Charlton Athletic boss keen for ‘review meeting’ with the Sandgaards – as January transfer window a key priority

Ben Garner has talked about Charlton Athletic needing to make further signings in the January transfer window – with the manager keen to sit down with both Thomas Sandgaard and his son Martin to discuss plans.

The Addicks saw a deadline day swoop for Macauley Bonne fall through.

The South London Press understands that initially the deal for the QPR striker was going to be a loan but that negotiations eventually switched to it being a permanent option until the end of the season, when Bonne is due to be a free agent.

Thomas Sandgaard is the owner and CEO of Charlton with Martin director of analysis. Both are key cogs in the incoming and outgoing transfer business conducted by the League One club.

“We need to recruit,” said Garner. “We need to add to the group. We need to not just get the type of player, but the type of character, that is going to take us forward in how we want to grow the football club and how we want to play. That’s key. We’re doing that in two ways – development on the training ground, and time on the training ground. But the simplest way, if you look, is improve the tools at your disposal.

“If you’re trying to build something, not create something, the more tools you have and the better tools you have then the easier that becomes.

“That’s certainly a focus for January.

“I’ve been waiting to have a meeting with Thomas and Martin to do a little bit of a review into things like January. I’m very eager to do that because that will be key for us moving forwards.”

Garner switched to a 4-4-2 formation in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Lincoln City.

And he mentioned at the weekend that he lacks the playing personnel to totally play the system and style that he wants.

“There’s a primary formation that I’d like to play but there is flexibility within that,” said Garner. “I don’t think it necessarily suits what we’ve got in the building at the moment.

“When you’re coming in and you’ve got a way of playing – that you’ve worked on quite a lot in pre-season and going into the season – we didn’t get the final couple of pieces of the jigsaw in terms of recruitment. You then have to adjust and look.

“It’s about me – that’s the way I want to play and doing it regardless, because if it doesn’t suit the players and get the best out of their strengths then it doesn’t help anyone.

“The principles of how we play, and what we want to do will not change. But at the moment it is a formation for how do we get the best out of ourselves and give ourselves the best possible chance of winning? Both from being solid from a defensive point of view but also maximising our attacking threat.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD