Congratulations to Chris Powell

Chris Powell had his Obama moment just before Christmas; Already a well respected coaching assistance to Sven Goran Erickson at Leicester City he was approached by the new manager at Newcastle, Alan Pardew, to be his ‘number two’ but he turned the job down.

We’ll never know what really motivated Powell to say no to a big club such as Newcastle. He may have felt that what had happened to his friend Chris Houghton, who was sacked for being successful, could easily happen to him, or he may have felt, ‘I’m better than a side kick’.

Either way Powell made the bold decision and told Pardew, in the same way that Obama informed Hilary Clinton when she proposed that he run the elections as her ‘side kick’, ‘thanks but no thanks’.  

Less than two months later Powell’s own self worth, and his management skills have shone through, as we have learned, he is set to be offered the top job at the club he once played for, Charlton Athletic.

The management of football clubs is often a dirty, insecure, precarious business, which in many ways don’t deserve good men such as Chris Houghton and Chris Powell.  But they love football and enter knowing all the pitfalls.

We must all wish Powell great success, because that old adage - you’ve got to be twice as good to achieve the same success - is even more relevant for top flight Black football managers.

Good luck Chris, your community is right behind you.

Simon Woolley

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