I Don't Know What I Think Until You Tell Me….

Charlton Athletic 0 - Burnley 3

Yesterday we played Burnley and ended up with exactly what I'd predicted. 

Walking to the Valley, I'd even said that if we could keep the score down to three goals, I'd consider it a respectable achievement. 
The bonus 'extra' 2 points we gained in added on time, midweek against Bournemouth, still mean we are 'up' over the two games this week. 
The point gained at the Den last weekend means the period has hardly been a disaster.

Burnley were by far the better side. 
Charlton started well but once Simon Church had let a golden opportunity to open the scoring pass him by, that was it for the Addicks.

Burnley went 1-0 up from a well worked move down the left. 
Collectively all belief and purpose going forwards drained from our players.

It's only due to some inspired defending (and goalkeeping from Hamer) that Burnley stayed at just 1-0 up for so long. 

At 1-0 down, there's always a chance there might be a defensive cock up or the ball might ricochet  kindly off the referees elbow and let you back into the game, regardless of how outclassed you are.

At  2-0 down the game was up. 
The kind of penalty decision Charlton certainly haven't been awarded since our promotion season was enough to kill the game off. 
I'd argue that had it been a Charlton player crashing to the turf, he'd most likely have received a yellow card, such has been our luck in those circumstances this season.

Matt Lucas, the linesman 'in charge' by the East stand wasn't up with play so the referee had to give his decision from probably the 'worst' angle, from a Charlton perspective. 

The game ceased to be a contest.
 Burnley put their feet up and were coasting to a 2-0 victory, safe in the knowledge Charlton still wouldn't score, even if the visiting defence all nipped off the pitch to gargle with gravel, as their manager Sean Dyche evidently does before every interview.

The Valley had almost emptied of home support as the added on time board was held up.
 I said to Crispy that 2-0 wasn't a bad result, especially as the killer goal had been a dodgy pen. 
The words were still hanging in the air as yet ANOTHER deflected own goal sneaked past Hamer, Jackson the unlucky fall guy this time.

Arse.
So, no points and hardly a spanking but still rather demoralising.

The Charlton support has lost much of the togetherness we once had.  
Whoever was in the managerial hot seat yesterday, we'd most likely have lost, especially with the players available.

I loved Chris Powell. 
I loved him as a player and a manager. 
I was prepared to overlook some of his errors, (all young managers who are still learning will make errors), due to his obvious passion for the club, supporters and our shared history. 
He didn't see the job as a launch pad to something greater, this was the pinnacle of his career up to now. 
I loved him even more for his refusal to walk when he was being hamstrung behind the scenes, purely because he adored being the manager at Charlton.

I am extremely suspicious of the new Charlton regime. 
I don't know what their plans are and the family of clubs across different countries fills me with dread. 

I want the people involved with my club to be only concerned with my club, not seeing Charlton as just one small part of a bigger picture.
Beggars can't be choosers though and what we have is a football dreamer at the helm, who is using us as a play thing to test out his footballing theories.

It's his money and he can do what he likes of course.

My reluctance/ refusal to sing about being part of "Jose Riga's Red & White Army" has nothing to do with with harking back to the halcyon days of Chris Powell, it's more to do with me saying I don't know Riga from Adam and I'm not blindly following some bloke in a cheap Burton's suit just because he happens to have lucked into a job managing my team.

I'll support the team and any of the players who don the red jersey but as for Riga, as countless football supporters have said over the years,
 "Who are ya?"

Until two weeks ago, 'Riga' to me meant a town in Latvia, or what Michael Gove wanted more of when school tests were being designed.

When CP arrived we all knew him. 
His first few months were extremely dicey but the majority were willing to stick with him as he was, well, Chris Powell.

Jose Riga, (should he still be around next season), will start with a fresh page. 

Like Powell, he will only be able to show what he's capable of when he has the opportunity to build his own team, rather than pick up the pieces of some other unfortunates plans.

The new regime will show what they're about once the last ball has been kicked up at Blackpool. 

At that point we will really see who we are dealing with.

As for those people who have questioned me via twitter etc. regarding how 'Charlton' I am because I'm refusing to fall in with the fickle sheep, chanting Jose's name, I'd politely invite you to eff off. 

I can be as passionate about Charlton as anybody else, regardless of who is sitting upstairs.

It's nothing to do with my feelings for Powell, Parky, Par**w, Reed, Rocket Scientist or Curbs, it's just I need to see who we are dealing with.

I'm yet to make up my mind.

I'd also like to remind some of our support that following the leaders blindly is no indication of purity for the cause.

If David Cameron came to my house, I'd pull the curtains and pretend to be out. 
Poking George (Gideon) Osbourne in the eyes might eventually get boring for me after the first five hours, yet nobody questions how 'English' I am, despite holding these supposedly worthy leaders in complete contempt. 

So, in direct contrast to some people who have only been too happy to 'move on', I shall be staying quite still, letting events carry on around me. 
I shall make a decision on my position once more evidence has arrived.

To quote my friend Crispy, I need more to go on than "Jose Riga's red and white tie".