I'll always believe that Slade was so cautious and unwilling to experiment with us because he never felt like he truly belonged at a level which was higher than the ones he has spent the huge majority of his managerial career at. Although he said he wouldn't be averse to playing different tactical systems such as 3-5-2 during his time here, the facts show that he only ever played a very basic 4-4-2 (sometimes with slight variations) - I'm 99.9% certain that if he was still here, we wouldn't have spent our pre season playing the system we have done under Paul Trollope.

However, put him at a level which he feels comfortable at and it seems he becomes a changed man. For the first half of their final pre season match against Dutch club RKC Waalwijk at the Valley, Charlton played 3-5-2 - they switched back to 4-4-2 for the second half of course, but, even so!

Charlton's pre season has seen them not win many, not lose many, not score many and not concede many - typical Russell Slade I'd say, but I suppose he could be said to have gone from the frying pan into the fire in terms of owners and off field management.

Incidentally, Charlton drew 1-1 yesterday, but both sides agreed to a penalty shoot out if the match finished level after ninety minutes - Waalwijk won that 4-3, with Roger Johnson being one of the home players to miss from the spot.