New manager bounce
No, not us. Nottingham Forest have this morning sacked Billy Davies after 8 games without a win and with Forest now out of the Play-Off positions.
Old Addicks foe Neil Warnock is set to take charge until the end of the season. Warnock, who has a powerpoint presentation to rival Ian Dowie will be in his 10th management job and his first game is tomorrow against José Riga’s Addicks. Former Notts County boss Keith Curle is expected to be Warnock’s number two.
Billy Davies, who had just been given a touchline ban only signed a 4-year contract extension at the City Ground last October.
In other news José Riga has recalled Joe Pigott from Gillingham. Maybe that is what he meant when he said that goalscoring options were within the squad, but he is right to look at the youngster for himself. Negatively this might mean, well probably means, that no more attacking options loan-wise will be forthcoming.
Riga does now have six strikers available to him, and Pigott does offer something a little different.
UPDATE: Neil Warnock turns down Nottingham Forest. “There was nobody you could talk to English-wise that knew about football, that you could have a conversation about getting things done. It is OK having good intentions but you have to know the rules and regulations and it seemed very difficult to get anything done.” – BBC Sport
If that “something a little different” is the ability to convert goal-scoring opportunities then that would be very welcome. However, yet again it does not look like a serious attempt by the new owner, when compared for example with Yeovil’s signing of Ishmael Miller, to address an obvious and urgent need. Riga is of course quite right to see if Pigott can give the team a cutting edge.
Obika aside, it looks as if Riga is getting no more tools than Powell did.
Indeed, and to all those who have been urging supporters to “move on” I would ask in what way they believe the owner has moved the squad on, ie. put it in a better position to preserve Championship status. I’ve not heard any convincing argument for that having happened. Obika is a good addition but the reality is that without Kermorgant and Stephens the squad has gone backwards. Options (I mean effective ones) have been reduced whether it be Riga or anybody else trying to find a way of winning football matches for CAFC.. At the moment with those games in hand it looks like Charlton’s position is still a manageable one but I’m not optimistic.