Andre Blackman was playing for Southend United on a month to month contract was released today. Hope he finds a new club but probably better suited to play in national league or for Wimbledon.
I work with a Southend season ticket holder and he was certainly less than flattering about Blackman. In his words: "we're terrible this season, but he was too poor even for us...!"
He's a cracking player, we could do with a dynamic, goal scoring midfielder at CTFC...............oh.
Oldham have managed to sign one too... Some bloke called Morais...(?)
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
Oldham have managed to sign one too... Some bloke called Morais...(?)
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
I do wonder if there was a demand to balance the books slightly, and the two players in question both wanting to move away, made it an easy few quid saved
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
I do wonder if there was a demand to balance the books slightly, and the two players in question both wanting to move away, made it an easy few quid saved
Yeah that could well be the case, and I’d imagine they were 2 of the top earners. Just with the timing and current injuries it made no sense. Plus the cup run and potential earnings if we go any further would have been ahead of our forecast. I would have been less surprised if we let them go in Jan.
Oldham have managed to sign one too... Some bloke called Morais...(?)
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
I think a bit of balance is needed.
2 weeks ago we had beaten Norwich and Stoke and GC was the best thing since sliced bread. Now a couple of setbacks and everything is destroyed?
Remember also Jimmy had a bad injury and hadn't played a full competitive game in a year. He needed match fitness which he is getting. There is a difference between scoring against the likes of Bromley compared to FGR. If Crawley didn't have some loyalty to Jimmy then we wouldn't have given him a new contract when he had just had a serious injury.
Maybe GC has decided to move on from last season - so what. After all we weren't so fantastic when the likes of Vincelot, Payne and Morais were starting and this has been the best start to a season in a long time, not to mention actually winning some cup games.
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
I think a bit of balance is needed.
2 weeks ago we had beaten Norwich and Stoke and GC was the best thing since sliced bread. Now a couple of setbacks and everything is destroyed?
Remember also Jimmy had a bad injury and hadn't played a full competitive game in a year. He needed match fitness which he is getting. There is a difference between scoring against the likes of Bromley compared to FGR. If Crawley didn't have some loyalty to Jimmy then we wouldn't have given him a new contract when he had just had a serious injury.
Maybe GC has decided to move on from last season - so what. After all we weren't so fantastic when the likes of Vincelot, Payne and Morais were starting and this has been the best start to a season in a long time, not to mention actually winning some cup games.
Bromley would more than match us this season so I wouldn’t knock their standard myself. Also out of our 18 man squad on sat only 3 players have any sort of football league experience most National league south or below. Luckily this season only 1 goes down and we got off to a decent start. IMO the quality and depth of squad is decreasing. Last season we had 3 more points on the board at this stage when those players you mention were playing so I don’t really get your points?
My point is last season with Morais and Payne (and Vincelot) available we ended up in a relegation scrap and didn't win a FAC/FLC game.
This season we are in 12th place, we'll clear of relegation and last 16 of the FLC. To me that sounds to be an improvement.
But to be clear I would have Jimmy Smith back now he is fit again. Payne I think is a Conference player.
Fair enough mate, a win on sat will cheer me up! Just not understanding the decisions at the moment, and you need a squad over the course of the season which is something I’m not sure we have now. We already have about a third of the required points so I’m sure we’ll be fine.
I can’t understand letting either let alone both go. We were starting to look like we had built a decent squad and Cioffi has managed to destroy that within a couple of months! Players like Bez and Ferguson this is their first campaign at this level. They have done well till last few games, but there is no pressure on them to perform with Allarakhia and Galach on bench (no offence to the youngsters). Who knows what goes on in each individual case, but as a whole I get the impression Cioffi would rather build his DNA with new youngsters/Birmingham u23’s then with experienced pro’s.
I think a bit of balance is needed.
2 weeks ago we had beaten Norwich and Stoke and GC was the best thing since sliced bread. Now a couple of setbacks and everything is destroyed?
Remember also Jimmy had a bad injury and hadn't played a full competitive game in a year. He needed match fitness which he is getting. There is a difference between scoring against the likes of Bromley compared to FGR. If Crawley didn't have some loyalty to Jimmy then we wouldn't have given him a new contract when he had just had a serious injury.
Maybe GC has decided to move on from last season - so what. After all we weren't so fantastic when the likes of Vincelot, Payne and Morais were starting and this has been the best start to a season in a long time, not to mention actually winning some cup games.
I wouldn't argue with your assessment Simon, but if we focus less on individuals & more on team attributes, my concern would be that we have no midfield plan B...
...particularly in breaking down a packed defensive unit...?
...that is with the qualification that some recent signings still have to breakthrough.
I wouldn't argue with your assessment Simon, but if we focus less on individuals & more on team attributes, my concern would be that we have no midfield plan B...
...particularly in breaking down a packed defensive unit...?
...that is with the qualification that some recent signings still have to breakthrough.
Indeed, but having stuck to GC when we could easily have made a change it seems to me that we should let him continue to build his own squad.