Pre season. Is it about fitness? Is it about formations? Is it about winning?

Well in my opinion it’s all of the above. Before the first home league of the game of the season, you want everyone 100% fit, raring to go, knowing what their role is in the team  and having a couple of decent wins in pre season, to have confidence on that Saturday at 3pm.

Already fans are questioning the recent tour of Ireland, with 3 games in 3 days, against 2 sides who have played over 20 games each in the top 2 tiers of Irish football and are near the end of their seasons (Runs from March – September) plus the current winners of the Leinster Senior League and like Charlton are in pre season.

Personally I would have liked to seen these games spread over a 5 day period, so the players are fresh for the next game. Pre season is not a holiday camp. It’s about hard graft, but 3 games in 72 hours does seem excessive.

Now to the results. One win and 2 defeats. The last one a 4-1 loss to the University side of Dublin, who play in the 2nd tier in Ireland.

If Charlton had won all 3 games, then social media would be full of views, that they will win League One at a canter, but it does not work like that. After the last 3 games, people are worried. Both wrong in my view.

Pre season in 1990, Charlton played Brentford, Exeter, Maidstone, Plymouth, Saltash United, Swansea and Welling. They won all 7 games, but when it came to the start of the League season, they were adrift at the bottom of the Second Division with One win from the first 11 games, plus knocked out the League Cup by Leyton Orient. The future of Lennie Lawrence was being questioned.

Pre season in 1993, results were a mixed bag, but a 2-1 home win against a full strength Arsenal team, must have been good for everyone’s confidence which then led into only one defeat from the first 14 League games.

You don’t get points for winning games in pre season, so why be over concerned. I would be more worried if we lost a couple of key players for 2/3 months, before the 5th August. If results don’t start well by the end of August, then be worried.

Enjoy pre season to meet up with old friends, have a few beers and watch a bit of football in the sun. Welling is always good for that. See you Saturday.