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NEW ARTICLE: Search for a Star

Popular culture in modern Britain is dominated by the search for a star elimination format. From the X factor, The Voice, Britain's got Freaks to the Apprentice, MasterChef and the Great British Bake Off is seems you can't move for such shows. There is even a sewing elimination show.

We can all choose to watch or to switch off and do something more interesting but there has been a similar search for a Star going on in South East London all season.

It has been clear to many fans that Charlton have lacked a dominant holding central midfield player all season but has Chris Powell noticed?

Well, much as some like to think that they know better than the five time England international and having spotted, in their wisdom, something he has missed and "needs to learn" it is pretty clear from his selection and transfer policy that Powell has been more than aware of what is missing. The problem has been finding the round peg for that very important round hole.

First off we went with last year's Centre Mids, Stephens and Hollands. But when that didn't work, waiting for their auditions were Bradley Pritchard and Dorien Dervite. Johnny Jackson moved inside but he's always been the attacking option not the holding player we were missing.

When all the in-house options appeared to have blown their chances the net was widened. Like many a failing TV show with ratings dropping new blood was brought in. Frimpong from Arsenal followed Razak off the successful Man City show but neither did the business. The less said about Eggert Jonsson's 15 minutes of fame the better.

The search continued but without anyone with the required X factor showing themselves. Mark Gower arrived from Upper Edmonton, via Swansea, while Florent Rouamba arrived from Upper Volta via Moldova. Could either be the next Susan Boyle? Both had good pedigrees but both were to be eclipsed before they even had a chance by a real star who had been with us all the time.

Forgotten by some, written off as too old, too injury prone or too slow by others, our knight in shining bandages had been with us all along, just hiding in the treatment room.

Step forward Andy Hughes.

He is old, he isn't fast but he is vastly experienced and he has a football brain. He knows where he should be on the pitch and 99% of the time that is exactly where he is. Not only has he been protecting the back four but, just as he did last season, he allows the rest of the midfield and crucially the full backs to bomb forward. Solly and Wiggins know that if they make that lung busting run Andy will simply slide across to cover them. And when the ref needs some "advice" about a decision Hughesy will be there. Watch the video of the two Barnsley sending offs if you're not sure. The rest of the time he will be shouting at and encouraging the younger players, which means all of them.

The biggest compliment you can pay Andy Hughes is that he is Chris Powell on the pitch. That's not a comparison of their playing styles or skills but of the way they are leaders and motivators who make a group of players more than the sum of the parts. The way they make 11 individuals a team. And a winning team at that.


Comments

  • Good article. I was thinking earlier in the season how good it is to have someone like Hughes in the club. He has an even bigger impact on the pitch. It's no coincidence how results have picked up since he returned
  • Good article Henry, Would you give Andy Hughes a rolling 1 year contract, people will say he's too old but Giggs and Scholes haven't done too badly, as did our very own Chris Powell.
  • Love the comparisons Henry...think youve put into words what many of us were thinking.
  • Hard to disagree with any of that. Hope we can keep him another year playing and find a post for him when he's done. He's not inspirational in the traditional sense but his contribution and ability to join the dots is so valuable. The fact that he is a great Lad off the pitch and in the dressing room is an added bonus not to be underestimated.
  • He's certainly made a difference, glad we don't need to find out what would have happened had he not recovered. Hopefully we can now in a timely manner develop a contingency plan if he is either not with us or gets injured for next season
  • Not been his greatest fan having watched the Brentford cup game last year, but you can't argue about our sucess with him in the side. But is it his play or just urging us forward? Certainly Dervite's quality on the ball has been equally influential. At 35 we cannot build a team around him, so please step up to the plate Roumba or Poyet.
  • He deserves another year's contract and if I were Chris Powell I'd seriously be sending on courses to get his coaching badges.
  • For my money we played some of the best attacking football last season when he was in the team so it's no surprise to me that he he's having a positive influence this season.

    He's earnt another contract, at his age though I suspect he'll want a two year deal while I wonder if the club will offer him any more than one year and that might determine where he's playing next season. I think I read somewhere that his family is still up north and that too might influence where he plays his football next year.

    Despite his form I'd like to see Rouamba and maybe Gower get a start before the end of the season. Even if he stays we need another player in that role.
  • He deserves another year's contract and if I were Chris Powell I'd seriously be sending on courses to get his coaching badges.

    He could start with coaching Rouamba/someone else to be his replacement.
  • completely agree Henry.
    The Barnsley game was the first time that I have seen Hughes this season and he is very much that round peg in the round hole, he also has the skill of usually passing the ball on the ground to another Charlton player, now that makes a huge difference.
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  • I've often been loathed to agree with the view that Hollands became some kind of all-conquering goal machine when Hughes played alongside him last season but given the freedom Jacko's had and the results we've produced recently the evidence is there. Shut up Manilow.

    I like Andy Hughes as a person and a player as it is, but he's been superb recently. Full credit where it's due
  • The job Hughes is doing very much reminds of the one graham stuart used to do for us in the prem years.
    Priceless.
  • The job Hughes is doing very much reminds of the one graham stuart used to do for us in the prem years.
    Priceless.

    I would have said Keith Jones or Kish rather than Stuart. Thought Stuart was more the Jackson type to be honest.
  • The job Hughes is doing very much reminds of the one graham stuart used to do for us in the prem years.
    Priceless.

    I would have said Keith Jones or Kish rather than Stuart. Thought Stuart was more the Jackson type to be honest.
    This exact topic came up yesterday, when I was chatting to Chris Parkes and my son Dave made the exact comparisons with Keith Jones, everybody present agreed.

  • Positionally yes.
    I meant more in the sense of how he encourages the young'uns along.
  • Good article Henners. What I find interesting is that we now have two slow central midfields along with two slowish centre forwards and yet the goals and attacking play has started to flow. But when you view the Barnsley goals, it's easy to see why. What Hughes' inclusion has done is to allow Wiggins, Solly, Harriot, Pritchard and Jackson to bomb forward into dangerous positions and they are all very good footballers who can make things happen when in advanced positions. I'm just sad that we have found this formula too late to be in with a good chance of making the playoffs.
  • I liked Hughes the first time I saw him v Preston in League Cup last season. He was playing alongside Bover (I think) and really looked the part. I couldn't understand why it took so long for him to get in the league side and like others, why we were pretty quick to leave him out (I think after the Brentford away match). Maybe, he was carrying an injury. I thought he did well in the 2nd half v Huddersfield last season when he came on to help snuff them out for a vital win. Maybe, him and Danny Hollands were a bit too similar.

    The comparison with Keith Jones is an accurate one, although Jones was a more accomplished player. Players like Hughes and Jones never hide and are always available for a simple pass. Most good sides have a player like this...think Sammy Lee at Liverpool...and it was what we have been missing at times this season.
  • He went on Twitter on saturday and congratulated everyone of the U18 squad with an account.

    Its not a lot, but it just brings a bit of unity to the club and allows the fans to see that taking place.

    Players like Harriott sometimes need an arm round them and Hughes seems like the type of bloke to do that.

    Top bloke from what ive seen of him.
  • Great article and agree completely with what you've said. To be honest I'd written him off and was worried when I saw him back in the side. Saw him week in, week out sitting at the back of the lower west when he was injured and thought that was where he would stay! Since back though he has really surprised me. Always knew he was a real team player (from his tweets) and I think thats a big part of what he brings to the eleven.
  • what an excellent posting, I did not think that we would see Hughes again but how wrong can you be about a player.The comparisons with Keith Jones are well made and his reliability has certainly released the 2 full backs in particular to plague the opposition. However realistically we need to be looking for a younger, faster replacement and also a creative midfield player unless Stephenssuddenly develops some consistency. The squad have turned things around wonderfully well but there are some old legs out there who might not last another season
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  • I have to give credit to Cp has has invested well in characters of players and Hughes is a fine example
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    Good piece.

    I'm still to be fully convinced by Hughes. Like the guy, and clearly has something. Leeds can be a tough crowd and they seemed to respect him so he must have something. Whether he is a big reason for the recent turnaround, or it is a mere co-incidence, i really don't know.

    Whether he is here for next season will depend a lot on our ambitions as a club for next season. There are better options out there for his role, if we stick with him it will be a short-term decision largely governed by lack of other finance i reckon.
  • edited April 2013
    Hughes isn't the only reason. Fuller is fit and playing well, Kermo is in form, Harriot and Wiggins are building a good relationship on the left, we are fielding a consistant line up and the subs (Kerker and Obika) are having a positive impact when they come on. Dervite is getting better with more games and Morrison isnt making the costly mistakes that he was a few months back.

    Hughes is a significant part of the team playing well though as he knits it all together.

  • Hughes isn't the only reason. Fuller is fit and playing well, Kermo is in form, Harriot and Wiggins are building a good relationship on the left, we are fielding a consistant line up and the subs (Kerker and Obika) are having a positive impact when they come on. Dervite is getting better with more games and Morrison isnt making the costly mistakes that he was a few months back.

    Hughes is a significant part of the team playing well though as he knits it all together.

    Absolutely spot on.

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    Good piece.

    I'm still to be fully convinced by Hughes. Like the guy, and clearly has something. Leeds can be a tough crowd and they seemed to respect him so he must have something. Whether he is a big reason for the recent turnaround, or it is a mere co-incidence, i really don't know.

    Whether he is here for next season will depend a lot on our ambitions as a club for next season. There are better options out there for his role, if we stick with him it will be a short-term decision largely governed by lack of other finance i reckon.

    I think Hughes has shown us the attributes we require in the middle of the park. Hopefully Rouamba will fit the criteria but it's good that Hughes has indicated the mold of the player we need. Now Powell can send out the scouts to find someone who can do that job better
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