Powell in today's Newshopper

Powell wants to find out more from potential new Charlton owners
CHRIS Powell admitted addressing the future of a number of players and staff will be first on his agenda if the proposed takeover of Charlton goes through.
The Addicks confirmed at the weekend they were in advanced talks with Belgian millionaire Roland Duchâtelet about buying the club and the deal is expected to be officially completed early in the new year.
Powell, his coaching staff and a number of players are out of contract in the summer, and following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday the manager conceded that it is his intention to tie people down to longer deals.
The SE7 boss said:“A lot of them deserve to have their futures secured.
“Obviously I will ask about my staff and myself and ask about their (new owners) plans for the football club.
“I want the players sorted out, they are the ones who go out week-in, week-out, and I know it’s down to me and I am responsible for my team and my club.
“You want to be rewarded, the players do, no doubt.
“They don’t want to be in a position in six months time where they don’t know where they’re going to be in the summer.
“That is the same for me and my staff, so we will see where it takes us.
“We’ll see exactly what is going to happen now if this investment goes through, and what the new people think.
“And obviously I’ve got to have discussions if and when it happens.”
Powell added: “I’ve got on well with the owners at the club now.
“Who knows what the future will bring?
“If I have a good relationship with the new people then great, I would like that to happen in an ideal world.
“But I can’t second guess, I really can’t.”
Powell has been deprived of funds since the club were promoted to the Championship in May 2012 and the Addicks boss admitted he will look to strengthen his side in the January transfer window.
But he is unsure yet whether some much-needed cash will be made available by the new owners to bolster his squad.
He said: “I don’t know what the intentions are, whether they’re going to spend money and allow us to do things like that.
“Of course it is an ideal time but until I have discussions and speak to people, the right people, then I am just guessing like everyone else.
“It might be the same (budget) as it is now, I don’t know.”
Powell added: “We’re all saying that new investment might mean investment in players - but it might not.
“We’ve got to make sure what the intentions of possible new owners are for the football club and whether they are looking to improve the squad.
“I’m sure they are because of where we are at.
“I would love that to happen and, I am sure that our supporters would as well.
“Ultimately, it’s the fans’ club.”
But despite being in the dark over whether funds will be forthcoming, Powell was keen to stress the point he does need to strengthen a squad lacking in numbers.
He explained: “We do need investment, we haven’t had any and we’re battling away.
“It’s my job to galvanise and try and gee up players that were at League One level and pushed themselves last year.
“We’re having to push them again with a smaller squad and a few academy products that have stepped up, but of course we want to be higher.
“As I said on the pitch at the end of last season, I want to push this club on.
“The last two years I had it exactly where I wanted it, but to move on, to push on, you have to improve your squad.
“We haven’t been able to do that, so the players have stepped up and fought away, as much as they can, and it’s brought us 23 points from 23 games.”
Powell added: “Do we want that to be better second half? Absolutely.
“But they keep pushing themselves.
“They need help, we all do. This club needs it.
“We want to move forward and if that’s with new investment and people coming in, then you want to know what their intention is for the football club.
“Let’s see what it brings for me, my staff, the players and more importantly the supporters of this football club.”


Never read so much old bollocks in all my life

The bit about "its the fan's club" must have come out of his Xmas cracker

 

I don't see any point in shopping in the bargain basement if we're just going to end up with more players who are no better than what we've got already.

 

We have certainly made a number of pointless signings and loans like that, but we have also snapped up a lot of "unconsidered trifles". Kermorgant was an outstanding signing from the bargain basement, and Morrison, Wiggins and Stephens are worth a lot more than we paid for them. We are better off with Hamer, Wood, Wilson, Devite and Church than without them.

At our level managers have to find diamonds in the rough to succeed. And paying big fees does not guarantee success, as we found out in the post-Curbishley seasons.

At present we have two positions, left-midfield and striker, where the sort of players you could sign on a free, or for a nominal fee, could come in and strengthen the team enough to ensure survival. Of course, they would have to be the right signings, but the Good Doctor (plus whoever else is responsible for deciding) has an above average track record with permanent signings. His record with loanees is woeful, though.

I imagine if he has any money to spend he will go back for Obika. Not too impressed myself, but CP seems to believe in him and it is his job on the line. No idea who we could sign for LM but there must be a lot of solid unspectacular players who have failed with Premiership or larger Championship clubs who could do a better job for us than Jackson/Stewart/Green/Evina and who would be glad for the chance to play regularly.

The one advantage of having a struggling team is that it is not too hard to find players to improve it at low cost. If you are trying to improve Real Madrid or Manchester City you are looking for 50 million pound (and upward) players and could still get burned.

 

Eddie> "The one advantage of having a struggling team is that it is not too hard to find players to improve it at a low cost." Now that's the sort of euphemism I like.

 

Like Simon Church

 

I basically agree with Eddie's analysis although we will (naturally) agree to disagree on individual players. If I were CP at the moment I'd be careful what questions I ask just in case the answers turn out to be unpalatable. See my post just now on the takeover thread. If I were Mr Duchatelet I would not be giving many contracts out to current staff until I had done an assessment of what we have, what we need and how much he is prepared to spend. I suspect his retention list may be rather shorter than CP's and I'm not convinced that CP himself will be on it.

 

Totally agree. Be careful what you wish for. Surely the Belgian will be at Ipswich & had his people at our game yesterday ? Certain people must be feeling very uncomfortable.