Friday 3 December 2010

Cautious Optimism

I have no illusions of being a person with a good understanding of financial and corporate issues. My knowledge extends little further than IT strategies and depreciating personal investment portfolios.
However, the news from the club regardiing the planned takeover is still uplifting.
As others have noted, caution least is required about the ‘Xmas present’ news until we learn more about it and, most importantly, what group is behind Peter Varney.
Nevertheless, given Richard Murray’s (and his colleagues’) incredible support and dedication for the club in recent seasons you would have to be a real cynical pessimist to anticipate the club going into the wrong hands to a bunch of deviant financiers who had their eyes on exploiting whatever “assets” come as part of the deal. He has held on stoically for a long time, reducing his level of wealth considerably, in discarding some previous potential bids as being unfavourable to the club.
The club owes him and enormous debt in terms of his financial commitment, effort, time, and probable sleepness nights that it has cost him. I hope that any final deal brings him some piece of mind and, most importantly, it finds an important and responsible place for him in any new structure.
It bodes well that it is fronted by  Peter Varney who has undoubted credentials as a CAFC fan and has anm excellent reputation within the football world. It seems unlikely that he would have been duped by dubious financial backers. I would not have had the same confidence with Dennis Wise.
However, let’s not get too carried away by thoughts of some mega-bucks treasure trove being available for a transfer kitty in January. A modest implant of funds to cover investment of additional players in key positions and the retention of other squad players would be a major leap forward given the otherwise reliance on sales or loans to cover any team building.
There has been speculation of Curbs coming back into the fold. If money permitted him to take on some form of Football Directorship that he could undertake productively without interfering or stunting the role of Parks then fine, though this may be a tall demand. Otherwise, it would be a real kick in the teeth for a manager who has done well to get us where we are and make the club more attractive to potential bidders.

1 comment:

Hungry Ted said...

A very well-balanced post.

I've been a little surprised at how little has been posted by the Addickted regarding the potential take-over. Perhaps we are being a little cautious of getting too excited and then seeing it fall flat. Of course it's quite correct that we reserve judgement until more is known.

I find Peter Varney's role in all this to be very encouraging and I'll confess to punching the air when I heard the news on Radio Five Live. Those around me thought we'd got the World Cup! In my humble opinion, I feel the Addicks downfall could be traced back to Varney's departure (which was alongside the sizable loss of Curbs).

So we have to believe that this is going to be a positive step forward, albiet slowly. Mr. Murry, of whom I've the greatest respect, would not sell-up unless Charlton was heading to a good home, right?

2nd in the league, talks of a potentially life-saving takeover and new investment...things are looking up at last.