BOWYER STILL UP FOR THE FIGHT
Lee Bowyer was no calming influence as a player. Snarling and shouting were the public image. There did not seem to be much thought when he fought Newcastle teammate Kieron Dyer in 2005.
on early evidence, Bowyer the manager is very different. Just three days after taking over from Karl robinson, he put Charlton back in the League one play- off hunt with a win courtesy of two goals in the opening 17 minutes of his caretaker spell. Not a bad way to begin his managerial career.
Bowyer’s rejuvenated side blitzed Plymouth, who were undefeated in eight games coming into this match.
After Lewis Page’s thunderbolt and Michal Zyro’s header, Derek Adams’s side looked taken aback as they lost 2-0. League one’s inform side did not even have a shot on target.
Bowyer is now better remembered as the man who scrapped with a team-mate in the black and white of Newcastle than the hard-running grafter who helped push Leeds to the edge of european glory.
But, judging by this early display, this is a team that could be designed in the latter part of his image.
Goalscorer Zyro said: ‘ we changed a little bit our mentality. I felt on this game explained: ‘ I watched Plymouth against Bristol rovers. Their sitting midfielder ran the game. I didn’t want them to dictate the play.
‘I thought, “How can I counterbalance that? A diamond would do well. And we have players who can play that formation”.’
Zyro said: ‘ The day before the game was a little bit different about our shape.’
Bowyer has had to change his mentality. He admitted that it was difficult to watch on and not play. The 41-year-old shouted instructions but tried not to over-celebrate.
His relationship with his players will also have to be adjusted. Bowyer revealed: ‘They said to me, “Do we call you Bow or do we call you Gaffer?” I said, “you can still call me Bow”.
‘I have to have a bit more of a distance now than before. I still talk to them and pass on my knowledge, like I was, but I think I have to be not so friendly.’
Bowyer is keen to be his own man in the dug-out. He admitted as much when the conversation went back to robinson’s system: ‘It wasn’t in my hands. There was nothing I could do about that.
‘The most important thing is I’m in charge now. If I’m going to fail, I’m going to do it my way.’