Turning round the ageing oil tanker that is Charlton

Charlton CEO Charlie Methven has given a comprehensive interview about the current state of play at Charlton: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/charlton-athletic-chief-executive-officer-charlie-methven-on-current-league-position-transfer-window-and-style-of-play/

More of the interview has yet to be released, but Methven does seek to address head on some of the concerns expressed by fans, but makes it clear that Captain Jones is there for the long term to steer the rusting oil tanker on a new course.

Methven admits: ‘We’re about five or six points short of what the target was at the start of the season. Whether it be as a board, or the manager, we wouldn’t exactly be jumping up and down with joy about where we are right now. But, at the same time, we are very far from being out of it.’

“In some of the other clubs I’ve been involved in, in similar exercises, like Oxford United, around 12 years ago, and Sunderland, six years ago – the first thing you have to do is arrest the decline. It is easier said than done, because organisations which have got negative momentum – that is a very powerful form of momentum.”

“You have to gradually start turning the oil tanker around and that is a painful process. Every single thing the club does has to be unpicked and analysed – put back together again or restructured. I said it from the moment I came to Charlton that these are two to three-year processes.”

Methven offered little comfort to those wishing to see an early departure for Nathan Jones: ““There is a good reason why Nathan signed a long-term contract. It was the opinion of the board, once we had a chance to look under the bonnet in those opening five months that we were at the club, that the club was going to need quite significant wholesale change and that change was going to need to be bedded down over a significant period of time.”

I don't know about the oil tanker analogy when illicit Russian tankers have broken apart in bad weather, but at least Methven makes an attempt to outline the overall strategy.   However, a broad spectrum of fans lack patience and want another ide on the managerial merry go round.