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Realistic - or Redundant Rhetoric ? "We've
said to be successful this season we are going to need to have a
strong mentality and a winning mentality, Over the years, it seems to me that I have heard countless similar statements from coaches of teams from all over the sporting spectrum. Especially those that are not playing well, not particularly talented nor successful. "We lost again - but we sure gave them a fight," etc. To me, it is like the team coming bottom in the tournament getting the 'Most sportsmanlike' award. Usually, such honours are reserved for kids' teams, so that everyone goes home with some sense of achievement. But Charlton Athletic are not a kids' team. I think it would be fair to say that their supporters expect their performances and subsequent results to do the talking for them. They can judge the 'spirit' for themselves. And would repeated referrals to the ream having a 'winning mentality' not reasonably lead supporters to actually expect their team to "win"? Phil Parkinson's opening paragraph above is such a painfully obvious statement, it would not be stretch for this supporter to find it a bit insulting. Perhaps the demographic he is aiming to educate falls within the six to ten year old. Walt Disney did a better job of getting the message across to kids and adults alike with the highly entertaining film 'Angels in the Outfield'. A team of professional losers, baseball's own, California Angels. After yet another defeat and back in the despondent dressing room, one of the players starts to chant, 'We can't win, that would be a sin, we even lose the game before we begin.' And guess what ? As the plot progressed, they started to believe they could win - and did! And the fans stopped booing and screaming for the manager's head. Well you get my point. Its as obvious as Parky's comments. Here's something obvious from me: If they play well and are well managed, our team will likely win in this division and then Parky, you don't have to keep talking about your 'spirit' Do your talking on the pitch. Play football. I know you can do it. ED
Late show grabs a point Swindon 1 - 1 Charlton CHARLTON Athletic again equalised in stoppage time to deny Swindon Town victory in their 1-1 stalemate at the County Ground. After right-back Kevin Amankwaah put the hosts in front from a corner halfway through the second half, it looked as if the Addicks were heading towards their fourth defeat of the season. But, just as Miguel Llera had dramatically salvaged a point on Boxing Day at the Valley for a nine-man home side, Nicky Bailey netted his 12th goal of the season two minutes into time added on. And with Norwich’s loss to Millwall and Leeds suffering a similar fate to Swindon thanks to Hartlepool’s last-gasp leveller, Charlton’s fortunes turned on their head within a matter of minutes on Saturday afternoon. The hosts looked more assured on the ball than the Addicks in the early stages, and almost took the lead after a Jonathan Douglas drive was pushed behind the far post for a corner, from which Gordon Greer’s header came equally close. Minutes latter, a superb flow of one-touch counter attacking caused Charlton an even bigger scare, but for several blocked shots and agonising scares the ball trickled inches safe of the opening goal on each occasion. At the halfway point of the first 45, the visitors appeared to be off the hook once again when Billy Paynter’s dangerous-looking cross from the right looked to have hit the arm of Fraser Richardson as he cleared, but referee Mr. Hall ruled otherwise. As the interval loomed, Parky’s men finally began to find their game and after setting Kyel Reid free on the left flank, Jonjo Shelvey raced into the box to receive the cutback and rattle the crossbar with a ferocious strike. But although Charlton ended the first half stronger than they had started it, Swindon midfielder Simon Ferry still managed to comes inches away from drawing first blood with a superb long range drive that fizzled inches wide. The second period continued on as a more even battle between the two promotion challenging sides, though blighted by a nasty collision of heads between Greer and Therry Racon which directly led to Racon being replaced by Chris Solly. The deadlock was finally broken on the 65 minute mark, as a short corner to Jon-Paul McGovern took a deflection and fell at the feet of Amankwaah to fire home from ten yards. The Addicks reacted well to going behind, and Christian Dailly and substitute Deon Burton both tested David Lucas from the edge of the box. But the closest they could come to finding an equaliser after that came in the dying minutes when a Swindon defensive mix-up allowed Akpo Sodje to sneak in on goal only to be denied by an excellent last-ditch tackle by Greer. However, deep into stoppage time another fine flowing attacking play looked to be Charlton’s last hope of salvaging something from the game, and after good work from strike duo Akpo and Burton tormented the Robins’ backline, Bailey was in the right place to put away the loose ball and send over 1,000 visiting fans into rapture. Charlton: Elliot; Richardson, S.Sodje, Dailly, Basey (Burton 66); Wagstaff (Semedo 46), Bailey, Racon (Solly 52), Reid; Shelvey, A.Sodje. Subs (not used): Randolph, Llera, McKenzie, Mooney.
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