Caretaker boss Lee Bowyer admitted he would love to stay on as manager after the club’s elimination from the Sky Bet League One play-offs.
Bowyer was appointed in temporary charge in March and led his team on six wins in their final 10 games of the regular season as they marched into a play-off spot.
Speaking after today’s loss away at Shrewsbury he said: “I was told until the end of the season, the end of the season is done. I don't know where that leaves me. I’ll be going on holiday now and whatever is meant to be will be. But at this present time, the last thing I’m thinking about is where I’m going to be. We’ve just lost.
When asked if he would like to say he said: “Of course, I love the club. I wouldn't be here now if I didn’t. I’d like to stay but I’m not in control of that.”
Bowyer was appointed the club’s assistant manager last summer and when asked clarified he would only want to return as manager.
He said: “If I’m going to stay then it’ll be as manager because if not then I won’t be staying. That’s 100 per cent. That is the only way I’ll stay."
Under Bowyer the Addicks have won six of 12 games and conceded just seven goals, with no more than one in any single game.
When asked if he felt he had done a good job he said: “There’s a massive difference. I have to take some sort of credit with Jacko and the other staff. Again today we played well, we bossed the game especially first half.
"I’m not pleased with the job I've done because I honestly believed we’d go up, even turning up today I thought we’d score goals. Unfortunately we missed chances again. We’ll see what happens.”
Bowyer added that if he were in charge the aim would be promotion and new signings would be needed. He was asked how many and responded: “You're going to lose a few straight away with the loans. I guarantee you Ben Amos will not be playing in League One next year. He’s been outstanding this season.
“You're going to lose Stephy Mavididi, Sullay Kaikai, little Jay Dasilva, Michal Zyro - they're all going to have to be replaced. You've lost three attacking players, a full-back and a goalkeeper. There’s going to have to be quite a few changes. But the squad we've got is a good squad. You don't get to the semis without a good squad. The most pleasing thing was the way they came together because they weren't together before. They put their bodies on the line and that’s what I said to them. I thanked them. I said ‘look, you're disappointed, we’re all disappointed but I can’t thank you enough. When I walked through the door, all asked of you was to give me 100 per cent - and I will never say anything negative about you all’. That’s what they've done, they've given me 100 per cent every single game, so I wish them all the very best.”
Read Bowyer’s view on Charlton’s aggregate loss to Shrewsbury here.
A full post-match interview will be on Valley Pass shortly.