Charlton Athletic technical director Scott reveals message to players just before appointment of Michael Appleton as head coach
Charlton Athletic technical director Andy Scott has talked about a complete mindset change and also approach after appointing Michael Appleton as head coach.
The Addicks sacked Dean Holden at the end of last month and replaced him with Appleton, who has managed more than 400 matches with successful spells at both Oxford and Lincoln City.
Scott, who took a central role in the interview and selection process for Holden’s successor, spoke to the playing squad on Thursday – the day before Appleton was confirmed in the head coach post.
Scott told Charlton’s official website: “I didn’t name Michael as coming in but I said: ‘This can’t be happening any more – today is the last day that you are a losing club.’ We have lost six games out of eight – in anyone’s book that isn’t acceptable.
“It isn’t acceptable for this football club and it shouldn’t be acceptable at any football club. If we are going to achieve anything then a losing habit has got to stop. We have got to have the mentality that we’re going to win. Michael will bring that and we need to make sure the players understand. Every day in training, on the grass, they will be expected to perform to their best and show a winning mentality.
“This club has been sat still for too long. It’s not good enough. We (Global Football Partners) have been here six weeks. Dean leaving has put a bit of a spanner in the works, in terms of the timescale of how we wanted to move things along.
“My job now is to put my mark on this football club and us as an ownership group. The last six weeks has allowed us to see a lot of things we were pretty sure we wanted to change – now we definitely want to improve them.
“There have been areas of the club that have been neglected – that’s fine and understandable, we knew what we were walking into. But now we’ve got to take action – to bring this club to a level it can be and give Michael the best chance of being successful.”
Scott talked about it being “difficult” to let Holden and two members of backroom staff – Danny Senda and Glyn Shimell – leave.
“We made some mistakes and errors,” said Scott. “An early decision was made so it gave the next person through the door, which was Michael, the best chance. We’ve got 40 games left. We believe we have got a strong squad that is capable but, make no bones about it, they know they have been under-performing. We have all got to take responsibility for that. Unfortunately a very good man and some good people have lost their jobs in Dean, Glyn and Danny. We wish them all the best.
“We’ve got to be ruthless. This club has been too easily rolled over by teams. People have accepted losing and mediocrity. That is not happening. We’ve got to drive a culture of high standards, high performing and an elite environment. It doesn’t happen overnight, but we have to start now.
“That is my responsibility now, with Michael, to drive that and make sure we can achieve what we should be able to achieve this season, that is to challenge at the top of the league and get promoted.”
PICTURE: PAUL EDWARDS