Charlton: Richard Murray defends Guy Luzon appointment following fan unrest By Rob Virtue on January 14, 2015 3:00 PM | Tagged with: Charlton Athletic rsz_mg_wharf_charlton_manager_02_4.jpg
Charlton chairman Richard Murray attempted to quell dissatisfaction from fans following a outpouring of anger on social media over the appointment of Guy Luzon as head coach.
The Israeli replaced Bob Peeters this week, a move that upset The Valley faithful who wanted a someone experienced in the English league.
Luzon's only managing experience outside of Israel has been at Standard Liege, a club also under the control of Charlton owner Roland Duchatelet - and he sacked Luzon in October in just his second season at the Belgium side.
But, speaking at the press conference unveiling Luzon to the media on Wednesday, Murray said: "It is important we all pull together and I really hope the fans give Guy every chance as they did to Jose Riga and to Bob Peeters.
"But in my opinion the most important relationship by a long way is between the owner and the manager. There's got to be trust there otherwise he will not get backing - by backing that means bringing players in.
"We all have go to guys. Everyone's a risk but Guy has a relationship with the owner and that's a good start because if you get somebody totally unknown in you either give total carte blanche to the manager, which I don't think is the owner's style, or you don't.
"I'm pleased they've continued to have a good relationship and that should help us in the long run."
Chief executive Katrien Meire said she was not worried about the anger from the fans over the appointment, which included confusion of why the owner appointed a head coach he had only recently dismissed.
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"They have their opinion," she said. "I would be more worried if they were not passionate about their club."
Murray also stressed the backroom team would remain the same, including Damian Matthew and Ben Roberts, who were put in joint charge of the team, albeit briefly, on Monday.
"Our specialist coaches, fitness, sports science, physio, Guy is going to be working with them," said the chairman.
"He's not bringing in a team of assistants which very regularly happens when managers change. So, though we've had a number of head coaches, a lot of our infrastructure is as was."
Luzon also rejected concerns over a lack of experience in English football, pointing to his early experience at Liege which saw the side finish in second position.
"When I arrived in Belgium 18 months ago a lot of people in the media, and in the club as well, said I don't have a lot of experience in European football and I don't know the Belgium league," he said.
"In my first season there was the strange situation where they cut the points so we weren't champions. But we got the most points in the league."
Speaking of the side's subsequent decline, which saw them 12th out of 16 teams in the Belgian top flight, he added: "We then made a lot of changes and, in football, history is not important. If you don't get the results you go home."
Luzon was appointed as manager on Tuesday evening and said he was yet to meet the team. However, he knew many such as Yoni Buyens, Tal Ben Haim and Tony Watt from Liege, and said that can only be a benefit.
He added taking the job at Charlton was an easy decision.
"First, I came for the English football - the most interesting football in the world," said the 39-year-old. "I've watched a lot of Premier League games and the tempo, rhythm and atmosphere is fantastic. It's a great challenge.
"My first target is to get some momentum and bring results. After that we'll see.
"I'm the kind of guy who hates to lose and loves to win. Football is my love and my passion. I will do everything with a lot of passion to create results."
The former under-21 boss of the Israel national team said he had yet to discuss a January budget with the owner and would not be drawn on potential transfers.
"I'm only 12 hours here and am just focused on the game against Watford," he said. "After that game we will start to see what we need.
"I've seen a couple of games of Charlton and when I was coach of Standard Liege I followed Charlton games because some players from Standard play here. I think Charlton has a good base of players and a good squad.
"I haven't yet coached the team. I need to work with them and then firstly say to them my plans for the future."
Katrien Miere on the recruitment process for the position of head coach
When asked about whether other candidates were interviewed for the role, the chief executive was coy on details.
Interviewer: Was Guy the only candidate considered for the job?
KM: "As soon as we went live with the sacking of Bob Peeters, within an hour I had 20 applications. So there were several candidates but by late evening it became clear that Guy was the favourite."
Was he the only manager you interviewed?
"No."
Anyone with from within English football?
"I think most managers who didn't get the job wouldn't like me to disclose that kind of information."
Without naming names can you say whether you considered English based managers?
"No (shakes head)."
What makes you think Guy is the right man for the job?
"What makes him right is his calmness and being good at his job at difficult moments. Charlton are having a difficult moment and he showed at Standard Liege that he can perform under pressure."
KM: "As soon as we went live with the sacking of Bob Peeters, within an hour I had 20 applications. So there were several candidates but by late evening it became clear that Guy was the favourite."
So it was announced at 6pm on a Sunday. By 7pm she had 20 applications. By 10.30pm it was whittled down to Guy Luzon, who happened to already have a contract.
why is everyone so bothered about his English? Took Pochiettino nearly a year to even mutter a word in English so he is streets ahead of that. Or perhaps he should have spoken in Israeli with an interpreter as that would have given you all another stick to beat him over the head with. Jeez, give the guy a break.
Apparently Pochiettino did speak English but not to the media and I though that was wrong. I am bothered by his lack of spoken English as we are an English club and whilst our players come from a few different countries for most of them English is the common language and therefore the Head Coach must be able to communicate well with them and please don't say that he can use Ben Haim as an interpreter as that just won't do.
Think its very wise for him not to speak English to the media...
You hear of our British Tour De France riders speaking English to the foreign media all the time, reason being when something is put in the papers that is untrue, the cyclist can easily turn around and state it wasn't translated properly and that the journalist should be doing a better job, at the end of the day Football has got to the point where the lives of Managers and Players arent made easy by the media, so why should the media's lives be made easier in return
If Murray, Meire RD et al think these statements will quell fan unrest they have got to be deluded. This is as angry as i've ever felt. Are we allowed Anti RD banners?
A question for those who know more about the club than me; what debt did RD pay off/clear? In other words, how indebted to him are we? If he left tomorrow, would the club be in the same state it was in before he took over? Obviously that depends on who takes over but have we got a sizeable debt that RD's basically managing or did he clear it?
If Murray, Meire RD et al think these statements will quell fan unrest they have got to be deluded. This is as angry as i've ever felt. Are we allowed Anti RD banners?
Probably get confiscated at home games, but worth a try. Nothing to stop us at away games.
Thanks for posting that Henry. Could go through it line by line highlighting which bits are nonsense and which bits are lies but it's there for all to see. As for the application process, based on what Katrien's said, I'm guessing she logged onto Tinder for a couple of hours and Guy was the only match!
Richard Murray - what does he get out of retaining his position at the club? He's clearly got no influence and has now sadly lost all credibility. He's been a key contributor to some of the club's greatest successes but he looks absolutely pathetic getting wheeled out by Roland and Katrien to put some positive spin on their latest shambolic decision.
KM: "As soon as we went live with the sacking of Bob Peeters, within an hour I had 20 applications. So there were several candidates but by late evening it became clear that Guy was the favourite."
So it was announced at 6pm on a Sunday. By 7pm she had 20 applications. By 10.30pm it was whittled down to Guy Luzon, who happened to already have a contract.
Right........
Don't forget, there was still time in there to interview others and come up with an informed decision.
ForeverAddickted - it is not the media the manager talks to it us the fans through the media, we can't question the manager but the media can and so they are our ears and voice, not to speak English to British fans of an English club is disrespectful.
ForeverAddickted - it is not the media the manager talks to it us the fans through the media, we can't question the manager but the media can and so they are our ears and voice, not to speak English to British fans of an English club is disrespectful.
If the Manager wants to talk to us fans then he needs to do it through CAFC Player.
He'd be stupid to talk to us honestly through the National Media because they're only interested in spinning their web of lies to sell their product and to make money
He'd be stupid to talk to us honestly through the National Media because they're only interested in spinning their web of lies to sell their product and to make money
They sound perfect for a job at Charlton under Roland and Katrien's regime.
I would normally be defensive of RM for what he has done in the past and early days of my Charlton support but watching him today, i just want him to get out of there, rightly or wrongly for whatever he has done in recent time, its depressing to see him being dragged out for the media whenever Roland wants as an attempt to placate us fans.
Duchatelet, Meire and Murray are scum as far as I'm concerned. I thought that from the start of this experiment, and I will think that even if we win our next five games.
I would normally be defensive of RM for what he has done in the past and early days of my Charlton support but watching him today, i just want him to get out of there, rightly or wrongly for whatever he has done in recent time, its depressing to see him being dragged out for the media whenever Roland wants as an attempt to placate us fans.
I agree but he won't get out when he's owed so much money. It's degrading really.
What I do find interesting is people asking what Solly, JJ think, I strongly believe that player power lead to Peeters being sacked and don't be too surprised if there was a almighty barnie after Saturday's match, which was the tipping point.So they may well have got their wish and will probably be happy for anybody else to take up the reigns.
Duchatelet, Meire and Murray are scum as far as I'm concerned. I thought that from the start of this experiment, and I will think that even if we win our next five games.
Ridiculously OTT reaction. Paedo's and rapists are scum. A woman answering a question at a press conference, no doubt in exactly the way she has been told to by her boss, is not.
From Frank hill in the 1960’s to Eddie Firmani to Andy Nelson to (the much lauded on his arrival) Alan Pardew to Bob Peeters and all in between. I've seen many Charlton managers come and go and have learned not to get excited by any of their appointments. Some posters shouting for the return of Curbs are probably the same supporters claiming he had taking us as far as he could and should go. The same posters who chanted Chris Powell “didn’t know what he was doing “when we lost to the Daggers and then knighted him S.C.P.when we won league one. Those posters complaining about the current owners (who are not beyond criticism) but trying to bring success back to the Valley, should look at the photos of the Valley during the chronic under-investment of the Glickstein era or maybe reminded of the farcical Mark Hulyer stewardship of the club when players wages were dependent on a boat load of bananas or rubber reaching their destination. So don’t get to excited chaps, we've seen it all before – managers come and go, owners come and go, but be careful what you wish for.
Comments
Like when he won the play offs with Liege.. Oh..
"No."
Anyone with from within English football?
"I think most managers who didn't get the job wouldn't like me to disclose that kind of information."
Without naming names can you say whether you considered English based managers?
"No (shakes head)."
Is that No she can't say or No, they didn't consider English based managers.
Right........
You hear of our British Tour De France riders speaking English to the foreign media all the time, reason being when something is put in the papers that is untrue, the cyclist can easily turn around and state it wasn't translated properly and that the journalist should be doing a better job, at the end of the day Football has got to the point where the lives of Managers and Players arent made easy by the media, so why should the media's lives be made easier in return
Richard Murray - what does he get out of retaining his position at the club? He's clearly got no influence and has now sadly lost all credibility. He's been a key contributor to some of the club's greatest successes but he looks absolutely pathetic getting wheeled out by Roland and Katrien to put some positive spin on their latest shambolic decision.
He'll get my support, but it's difficult to see how he's going to motivate the team atm.
He'd be stupid to talk to us honestly through the National Media because they're only interested in spinning their web of lies to sell their product and to make money
Duchatelet, Meire and Murray are scum as far as I'm concerned. I thought that from the start of this experiment, and I will think that even if we win our next five games.
Ridiculously OTT reaction. Paedo's and rapists are scum. A woman answering a question at a press conference, no doubt in exactly the way she has been told to by her boss, is not.
In other words, Roland says, "Jump" and Luzon replies, "How high?".
Don't quite think the old and successful relationship between Murray and Curbs worked like that...
Some posters shouting for the return of Curbs are probably the same supporters claiming he had taking us as far as he could and should go.
The same posters who chanted Chris Powell “didn’t know what he was doing “when we lost to the Daggers and then knighted him S.C.P.when we won league one.
Those posters complaining about the current owners (who are not beyond criticism) but trying to bring success back to the Valley, should look at the photos of the Valley during the chronic under-investment of the Glickstein era or maybe reminded of the farcical Mark Hulyer stewardship of the club when players wages were dependent on a boat load of bananas or rubber reaching their destination.
So don’t get to excited chaps, we've seen it all before – managers come and go, owners come and go, but be careful what you wish for.
Tiger Hill ....... blimey, remember him too, when I was a kid.
I can't even give any proper thought out reasons for it, I just found it sad.