Charlton Caretaker Manager Lee Bowyer spoke to the press this morning ahead of Saturday’s final game of the regular season away to Rochdale on Saturday.
His full interview is available here on Valley Pass.
Below are five talking points from the press conference.
On the current atmosphere…
“We’re all pulling in the right direction, all pulling together. I have to say this probably the best atmosphere I’ve seen around this club since I’ve been here, that can only be a good thing. When you have that positivity it just brushes off on everyone around. That’s the most pleasing thing for me that everyone is moving in the right direction to get the promotion.”
On Mark Marshall…
“He’s a great professional Marsh and when I left him out against Scunthorpe it would have hurt him but that’s a commitment (training by himself on the morning of the match) that everyone should show because you never know when you will be called on. He was called on the next game, three days later, put in an outstanding performance against Shrewsbury and then he didn’t play against Portsmouth and then came in on Saturday – outstanding performance. His work-rate for the team is unreal. That’s the commitment that we want from every player. It’s not just Marshall, I think everybody is showing that at the moment. That’s what I’ve demanded, professionalism and work rate because everything else is there.”
On credit for five clean sheets in nine games…
“Whoever has played in the back four, and obviously the keeper (Ben Amos), who was outstanding on again Saturday. Jacko has been working with the back four, more so when we play Saturday-Saturday you can do a bit more work. Like today Jacko will do a bit more work with the back four and take the defensive midfielders and then I’ll work with the attacking players. Jacko has done a great job and when you are putting your body on the line, like they are now, then you’ve got more chance of keeping clean sheets. You keep clean sheets with the players we’ve got you win games.”
On Rochdale…
“No team is a pushover in this league. If you approach it in the right manner then you can win the game. They’re at home, they need points to stay up and I have no doubt it will be a tough and physical game but I have no doubt my players will turn up with the right attitude and respect them, so it should be an interesting game.”
On having the best ever start as a Charlton manager…
“Someone mentioned it but it’s not about what I do. Like I said when I first came in it’s about the club getting back into the Championship and back into the Premiership for me. I’ve had a lot of help, everyone has pulled together, the club’s in a good place, the team’s in a good place, the fans are happy, when you have a situation like that where everyone is pulling in the right direction, it’s all good for everybody.
"The fans again on Saturday were outstanding. At times they just seem to know when to sing and when not to sing. At times when they felt we were under some pressure, they all pulled together and helped us through on Saturday, which I said we’re going to need. We’re going to need that at times, the same again on Thursday (the potential play-off game), we’re going to need everyone to come and get behind the team because it’s tough and when you have that home support it makes a massive difference.”
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His full interview is available here on Valley Pass.