‘WINNER’ ADKINS ADDICKS’ CHOICE
CHARLTON owner Thomas Sandgaard says “upbeat” Nigel Adkins can bring promotion cheer to The Valley.
Adkins, 56, was appointed as manager of the Addicks on Thursday following Lee Bowyer’s departure to Birmingham. The former Scunthorpe, Southampton, Reading and Hull boss took over a side sixth in League One following a five-game unbeaten run.
“Nigel’s experience is obviously the number one for me,” said Sandgaard, whose summer takeover rescued the club from the brink of administration. “It’s very important but so is Nigel’s personality. He’s very upbeat, Nigel really has a winning personality. And that’s one of those things you can’t just put in a spreadsheet.
“We will continue to play positive, attacking football and I think with Nigel on board we can expect to continue increasing the probability that we’ll win games, therefore increasing the probability of getting promoted.”
Adkins, who has won four career promotions and managed in the Premier League while at Southampton, resigned from his last job at Hull in June 2019.
And while admitting he had hoped to secure a Championship post, the former goalkeeper insists he is delighted to be at The Valley.
“I might have been out of the game, but it’s been my choice,” said Adkins. “I was getting offered jobs in League One, League Two and abroad. And there were two clubs in the Championship that I was very close to joining. I could have come back a lot earlier but I didn’t want to do something just for the sake of it.
“But this situation presented itself and it’s really exciting. In the end, I thought ‘What are you waiting for?’. Let’s get in and see if we can drive it all on.”
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