Where Are The Wheels

It’s customary for a new manager to galvanise the players and to have an immediate impact which is reflected in favourable results. That’s precisely what happened to West Ham United when they signed up Alan Curbishley and promptly shocked Premiership leaders Manchester United with a 1-0 win at Upton Park – but at Alan’s old club they don’t seem to have read the script. In fact since Curbishley left, Charlton Athletic have sunk like a stone. The question is, why?

Many people think that Iain Dowie, Curbishley’s replacement, was not given the time he deserved. Some people think that his assistant, Les Reed, who became his successor had a hand in his departure. And pretty much everyone thinks that in no time at all, Charlton Athletic have plummeted from one of the most prudent and stable clubs in the Premiership to the brink of relegation.

As for Reed, the unsavoury rumours just won’t leave him alone and he has absolutely no on-field successes to fight them with. It’s said that he lacks charisma and even the youth players showed him scant respect. The senior players, evidently, didn’t want Dowie to leave but now that he has, they’re all desperate for Alan Pardew to be appointed (which won’t be too easy, because the directors, in their infinite wisdom, have given Reed a three year contract – though nobody knows why). And to cap it all, Reed’s preparations for the home game against Liverpool were enlivened by the news that Stevie Gerrard has no respect whatsoever for the Charlton manager – a legacy of his days as a member of Kevin Keegan’s England coaching team, when together with Derek Fazackerly he made it harder than it should have been for the promising young midfielder to establish himself as an international player.

The game itself did nothing to reassure the Charlton faithful or to dispel the intense gossip about their manager. Liverpool strolled it and Gerrard had a ball, not to mention a goal and a quiet smile of satisfaction bordering upon revenge.

Les Reed may have more badges than a girl guide, but you won’t find many people willing to bet on his survival, let alone any measure of success.