Bish Bash Josh
This is unlikely to be a preseason full of Charlton cheer, given our humiliating relegation and strained finances.It would thus be incongruous not to at least congratulate our 19-year old midfielder Josh Wright, upon helping Gillingham to reach the League Two play-off final.
He has become something of the forgotten man at Charlton, by virtue of the club's uncharacteristic strength in depth in central midfield, as well as a rumoured bust-up with Phil Parkinson.
My trip back to London in October happened to coincide with his two Championship outings, at home to Burnley and Barnsley.
Whilst neither team performance will live long in the memory, he looked comfortable in his holding midfield role, and did enough to suggest he could pick out a pass without panicking.
If he was identified as a youngster with potential by Alan Pardew, then the managerial changeover presumably did not do him many favours however.
Having played 90 minutes under Parkinson in the battling FA Cup win at Norwich, he was not even on the bench during the subsequent 4-1 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, hardly motivational management of the highest order. He did not wear the red shirt again.
Indeed until his loan spell at Gillingham, fans wondering about his whereabouts have been forced to revert to tabloid photos alongside paparazzi favourite Jack Tweed, in fairness the result of a childhood friendship, rather than eager spotlight searching.
But in a season full of misery, his League Two exploits would at least pose an interesting future trivia question if successful at Wembley.....when was the last time a player helped two teams to promotion in the same season from the same division, whilst his own club suffered relegation from a higher one?
posted by New York Addick @ 2:34 AM
2 comments
Great quiz question!! I watched both of the Gillingham v Rochdale games and thought Wright looked very ordinary. Quite disappointing really and as far as next season is concerned not much to get excited about I'm afraid.
Pards changed his view pretty rapidly on young Josh NYA.At the pre-season Q & A session prior to the Athletic Bilbao game Pardew stated that Josh was some way behind Shelvey & Wagstaff & not ready for the first team.
He must have made rapid strides in two months!
To be fair to Parky,Josh was not the only youngster to play in that cup-tie.Wagstaff started,Yussuff came on for a cameo then disappeared.Wagstaff did reappear late in the season of course.
I do not think Wright did his cause any favours by allowing himself to be photographed in women's underwear prior to Jade's wedding.He also made less-than-complimentary remarks about the club around the same time,giving some the impression that he had ideas above his station.
On the evidence so far,both on & off the pitch,he is ordinary at best.I would be surprised if he is at the club next season but if he is he needs to grab his chance with both hands.He COULD make it but he needs to change his attitude.