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Riga unsure on Charlton future article

CharltonByBloodCharltonByBlood
edited April 2014 in General Charlton
Jose Riga completed his brief of keeping Charlton in the Sky Bet Championship - and then admitted he has no idea if he will still be in charge next season.

The Belgian, controversially brought in to replace popular boss Chris Powell in early March with the club lying bottom of the table, saw his side secure their survival with a 3-1 win over Watford.

But afterwards Riga, who only agreed a contract until the end of the campaign, brushed aside questions over his future.

"Let me enjoy the present before thinking about it," he said. "The future I have to discuss, I don't know when.

"If you ask me if I enjoy the competition, the club, the fans, then yes. I like England. We have a good foundation here and I think Charlton has a very good future.

"But I know about football, it depends on the situation. It's not a problem. I've done my job and it's enough to be really happy."

Callum Harriott picked the perfect time to score his first league goals of the season.

The rookie winger opened the scoring in the first half with a superb 20-yard strike, and then bettered it with a stunning volley to seal a dramatic win.

There were plenty of nerves around The Valley when Troy Deeney equalised for Watford in the second half with another fine strike for with his 24th goal of the season.

But Charlton captain Johnnie Jackson bundled them back into the lead from Morgan Fox's cross and Harriott got the survival party started with a vicious, curling effort 13 minutes from time.

"Callum has a lot of qualities, he works hard but he needs to learn to control his emotions," Riga added.

"He's a young player and he has learned a lot in the last two months with the situation we are in. Sometimes he makes the wrong choices but he wants to learn. He is always looking to improve so I am happy for him."

The Addicks finished the match with 10 men after Albert Riera flattened Lawrie Wilson for the second time to earn a second yellow card.

Victory meant Charlton were spared the agony of a potential relegation decider at Blackpool on Saturday.

Not sure what to make of it , I think its far more positive then him saying he wont/doesn't think he will be here but i hope he stays and looks like he wants to
I know he doesn't settle down anywhere id much rather a case of him not wanting to stay in management and going back to Belgium then a case of him wanting to stay and RD doesn't want him

COME ON RD SIGN HIM UP
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Comments

  • Dave2lDave2l
    I hope Riga stays I like him he done a good job etc.

    He is no Chris Powell, but he is close enough.

  • hawksmoorhawksmoor
    So Riera being sent off meant we were down to 10 men? Weird.
  • hawksmoorhawksmoor
    Anyway, I too would like Riga to stay.
  • Dansk_RedDansk_Red
    The Addicks finished the match with 10 men after Albert Riera flattened Lawrie Wilson for the second time to earn a second yellow card????????
  • DRAddickDRAddick
    Pretty sure the man that counts already knows what's going to happen. He just hasn't got round to telling us yet.
  • CAFCsayerCAFCsayer
    Sign him up... Great manager
  • The Red RobinThe Red Robin
    We need some continuity and stability, so we should keep Riga in charge.
  • kentcrusaderkentcrusader
    Give him a chance. He hasn't had his players and has had to use a lot of dross (including a awful pitch). He done the job...on the flip side..would Chrissy of kept us up..i think he would've.
  • seriously_redseriously_red
    I think Duchatelet has positioned the whole situation very well: either he retains a popular winning coach who has worked with the resources available and won over the fans or he gets someone even better! Personally I think success should be rewarded and Riga has delivered mid-table form with a squad which is clearly lacking up front.
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  • micks1950micks1950
    edited April 2014
    seriously_red said:

    I think Duchatelet has positioned the whole situation very well: either he retains a popular winning coach who has worked with the resources available and won over the fans or he gets someone even better! Personally I think success should be rewarded and Riga has delivered mid-table form with a squad which is clearly lacking up front.

    Of course there are several other options to your two 'eithers' (including that any replacement for Riga need not be 'better')- one that has been rumoured and discussed on here is that Riga's 'Assistant Head Coach' Karel Fraeye takes over.

    http://forum.charltonlife.com/discussion/61497/karel-fraeye/p1

    The question must be asked otherwise why was he brought in? As far as I can see he has no previous history with Riga that might suggest that Riga insisted he be appointed, and both 'Assistant Manager' Alex Dyer and 'First Team Coach' Damien Mathew have remained in post during Riga's apparently short term tenure - making Fraeye seem superfluous?

    If that was the plan whether it remains so is another question. However, if it is then Fraeye's experience to date seems less than reassuring. From the thread above:

    "Fraeye is 36 years old and until his appointment at The Valley was head coach at Eendracht Zele where he took control in 2011. Zele are described as an amateur team in Belgiums 4th tier of football".
  • thenewbiethenewbie
    A-R-T-H-U-R said:

    RD's masterstroke this season was not replacing Dyer and Matthew.
    The vast majority (all?) of new owners getting rid of their manager would have booted the backroom staff out as well.
    Absolutely brilliant move.

    Another reason I think it is unfair to say his appointment of Riga and the club's subsequent survival as 'lucky' - yes we've had a few cards fall in our favour but he has been pretty astute. The problem he seemed to have was with Powell specifically, for whatever reason, but it seems a calculated call rather than a spiteful one and we've reaped the benefits.
  • queensland_addickqueensland_addick
    We need stability and certainty as soon as possible in order to renew contracts and identify potential transfer targets. I think we'd have a hard job finding a more suitable manager than Riga.
  • All_Thaid_UpAll_Thaid_Up
    To me, Riga seems like the perfect charlton manager - I think we were very lucky when he signed on for the role even in the short term.

    From what I have seen and heard from him I would have complete faith in his buys and managing charlton in the long term.

    He can obviously judge players well and seems to understand how to set us up even over the few games he had.
  • ct_addickct_addick
    kentred2 said:

    Dont get this Riga is perfect Charlton manager stuff. He plays a boring five man midfield with one of those fo
    ur so deep as to be virtually a centre half ...ok if the full backs push on but they havent been until parts of last night. This leaves one man upfront isolated and few of the midfielders get in the box to help. Once Watford equalised last night that changed with Cousins, Jackson and even Poyet (nearly) getting into he opponents box, but was that his tactics or the team reacting to the atmosphere.

    He seems a nice bloke but the way forward for fun football to watch probably not


    A little unfair as he hasn't had his chance to stamp his style of play on the squad due to the number of games and lack of training sessions. I like what he has said after last night saying we need creativity in the squad. I would give him the job. The players seemed to like him.
  • MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    Reading between the lines, Riga signed a contract with a mission to keep us up - now that he has - he is hinting that he would like to stay on and it will be down to RD. I would be surprised if RD doesn't seriously consider keeping JR on and I think it is likely he will be the manager next season.

    The only proviso I have is that Riga has said where we need to improve and the sort of players that need to come in the compliment what we have. So will RD agree?
  • ShootersHillGuruShootersHillGuru
    MuttleyCAFC said:

    Reading between the lines, Riga signed a contract with a mission to keep us up - now that he has - he is hinting that he would like to stay on and it will be down to RD. I would be surprised if RD doesn't seriously consider keeping JR on and I think it is likely he will be the manager next season.

    The only proviso I have is that Riga has said where we need to improve and the sort of players that need to come in the compliment what we have. So will RD agree?

    You mean they might not agree on football strategy ? Sounds familiar.

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  • nth_london_addicknth_london_addick
    I think kentred1 speaks more sense
  • MuttleyCAFCMuttleyCAFC
    I am merely saying it is a possibility. Riga was clearly brought in to prevent a problem. He was his own man from the word go and used the network additions sparingly. These are players that RD will have been told by his advisors/scouting team are/were more than good enough for us. When Chrissy told him they were not, i'm not sure he was believed.

    Riga is clearly an intelligent man and will have formed clear opinions on what is needed. These are opinions I would trust greatly. I suspect they are not a million miles away from the opinions Chrissy would have held. We don't know how that will sit with RD. He may have come to the conclusion that his advisors are crap....he may want somebody who buys in to his what he is doing and done. We don't know and any y view will be speculation.
  • Mundell FlemingMundell Fleming
    If Duchatelet has any sense he'll see Riga as a real éminence grise within his network. Based on his interview on CAFC Player I'd guess that Riga wants the job at Charlton and I'd be surprised if the Owner doesn't offer it to him.
  • Raith_C_ChattonellRaith_C_Chattonell
    I've certainly warmed to Riga.

    Initially, I believed he was installed as RD's puppet with instruction to play the network players. This has not happened and he has proven to be his own man. He seems to command respect from the players and staff alike and has them all on side. Ultimately, he has achieved his objective - and this with a limited squad.

    He knows new players are required for Charlton to move on, but in reality would he have any more sway over RD than CP had?

    I have yet to warm to RD.
  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    edited April 2014
    Definitely unfair in terms Riga's playing style... Anyone questioning it should read Jackson's comments in the programme last night:

    Basically said that he's impressed with the style that Riga is trying to get across to the players yet because there have been so many games they've not had a chance to implement those ideas on the training pitch (instead Riga has mainly been using videos to get his point across)...

    Jackson also went on to say that he wants Riga to remain so he can have a proper pre-season to introduce those ideas properly
  • Davo55Davo55
    If Jose extends his contract as Head Coach, as most of us hope, rather than replace Paul Hart as academy Director as widely rumoured, what then for the academy? Will Hart stay after all, or will we be in the market for a top academy guy. If so, who? Crewe Alexandra have a good reputation......?
  • ScohamScoham
    kentred2 said:

    Dont get this Riga is perfect Charlton manager stuff. He plays a boring five man midfield with one of those four so deep as to be virtually a centre half ...ok if the full backs push on but they havent been until parts of last night. This leaves one man upfront isolated and few of the midfielders get in the box to help. Once Watford equalised last night that changed with Cousins, Jackson and even Poyet (nearly) getting into he opponents box, but was that his tactics or the team reacting to the atmosphere.

    He seems a nice bloke but the way forward for fun football to watch probably not

    Can't really judge how he wants to play with Powell's players. It was too early judge Powell on his first half a season in charge and it's the same for Riga.

    Our line up could look very different come August and with that we could play a very different style of football.

    The other day someone said on here they'd like to see us press high up the pitch, close the opposition down. Playing two games a week in the final part of a long season probably isn't the time to try playing like that. And as mentioned above our options up front aren't great and the players have had little time actually training to work on anything new.
  • killerandflashkillerandflash
    Davo55 said:

    If Jose extends his contract as Head Coach, as most of us hope, rather than replace Paul Hart as academy Director as widely rumoured, what then for the academy? Will Hart stay after all, or will we be in the market for a top academy guy. If so, who? Crewe Alexandra have a good reputation......?

    It's more a question of Hart leaving, as the rumours are that he's been offered a job at Man City, which would be hard to turn down...
  • queensland_addickqueensland_addick
    One thing that has been overlooked is that we have scored 7 goals in our last 3 games. That is a huge improvement in our scoring rate. Perhaps Riga has started to get that right as well.
  • micks1950micks1950
    Davo55 said:

    If Jose extends his contract as Head Coach, as most of us hope, rather than replace Paul Hart as academy Director as widely rumoured, what then for the academy? Will Hart stay after all, or will we be in the market for a top academy guy. If so, who? Crewe Alexandra have a good reputation......?

    Good questions.

    But it also raises the question I asked above – why was Karel Fraeye appointed when 'Assistant Manager' Alex Dyer and 'First Team Coach' Damien Mathew remained in post?

    Riga only had a short term contract until June at Milan so leaving that early to come here until the end of the season wouldn’t have been an issue. But Fraeye had a (presumably longer term) job – although at a team in Belgium’s 4th tier – would he have left that for 3 months as an 'Assistant Head Coach' with us, or does he have a longer term contract and was made promises about the future?
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