Andy Scott, Technical Director, spoke to CharltonTV about a hectic month following Michael Appleton’s arrival.
He spoke on the men’s first-team’s recent unbeaten run, deadline day signings, strengthening the recruitment and analysis departments, adding an additional coach, and much more.
The interview is divided into two sections, which are shown below.
A synopsis of some of the topics discussed is provided below.
On the men’s first-team’s five-game winning streak…
“Obviously, Dean [Holden’s] decision to leave was a big one, but the players and Michael [Appleton], who has come in and performed very well, have responded positively so far.” We were pleased with what we accomplished on the lawn.
“He is obviously still learning his team and the players, but it is a start – and that is all it is. We are not getting carried away, that is for sure. We still look at the league table and know we are a long way off where we want to be.
“There are elements that we need to improve and Michael is very aware of that. But we are five games unbeaten and that is a good thing to be moving in the right direction. We have a couple of games between now and the international break where we need to get two more wins under our belt and look forward to our games after that.”
On appointing a Director of Performance…
“That has taken a while, I have got to be honest. It has got to the point now where we are in the second interview stage. We had two interviews yesterday and we will complete that process at the beginning of next week and hopefully be in the position to appoint someone soon after.
“We have been very pleased with the level of candidates that we have spoken to and that have applied. We hope to have someone who fits with what we want to do and can take us to a level of detail and quality that we need to improve on our performance side and can give the guidance and help that everybody in our staff needs.
“The Director of Performance will cover nutrition, psychology, sports science, strength and conditioning and medical. That person will align with the women’s first-team and the academy. They will implement structure and processes to ensure that we cover everything and give guidance to those staff members of the women’s first-team and academy that need help, so that our best practices in sports science and rehab are carried throughout the whole club so there is an understanding of what looks good, what is good and what works.”
On building the recruitment and analysis departments…
“We had a couple of scouts here previously that have now left us. Adverts for full-time scouts will be going out today or in the next few days as we want to bring in a couple of full-time scouts.
“We’ve had really good discussions with Michael since the first interview about the type of player he likes and how he wants to play.” We have a massive quantity of data at our disposal, and we are in the process of determining exactly what Michael’s profiles are. From there, we can calculate the metrics and obtain the data, making it a first filter.
“We therefore need the eyes on the players and watch them correctly. We can then offer Michael with the available possibilities, and he can select the athlete he believes will fit best. This will be done in partnership with the
Once we have scouts in place and the reports and information, we will consult with the coaching staff and Michael. We need to create a powerful and thorough department that can cover all bases while taking as little risks as possible.”
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