Danny Wilson's Swindon, the passion and effort the players showed on that nerve jangling night reassured many supporters that good times may lie ahead. Credit has to be given to Parkinson, he has walked into a club that many managers would have opted to have steered well clear of. With extremely high expectations, Parkinson fully well knew the demands expected as many want a fast track back to the Premier League. And he didn't shy away and take a easy road out of SE7, he stuck around and has begun to form a team capable of great things. Indeed, he has his critics and has on several occasions not showed the tactical expertise expected from a manager, but he has a lot to learn and with the guidance from fan favourite Mark Kinsella fans will hope they can form a winning formula for Charlton Athletic and start a revival that will see the red robins bob bob bobbing along back to the Premier league.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, i would appreciate it if you could leave your views below in the comments section.

McCLaren secures Dutch title with Fc Twente.

Two years on from Steve McClarens failure to guide England to a European championships, he has restored some credibility with a magnificent success in the Dutch Eridivisie. He has only been manager of Fc Twente for two seasons but has already made himself a hero by securing a league title with a 2-0 victory over NAC Breda. A break from English football has proved to be exactly what McClaren needed as critics bombarded him as the worst England manager to record. Out of the media spotlight, McClaren has masterminded Fc Twente's success and has loved every moment of his time in the Netherlands. Formally labelled as "the wally in the brolly", Mclaren has reinvigorated his managerial career and will look to put that cold wet night at wembley firmly behind him. Speaking after the game McClaren said it was "a fantastic achievement." He was clearly in buoyant mood after his success as he spoke to the English media in his infamous Dutch accent. Despite not mastering the Dutch accent, he has clearly mastered Dutch football and speculation has already begun that he may soon return to English football at the helm of West Ham or another club. He went onto saying "to win this championship is more than a miracle", and it was he and his players who perfected such a miracle. Beginning the season as underdogs to Ajax and Psv Eindhoven, McClaren wasn't sure if he had a team capable, but they rose to the occasion to secure the title for the first time since they were founded in 1965. English managers who have managed abroad have always returned with a sixth sense for the game, an added intellect of the game. Examples such as Roy Hodgson are evidence for this who is working wonders for Fulham. Much criticism has been laid onto the English managers and accusing them of being incapable of managing the national team, perhaps if they were to go abroad like Hodgson did with Norway and McClaren with Fc Twente, then they may develop their managerial abillity.

Thank you for reading this article and please leave a comment below.

Should John Terry still be England captain?

After a epic week in English Football where a truly controversial topic was brought forward,Fabio Capello has decided to sack John Terry as England captain. But was it the right choice?
It has to be mentioned that what Terry did was totally unacceptable and obviously morally wrong, however, should personal matters clash with Footballing ones? On one hand it could be argued that Terry should still be captain as he is a proven leader both for England and for Chelsea, his experience, passion and determination rubs off on the whole team and can be priceless at times. It also must be said that no English footballer is faultless, take Ferdinand for example. Ok he didnt sleep with a team mates girl friend, he did however fail to appear at a drugs test. Its the same story with many England heroes, Gerrard is another who was at the centre of attention last year when in a confrontation with a Dj. So, ok what Terry did was wrong, but perhaps it was neccesary to discover how the team felt on this matter and if they were fully supportive of Terry.
As always there is two sides to every story, the flip side to this is that Terry isnt just a footballer, he is regarded as a hero to many children who aspire to be England captain. By Terry sleeping around, obviously it doesnt set a good example to the youth of today. Admittably,Terry is a footballer, but in todays society with the media scrutinising and following their every move, it is their duty to set an example and to act professionally. Moreover, was Capello aware that perhaps the players were disgusted with Terry and perhaps was no longer the man who could lead the England players out onto the biggest stage of all. If the players wont play for him, then clearly there is a need for change.
This is a brief introduction to the debate and i wish to remain entirely neutral here. I please ask that you reply with comments on the article in general but also with your opinion as to whether Terry should have been sacked as captain. Thankyou

Should David Beckham be picked for the World Cup

Like my last post, this is a topic that has sparked much debate and is a subject i know many feel strongly about after years of him restoring the pride into the England crest. So should he go to south Africa? or are England better off with taking Walcott, Lennon and Shaun wright Phillips instead? Unlike the other three, Beckham has experience that not many international footballers could ever dream of achieving. Arguably the greatest English pro ever, Beckham has proven over the years that he has the ability to change the course of a match just with his elegant passing skills. Yes, he has aged since the heroics in Greece, but surely just to have such an icon in the camp to keep the starting 11 relaxed and offering advice is ultimately enough to secure his place. I agree with the majority that he is no longer acceptable enough to be named in the starting 11, but in a matter of desperation, what better option to have entering the greatest stage of all. Beckham's class, ability and reputation all strike fear into the hearts of the opposition regardless of his exceeding age.
Admittedly, options such as the pace of Lennon and Walcott are luxuries and shouldnt be discounted. However, can Mr Capello afford to leave the biggest icon in the world to be sitting on a Spanish beach in the summer? I think not. You only hve to look at the magnificent evidence where Beckham has delivered remarkably under pressure, a trait few can master. Take Greece, i dont think you need reminding, last minut on the verge of missing out on a World cup, only Beckham could have saved us, and he did. Croatia, on the verge of not making it to Euro 2008, and indeed we did fail. Nevertheless, when he graced the Wembley pitch on that gloomy, damp evening, who was it that put England back in with a shot of making it? It was Beckham with one of the most magnificent long passes into the path of Crouch. He was one of few in that match who showed the real desire and passion that has been lacking for years now. So there is my verdict, i would be most greatful if you could leave a comment on the post and also your opinion on whether Beckham should be on the Plane. Thank you. :)

Who should partner Rooney in the World Cup.

Much discussion has taken place on the difficult solution to finding Wayne Rooney's partner for the 2010 world cup in South Africa, so who would best fit this role? The height of Crouch? The form of Defoe? Of course not ruling out the possibility of perhaps Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole who's physical dominance on the pitch could prove to be invaluable.
Doubts surround all the candidates, does Crouch get found out against the better teams, is Defoe out of his depth and does Heskey quite simply not score enough goals? Love him or hate him, when called upon, Heskey has evidently provided a target to hold the ball and allow Rooney to to really be the focal point of the English team. But, it takes no fool to realise that his goal scoring abillity is abysmal and has been for quite some time, will this cost him his starting place? Crouch on the other hand has an excellent goal scoring record for England scoring 18 goals in just 35 caps. However, the problem i have with Crouch is that when coming up against a higher ranked team, he fails to find his goal scoring form that he has against the likes of Andorra and Macedonia. Why? Because a striker like Crouch strives of his height, and when he comes across the experience of Puyol and Lucio, their world class abillity is overwhelming for Crouch and leads him to being marked out the game. Perhaps a better option would be to play him against the teams we face in the group stage, but will that lead to a lack of consistency in the team and more significantly not having a best starting 11. Defoe has clealry been on fine form, perhaps the finest of his life, realising his potential it is clear that Defoe desperately wants his ticket to South Africa and he hasnt done his chances any harm. He remains the most likely to take his place next to Rooney as his sharpness, pace and desire all contribute to him being a top contender for the role. But could the occasion be too much for him? Is there a need for experience up front with Crouch who has already played consistently in the 2006 World Cup or is this Defoe's time. Lastly, I feel it is noteworthy to mention Carlton Cole who has also been on great form since switching to the claret shirt of West Ham. His physical presence and agillity put him in good stead against the Netherlands where he was suprisingly excellent. Can the combination of physicality and an eye for a goal be potent enough to secure him a place next to Wayne Rooney, only time will tell. Please leave your opinion of who should play up front with Rooney and any additional comments on the post as a whole. Thank you.