Charlton Athletic boss Dean Holden has made a great impression since arriving at The Valley and interest in his services has emerged once again.
Charlton Athletic’s manager was linked at the vacant posts at Huddersfield Town and QPR before they appointed Neil Warnock and Gareth Ainsworth respectively. Now, Oxford United are said to be keen, with an approach on the cards for Holden.
His deal in South London is up at the end of the season and amid the ownership uncertainty, it will be feared that the Addicks could lose their popular boss.
If Oxford United’s interest does grow, Charlton Athletic would be wise to keep some replacements in mind. Here, we put forward three who should be in their thinking just in case…
Liam Manning
Manning was a huge hit in his first season as MK Dons boss and led them to the play-offs before a huge drop off this season. He left the club earlier this campaign and has remained out of work since.
His struggles over the 2022/23 season shouldn’t tarnish his reputation too much though. MK’s struggles have continued under new management and Manning remains a young, highly-rated coach. He could inspire the Addicks away from a relegation fight and would be a solid boss for the long-term too.
Danny Cowley
In his spells at Lincoln City and Portsmouth especially, Cowley was. hugely popular boss among supporters. He led the Imps all the way to the upper reaches of League One and despite failing to deliver promotion with Pompey, Cowley remained a respected figure among supporters for his efforts in the circumstances.
He could maintain the link between supporters and the club during a turbulent time regarding the ownership while also leading the club back towards the upper end of the division with the right recruitment.
Lee Bowyer
Last but not least, Bowyer has been keen to return to the game and while it could take some persuading to bring him back under the current ownership, you can’t help but feel he could really galvanise the playing group and excite the fans.
It was a turbulent stay at The Valley for Bowyer previously but Charlton Athletic is a club he obviously cares about and it could be a great place for him to return to management. Again, it might be a hopeful suggestion, but it would surely harmonise the club and fans.
