New Charlton development coach has advice for Albie Morgan after failing to secure loan exit

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

New Charlton Athletic first-team development coach Grant Basey reckons there is only one way for Albie Morgan to shrug off the lack of a loan exit before the recent deadline – by working even harder.

The midfielder broke into the first-team picture in SE7 last season.

But Morgan has dropped down the pecking order since promotion.

There were no takers before the deadline passed for League One and League Two clubs to do deals.

Basey said: “Albie has great ability. He did ever so well last season and kicked on quicker than him, and a lot of other people thought. For now he is in a situation where he hasn’t gone out on loan but he should be playing first team games. I’m 100 per cent in agreement.

“But he isn’t and he has to get his head down and work hard. He has to prove to myself, Jacko and the manager that he warrants a place in the squad.

“At the moment it’s tough because the area we have got the most bodies is the midfield area. And not only bodies – good players. It’s going to be hard for him.

“Last season he played in both play-off semi-finals and contributed to an assist. The boy has got a good future in the game.

“But football is a rollercoaster journey – you’re never going to be straight there in the first team week in and week out, unless you are a phenomenal talent. It is up and down.

“He might be in a little bit of a lull or a downer, he just needs to get himself into a high – and that’s by working every day.

“He needs to listen to the advice that coaches give him. If he does that there is no reason he can’t break his way back into the first team.

“It’s about biding his time.”

A full interview with Basey is in Friday’s South London Press.