Lee Bowyer spoke to Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard on Sunday – and is refusing to write off play-off chances
Lee Bowyer reckons his Charlton side are low on confidence – with getting back on the winning trail the only way to change that.
The Addicks manager caught up with owner Thomas Sandgaard on Sunday following the 3-0 home reverse to Blackpool.
And Bowyer is adamant that Charlton’s League One play-off hopes are not dead in the water.
He said: “I try to speak to Thomas once a week, before we play a game. I tell him what the plans are and what we’re trying to do, so at least when he is watching at home he can understand ‘this is what Lee said he was trying to do’.
“Sometimes we miss each other on the odd occasion, because he is busy in America. But we had a chat yesterday and spoke about the game, results of late and plans going forward. He understands – he sees the games.
“Some haven’t gone the way we wanted them to go and performances haven’t been what we’d have liked at times. But he understands it is a tough league. It ain’t easy, you’ve got to be at it.
“We’re all working hard and we all want the same outcome here. We all want the same thing – to win games – and we’re trying.
“I’m trying, I’m trying to put the best team out there every time to win the game. I’m trying to get something going – but the players are low on confidence. The only way to get out of that is to win games – then it all changes very quickly. We’ve seen that in the past.
“I’m not panicking. Do I think the top six is not possible? I don’t think that at all. But I’m also disappointed because we have dropped some points that we shouldn’t have. That’s on paper – but football is not won on paper.
“Look at all the teams at the top. I said to Thomas: ‘Peterborough are top and we went and played them and they weren’t better than us’. But what they are doing is grinding out results. I watched the Wigan game yesterday and they scraped through that. They beat Wigan with a penalty. They are grinding out results and sometimes you need to start doing that – grind out a couple – and things can change very quickly.”
PHOTO: PAUL EDWARDS
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Hmmm, as you know from previous replies, I am a Bowyer fan, albeit at present, I am extremely concerned that the players are not doing it for him. As for low on confidence, I don’t see that. They have scored first in 2 of their last 3 games and then gone on to lose instead of building on it, even if they do hit the crossbar on occasions ! Why are these players low on confidence, they are professionals and getting paid to do something they love. Is it a symptom of modern society?
How Lee thinks he is going to turn it round with 15 games to go is hard to believe. If he does, then he is truly a miracle worker and definitely the man to take Charlton forward to better things, if not this season, then next.