Thursday, January 20, 2011

Powell and Plymouth

One legendary Addick (Keith Peacock) took charge of Charlton when Phil Parkinson was given his marching orders, and on Saturday another will be in control when Chris Powell begins his managerial career in earnest.

The pros and cons of Powell’s appointment have been raised far more concisely and analytically in other blogs, so I won’t dwell on it too much, though I will add it was a choice that pleased me.

While, like many others, I was a sceptic last Thursday when the odds of our much-loved left-back returning to the club as manager kept dropping, and he was eventually named as the new boss by all media outlets – excluding the official site, of course, which only outpours news when every conceivable I has been dotted and T has been crossed – I believe we may have stumbled upon the perfect candidate.

Despite being a Valley hero, Powell will bring freshness to a club that that has had an air of depression for too long. His beaming smile and positive attitude will certainly change the mood of the place for the better.

Add that to his respected coaching techniques, his will to win and the admiration he immediately garners for his off-field endeavours (PFA chairman, ambassador for the ‘Kick Racism out of Football’ campaign), and it seems that Michael Slater and Tony Jimenez – and possibly Peter Varney and Richard Murray – have selected well. For the first time since Alan Curbishley, the Addicks board have picked a manager on the up, one without the stigma of losing.

Powell’s namesake, Charlton groundsman Colin, does not believe our new head honcho will suffer a debut defeat on Saturday and neither do I, though I can’t quite take Colin’s view that we will “run riot.”

When I have written this blog before, I have gone into detail about our opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, but quite frankly, my eyes hurt and I have a cold, a cat that won’t leave me alone and an episode of Neighbours cued up on Sky+ – it should be a good’un because it looks like that perpetual plotter Paul Robinson is about to embark on another nefarious scheme.

So with all that in mind I’ll make my preview short; Plymouth may have secured a morale-boosting victory over MK Dons in midweek, but they won’t triumph at The Valley. Chrissy Powell’s Red Army will do ‘em 2-1 in front of a raucous crowd – raucous by Charlton standards, anyway.

2 comments:

Scoopsy said...

Haven't watched neighbours in years, I thought Paul Robinson died in the trillionth celebration episode!

Agree with all of the sentiment you say in your post. About time Charlton got back to their routesnof (kind of) appointing from within, and giving the unproven a chance (seed, Lawrence, gritt and curbs).

Can't wait for Saturday, reckoning on a much better crowd we would usually see for a game against Plymouth, oh yes, and of course a win. One nil to the mighty Addicks.

Croydon Addick said...

No Scoopsy, Paul Robinson didn't perish. He just entered into a trivial coma from which he has now awoken.

I am not one of those who was clamouring for a 'Charlton hero' to get the job, but the arrival of one has certainly brought a buzz back to the club.

Like you, I can't wait for Saturday. I am more excited than when I met WWE Diva Kelly Kelly - and that's saying something!