Luzon shown door as Judge rules
NINE league games without a win proved to be the final straw as Guy Luzon was axed as Charlton manager after a heavy home defeat to Brentford.
The Addicks looked abject from start to finish as Brentford’s Alan Judge ran the show.
John Swift opened the scoring on 26 minutes for the Bees, Judge scored Brentford’s second goal after the break, with Lasse Vibe adding the third strike late on.
The game ended amid a chorus of boos and chants for Luzon to be sacked, with Charlton obliging by terminating his contract just an hour after the Israeli gave a defiant press conference.
“Football in the end is about scoring goals and we missed, but the difference between here and the last game was that we had the chances to score, too many chances to score,” said Luzon.
“This is the situation, it’s not easy but football is a game of character and now we need to show our quality and character together.
“I’m strong in the head because if I think that we don’t have the quality in the squad and that we are a bad team, that we don’t have any chance to do something this season, then okay I need to raise my hand and go home, but I am full of confidence for our squad.
“I admit it will not be easy, it will be tough but I am sure we will do it.”
If only they had. Luzon made six changes to his Charlton side after losing 3-0 to Preston in midweek, bringing Stephen Henderson into goal for his first start of the season, as well as Simon Makienok, who was restored in attack after a six game absence through injury.
Charlton started the brighter of the two teams, but Franck Moussa, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Tony Watt all failed to convert.
Brentford broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Judge’s cross from the right managed to find the unmarked Swift, who headed in.
The Bees had scored just once in four league games against Charlton prior to this match, but that was not the case again as a dominant display in possession saw the visitors control the game.
Brentford began the second half with the majority of the possession as Charlton appeared reluctant to chase down the ball.
And the Addicks were made to pay for their back-seated approach when Alan McCormack picked out Judge, whose thumping effort doubled the lead.
Vibe, on as a second-half substitute, sealed the win late on as he struck from inside the box to find the bottom left-hand corner.
Brentford boss Lee Carsley said: “We understand the form that Charlton are in and when you play against a team like that they are dangerous.
“It’s important that the club know the situation and the way I feel. It’s not a first-time manager’s role. It’s not a ‘see how you get on’ role. It’s a really good job in a forward-thinking club that’s potentially going to the Premier League.
“I don’t feel I’m the right person for that, but at the minute I am the right person.
“I learned that my strengths were in coaching and development, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to be a specialist in that area.
“I can do this job. It’s not something I’m overwhelmed by, but you know – you’re a reporter, why aren’t you on TV?
“You know what your strengths are, and mine are in development and getting the best out of younger players.”