In, Out, Shake It All About: January 2025 Transfer Window

[GhostoftheBok]

Sounds sensible!

In terms of type it is.

God knows what's going on with his ankle.

We've just had a whole thing on here about signing crocks.

Super talent. Doesn't matter if he's lying down all season.

[nicholaldo]

He can't even get into Charlton's team.

Morley couldn't get into ours either. It didn't stop him becoming an ever present in a team that - at the time of his leaving - was top of the league.

[Bertie Wooster]

He can't even get into Charlton's team.

Morley couldn't get into ours either. It didn't stop him becoming an ever present in a team that - at the time of his leaving - was top of the league.

Fair comment, if its to replace Thomason I'm all for it.

[The_Gun]

6' tall hard-tackling defensive midfielder who can play, anyone?

One of my Charlton mates says they don’t know how to use him.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

If there were a "running through a wall" championship, Tomo would definitely be among our brightest hopes. He wouldn't win, but he'd get closer than most. Maybe he'd run through a wooden garden fence.

[boltonboris]

6' tall hard-tackling defensive midfielder who can play, anyone?

The problem is, he CAN’T play…..

[GhostoftheBok]

One of my Charlton mates says they don’t know how to use him.

Ian Evatt to the rescue then

[TonyDomingos]

He's only 23 years old, but called Terry?! That's a hard no from me.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Signing players to keep Forino company now?

[GhostoftheBok]

Signing players to keep Forino company now?

That's the worry.

Obviously would love him and Forino to both be fully fit and available and add some muscle and tackling to the 11, but I don't have Gandalf on hand to work that kind of magic.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

One of my Charlton mates says they don’t know how to use him.

Just reading forums (I know, I know) that suggests the same thing. (Also suggests Nathan Jones is not very popular.) But do tell us more from your mates, TG.

"His dead ball delivery is extremely dangerous"
"his ability from set pieces at the very least should, in theory, warrant a place on the bench"
"both [Conor] Coventry and TT are ball playing midfielders which we desperately need to start doing. I think it's more Jones wants to play hoofball and that just isn't TT's game"
"Being cool and calm on the ball and being able to tackle doesn’t make him a headless chicken like Anderson who runs all day but produces absolutely nothing" [Ed: ooh, is he available?]
"Honestly think he'll go somewhere else and be excellent. Stuck behind Connor Coventry here for the holding role and out of favour under NJ probably because his game is more about spraying the ball around than running himself into the floor pressing."

[GhostoftheBok]

Interesting to see Calvin Ramsay rock up at Kilmarnock.

It's possible that that facilitates Danny Armstrong's departure earlier than planned.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Interesting to see Calvin Ramsay rock up at Kilmarnock.

It's possible that that facilitates Danny Armstrong's departure earlier than planned.

It's possible, if they think he'll be better than he's been on loan to us and Wigan...

BN reporting Conor Carty likely to be sold to St Pat's, with sell-on clauses. Fair enough.

[GhostoftheBok]

BN reporting Conor Carty likely to be sold to St Pat's, with sell-on clauses. Fair enough.

Yeah, that one is definitely happening - barring anything weird. The ultra-reliable League of Ireland sites are reporting it and they don't work on rumours, it's all briefings.

Best for all parties that we clear some of these lads out.

[Bijou Bob]

Connor Carty - this year's Alex Samizadeh........hopefully without the legal ahem, 'complications'. We do seem to bring through strikers who set the youth leagues on fire.........then disappear without trace........

[officer_dibble]

He scored a decent goal in the one game he played for us didn’t he? Unlucky with that injury really, but we never seem brave enough with youngsters to chuck them in and see.

[Worthy4England]

He scored a decent goal in the one game he played for us didn’t he? Unlucky with that injury really, but we never seem brave enough with youngsters to chuck them in and see.

Aye. Took it well. How much game time would he get with our current "array" of goalscorers? Dunno.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

He scored a decent goal in the one game he played for us didn’t he? Unlucky with that injury really, but we never seem brave enough with youngsters to chuck them in and see.

Aye. Took it well. How much game time would he get with our current "array" of goalscorers? Dunno.

That's the problem with 'blooding' youngsters - it takes time and patience. We didn't do mucn of it in the Premier because, well, we were in the Premier and weak links get exposed. You'd think it'd be easier down here but when the expectation is to win every game, it's harder to justify the risk/reward.

That said, I don't think our youth development pathways are always very good. What the hell happed to Matheson? I get that the perfect loan didn't come up, but now he's wasting away at a club where he was so undervalued that he wasn't used even though we had a spare squad slot. Max Conway is having as good a loan as possible - are we bringing him back? It sounds like we might try to ratchet Khumbeni up into the third, which would be good. But is League of Ireland really the limit of Conor Carty? If so, fine: we have the sell-on clause for a player we got for nowt, so easy come easy go.

Looking back at that Carty goal now, it's a nice hit, one touch, but it's the touch before that's telling: Jon Dadi Bodvarsson flicking on a longer ball. Who does that these days?
.

[GhostoftheBok]

That said, I don't think our youth development pathways are always very good. What the hell happed to Matheson? I get that the perfect loan didn't come up, but now he's wasting away at a club where he was so undervalued that he wasn't used even though we had a spare squad slot. Max Conway is having as good a loan as possible - are we bringing him back? It sounds like we might try to ratchet Khumbeni up into the third, which would be good. But is League of Ireland really the limit of Conor Carty? If so, fine: we have the sell-on clause for a player we got for nowt, so easy come easy go.

Matheson just hasn't shown he can overcome his physical failings.

Max is a big lad with pace. The fact he's playing regularly and well means he should have a shot.

It's the same with left back Sam. They like his physique and he has solid technical skills, so he's likely to start down the loan track that Max is heading to the end of now.

I think we have to look at Max as a success story so far. He's gone through experience loans and the Bs to being a proper pro in League Two. That's the pathway working as intended. Whether he can then break through next season is the final bit where you really get tested.

We have contracts expiring that give him a natural position in the first team squad. Hopefully that happens.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Yeah sorry, that was a hotchpotch of my thoughts, not well expressed.

Matheson - I get that he's probably not up to it, but surely a loan to some League Two club (even if sub-optimal) would give him better value. If he's not being used and he's not learning (or will never be big enough), why have him around?

Conway - fully agreed. A 'pathway' success story. Except if we now decide to get rid. Unless it's for a lot of money, which it won't be, or if we think he's reached his ceiling, which would seem somewhat negative. (I know that hard decisions have to be made, but it's not like he's failed.)

Sam Inwood might be next - let's see. There's also a reason I try to note on the Contract Expiry thread what level the loanees go to. At the minute, as far as I know:

Luke Hutchinson (1/9/02) contracted to 2025 - loaned to tier-6 Marine till June but recalled in October
Luke Matheson (3/10/02) contracted to 2025
Nelson Khumbeni (14/10/02) contracted to 2025 +1 - loaned to tier-4 Accrington until Jan

--LAST SEASON AS AN UNDERAGE PLAYER:
*Max Conway (5/9/03) contracted to 2025 +1 - loaned to tier-4 Crewe until June

--ONE SEASON AFTER THIS
**Elis Litherland (5/5/04) contracted to 2025 +1 - loaned to tier-8 Atherton Colls until Oct
**Ben Andreucci (5/10/04) contracted to 2025 +1 - loaned to tier-6 Buxton from Sep-Jan
**Charlie Hayes-Green (30/12/04) contracted to 2025 - loaned to tier-8 Clitheroe from Aug-Nov then tier-7 FC United of Manchester from Nov-Jun

--TWO SEASONS AFTER THIS
***Noah Halford (1/1/05, allegedly) contracted to 2024 +1 - this was extended summer 2024, length unknown - loaned to tier-6 Warrington from Oct-Nov then tier-7 FC United of Manchester from Nov-Feb
***Trevon Bryan (8/3/05) - loaned to tier-7 Ashton United, Sep-Feb
***Dubem Eze (8/3/05) contracted to 2026+1 - loaned to tier-6 Chorley from Sep-Jun
***Sonny Sharples-Ahmed (23/3/05) contracted to 2024 +1 - this was extended summer 2024, length unknown
***Ajay Weston (20/6/05) contracted to 2026
***Sam Inwood (17/9/05) contracted to 2026

Dubem Eze being successfully loaned to tier 6 so young is a good sign, whereas Luke Hutchinson still being there is less so (although there's less pressure on goalkeepers re squad slots). Hayes-Green switching up mid-season is a good sign, Noah Halford switching down less so (although better, for now, for him to play well somewhere easier than drown - he's got two underage seasons after this one).