Charlton feel the benefit of calm Bowyer
LEE BOWYER’S response to what his brief time as a boss has taught him was as surprising as his move into management itself.
‘I’ve learnt that I’m quite a calm person and I’m laid back,’ Bowyer said.
Those familiar with Bowyer’s career may raise an eyebrow at the answer the Charlton boss delivered with a straight face.
A fine goalscoring midfielder in his pomp, Bowyer also had what at best could be described as a chequered past discipline-wise, on and off the pitch.
Among the all-action displays were seven red cards, including one for fighting Newcastle teammate Kieron Dyer, as well as two high-profile court cases.
In an interview last year, Bowyer, 42, was keen to stress he is not the person he once was, not least because he is now a dad of twins he is keen to shield from his gory rap sheet.
Now, for someone who has taken to management so well, it is a surprise Bowyer initially did not think it was for him. ‘I just loved playing and training, that was it,’ he said. ‘Harry Kewell asked me. He was at Watford Under 21s. I had no intention of coming back. It was just because he’s my mate.
‘In the short time I was there, I saw players improve with the information I was passing on to them. I was only there six weeks and then they were winning games. Then there was a striker not really scoring many and all of a sudden he was scoring. It’s like, “I’m making people better”.
‘His mum came up to me and said, “Thanks, you’ve made him better and he’s come alive again”. It is rewarding in a different way.’
Bowyer returned to his first club Charlton part-time, becoming Karl Robinson’s No 2 in July 2017. When Robinson left, Bowyer stepped in as caretaker before being named boss in September.
Now Charlton are in tomorrow’s play-off final against Sunderland and Bowyer’s calm is in contrast to chaos off the pitch. Charlton are for sale and owner Roland Duchatelet will not be at Wembley due to fears about his safety.
Bowyer added: ‘I can’t control that. All I can control is improving these players as individuals, improving the team as a whole.’