Jacko: Albie Morgan must grab these opportunities to convince me
BY LOUIS MENDEZ
Charlton caretaker Johnnie Jackson says that Albie Morgan must grab his opportunities when they come along – as the young midfielder looks to try and force his way back into the Addicks side.
Morgan, 21, started each of the opening six league fixtures under Nigel Adkins at the beginning of this term. However, since the end of August, the academy graduate has featured in the starting 11 just three times from a possible 11 league games – and he hasn’t played a single minute of League One football since Jackson took over.
He was given the captains’ armband for the trip to Leyton Orient in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday evening. The O’s ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a second-half goal from former Charlton loanee Paul Smyth.
Morgan also featured for 71 minutes of the 4-0 FA Cup win over Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday and Jackson explained that the young midfielder must show some extra astuteness in his play to win a place back in the side.
The Portsmouth-born player made his league debut for the Addicks back in August 2018 but has never managed to nail down a long-term place in the side – he’s failed to make more than 14 league starts in a single season since then.
“We’ve had conversations,” explained the Charlton stand-in boss.
“I want him to be smarter in his play and his positioning. He’s trying to take on board the things that I want from players in his position. It was an opportunity for him to get more minutes. He needs to grab those opportunities and he needs to continue training hard and try to convince me he should be in the league starting 11 through what he does in these games and what he does on the training pitch.
“It’s been difficult for him. I gave him the armband, I thought he was the most senior in terms of Charlton appearances amongst that group, so I felt it was the right thing to give him the armband. He’s not a junior player anymore so Albie needs to keep applying himself. I thought he, like he always does, gave everything out there.”
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