Thursday, February 02, 2006

Curbs tempted by The Toon?

Well it’s started already. No official links as yet, but Wyn Grant has become the first person I’ve seen to link Curbishley with the newly vacated Newcastle hot seat.

It was something I considered a few months ago in my own head, the fact that Souness was probably going to be sacked at the end of this season, and if Charlton haven’t achieved what Curbs feels we should achieved by May, that he would consider the job a very attractive proposition.

There is obviously money to spend up there, passionate fans, and a squad that is capable of easily making the top 7-8 with one or two additions.
Plus the chance to link up with Parker again would no doubt appeal to Alan, we all know what an admirer he is of the player.

A couple of seasons ago I recall Curbishley saying that if he could leave Charlton mid table in the premiership, with a 30,000 all seater stadium and perhaps a major cup in the cabinet, then he would consider it a job well done (which of course it would be). I don’t recall the exact quote but they were definitely words to that effect.
Well, two out of his three criteria are pretty much fulfilled, and we currently find ourselves with only Brentford standing between us and the FA Cup Quarter Finals.

Over the last year or so there have been the occasional few idiots in the covered end who boo a particular decision (normally a substitution) made by Alan, and there have been a couple of times I have watched him throw his arms up in exasperation at the North Stand, once even indicating to the fans that it was an injury rather than a tactical decision he had made.
After that game (I can’t remember which it was), he said in the post match conference that the fans were ‘getting on his back’, and that must be so frustrating for him after all he has done for us.

A minority of boo-ers can sound deafening when the rest of the ground is silent.

You know and I know that vast majority of the boo boys have no idea where the club has come from over the last 14 years. They may well be Charlton fans now, but they have only joined the ride during the premiership years, and these are the people who, if Curbishley goes, will be the ones who have forced him out…

I’m pretty sure that Alan would be a popular choice with the Geordies.

I predict that the Toon will band around the likes of the Hiddinks, the Sven Goran Erikssons, and the Martin O’Neills, and then set their sights a little more realistically. Names like Curbs and Allardyce will no doubt then come into the frame.

Curbishley’s odds to get the job are currently 30 on Betfair (which translates to about 27/1 in traditional odds).

Don’t take this post as meaning that I want Curbishley to leave, just as an opinion that if the job was offered to him, I think he could feel that perhaps it’s the right time to move on...

4 Comments:

Blogger Hilltothevalley said...

It would be interesting to see how Curbs would react, ut from what little I know of him and I have met him a couple of times, he is a southern boy and would be reluctant to move his family further North than Watford, Mrs Curbs would be especially reluctant to move.

No real supporter would condone the boong of Curbs, however he has a difficult period ahead of him with a voiciferous number now calling for him to go, even those who have been with the club through shithurst and the Valley early days feel disillusioned and fed up at the moment, its not just the newbies. Curbs needs a decent run in to the end of the season, for a number of reason. get the crowd off his back,the 5 year season ticket come up for renewal this season - the club could lose lot of season ticket holders if we end up with a normal run in, the fans need to watch some enjoyable footbll down at the valley

6:45 pm  
Blogger CharltonChris said...

I'm not sure about the whole Curbs not wanting to leave London thing. He has said that he doesn't want to spend his whole career with us, and that is totally fair enough, but if he does want to stay in London then his options when it comes to new posts are limited to say the least.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs are all sorted long term, that leaves only West Ham, and he has already turned them down once.

In my mind, the only clubs he would leave us for (other than the big three which he wont be offered), are Newcastle, Liverpool, Man City, and possibly Everton/Villa.

Failing that he is looking at either an international post, the Old Firm, or a job abroad.

7:08 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The problem with Newcastle is the board. I mean, would you swap Richard Murray for Fredie Shepherd?

10:58 pm  
Blogger CharltonChris said...

Of course I wouldn't, but wherever he goes when he leaves here, I think he will struggle to find an equivalent relationship with any other chairman.

12:11 am  

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