[ad_pod ]
Charlton’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Rochdale saw them climb to an unprecedented third place at the weekend, meaning everyone arrived at The Valley for Sunday’s end of season awards dinner in high spirits, with recognition reserved for the likes of Lyle Taylor and George Lapslie, who both scooped gongs on the night.
It’s been an extremely positive season for the Addicks, with relegation looking more likely than the playoffs when the term began, although Lee Bowyer has guided the SE7 outfit to a fantastic finish and deserves all the praise forthcoming. The displays of the aforementioned Taylor, Naby Sarr and Joe Aribo, to name but a few, have been highlights also, but not everyone has had a good campaign.
Tariqe Fosu has taken some monumental steps back in 2018/19 after a brilliant season last year and now his future at The Valley looks uncertain. Charlton Live podcast host Louis Mendez was joined by Terry, Lewis, Nathan and Tom at the awards dinner and there were some harsh words going around about the 23-year-old. Here’s what was said (quotes taken from between 01:05:50 and 01:08:37):
“Tariqe Fosu clearly has been a huge disappointment and then the comments from Lee Bowyer after Gillingham, where he was making out that he wasn’t even trying in training. This time last year we were crying about the fact that he was injured for the play-offs, devastated because he was our most important player, to go from that Tariqe Fosu to this one, where he’s played well twice against Walsall away and he scored a great goal at home to Gillingham; what on earth has happened? The system doesn’t suit him, perhaps, but even then you’d expect more.”
“There’s no excuse for the lack of work ethic for me […] if he’s just downed tools then he’s an absolute disgrace […] I don’t think he fits in with this group of players. It’s such a disappointment because we know what he’s capable of but he’s not part of that squad and deservedly so for me.”
Check out what happened when two of Charlton’s best players faced-off in a game of ‘Splat’ in the video below…
“My main disappointment, again as we’ve touched on, is Fosu. I was concerned automatically when he came back for that Southend game and within minutes had nutted a Southend player and got a straight red. […] It’s his own problem and he’s going to be the one who’s not a part of this success story, so more fool him.”
Having chalked up just two goals and four assists in 27 appearances, the 5 ft 11 midfielder has been outperformed by Aribo at every turn this campaign and has plenty of work to do both on and off the field if he is to resurrect his Addicks career, clearly.