Two minutes out of his day to put a smile on the faces of his twitter followers. Usually not my cup of tea but he has the rare quality of making sure it comes across authentic, unlike those relentlessly positive types you come across in life. The authenticity leads me to believe that he does have that other side to him when he needs it. And when it comes out, you’ll truly know you’ve f’ed it up.
Don't find him cringe because it comes across as authentic. I work in advertising and a lot of agencies try to have a 'Positivity' culture while being run by complete sociopaths.
With Nigel I just feel like that's genuinely the way he is.
As do I ... I’m sure he really is like that.
I didn't realise there were so many of us media wankers on here
Don't find him cringe because it comes across as authentic. I work in advertising and a lot of agencies try to have a 'Positivity' culture while being run by complete sociopaths.
With Nigel I just feel like that's genuinely the way he is.
Give him time. He will lean the Charlton way of things and will adapt.
Paul Hayes reckons that Nigel Adkins was the best manager he had in his playing career.
The former Charlton striker, 37, was part of the Scunthorpe side which twice won promotion to the Championship under Adkins. He formed a formidable partnership with Gary Hooper.
“He is the best manager I played under, bar none,” said Hayes, who scored three goals in 22 appearances for Chris Powell’s 2012 League One title-winning side. “Gareth Ainsworth would be up there as well, although they are different personalities. Nigel’s man-management was unbelievable – just how interested he is to speak to people, how positive and happy he is.
“We’re talking about 10 years ago, but the things he was saying and doing were so advanced back then.
“He understood a team’s strength and weaknesses plus how to get the best out of players. He got Scunthorpe straight back up after we got relegated from the Championship and then we stayed up with one of the smallest budgets. Most of us went on to bigger and better things because of the manager.
“I don’t think there is anyone out there who can say a bad word about Nige. That, in itself, speaks volumes – he treats everyone with respect.
“It was little things. We had Jack Cork on loan from Chelsea and he was a 19-year-old boy, living away from his family. There was no room on a table at lunch and Corky went and sat by himself – Nigel went and sat with him and had a 20-minute conversation.
“He’d start to know you personally – your interests, hobbies and find out about your family. That’s where he was different to most managers.
“I had a chat with Nige about life and things about two months ago. We’ve always had a good relationship, I can pick up the phone or text him.
“He would make you go out there and give that extra bit, not just for yourself but for him as well. He allowed you to feel on top of the world but also allowed you to make mistakes. He takes the pressure off you. He was so, so good for me.
“Nige’s recruitment was second to none. He never brought in players who thought they were bigger than what they were or had a bad attitude.
“With Nige it is that everyone should think about the team.
“He has lots of sayings like ‘grab an oar – we’re all going in the one direction to a desert island. We can’t all be going in different directions or we’ll be going around and around the ocean. We’re all on the same page and together’.
“He knew what he needed to say in the dressing room.”
Hayes, whose son is in Charlton’s U12 side, watched Adkins’ media interviews after the 2-2 draw at AFC Wimbledon.
“He flips it when he is asked about the fact other clubs have played fewer games and talks about them having to play catch-up and the effects of fatigue or picking up injuries,” said Hayes.
“That is where he is so clever – to be able to spin a negative into a positive.
“Nige buys into so much at every football club to make sure there is a longevity thing even though everyone knows that every manager’s job is very month to month.
“He knows what clubs need to get into a better position. He’s got a new chairman in Thomas [Sandgaard], who is a very wealthy and ambitious man – he looks like he is going to be there for a very long time.
“I’m excited to see what is going to happen at Charlton.
“The last time he coached in League One is when he got us [Scunthorpe] promoted in the play-offs. The fact he hasn’t dropped back to that level before now shows how well he has done. He’s had difficult jobs at Reading and Sheffield United. He’s mostly left a club in the same position as they were or he has improved them.
“Nigel makes everyone buy into it. There are a lot of managers out there who would’ve been good for Charlton, but I’m really happy he is there."
The last time Adkins coached in League One was not with Scunthorpe....it was winning the league with Saints in our infamous “Dagenham & Redbridge” season.
For those who believe Adkins can't address failure and the faults of individuals:
While Adkins may have had time for acknowledgment in the dressing room after matches, the actual analysis would wait until the following Monday. Adkins has always felt its best to let emotions cool slightly before discussing games in detail. His open policy didn’t just apply to the way he developed relationships with individuals, but also in these structured team meetings where players were always given a chance to voice their opinions and defend themselves.
“Whether we won, drew, or lost, we had a meeting on the Monday where we would go through all the errors,” Lambert recalls. “It was embarrassing sometimes, especially if you made an error. But he would make sure you sat through it. You would get asked in front of the lads, ‘What happened there? That’s not good enough.’ Stuff like that. And you would have a right to reply. Sometimes there were arguments, sometimes it kicked off. But as soon as that meeting was over, the line was crossed, everyone stepped over it together and then that game never got spoken about again – it was on to the next game. I’ve never come across that before and it worked really well.”
He does. He just does it a couple of days later in a professional way by allowing the players to voice their opinion. Not in a shouty, emotional ridden manner straight after the game.
Makes you wonder why things didnt work out for him @ Reading or Sheffield United
Owners who didnt back him, or have the same sort of vision perhaps?
Takes time to turn things around and not all clubs are patient.
And maybe what Adkins does works with some players/ clubs but not others.
We shall see if he's given time here by fans, by players and by the owner and if the players buy into his ideas.
I think he's certainly found the right owner, given that everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked. I wonder if he'll back him in similar fashion to how Southampton did too
Says a lot about Thomas and how he has managed to attract someone like our Nige.
Don't think he's the kind of manager that would just rock up & sign for anyone happy to just take the money. An owner that was willing to meet his ambition and positivity would have been a huge factor.
The likes of Adkins wouldn't have gone anywhere near a Duchatelet or a Southall.
Makes you wonder why things didnt work out for him @ Reading or Sheffield United
Owners who didnt back him, or have the same sort of vision perhaps?
Takes time to turn things around and not all clubs are patient.
And maybe what Adkins does works with some players/ clubs but not others.
We shall see if he's given time here by fans, by players and by the owner and if the players buy into his ideas.
I think he's certainly found the right owner, given that everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked. I wonder if he'll back him in similar fashion to how Southampton did too
“everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked” What a load of crap! 🤥
Makes you wonder why things didnt work out for him @ Reading or Sheffield United
Owners who didnt back him, or have the same sort of vision perhaps?
Takes time to turn things around and not all clubs are patient.
And maybe what Adkins does works with some players/ clubs but not others.
We shall see if he's given time here by fans, by players and by the owner and if the players buy into his ideas.
I think he's certainly found the right owner, given that everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked. I wonder if he'll back him in similar fashion to how Southampton did too
“everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked” What a load of crap! 🤥
The most arousing part of that article was hearing that he does detailed work on throw-ins. For the first time in 25 years I'm excited to maybe see a throw in tactic that isn't: "slow the game right down, moan at your teammates, chuck it long down the line," or "take a short, loopy throw to a teammate under pressure who passes it back, out of play."
The most arousing part of that article was hearing that he does detailed work on throw-ins. For the first time in 25 years I'm excited to maybe see a throw in tactic that isn't: "slow the game right down, moan at your teammates, chuck it long down the line," or "take a short, loopy throw to a teammate under pressure who passes it back, out of play."
I found the article both intriguing and very encouraging but didn’t experience quite the same response as you @Addickhead86 😉
My biggest criticism of LB was his negativity not even really on the pitch, more a case of seeming to be on such a downer off it. Negativity breeds negativity that's a fact. I hope the fans dont judge anything on our last few games of the season if results dont go our way. It is total chalk and cheese from an outlook point of view which is a massive step up imo
The most arousing part of that article was hearing that he does detailed work on throw-ins. For the first time in 25 years I'm excited to maybe see a throw in tactic that isn't: "slow the game right down, moan at your teammates, chuck it long down the line," or "take a short, loopy throw to a teammate under pressure who passes it back, out of play."
I found the article both intriguing and very encouraging but didn’t experience quite the same response as you @Addickhead86 😉
Makes you wonder why things didnt work out for him @ Reading or Sheffield United
Owners who didnt back him, or have the same sort of vision perhaps?
Takes time to turn things around and not all clubs are patient.
And maybe what Adkins does works with some players/ clubs but not others.
We shall see if he's given time here by fans, by players and by the owner and if the players buy into his ideas.
I think he's certainly found the right owner, given that everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked. I wonder if he'll back him in similar fashion to how Southampton did too
“everyone expected Sandgaard to sack Bowyer long before he walked” What a load of crap! 🤥
A good amount then
Some. I regularly talk with several fans and even one or two who work at the club. All, and I do mean all, expected and wanted Bowyer to stay on and see how things worked out with wage caps removed and the transfer embargo lifted. Ok.....that didn’t happen for whatever already much discussed reasons. We don’t know the whole story and maybe never will? Your remark stating “everyone”, is way way wide of the mark. It smacks of a similarly irritating gross exaggeration used in the media, still to this day, alluding to the fan base at Charlton wanting Curbs out.
Bowyer walked out on us, as far as I know, Thomas never sacked him and we don’t know if he would have because Bowyer resigned. I think a few wanted him to go (me included) but I was never sure what route Thomas would take - back , crack or sack .
My biggest criticism of LB was his negativity not even really on the pitch, more a case of seeming to be on such a downer off it. Negativity breeds negativity that's a fact. I hope the fans dont judge anything on our last few games of the season if results dont go our way. It is total chalk and cheese from an outlook point of view which is a massive step up imo
Totally. Bowyer came in at a time when we needed the not too high not too low approach after the incessant wild positivity of Robinson. I never really bought into Robinson's ways. I thought it was something to do with him being a chirpy Scouser and we'd never warm to him.
Funny that Nigel is a chirpy Scouser. Early days but I don't get anywhere near the same impression of him as opposed to Gobbo.
Didn’t think Bow was in the slightest negative when he first came in. In fact I would say the opposite. God knows the owners he endured must have ground all the positivity out of the poor bloke because by the end he was nowhere near the same person.
The positivity has the potential to grate, but it hasn’t happened for me (yet?). I like him to be honest, and if he brings us success I will love him. Keep up the daily pep talks Nige....you’re simply going to have to come to terms with your Wally name as best you can.
Comments
Owners who didnt back him, or have the same sort of vision perhaps?
While Adkins may have had time for acknowledgment in the dressing room after matches, the actual analysis would wait until the following Monday. Adkins has always felt its best to let emotions cool slightly before discussing games in detail. His open policy didn’t just apply to the way he developed relationships with individuals, but also in these structured team meetings where players were always given a chance to voice their opinions and defend themselves.
“Whether we won, drew, or lost, we had a meeting on the Monday where we would go through all the errors,” Lambert recalls. “It was embarrassing sometimes, especially if you made an error. But he would make sure you sat through it. You would get asked in front of the lads, ‘What happened there? That’s not good enough.’ Stuff like that. And you would have a right to reply. Sometimes there were arguments, sometimes it kicked off. But as soon as that meeting was over, the line was crossed, everyone stepped over it together and then that game never got spoken about again – it was on to the next game. I’ve never come across that before and it worked really well.”
He does. He just does it a couple of days later in a professional way by allowing the players to voice their opinion. Not in a shouty, emotional ridden manner straight after the game.
And maybe what Adkins does works with some players/ clubs but not others.
We shall see if he's given time here by fans, by players and by the owner and if the players buy into his ideas.
Don't think he's the kind of manager that would just rock up & sign for anyone happy to just take the money.
An owner that was willing to meet his ambition and positivity would have been a huge factor.
The likes of Adkins wouldn't have gone anywhere near a Duchatelet or a Southall.
What a load of crap! 🤥
I regularly talk with several fans and even one or two who work at the club.
All, and I do mean all, expected and wanted Bowyer to stay on and see how things worked out with wage caps removed and the transfer embargo lifted.
Ok.....that didn’t happen for whatever already much discussed reasons. We don’t know the whole story and maybe never will?
Your remark stating “everyone”, is way way wide of the mark.
It smacks of a similarly irritating gross exaggeration used in the media, still to this day, alluding to the fan base at Charlton wanting Curbs out.
I think a few wanted him to go (me included) but I was never sure what route Thomas would take - back , crack or sack .
In Thomas I trust !
Funny that Nigel is a chirpy Scouser. Early days but I don't get anywhere near the same impression of him as opposed to Gobbo.
Everyone needs a Nigel in their lives! ;-)
Keep up the daily pep talks Nige....you’re simply going to have to come to terms with your Wally name as best you can.