Beware The Ides Of January

It is probably easy if you look hard enough to find similarities in any two situation’s, but for me Chris Powell and Phil Parkinsons November have both been very similar.  It even starts before then.  Both managers had disastrous beginnings to their Charlton managerial careers, although Powell managed early wins 4 on the trot, whereas Parkinson went a number of games without a win.

However, in their more recent  November as a Charlton manager they generated success and after a string of decent results were nominated for, their respective Leagues, manager of the month awards, Chris was runner up, while Parkie won the award.

December this year came and Britain experienced awful weather, the worst rain in records although this did not cancel any games the conditions were less than desirable playing conditions whilst Parkie faced a stop go month with cancellations taking away the momentum of November.

Both mangers had relatively well placed teams within the context of the quality of player on their books, Parkie had us at 5^th in tier 3 and Powell lower mid table in tier 2.

For Parkie,  the club was finalising the sale by Murray to a new consortium, the owner were shrouded in mystery and hope and a little Cash.

Today there are many rumours of the previous consortium having metamorphosed over its period of owner ship selling out to a new set of owners.  This could be true, it could be a load of Koc.

Both Parkie and Powell had teams that were under invested in.  Parkinson had started the season with a barely assembled squad that needed time to gel, whereas Chris had a team well assembled for third tier domination, but failure to strengthen beyond an ageing premier forward and a third tier left side player coupled with injuries and failed loanees, meant that they are lacking in second tier quality.

But there are differences too, not least of which is the fan base.  For whatever reason, Parkinson had failed to take a large and probably majority percentage of the fans with him, even suffering the indignity of a pensioner trying to attack him during the loss to Brighton, where as the recent result have only slightly dented 

Chris’s popularity and the only danger from the fans he has is if Big Dave Lockwood were to give him a big hug and kiss on the touch line.

When the new consortium took over Parkinson was dumped after one calamitous game and is now rebuilding his career in northern exile.  We are now in a situation where a new consortium is in the wings ready to takeover.  Parkinson despite his fate had Murrays support, whereas albeit rumour and whisper has it that Chris has less than full support of Jiminez and that is the danger for Chris.  Are the club waiting for an excuse, despite the support he has from the heart of Charlton – the fans – can he survive.  Can he look and gain meaningful support from the direction of the consortium or even from Murray.

Derby, Watford and even Huddersfield are critical games for Chris, we need points and we need a result.  Otherwise the month that did for Parkie maybe the month that does for Chris, he needs to 

“beware of the ides of January”