Paul Hart
One has to assume that Alex Dyer, Damian Matthews, Ben Roberts, Laurence Bloom and possibly Keith Peacock will all follow Chris Powell out of The Valley car park, although Dyer and Matthews did take training today under the watchful eyes of José Riga.
My attention and concern now turns to Paul Hart. Duchatelet has spoken often about his respect for Charlton’s youth academy and Paul Hart must take the majority of credit for that. He and his team have done a tremendous job nursing and building a foundation for the future of the football club.
Funded by Kevin Cash, Hart was one of Jimenez and Slater’s first signings and to be fair to the previous owners it was an excellent contribution.
I don’t know if Hart wants to manage a club again, but he should’ve been in Duchatelet’s thoughts when he had decided that Powell was out. José Riga was Technical Director of AC Milan’s youth academy and Duchatelet, of course will have his own ideas. Hart’s contract I believe runs out in June 2015.
Powell wasn’t responsible for the academy, but there was plenty of crossover and our hopes now lie with players such as Poyet, Cousins, Harriott, Fox, Lennon and Gomez. For stability Hart needs to remain around the club or we risk further unsettling our future.
Charlton as an independant club are finished. We will be in League 2 in 2 years as a feeder club. I would not trust Duchbag as far as I could throw him. A really nast piece of work.
None of Duchatelet’s comments give any cause for optimism. He seems to care nothing for the club, merely using it in a parasitic way to fuel his other playthings. This can only end in tears
Football has changed a lot in the last 10 years, gone now are the days of long serving managers, gone are the days when clubs listened to their supporters, instead we now have new owners who want to satisfy their own whims instead of what most clubs and fans crave – stability.
Sadly, were not the only club with problems with new owners, there’s Cardiff, and to a lesser extent Hull City, who have chairmen with big ego’s, and the list will get bigger as time moves on.
Sad as I am in seeing Powell dismissed, I do recognise the owners right to run the club as he/she feels it should be run, but as fans we hope – no expect, our board to listen, and make sensible decisions, but this is an arguement for end of season. Many fans are extremely unhappy at todays sad news, some are agreeing with it, but lets remind ourselves something, we support the club, the boards and managers come and go, more than ever, at least until the seasons over, we all need to get behind the team (whatever players are selected), on Wednesday, they will need lifting, we as fans need to try to lift them, creating a bad atmosphere tomorrow against the board will not help the players, save our vent till end of season.
Time is ripe for change, lets not forget lack of games won & goals scored this season, cup run whilst great was all against teams we should & could be beating. Powell’s time has gone, a true legend nonetheless, but the football club needs a new direction. 4 points from next 2 games are vital.