Thursday, May 11, 2006
Managing Change
The Daily Mail advert deadline has passed, and Peter Varney was swift to send out the "No thanks" letters, and not only to the Belmarsh prisoner et al that the email bulletin talked about!
Now the club has to get down to the serious business of choosing the right person/people.
The betting list has been variable over the last week - as Varney says, Wednesday was Parkinson, Thursday it was Allen, then Burley, etc etc.
Steve Coppell, one of the early front-runners, has signed a two-year contract with Reading, so I think he can be discounted now.
Mark Bowen, another long shot, also signed on the dotted line for an extended stay at Blackburn rather than take a chance in the hot seat.
Chris Powell (left) has all but ruled himself out, but may end up as a coach under the new regime.
Adrian Boothroyd has a play off final to worry about, so an application from him is unlikely, as is one from Kevin Blackwell.
The losing play-off managers - Billy Davies and Iain Dowie - would have had time to bash off a letter to the club, although I'm not sure Simes would allow his Irish manager to move across South London to us if he wanted to without a rather large compensation claim. Davies may be a long shot...
Martin Allen has play off series yet to negotiate and Phil Parkinson (left) has just seen his side win promotion. Will either of them have applied? I doubt it somehow...
I can't see any realisation in Mick McCarthy being high in the betting; he lives locally, is out of work, but is ex-Millwall, and not recently successful. He probably applied though!
George Burley continues to be linked, and it is unknown if he has a release clause in his contract with Southampton.
Dave Jones and Alex McLeish are also out of work managers, but would they be picked by Richard Murray to succeed Curbs? Would either get the season tickets renewals curve heading upwards again? Not really...
Then of course, there is Glenn Hoddle. This writer is actually a fan - I know, I know, shock horror everywhere! I tend to remember the good things that Hoddle has done - promotion with Swindon, a good Chelsea side, unluckily sacked by Spurs, a reasonable England tenure before ultimately being undone by the media (as many other England managers before and since have subsequently found). I also remember the good job he did at Southampton while standing in for Jones. The style of play was excellent, and is one that would suit Charlton. Just my opinion... OK, all the bad things about Glenda are coming back, so let's hope he stays at Molineux!
I really can't see Sven, or Martin O'Neill, or Sounness or George Graham being given the job. Or Big Phil Scolari (though he would be fantastic if it was an option - taking on Mourinho in the press and on the pitch!!!). All are proven managers, with respect from the players, but they may want too much dosh to re-build, and we have a budget...
Mick Newell may be interested, and he is another good bet, as could be Brian Kerr, who took over from McCarthy at international level but is yet to get a chance in The Premiership.
The one being pushed, in some ways because an ex-colleague - Andrew Mills - has joined the club as General Manager - Football, is Peter Taylor (left). Almost odd-on in the current betting, but according to Varney, not someone who sent in an applcation. Ex-Spurs player, and ex-several club manager (including a bad spell following O'Neill at Leicester...), Taylor is going to be in with a good shout if the club wants to go get him.
It is intriguing, and is set to trouble the Board for a few days yet.
Now the club has to get down to the serious business of choosing the right person/people.
The betting list has been variable over the last week - as Varney says, Wednesday was Parkinson, Thursday it was Allen, then Burley, etc etc.
Steve Coppell, one of the early front-runners, has signed a two-year contract with Reading, so I think he can be discounted now.
Mark Bowen, another long shot, also signed on the dotted line for an extended stay at Blackburn rather than take a chance in the hot seat.
Chris Powell (left) has all but ruled himself out, but may end up as a coach under the new regime.Adrian Boothroyd has a play off final to worry about, so an application from him is unlikely, as is one from Kevin Blackwell.
The losing play-off managers - Billy Davies and Iain Dowie - would have had time to bash off a letter to the club, although I'm not sure Simes would allow his Irish manager to move across South London to us if he wanted to without a rather large compensation claim. Davies may be a long shot...
Martin Allen has play off series yet to negotiate and Phil Parkinson (left) has just seen his side win promotion. Will either of them have applied? I doubt it somehow...I can't see any realisation in Mick McCarthy being high in the betting; he lives locally, is out of work, but is ex-Millwall, and not recently successful. He probably applied though!
George Burley continues to be linked, and it is unknown if he has a release clause in his contract with Southampton.Dave Jones and Alex McLeish are also out of work managers, but would they be picked by Richard Murray to succeed Curbs? Would either get the season tickets renewals curve heading upwards again? Not really...
Then of course, there is Glenn Hoddle. This writer is actually a fan - I know, I know, shock horror everywhere! I tend to remember the good things that Hoddle has done - promotion with Swindon, a good Chelsea side, unluckily sacked by Spurs, a reasonable England tenure before ultimately being undone by the media (as many other England managers before and since have subsequently found). I also remember the good job he did at Southampton while standing in for Jones. The style of play was excellent, and is one that would suit Charlton. Just my opinion... OK, all the bad things about Glenda are coming back, so let's hope he stays at Molineux!
I really can't see Sven, or Martin O'Neill, or Sounness or George Graham being given the job. Or Big Phil Scolari (though he would be fantastic if it was an option - taking on Mourinho in the press and on the pitch!!!). All are proven managers, with respect from the players, but they may want too much dosh to re-build, and we have a budget...
Mick Newell may be interested, and he is another good bet, as could be Brian Kerr, who took over from McCarthy at international level but is yet to get a chance in The Premiership.
The one being pushed, in some ways because an ex-colleague - Andrew Mills - has joined the club as General Manager - Football, is Peter Taylor (left). Almost odd-on in the current betting, but according to Varney, not someone who sent in an applcation. Ex-Spurs player, and ex-several club manager (including a bad spell following O'Neill at Leicester...), Taylor is going to be in with a good shout if the club wants to go get him.It is intriguing, and is set to trouble the Board for a few days yet.
