This weekend sees two of my old teams go head to head at the Hawthorns. Charlton visit West Bromwich Albion and i will be hoping that Directv our US Satellite TV provider will broadcast the game live on Saturday morning. We don't have any guests staying with us and will have just returned to Belize. So I am hoping for a lazy saturday watching footy and lounging by the pool.I played for West Brom for 5 years and never once did we look like reaching the premier league. We changed managers 5 times in 5 seasons and chairmans a few times also. This is very disconcerting for a player as every new manager that comes in brings with him his own ideas and concepts on how to play football. This often includes a different playing system plus a new influx of players. Pre-season often involved meeting a bunch of new players and trying to figure out how the manager wanted you to play.
I left West Brom to join Charlton so I could further my career, as I felt that West Brom were still going to take a long time to ever get their act together. I'm glad to say that over the last few years they have had the fortune of rising into the premier league and seem to have stabilised the club. Although last year was an incredible struggle to stay in the premier league it was good to see them retain their status and i hope they can continue to progress. With the pressures of premiership survival mounting you never know how long a struggling team keeps faith with their squad and manager. Lets hope the WBA fans will have the patience and not put too much pressure on the board/manager/players.
It seems to me that the only real way to create long term success is with a long term manager and a good financial plan. Charlton should be a great example to all the smaller clubs. Alan Curbishley, his coaching staff and the board have been at Charlton for an eternity, and have overseen one of the most accomplished rises into the top flight of any smaller club. And if you look at the two most succesful clubs in recent years Man Utd and Arsenal, they have also found top class managers and stuck with them.
Good luck to the teams tomorrow and if i do get lucky and Directv (Fox Sportsworld) show the game i hope its entertaining and full of goals.
3 comments:
Hey Andy,
Charlton fan here, just found your blog and was wondering if you have any particular allegiance to who you might want to win....??
Just want to take the opportunity to thank you for you contribution in getting us where we are today, and its a shame you are not still with us reaping the benefits of top-flight footie.
hi andy, i hope you and your family are well, i still wear my Hunt 9 shirt with pride down to the valley. i hope to see you back one day as a guest of honour. thankyou for being a great servant to the club. if it wasnt for people like yourself we wouldnt be experiencing the high quality of football we are today. thankyou.
Hi Andy,
That's two listings you get from me as I'll tuck you onto my list of Addicted to Blogs link.
By-the-by, it looks as if our West Sumatra Hotel Rimbo (Jungle Hotel) will have its soft opening, finally, this Xmas.
Thanks for the occasional inspiration in these regards.
Oh, and wishing you both happy nuptuals.
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