Tuesday 11 March 2014

Official statement from the club

Charlton Athletic have released the following statement: 'Chris Powell has been relieved of his position as First-Team Manager at Charlton Athletic with immediate effect, the club announced on Tuesday morning Following a disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of Sheffield United on Sunday, Charlton are currently bottom of the Championship having taken 27 points from 30 games so far this season. Owner Roland Duchâtelet said: “We have been working with Chris Powell and his representatives for a couple ofweeks to try and agree a contract extension which would have seen us continue to work together.

“There was good progress, but we could not reach an agreement over the club’s football strategy going forward. The situation put a strain on the working relationship between Chris and the board. Therefore I think it is best for all parties that we part ways at this stage. I would like to thank Chris for his commitment and hard work over the past three years. The club enjoyed a number of good times under his leadership. However, given the club’s position in the league and the number of important fixtures upcoming, I felt this difficult decision was unavoidable at this time.

“We will look to quickly appoint a replacement who we feel will give us the best chance of avoiding relegation from the Championship. I can assure supporters this was not an easy decision, but it has been made with the club’s future in mind. Time will tell if it is the right decision.”

The timing is unfortunate in the sense that it would have been better to do it earlier or in the summer. However, the literature on changing football managers shows that the long-term effects are generally limited, but there is often a short-term boost as players seek to impress the new manager. However, this may be undermined by a negative reaction from the crowd.

I am assuming that Chris Powell's 'mate' Alex Dyer will go, as well as Jason Euell, but I have no news on their fate. However, Dyer and Matthew took training today, watched by Riga.

My correspondent at the training ground reports, 'First team squad wandered over to watch the U-21s match after training - all seemed in good spirit. Also saw the first appearance of 'Polish Pete' in a red shirt, playing alongside Anil Koc. Good to report that Leon Cort back to fitness and showing well. Sky camera crew at the gate, presumably waiting for 'a few words' with Sr. Riga. [Possibly a 'wind down the window' moment?]

I support the club rather than a particular owner or manager. Otherwise, I would have given up when the Glikstens replaced Jimmy Seed with Trotter. The reaction of fans has been polarised between those who think that Powell was overdue and those who see him as a Charlton legend. Unfortunately, this status and his personal charisma gets in the way of any balanced evaluation of his success as a manager. He is passionate about the club, but I would place success on the pitch before passion.

He deserves our thanks for getting us out of League 1 and achieving a 9th place finish in the Championship last season. Unfortunately, sufficient funds were not available to strengthen the squad last summer, although not all of his hires have been successful (Mark Gower comes to mind). There wasn't a lot of evidence of progression in his skills as a coach and people who know more about football than me and work in the game at a higher level had expressed their concerns to me, given their goodwill towards Charlton.

I am sad to see him go in this way and I wish him well. However, I am pleased that Charlton looks likely to get a foreign manager. Perhaps we will see a more sophisticated style of play with less long ball and more emphasis on passing and keeping possession.

9 comments:

NewYorkAddick said...

There is indeed usually a short-term turnaround in results after a new manager is appointed, but it's difficult to know how much is down to the new manager and how much down to simple 'mean reversion'.

Wyn Grant said...

Good point. I saw reference to a new study the other day which suggested there was no positive effect. However, my former colleague Sue Bridgwater who has done a lot of work on this thinks there is a short-term effect after taking account of other considerations.

Geoff said...

As a Powellite it was depressing to see his lack of ideas at Bramall Lane, most obviously the point you have made repeatedly about inexplicable use of subs. In our post-match despond we were speculating on how long this announcement would take.

The comfort, I suppose, is that RD doesn't mess about with a mis0fire and wait till the vehicle disintegrates. Action now! Let's hope it works.

Anonymous said...

One of the saddest days of close to 50 years of support.
SCP had given us 'our Charlton back' for a brief while.
I f only he had been backed last summer I really think we could be looking at The premiership.

Now , who knows , feeder club,
LLLaBH

PS NO WORD FROM MURRAY , HIS ROLE IS A JOKE

Anonymous said...

Every club has an identity and when Chris Powell took charge in SE7, everybody connected with the club felt that we had refound that identity.

My support for Powell is not simply based on symbolism, the idea that he embodied everything that we all love about the club, but also given his successes.

He has built a team on a shoe string budget, recruiting players with a point to prove. Powell has got the best out of players who had previously underachieved (Kermo being the best example).

Now with new managment and new ownership, I can't help but feel that the club is now further away from its identity then where it was to begin with. Like it or not, we are now a part of a pan-European experiment....time will tell if it will be worth it

Desperate Pete said...

I have going to the Valley for over 54 years and today is the saddest day of my Charlton support. Chris Powell resurrected my failing desire in today's football. He has real values and he made me proud to tell people that I supported Charlton Athletic!
After this Wednesday's game I do not know when I will return. All I know for certain is that I will not be renewing my season ticket. I am a supporter not a 'punter' and do not like being treated like one by a foreign businessman who does not understand what it feels to really support a football team and be emotionally involved in it.

Anonymous said...

What did Richard Murray tell Roland would happen if he sacked Chris Powell?
If he didn't tell him anything, shame on Murray.
If Roland didn't listen, why is Murray still there?
Richard Murray was a Charlton legend, but as time passes, that legend becomes ever more tarnished.
It is apparent that Richard Murray is no longer part of the solution, but part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

Wyn, I have always appreciated your studious and thoughtful analysis of everything Charlton, but I am afraid I disagree that the appointment of what, reading between the lines, is a RD yes man. This new ownership has sold two of our best players and replaced them with inferior imports - especially the goalkeeper - I've seen better keepers in park football! I sadly, will be voting with my feet after supporting Charlton for nearly as long as you. I will not be renewing my season ticket as I do not wish to watch Standard Liege reserves.
Thank you again for your blog.

Behind Enemy Lines

Wyn Grant said...

In relation to Richard Murray, I do not think that he has a great deal of influence on events and I was not impressed by his actions either under the former regime or the present one. Of course, I do not know what goes on behind the scenes, but one gets the impression that rather being a critical friend for the owner he is a mouthpiece who lacks influence. But I may be being unfair.