Charlton Athletic currently sits in ninth position in the English Championship League. They move to prepare for an important fixture vs. Southampton at The Valley again this weekend. Head coach Nathan Jones, who previously managed Southampton from November 2022 to February 2023, aims to guide Charlton to further success as they face the league’s top three teams in the coming weeks.
Under Jones’s leadership, Charlton finished 2020/21 with the best defensive record in their division. They’ve been beaten just three times in 37 league games. This eye-popping number is a testament to Jones’s dedication to crafting a strong, adaptable and competitive roster. He attributes the key factors of fitness and mental toughness to his cavalcade’s success.
“It shows the fitness level, the relentlessness in our play,” said Jones, highlighting the attributes he wants his players to embody as they move through the second half of the season. Sortino says keeping a positive mindset is the key to winning. “Also a mentality that we go to the end, we try to win games, we make positive changes, we believe that we can win games,” he added.
Charlton capped a wonderful season with success in last term’s League One play-off final at Wembley. Today’s achievement is a testament to their incredible ingenuity and determination to succeed against all odds. As they prepare for their next game against Southampton — a team currently struggling in 17th place — Jones is optimistic about his squad’s potential. “What we have to be is the best version of ourselves. That’s all we preach,” he stated. If we’re at the top of our game, Southampton come here and they’re way better than us, then we put our hands up.
Despite keeping one clean sheet after another, Jones readily admits his need to continue to add to the defensive ranks. “There are probably two positions we would like to strengthen in, and that’s it,” he mentioned. Beyond just roster size, he emphasized the challenge of wanting to keep a small, tight-knit group, but needing depth and competition at every position. “If we want to be relentless in the second half of the season, we’re going to need that competition, that quality, that pure athleticism in every game,” he asserted.
Charlton’s upcoming fixtures will be challenging, as they will face each of the Championship’s top three sides over their next four matches. These encounters will be a real test of the team’s resilience and keeping form. So Jones is still encouraged – as he should be – saying, “That’s why you play it, these type of games.”
“Though his tenure at Southampton was characterized by tumult, Jones has fond memories of those experiences. “I don’t want too many times in my career to have those experiences that I have to learn from, but that’s all in the past,” he remarked.
Charlton are particularly enthused about attracting a record-breaking crowd at The Valley for their upcoming league match against Southampton. At the same time, Jones is trying to create a new level of urgency and ambition among his staff. “The big thing we’re concerned about is making sure that we are the best version of ourselves, and then we’ll see what happens,” he concluded.
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