The Charlton View

Ahead of Birmingham City's clash with Charlton this weekend, I interview Dan Webster, a season ticket holder at the Valley. You can take a look at Dan’s blog http://ramblingfan44.blogspot.co.uk/ and follow him on Twitter @ramblingaddick

Here, Dan discusses the job Chris Powell has done, the factors behind Charlton’s defensive record this season, and he makes a criticism of his club’s owners - you'd never catch me doing that!

You were promoted as champions from League One in 2012, and escalated to a ninth place finish in the Championship last season. A good couple of years for your lot…

The downward slide was halted, thankfully. Chris Powell initially struggled but did a great job over the summer in 2011 to create a squad capable of lifting us out of League One, which was a trickier task than most fans envisaged. Powell had little room for manoeuvre the following summer, but made a couple of wise acquisitions which proved beneficial. There was a risk of being dragged into the relegation scrap towards the end of last season – more than half of the division had the same fears, such was the competitiveness of the league – but a brilliant unbeaten run saw us finish in an incredibly satisfying ninth place. A few bemoaned our bad home form for preventing us reaching the playoffs, but given the restricted dealings Powell was able to make, ninth represented a superb effort in our first season back in the Championship.

                                                                                                 

Chris Powell has done a good job

Although he was with Palace as a youngster, manager Chris Powell seems to be a fans’ favourite, having spent eight years at the club as a player. How beneficial can it be to have a manager who is connected to the supporters and knows the club inside out?

It is very beneficial. These days a manager is almost on borrowed time from the outset, but Powell’s status means the fans are more loyal to him. Initially he struggled when he arrived for the second half of the 2010/11 season, and a few thought it was the wrong move – showing that even a club legend can’t expect to keep the job if he doesn’t get results. But despite the stuttering start, he was able to bring in his own players that summer and the promotion from League One emphatically answered any critics he had. The fluctuating form in the Championship has tested a few of the more impatient fans, but the majority recognise the value that Powell brings to the club, chiefly through his excellent man-management and motivational skills. He is still learning as a manager, but with the resources available, and that cult status retained, discontent is rarely directed at him.

What do you make of your chairman, Michael Slater?

Mr Slater is not the most popular man in SE7. He, along with Tony Jimenez, stepped in to take the club over and avert a possible administration scenario. They also removed Phil Parkinson, brought in Powell, and backed him to gain promotion. Parkinson was doing a good job, but the players he had available to him were not good enough for the task. Powell was able to use money from the sale of Carl Jenkinson to Arsenal to bring in the right players for promotion. The board allowed him access to those funds, and for that, they deserve credit. However, it is since the summer of 2012 that problems have begun to emerge. Slater and Jimenez rarely communicate at all with the fans, often leaving us in the dark about the off-field situation. A lack of investment has resulted in a very limited budget being available for transfers, whilst a number of long-serving members of staff have either left or been pushed out following disagreements with the owners. It is a concern that there seem to be financial problems, as the squad has not been strengthened as it should have been, and whilst Slater deserves credit for his role in the club’s return to the Championship, there’s a risk that his inaction will see the club return to the third tier. Powell continues to work wonders with the players he has available, though, so the mood is not one of doom-and-gloom just yet.

Alan Curbishley had been your manager for eleven years, but he seems to be interested in the Palace job. Could you forgive him if he took it?

Curbishley managed Charlton for eleven years

It’s a difficult question to answer. Everyone at Charlton wants to see Curbishley return to management, but most would suggest that moving to Palace would display a certain amount of disloyalty. I could understand why he would take a job, given his long-term absence, but given the number of jobs that have passed him by, I wouldn’t suggest he’s the favourite to be appointed. He was approached by Wolves when they were struggling in the Premier League, and although it’s much earlier in the season, the squad at Palace isn’t one that offers a huge variety of options for a new manager to exploit. If he did take it, I’m sure “Agent Curbs” wouldn’t let us Charlton fans down. I just don’t see him returning after such a long absence, particularly given the position Palace are in.

You had one terrible campaign in the Championship a few years ago. You were expected to be promotion contenders, but ended up getting cut adrift at the bottom of the table. Can you remember anything of that season, or have you blotted it out?!

It was too horrific to forget. I still remember the night when there was a brief glimmer of hope – Phil Parkinson had been left in charge, and there was a real chance we could beat Derby and gather some momentum, but we conceded a scrappy, heart-breaking goal from a throw in that completely punctured any positive feeling. That moment still haunts me to this day...

It was an atrocious campaign. Relegation from the Championship looked nailed on from about January, not long after that Derby game. Alan Pardew had failed to take us back up to the Premiership at the first time of asking, and had managed to build such a bad squad that he was sacked after a 2-5 defeat at home to Sheffield United in November. Short of funds, the club had to stick his assistant – Parkinson – in charge, which negated the positive effect brought about by the appointment of a manager with new ideas and methods. The best bit came on the final day of the season, when Norwich visited the Valley and had to win to stay up. Charlton won 4-2, and the home fans started singing “Stand up if you’re going down”, and were very graciously joined in song by the travelling Norwich support.

It is not a season that is remembered with any fondness at all. An endless conveyor-belt of average loan players, combined with dreadful defending and incompetent management means that to this day Alan Pardew is viewed with disgust by pretty much every single Charlton fan. Hopeless at co-ordinating on the pitch, and unpleasant off it. 

Best moment as an Addicks fan.

Personally it would have to be the promotion from League One. Having supported Charlton on what seemed like a constant downward trajectory, witnessing that moment was made even more special. It was a crazy day, given we were playing away at Carlisle, but the results went our way and we nicked a goal to win the game 1-0. The post-game celebrations were chaotic and blissful. It was one of the great moments, particularly when you could see how much it meant to everyone, Chris Powell included.

How much passion is there for football in South London? Would you go along with the idea that it’s more popular in the north of England?

I wouldn’t have suggested there’s too much of a regional variability in terms of passion for football. The south of England is not the most represented region in the Football League for sure, but I would say that London clubs have played a role in that. Clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea seem to attract a lot of fans, and (depressingly) so do Manchester United and Liverpool. I think football’s popularity is fairly evenly spread across the country, but the big London clubs draw a lot of the fan-base down south.

Given that a lot of your buys in the last few years have been free transfers and loans, would you like to see your club’s youth academy be utilised more?

Chris Solly came through Charlton's youth academy

I think the youth academy is used far more than most clubs, in all honesty. Chris Solly has thrived at right-back since Chris Powell started playing him in 2011, and new talent continues to emerge. Jordan Cousins, Callum Harriott and Joe Pigott are three that have been given first-team roles in the past twelve months. At Championship level you need a blend of youth and experience – Powell has needed to bring in quality from outside the club, but that is not to say that the youth set-up is not developing successful young players capable of making a real difference in the side. Cousins is a central midfielder to watch, as he’s shown real composure and skill since being given his chance this season.

So far this season you seem to have been quite a defensive minded side. Are you concerned at having the joint-worst goals scored record in the league, or encouraged by three consecutive clean sheets?

The defensive focus has come about as a consequence of a lack of clean sheets, but after the 0-0 draw at home to Wigan we’ve managed three in a row. Obviously the new-found defensive solidity is encouraging, but it is not purely down to a lack of attacking ambition. Yann Kermorgant – the club’s main striking threat – has been injured of late, and the lack of goals in his absence is no surprise, given both the aerial presence and the attacking creativity he offers the side. Powell was forced to let both Ricardo Fuller and Danny Haynes go for financial reasons, and whilst Simon Church has been effective and energetic, Marvin Sordell has struggled to make a significant impact. Our ability to break sides down is noticeably weaker without Kermorgant in the side. Powell had to try out a number of formations to try and balance defensive solidity with incisive attacking, and whilst he struggled to find the successful formula, strength in defence gives reason for optimism.

And finally, your prediction for Saturday…

Kermorgant was forced off injured once again on Sunday, so his absence is a possibility. Hence, I don’t see this as being a game full of goals. Charlton will probably continue to employ a 4-4-2 with a narrow midfield, and attempt to nick a goal whilst staying defensively strong. Dale Stephens is a player who has developed his game this season, and Cameron Stewart – on loan from Hull – provides the X-factor on the wing. I will sit firmly on the fence and say that Charlton will either nick it 1-0, or draw 1-1.