Given how badly we finished last season to be where we are now is nothing short of amazing. CP has as an inexperienced manager built a new squad from scratch and got them promoted with ease-incredible. Dont think some of our rivals are giving him the credit he deserves!
Makes me laugh when they keep going on about our massive budget.
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And look what he did from 0-4 down at home at half-time v Notts County - we've only conceded two pens since then. When the going gets tough, etc...
Onwards and upwards - we can stop looking back at the past!
However I look back at some seminal moments like earlier in the season when we played Huddersfield Town, and their record, at home on the telly (jinx) when we needed to deliver....he got the lads to a precise point when we did deliver. The same goes for the two successive Sheffield games, and there have been other moments too.
It is difficult to say that any player should feel hard done by, or disrespected, they have all had their chances...even the two unluckiest, Hughes and Hayes you could say were treated properly.
There have been other elements such as Powell planting the 'one aim' phrase, describing people as my players,my captain, and very timely and astute praise meted out in the right amounts in the right way when it was due. Powell describing the quality of 'decision making' by the players. As the season developed praising the progress but adding 'the players have done well, now they need to make statements '. Then Chris reminding everybody that it is one game at a time, and we 'haven't won anything yet'. Powell always respectful of opponents throughout, and appreciative of all of our support.
There may have been the slight wobble from time to time, but vastly, vastly outweighed by the good things he has done, and the good decisions he, and his staff have made.
Chris Powell has steered the course faultlessly overall, and for a rookie manager...for that is what he was/is, he has been totally and utterly brilliant at every turn.
It is hard to be objective...but in my view Chris' achievements this season have been breathtaking...the man always was, and now always will be a legend. I love the bloke.
I played down all our signings as I didn't think they could start playing well from day one.
I know Chris Powell gets the headlines, but I think the whole coaching team , from Laurence Bloom to Alex Dyer , Damian Matthews , Keithy Peacock and Erol the physio deserve big respect for what they have done all pulling in the same direction.
Also think the Fans have been magnificent this season, the players have made it hard for us not to like them, and we seem to be going in the right direction, I would love to think we can add a few more season ticket holders and get this party started!
COYR!!!
Most impressive is the defence and how organised we are, we rarely concede from open play and that's due to the players but also good coaching during the week. Last few weeks his seems to be making his subs earlier as well which he wasn't doing earlier in the season so it shows he is still learning and getting better and better. Our football probably isn't the best to watch but it's effective and gets results.
As for us spending a lot of money - as all transfer fees are "undisclosed" we'll never know, but most suggestions are that where we paid out money is was in relatively small amounts - £200/300K. That in turn suggests to me that he did a good job on selling the club to several of the new joinees as at that kind of money several clubs could have been interested, but they chose us.
Special thanks should go to Arsene Wenger for signing Jenkinson off us and helping to fund the expenditure.
The fans should show exactly how we appreciate what he has done by singing his name all afternoon. The man is a god .
Hartlepool at home is for the team .
In his favour he was giving more time here than a manager would have got at many other clubs. He had decent budget compared to most in this division but not enough to blow away the three Yorkshire clubs financially. It has been said (by Charlton people admittedly) that our budget was smaller than theirs. But we have had a very large squad compared to most clubs in this division and CP was able to cherry pick the better players from the smaller league one clubs based on the fees and wages we could pay plus the status of the Club we are.
He also had the advantage of being able to start this season with an almost clean slate. Only four players from last season (JJ, BWP, Waggy and Solly) still feature. Few managers get are able to make such a fresh start while having money to spend.
He is still close enough to having been a player to be able to pick up players like Kermo, DNG, Morrison and even Euell who he knew personally. Think back to how Curbs filled his early squads with ex-Brighton players like Robinson, Gatting and Nelson who he'd played alongside. But we know that it takes a lot than picking players ala Football manager 2012. There is a team spirit and work ethos and that has to start with the boss.
To play devil's advocate (or bitter Wendies fan) with all those advantages of course he should he done just what he has done. However HE DID IT. He played the cards he had and did the job. No ifs, no buts, one aim achieved in face of fierce competition that in any almost other season would have won the league. And he's building a solid base for seasons to come. This is not a team built on aging players or loanees we could never have a hope of signing.
He now has to do it all over again, at a higher level and with a smaller comparative budget. Division 2 is a lot more competitive, more physical place with teams who can spend millions on a single player. Can he step up? IMHO yes he can but he is still a young manager learning his job. I just hope the fans cut him some slack after the first couple of defeats whether they come in August or in March.
I think we've been pretty lucky with injuries - I thought BWP had a dodgy knee?
This summer is going to be very interesting - will there be wholesale changes? How many of our League 1 stars can step up to the Championship? What will be the expectation of the board?
A few reasons
Excellent signings in the summer
Excellent team spirit - that pre season trip to Spain really helped bond the team together
The back 4 - one nil to the Charlton! Clearly excellently coached.
To illustrate this I met Stephens and Pritchard as Danson Sports Centre when they were doing a meet and greet just after the Fulham FA Cup defeat. Things were quiet so I had a lengthy chat with both and was amazed by how easy going they both were and happy to answer questions including talking about their own rivalry for a midfield berth in the side. I was even more surprised to be quizzed by both of them on how I rated the players behaviour and their attitude towards the fans. They said that part of going out and meeting supporters was to get that feedback and take it back into the club.
They both said that SCP tells all the players to remember everyday that they are some of the luckiest lads on the planet waking up as pro footballers and that they should never forget that without the fans there would be no club. Respect is a big part of everything he does and it seems that he doesn't let the players forget that, he might appear an easy going manager but if you step out of line or don't display the right attitude you won't be in the side (maybe as some have found out this season). I think all of these things have helped shape the side we see today where a collective will and desire can be as important as an ability to play attractive football particularly in a division like the one we are now kissing goodbye to.
In the post promotion glow it is easy to look on this season and give the credit to the manager alone but there is no doubt he has had a massive influence on the club since his arrival and no doubt he picked up a lot of tips from how Curbs ran the show during his time in charge. I am sure next season will have it's challenges but there aren't too many other managers I would want in charge of my club to take us forward at this time.
Whatever the future holds for our great club (and I believe yesterday was the start of something special, I honestly do), it is in very safe hands.
Salute to Chris Powell, Charlton legend!
The reason we are up is all sir Chris powells doing
And I love him
Over the past 12 months I have come to realise that the personal qualities that made him possibly the best-loved player in my Charlton memory don't disappear with retirement for the simple reason that they are personal qualities. The fact that he has also proved to have a knack for management is an added bonus.
Being an addick has always been special. This season Sir Chris has rammed that home in no uncertain terms and it has been a wonderful experience for all of us.
To be fair, when I 'phoned him today he readily admits he was wrong. Not really the time for this to be honest though - as long as he pays me the money!
The important thing is that we have to believe that he is our manager for the next 5 years - whatever happens.
He will make mistakes as a young manager; he will not make subs when we think he should, he will lose games.
What he will never lose is his love for Charlton. What we need to ask ourselves is; are we prepared to give a manager our support for the next 5 years? - through thick or thin? - relagation? etc etc.
For me, one of our own deserves more, a lot more.
I will guarantee I will never ask for SCP to be replaced.
Ever.
We need to commit to this to give him the time to build the Club and squad he and we want. Then, and only then....
We will be able to present him with a coat of many colours - mainly red and white!
I find it hard to believe that it's the same man in charge today. He's been top-notch all season and I think he's in for a very bright career. Hopefully with us.
He willl make mistakes. We will lose games but as a Club (fans and board) we need to give him time and support thru' good times and bad.