Charlton Athletic head coach Michael Appleton has admitted that the club’s recruitment must be better than in recent seasons ahead of the January transfer window.
The Addicks have struggled once again this season to keep up with the rest of the top six and are currently nine points behind the final playoff spot, with a huge game away at Barnsley still to come on Saturday.
Appleton’s men looked like they were set to move one step closer to the promotion places with a big victory against Cambridge United in Neil Harris’ first game in the dugout for the visitors.
Alfie May opened the scoring in the first half to bag his 15th goal of the League One campaign so far, his 19th in all competitions, before Wolves loanee Chem Campbell nodded home a Corey Blackett-Taylor cross in the second half to go two goals to the good.
Charlton were leading 2-0 heading into the final five minutes the game until everything went wrong. Gassan Ahadme pulled one back for the visitors three minutes from time before converting a controversial penalty in stoppage time to earn a valuable point for the visitors.
It’s another disappointing result for the Addicks in what has been a turbulent season so far, which certainly hasn’t been helped in recent weeks by the side’s injury woes, including news of Miles Leaburn’s long-term absence from the squad.
With the January transfer window approaching fast, supporters will certainly be hoping that Appleton is given resources to improve the side ahead of the second half of the campaign.
However, speaking to London News Online about the winter window, the manager took a swipe at the club’s recruitment strategy in recent seasons [quotes via Blackpool Gazette]:
“In fairness to all the players who are either fit or not available for me at the minute, it would be stupid of me and daft of me not to say that if we’re going to have any chance of getting out of this league, the transfer windows are massive.
“And let’s face it, they have to be a million times better than they have been the last couple of windows.
“At the end of the day if we want to compete at the top end of this league this has to happen. If not, then we will be where we have been for the past two or three seasons and just be a mid-table team – I don’t want that. I’ve not come here to do that. And I’m sure everyone else is in the same boat.”
Writer’s View
These are quite interesting quotes from Appleton but many Charlton Athletic supporters can certainly resonate with what the manager is saying. Forget any managerial appointments, Charlton’s recruitment within the squad hasn’t been good enough over the last few seasons.
In football, observers are far too quick to judge a manager for the team’s failings on the pitch when the transfer window is far more important. Charlton need to start recruiting smarter and better if they are to return to the Championship by the end of next season.
