Charlton Athletic Paper View (a)

Dowie's mind on big picture

MAYBE A POINT WAS ENOUGH TO KEEP Iain Dowie in a job, but Charlton Athletic are not a club quick to dismiss a manager and Dowie is not one to fret about dismissal.  

“I don't worry about the sack because it's inevitable,” he said. “It's going to happen at some time in my career. I know when I leave a club I've done everything I can. I made a difference Friday. I didn't come in in the morning. I didn't show my ugly face. It's unusual because I'm always first in, last out but I thought they should hear a different voice for a change.”  

Dowie admitted that he found it hard to stay away “but I managed to hang a couple of pictures in my flat”. He did accomplish a decent piece of DIY but had he attempted to hammer in a nail immediately after this match, he would have probably destroyed the wall. Charlton were entertaining and in Andy Reid they had a player in top form. Reid provided a link between midfield and attack and his judgment was a delight to watch, but in front of goal Charlton were thwarted by either the excellent Ben Foster or a poor final ball.  

“The chairman (Richard Murray) said: ‘I'm the same as you — frustrated'. But you've got to look at the bigger picture. It's a difficult time, let's be brave enough to take it chin on,” Dowie said. He added that Murray has not even raised the topic of his manager's job security. “I'm not a worrier,” Dowie said. “The players have to sense that you believe in them.”  

Watford, meanwhile, are in danger of being a Wimbledon without the results. Adrian Boothroyd's team have been criticised for their direct and uninspiring tactics, which have yet to yield a victory in the Barclays Premiership.  

“What I and my team need to do to survive and thrive is to not worry about what everyone else thinks because if I start doing that then I'm weak,” Boothroyd said. “If the leader starts to waver then we've got a problem haven't we.”  

Boothroyd's intransigence almost paid off as the best chances fell to Watford in the second half after they had been outclassed in the first. Darius Henderson had simply to pick his spot but fluffed the chance.  

Perhaps the occasion created nervousness. The announcer at The Valley kept reminding everyone it was “a big, big game” and the underlying desperation of both teams and their supporters was palpable. Sunday Times 

Reid sparkles but Dowie hits the boos  

At the finish there were boos for Iain Dowie that the Charlton manager described as 'understandable. We're bottom of the league with four points'.  

He will, though, take encouragement from this display. As he said, 'We created a great deal of chances', and his team are not as dire as their league position suggests. Overall, both sides had their chances, but this was about the right result for two residents of the Premiership basement. A lack of cutting edge is a favoured cliche for any struggling team and here it again offered the best reason why Charlton, still propping up the table, and Watford, who move a place above West Ham courtesy of the alphabet, are floundering this season.  
 

Watford created the better chances, including three second-half opportunities that appeared harder to miss. 'You wonder how, but when you are down there these things happen,' said the manager Aidy Boothroyd. While he retained his regulation chirpy self, there is only so far positive thinking can take a club. His side are still winless, so when does that become a problem? 'When we fail to create chances,' he said. 'And when we get pounded by someone. But I can't see that happening.' Sunday Observer 

Only Reid stands tall as ideas run dry at Valley 

Although Watford have yet to win in the Premiership, they do not lose too many. Not for such an unfancied side. Adrian Boothroyd's men demonstrated their knack with a fifth draw in nine matches and it kept them above Charlton at the foot of the table. 

Watford will, of course, have to do better than this at some stage to have the slightest hope of staying up – a club who pick up points one by one could go through the entire season unbeaten and still be relegated – but while they avoid defeat their self-esteem and faith in Boothroyd's athletic approach to the game will survive. Sunday Telegraph 

Charlton remain at foot of table as Foster thwarts best efforts and fans turn on manager 

Charlton's cheers were reserved, heart-warmingly, for one of their old warriors, Chris Powell. Brought on by his new employers, Watford, as a time-consuming measure in the final minute, he was accorded a fine reception, and another one at the end.  

There was not much else to cheer about for home fans as Charlton's stricken vessel failed to lift clear of the rocks. Plenty to boo, though, as the renowned patience of The Valley people evaporated when manager Iain Dowie attempted to show his appreciation of their support and was jeered for it. 

This barren sharing of the points clearly suited Adrian Boothroyd more than Dowie. "We would have preferred three, we had three great chances," said the Watford manager. The club's way to move off the Premiership's bottom rung, he stressed, was the urgent need to start taking those chances. Sunday Independent