http://www.southlondonpress.co.uk/article.cfm?id=3859Johnnie Jackson admitted he had doubts about whether he would ever be the man of the moment again for Charlton after he helped spark a late fightback in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Fulham.
The Addicks’ club captain came off the bench with 10 minutes to go and scored with his first touch seconds later - heading into the net - before Jordan Cousins levelled just before full time.
And Jackson, who has seen his game time limited by niggling knocks and not being selected by Charlton head coach Guy Luzon, said: “I’ve had my moments [at the club] but I probably started to think there might not be anymore - you can’t help but think that way when you’re not involved.
“All I’ve done is shown him [Luzon] I’m ready to play my part. Whether or not he had reservations before today then maybe he won’t after and he’ll know I’m there willing and ready if I’m needed.
“I was a bit emotional when I scored - it was a bit of an outpouring. There were a few months of frustration coming out there.”
Jackson hasn’t started a league game since February, when injury ended that campaign.
And since coming back he has still had the odd untimely niggle along with seeing Ahmed Kashi, El-Hadji Ba and Jordan Cousins selected ahead of him in the middle of the park.
“I’ve been a little bit unlucky with a couple of games,” he said. “I think I would have started Peterborough in the cup and probably at Palace as well. I rolled my ankle two days before Peterborough - a complete freak - and it was the same with Palace, I pulled my groin.
“That was frustrating but it’s also been the case I’ve been down the pecking order for the league games. That’s the game, I understand that.
“We’ve spoken openly about it, there is no problem there. Obviously I’m frustrated when I’m not playing. I still feel I can and I’m capable of it.
“I had a bad injury at the end of last season which hampered my pre season. It didn’t help not being 100 per cent fit for the start of the season and that probably played a part in the management decision-making as well.”
Jackson also reckons his side don’t capitalise enough on dead ball situations.
He powered onto Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s corner to halve the deficit.
“It’s a bit of a bugbear of mine - I don’t think we score enough from set-pieces,” he said. “ I don’t think we are aggressive enough when we attack the ball. We sometimes let opportunities pass us by and they are goalscoring opportunities.
“I’m capable of scoring and every person attacking the ball should think like that. You have to be aggressive and really attack it. Sometimes we’re guilty of not doing that.”
Comments
Watched him a lot yesterday and see him playing the Quarterback role for us, just sat in the pocket of Midfield, far enough away from the Fulham area which allowed him to pass the balls about whilst also having that Johnnie look about him of someone who would make a late invisible run into the box if possible.
Is a perfect position for him if he doesnt have the spring in his legs as can have Cousins doing the nitty gritty stuff to win the ball back, he wont be our Pirlo but he's a man who shows how he can adapt his game once he loses a bit of pace
When Kashi is fit then I expect him and Cousins to be the starting pair.
The point is that JJ still has a lot to offer. Always had even though some people were writing him off 4 seasons ago. Were is Colin today?
He is a class player, leader, motivator, passer, defender and goal scorer at this level. And he has the experience too that we need with such a young squad.
That's a long held view, by the way, not a kneejerk reaction to yesterday.
So we have a bit of a challenge around possible line ups and team selection going forward. The only way I could see him fitting in is as part of a 5 man midfield. Kashi & Cousins eitherside. Both of those two like to sit deep anyway (Cousins infuriatingly so). If you let Jackson just ghost and and have a free role like he did when he came on, maybe there is an argument there.
It will certainly give GL something to think about as we couldn't go on playing the way we did post Hull. We've been awful. And contrary to a few opinions on the post match views thread y'day, I thought we were terrible up until the point JJ came on.
Need to make use of JJ this season.
I hope he's a frequently used substitute. Not by putting him on to try and run down the clock in the 89th minute. Nor by putting him on to bail us out in the last ten minutes (even if worked Saturday)
Put him on for 30 minutes, give him sufficient time to work his magic.
Leaburn 66
Lee 65
He would be a great choice as a future coach, sadly though the main attribute that JJ has you can't really coach.
who was the main person and conduit for the fans.
When Riga took over, who was the captain who played 3 games a week for 7 weeks and inspired us to stay in the championship from 24th place.
When Luzon took over and the fans thought he was just a puppet of Roland's who was the person who said Guy was good on the training ground and give him a chance.
Last season was JJ poorest because having 2 players in midfield with no pace
(The penalty king YB) the balance was wrong and Jackson wasn't getting into goal scoring positions.
By the time Johnnie got on the field for the corner the clock showed 80 minutes.
should've been on after Fulham's 2nd goal, like others, i said so at the time.
He is known as skipper, he was born to be a Captain.
The sad truth is there won't be too many more 18 minute cameo's like Sunday's.
I Wanted JJ( player coach) and Riga as Joint head coaches before Peeters and Luzon. A thread from last year on who we wanted.
Would Tony Watt get the hump with JJ teaching him to head the ball
or work harder on his fitness ? I hope not if he wanted a proper career in the game and fulfill the talent he has.
This young team would benefit so much from JJ on and off the pitch (they do already but even more so with the added status) and if RD/KM can't see that then they really would be clueless on the dynamics of football and leadership.
I have no problem with Colin having his views on JJ, but it's very disingenuous
not to give credit when the man made the difference between a game that was
heading for a 3-0 defeat and yet because of his influence finished 2-2.
Scoring from set pieces isn't about having giant players in the box, it's about movement and desire, attacking the ball. Hopefully the others can follow his example
Steve Brown is now only my joint favourite all time CAFC player.
He scored 3 seconds after coming on from the corner.
Plus he wins CAFC MOM after being on the field from the 80th to the 98th minute.
However I think he'll be involved a bit more on the playing side over the coming weeks now
I certainly hope he tries to begin a coaching/management career but he does seem to do a lot of radio work so he might feel that is an easier life.
They were all key goals.
As long as you can keep going - I will keep going.
Love Jacko to bits - proper footballer, proper Captain, proper Charlton.