Ged Roddy MBE appointed technical director at Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic owner Thomas Sandgaard has appointed Ged Roddy as the club’s technical director.
Roddy previously spent a number of years at the Premier League and oversaw the introduction of the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan] system for academies.
Most recently he has worked with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on FIFA’s talent development programme.
Sandgaard told the club’s website: “I am very excited we have been able to bring in someone of Ged’s pedigree. He has fantastic experience within football and an extensive network of contacts in the game.
“He knows how to get things done and in the right way. I’ve said from the start, I want to build this club for the future and my vision is for us to become a top Premier League club in the next decade. Ged, working with Lee Bowyer, Steve Gallen, Steve Avory and the rest of the team will be an important part of us getting to those next levels.”
Roddy also had a spell as academy manager at Reading but left his post in November 2019.
He was awarded an MBE in 2000 for his contribution to sport in the UK.
Roddy said: “Charlton Athletic is a great football club with a proud history and tradition and, of course, it has an incredible fanbase and, because of that, it has unbelievable potential. I know the club was very close to the brink before Thomas came in and now we have a real opportunity to do something hugely positive.
“We have to put the foundations in place to stabilise the club and give us something to build on. The long-term view is ambitious and that is exciting but we’ll need to walk before we can run.
“We’ll have to be clever in the way we do business and invest in the development of the club. We have a good structure already in place, with some very talented people working at the club, and with a little bit of support, there is no reason why, over time, we can’t achieve everything the owner, the staff and the fans dream of.
“I am humbled to be joining this great club and can’t wait to get started.”
A press release issued by Charlton added Roddy’s primary focus “will be planning and implementing the club’s long-term footballing strategy with the initial aim of helping the club stabilise and ultimately getting the club back to the Premier League”.
I know very little about this man, but his CV speaks volumes. Already the foundations for the huge rebuilding plan of our beloved club are being put in place. It will take time, but at least this is a positive start. This appears to be another great move by Thomas Sandgaard.