Mixed reaction from fans as Charlton confirm appointment of new head coach

There was mixed reaction from fans online as Charlton Athletic confirm the appointment of new head coach Michael Appleton.

The Addicks have appointed the 47 year old as their new boss on a two-year contract after they sacked manager Dean Holden at the end of last month.

Jason Pearce had been placed in interim charge, but now Appleton is in with the task of guiding them up the League One table, where they sit 16th, with six points taken from six games.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Appleton as our new Head Coach 🤝

🔴⚪️ #cafc

— Charlton Athletic FC (@CAFCofficial) September 8, 2023

CLUB STATEMENT:

Charlton Athletic are delighted to confirm the appointment of Michael Appleton as Head Coach of the men’s first-team.

Appleton, who has taken control of 420 games across each of English football’s top-four divisions during a successful coaching career to date, has signed a two-year contract with the club.

Charlton’s Technical Director Andy Scott led the recruitment process, supported by Managing Director James Rodwell and Simon Lenagan, Sporting Director of the club’s owners Global Football Partners.

Scott commented: “The appointment of Michael comes following an in-depth recruitment process. We had a clear idea of the type of person we wanted, the way they work and how they manage.

“When speaking to the various candidates that we met, Michael demonstrated very clearly that he would have the ability to take the current group and mould them into a successful team.

“He has worked at the very top level so he understands what high standards are required to win. He is a leader on the grass, as well as in the dressing room, has a winning mentality and has had many positive and negative experiences as a manager that have shaped him into the coach that we believe will be the best person for the job.

“He is a coach who knows what it takes to get a team promoted. He has a track record of working with, and developing, young players, which is vital given our outstanding academy. In addition, he has experience working in a modern set-up where his responsibilities are on managing a group of players and getting the best out of them on the pitch.”

Over the last decade Appleton has twice created successful sides with a young, developing core. He led Oxford United to promotion to League One in 2015/16 with a youthful squad that included a host of emerging talents such as Kemar Roofe and John Lundstram. The U’s then narrowly missed out on the play-offs in the club’s first campaign back in League One the following season.

He took Lincoln City to the 2020/21 League One play-off final, getting the best out of another up-and-coming squad, with Brennan Johnson, now of Tottenham Hotspur, enjoying a breakout season under his guidance.

After putting pen-to-paper, Appleton said: “I am delighted to be named as Head Coach of this proud and historic football club and would like to thank the owners, James Rodwell and Andy Scott for placing their trust in me to lead the team.

“I will give everything to deliver success for Charlton Athletic Football Club. To do this, we will all need to work together; the players, staff and supporters, we all have a part to play.

“I cannot wait to get started. I want us to develop a team that excites us all, that never gives up and that plays on the front foot. I want my players to enjoy playing for each other, to express themselves and feel comfortable in the way we aim to play. We want to build a winning mentality, starting immediately.

“It is a competitive division, and achievements take time, but work has already begun to reach the heights that this club, and you as supporters, deserve. Nothing will be taken for granted. All of us will have to work harder and towards the team ethic if we are to accomplish anything.

“I look forward to meeting everyone connected with the club over the coming days and weeks. We will listen, we will learn and we will strive to deliver something special and make you all proud.”

The 47-year-old will take his first Charlton training session at Sparrows Lane on Friday morning.

Supporters can watch Appleton’s first interview as Head Coach on the club’s website later this afternoon, while his first press conference in the role will take place next week.

As mentioned, there was a mixed reaction from fans as Charlton confirm the appointment of new head coach Michael Appleton…

@Staceywestblog: Good coach, and a nice bloke as well. Imps fans forget he took us to within one game of the Championship playing tremendous football

@addicksmemes: Sacked by Christmas (90+4)

@dazmo46: Nobody else is delighted utterly pointless sacking Holden if this was your next move

@cafc_h: Let’s get behind him, no point slating him when he’s not even managed a game. COYA

@millieedmund17: Welcome to Charlton, Michael! 👏

@maccalad10: Won’t last the season…

@MarkCAFC1905: If he does well, I’ll be the 1st one to put my hand up and say, “You know what, fair play.” Good luck 👍🏻 COYR 🔴⚪️ #cafc

@LewisStubbs1302: Welcome to Charlton Michael Appleton. We’ll be behind you and the boys 👊⚽️

@johnnybev1987: I’m not disappointed, let’s give the guy a chance. CoYR

@RowSmith: Same as Adkins, you look at there managerial career and they’ve had several clubs and they’ve never spent more then a couple of years there, doesn’t fill us with confidence or look like there’s any long term ambition.

@DavidMurphy27: Its taken a while, but we have finally reached the bottom of the barrel.

@CafcOllie7: Super excited about this 👍

@markbarber1401: Hugely underwhelming. Might as well have just kept Dean Holden.

@KingOfCoolCAFC: Probably be gone by Christmas.

@CaptNeems: Give the man a chance people already people slating him 🤦‍♂️

@MarkHoman11: Not 100% sure why Dean had to go, but a warm welcome to Michael to SE7 and let’s hope we can get this team to gel. Up the Addicks ⚽️⚽️

@Rob_Waghorn: We either back him & the team 100% or we will be back here again in 6 months or less. There is a squad of players there that should be at least top six. I get he is not everybodys choice but we are in L1. Just say we did get Moore or Wilder, a bigger job comes up and there off.

@champagnejimmy: There was much better out there but as we know this regime hasn’t got a pot to piddle in. It’s a cheap appointment. Welcome to the circus 🎪 #cafc

@CAFC9487067975: Welcome to the club Michael Appleton. Wouldn’t have been my choice but prove me/us wrong! COYA

@GeorgeMurfet_: Get behind him. Clean slate and all that

@GuyJDavies: Fucking shit appointment from a clueless new ownership. In his last 200 games & 6 years as a manager he’s lost more games than he’s won. Is that really where we are now as a club? Where’s the ambition?

@CafcChunes: You gave your own man (Dean Holden) the entire summer and then sacked him after five games, only to hire Michael Appleton as his replacement? Competence and professionalism my ar*e. Sacked by January. Rinse & Repeat. #cafc

@tylerowlinson02: The guy’s already against it as it is, all we can do is give him our full support and backing, no point slating him when he hasn’t managed a game yet. I just hope he’s actually given the time to install his own system and bring in the players he wants #cafc

@TwoTonTonyTubbs: My thoughts.. We shall see. I hope he does well and we have a decent season though January will play a part in that. Like I said, we shall see.

@SCTMeadSundays: Apart from bowyer on that list no matter who they appointed people were going to whinge. Cowley, challinor, Buckingham. Get behind him and the team that’s all we can do #cafc

@HampshireAddick: Like it or not, he’s here now. Just like all of our previous managers he will get my full support 🤞

@SteveUnofficial: I’d be disappointed/worried if I was a Charlton fan. Apparently he “interviews well” but in reality, it’s dour, negative, dinosaur football, and a real shift in attitude to stability rather than aspiration.

@alllincoln1: Michael’s back in the game. Goes against the majority but I liked him at City. Did an awful lot for the club, changing the model off the pitch and shaping a young squad, which developed and reached a play-off final. The final season wasn’t great, but injuries and other factors..

@hill_deancafc: Complete and utter joke of an appointment 🙄

@M4Nt2: Charlton fans won’t like it, but I do. It’s easy to focus where he’s failed at but he’s inherited some pretty shit situations. Did well at Oxford and Lincoln. He developed plenty of young players at Lincoln [which will be key at Charlton] albeit they were mainly loans at L’coln

@law_Salter: Want to know how toxic our fan base is. Read the comments. Slating him before he has even got into the job. Joke! Get behind the man and the team.

@JTedders92: Not thrilled but will have my full support. Let’s just pray he gets us winning.

@GeorgeElek: This is the first time, by my calculations, that MA has joined a club with the kind of squad and budget that could deliver promotion, apart from the Oxford job where he is held in incredibly high regard after a transformative few years for the club and delivered a promotion.

Very underwhelming appointment.
A 38% win rate as a manager across nine different clubs.
This has more to do with cost cutting than owner’s who want success. pic.twitter.com/yDEJRXqJEI

— @CAFCcigars (@WestLondonAddi1) September 8, 2023