Lee Bowyer has blamed brutal “corner cutting” and “scary” boardroom chaos for Charlton Athletic’s relegation from the Championship after a single season back in the second tier.
“The stuff that’s been going on, it’s just crazy, it’s not normal,” Charlton’s manager told TalkSport in the wake of the club’s 4-0 fate-sealing defeat at Leeds United on Wednesday. “There’s a hell of a lot of things I’ve not been happy with. I’ve never felt so low in my life.
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“If you cut corners, then this is what happens. The game against Leeds was frightening; the difference between the teams was unreal. We are losing so many players, how are we meant to rebuild? I don’t know what’s going to happen; I just feel for everyone at the club.”
Although Charlton had agreed a sale to a consortium led by the Manchester-based businessman Paul Elliott, the takeover is still to be approved by the English Football League.
Bowyer’s cause was further undermined this spring by the very public and increasingly acrimonious breakdown of the relationship between Tahnoon Nimer and Matt Southall, the then majority shareholder and executive chairman respectively.
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“There is so much that has gone on that no one even knows about,” said the manager, who did not seem surprised when the team’s star striker, Lyle Taylor, declined to sign a short-term extension after his contract ran out last month. “It’s been frightening, really. It’s scary to see things like this happen behind the scenes at a football club.”
After leading Charlton to promotion last year Bowyer is not short of admirers, with Birmingham believed to interested in poaching him. “I don’t think it’s the right time to talk about things like that,” said the former Charlton, Leeds, Newcastle and England midfielder, whose contract is believed to include a £750,000 release clause.
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“I’ve been loyal, I’ve definitely been loyal. I could have left on more than one occasion. But I’m glad I stayed. I’ve got a bond with Charlton. We’ll have to see what happens now. I just feel for everyone behind the scenes. We have a group of players and fans that care so much.
“All we wanted was to be given a fair chance but it felt like backs against walls all the time and the rug getting pulled from beneath us. We were pushing and pushing them and couldn’t get any more out of the players. We just needed help. We couldn’t bring players in this January when we desperately needed help. We had no help. If you keep cutting corners, this is what happens.”
