Powell fights on, in despite of help

BBC’s Late Kick Off shown in London and the South East focuses on Roland Duchatelet’s ownership of Standard Liege and Charlton tonight. Video clip here. The programme begins at 11.20pm.

A lot of what I have seen is frankly no more than we know already, although the BBC journalist appears positively thrilled when Standard’s Jean-Francois de Sart (photo), who oversees their youth academy, happily announces that Standard’s players not deemed good enough will come to Charlton and the Addicks best players will go to Belgium.

We perhaps should forgive de Sart talking not in his mother tongue, but hearing that will have Charlton fans fuming, just as Duchatelet confirming that our best players could be sold. What’s new some of you ask, but I don’t get what benefit selling, say Poyet to Standard has over say Tottenham? It’s like your missus going to the bank to get you out a tenner. In many ways that was your tenner anyway. Wives, please don’t write in and complain, you get my point.

Standard, who are perhaps for sale, it wasn’t mentioned in the piece I saw, and I understand Katrien is silent on the matter, are Roly’s favourite son, albeit he does talk about treating all of his children equally in a nice little turn of phrase.

He appears positively excited, as he should be, of Standard’s impending Champions League qualification although two defeats in a week and the Belgium play-off system make Les Rouches stroll to riches far from certain.

Interestingly a place in the group stage of next season’s Champions League, were Standard to make it that far, would be worth an estimated £8m to Standard Liege, but that would be dwarfed by the £120m Charlton would accrue should they manage to return to the Premier League in the future, in one sentence the reason why Duchatelet bought us.

I know I have been banging on about Duchatelet’s intentions, because it generally interests and intrigues me, but it is impossible to judge him on the ‘network approach’ at this formulative stage.

However, for Charlton the future is now and again I was interested to see that Powell’s side finished the game at the King Power Stadium on Saturday with not one of ‘his’ new signings on the pitch. Ajdarević did start and from what I have read and seen for myself looks as if he has settled in really well and adds something to the squad. He was the one player that Powell knew if you remember.

But there were five other signings in January. Let’s remind ourselves who they were. Yohann Thuram-Ulien, now displaced by a fit again Hamer and on form, one would find it hard to argue with the manager’s decision. Roly might not be as happy, but he has been quoted as saying that Powell picks the team, which was proven last week.

Thuram-Ulien is on loan and apparently had aspirations of making the French World Cup squad. Then there was Reza Ghoochannejhad, who will be going to Brazil in the summer. Reza was drafted straight into the team but has looked lightweight but has probably been unfortunate not to score. Reza’s problem like all of the other new boys is his lack of games and for now at least Powell clearly prefers Simon Church.

There was much excitement about the arrival of young winger Anıl Koç, who happily tweeted his arrival, but Powell has never even mentioned him. He has appeared in the last two U21 Development games though, but when in the trenches the paperboy is probably the last person you want to see.

Loic Nego has a four and a half year contract on his coffee table at home, four and half years! Johnnie Jackson, Michael Morrison, Lawrie Wilson, Ben Hamer and Diego Poyet must be shaking their collective heads. I wonder how the boys have accepted him? His debut game at Wigan and we have not had a sniff of him since.

Then, the player that we were all excited about, Piotr Parzyszek. Interviewed and genuinely excited to be at The Valley, he has one five minute cameo to his name. I have it on good authority that he is lightweight and Powell thinks at present he would get eaten alive in The Championship.

Pete the Pole is this week with the Polish U21 squad and Reza is set to place twice for Iran in warm-up games. I hope they get games, although I understand that Powell has asked Chris Coleman not play Simon Church in Wales’ game this week as he has a knock, proving again where CP’s priorities lie.

So, the point is that for all of Roland’s help and additions to the squad, where exactly has it helped us? Powell lost Stephens, Kermorgant, Alnwick and loaned Pigott to Gillingham in January and he has picked up one first team player in Ajdarević plus not forgetting Marcus Tudgay.

Duchâtelet is a big believer of squad rotation and Powell may well be keeping Reza, Nego and Parzyszek back for another day, christ we will need as many players as possible, but are they good enough?

I listen to Duchâtelet, and I want to shake him. He talks about some interesting concepts but putting the financial stability of the club to one side, I’d like him to explain to me what he has done to improve the squad, our confidence, team spirit, the manager’s state of mind and our chances of staying in The Championship?

Meanwhile on a positive note and a reminder of another reason Duchâtelet took a fancy to us was that the U21’s beat Brentford this afternoon in a high scoring rain lashed game at Sparrows Lane. Evina, Sordell, Sho-Silva (2), Standard loanee Koç and Feeley scored in a 6-3 victory.