New Charlton Athletic boss Garner impressed by hierarchy’s knowledge of his coaching and managerial background

Ben Garner was impressed by the level of detail those involved in the Charlton Athletic managerial recruitment process knew about him and his Swindon Town side from last season.

The 42-year-old has been appointed on a three-year deal and replaces Johnnie Jackson as manager.

Garner led Swindon to the League Two play-off last season, narrowly missing out on a place in the final at Wembley after losing on penalties to eventual promotion winners Port Vale.

The Kent-born manager has worked at Crystal Palace, been assistant head coach at West Brom to Tony Pulis and also managed Bristol Rovers.

“I’m really excited – pleased to get it done and to join this great football club. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead,” Garner told talkSPORT.

“The impressive thing from my perspective was how much they, Thomas [Sandgaard], Martin [Sandgaard] and Steve [Gallen], knew about me. The data and statistics that they had gone into – in terms of Swindon Town last season, in terms of my background, and were also very clear on what they want here at Charlton.

“It needed to be a really attractive opportunity for me to leave Swindon Town because I was very happy there. It’s a fantastic club, great people, and [we just] had a wonderful season. But the fit of this, the vision for the club, the philosophy of how they want to play, is a really good fit for me. I’m really excited by the opportunity.”

The Addicks are heading into their third consecutive season in League One and have been without Premier League football since 2007.

“The immediate goal coming in is to establish an identity and a style of play and to make that very strong, then obviously to improve on last season,” said Garner when asked whether his goal was to achieve promotion back to the Championship in his first season in charge.

“The size of the club – not just the tradition and the history – but the potential of the club moving forward is, without doubt, to go the Championship and beyond.

“That starts day one with hard work, putting the foundations in place, and then building it day by day.

“It [League One] is a difficult league – there are big clubs within it, and there are a lot of difficult games.

“We need to be positive and attack, but we have also got to show humility and respect for every team in this division. We also have to appreciate that teams coming to the Valley will give them a lift – we need to raise our game on that front.

“The bottom line for me is what we do, in terms of our work ethic and our processes on the day to day basis – that is what leads to success.”

Garner came through the ranks at Crystal Palace’s academy as a coach, where he worked alongside Wilfried Zaha, Jonathan Williams, Nathaniel Clyne and Victor Moses.

Charlton’s academy has recently produced Mason Burstow, Karlan Grant and Ezri Konsa, with Garner adding that the “big attraction of the job was the academy.”

He continued: “I know Steve Avory well – he has done a wonderful job here for many, many years. We have got a fantastic catchment area, and that is something key which we can build [on].

“If young players here who come through are academy are talented enough and good enough, they will get the opportunity to play. But they need to be good enough – that’s the bottom line.

“We’re going to play the best people and players. If we can develop our own, then absolutely, we would love to do that.”

PICTURE: CHARLTON ATHLETIC FC