The decline could be a wonderful thing, but Nathan Jones will not be abown.
“The worst thing you can never watch,” said Jones, unequivocally, while actively repairing a shirted reputation in 95 days in Southampton by reinforcing the fortune of Charlton Athletic.
The South London Club was 18th and flirted with relegation to the fourth level for the first time in their history when it was appointed in February of last year. Now they are fourth and end like a train, with 58 points on a possible 75 since mid-December and a return to the championship in sight five years after relegation.
On Monday, they broke the promotion with the rivals of Wycombe 4-0, equaling a 20th white sheet of white leaf record of the season. On Saturday, they are in Wrexham, second, who is looking to spoil the happy ending they are waiting for on the Disney channel.
The scene takes place perfectly for Jones in his role as football insurgents. He led Luton through the divisions on the edge of the Premier League, disrupting the order established in two spells on each side of 10 months in Stoke.
And the 51 -year -old man generated the same aggressive energy in the valley. More than 20,000 people watched them beat Northampton on Good Friday. When Northampton visited last season, less than fifteen before the arrival of Jones, the crowd was less than 11,000.
Nathan Jones has transformed Charlton’s fortune since his appointment last February
Jones began to rebuild a reputation that was destroyed during his fate in Southampton
Jones won five of the 14 Premier League games, losing new and was dismissed after only 95 days
“I am not a manager who likes to jump around,” explains Jones. “I had four clubs in my management career, but I have always dodais for a project. I was three years old in Luton, then I went for what I thought was a different project.
“I wanted to be there for a while, but it didn’t work that way. I returned to Luton and I built it again on the edge of the Premier League, then I went for another project that I was right.
It was Southampton in November 2022. Saints had taken a bad start in the Premier League and Rasmus Ankersen, managing director of the Sport REPUBLIC property group, selected Jones to replace Ralf Hasenhuttl.
“It was a wonderful opportunity,” said Jones. “I made the decision with all the information I had available and that’s all you can do in life.
He won five of the 14 in the Premier League with Southampton, losing new and was dismissed with fans calling him to leave. Ruben Selles took over and they fell. This season, the saints have been relegated with a record of seven games to lose. They won twice under Russell Martin and Ivan Juric.
Jones waited a year for another opportunity, and he came to Charlton, where his coach career started in the Academy’s staff in 2012. They were good for each other.
“I was waiting for the right one,” explains Jones. “Somewhere, I felt that I could be for a long time and build something. This club has foundations, history and infrastructure to be a massive club. The Academy is one of the best in the country.
“There is no ceiling. It can be a Premier League club. It was a Premier League club. It is a Premier League club. We have to start this again by making good decisions over a long time.
Charlton beat Wycombe on Monday to continue his superb late push for promotion
Jones takes his Charlton side to Wrexham on Saturday in a crunch match at the top of the table
Wrexham, supported by Hollywood, illustrated, second lie in the table and Jones admits that he was `a little casual ‘
Jones thinks that Charlton has no ceiling after being a Premier League club
Jones started by making his team difficult to beat and added control of attacks. A tactical adjustment in mid-season was the key to evolution, unlocking the potential of Tyreece Campbell, a graduate of the 21-year-old academy, which drew attention while softening the charge on Matty Godden of 19 goals.
Birmingham fled with Ligue 1, but there is an exciting battle for other places of promotion.
“We have to go to the circus and see what we can get,” Jones said on Monday, “excited Wycombe, but clarified his feelings before a trip to his native Wales, aware of the offensive taken by his hosts.
“It was a word that I used, probably a little casual at the time,” he said. “It is a very well managed club and the owners have done a fantastic job, not only galvanizing the club and making it move forward, but taking the community with it. It is a Welsh community so in my heart.
“What I meant is that a lot of pumps and ceremony follows Wrexham, a lot of cameras and a lot of coverage, a lot of control and they managed this very well.
“Sometimes it can be a distraction and I don’t want it for our team. We cannot be distracted by what someone else wants to do.
