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Curbishley agrees new deal
London, Feb 14: Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has agreed a three-and-a-half-year extension to his contract. Curbishley, tipped as a future England manager, has constantly been linked with other Premiership clubs.
London, Feb 14: Charlton manager Alan Curbishley has agreed a three-and-a-half-year extension to his contract. Curbishley, tipped as a future England manager, has constantly been linked with other Premiership clubs.
He also hinted earlier this season that he might be interested in the vacant Tottenham job.
But the Addicks announced to the Stock Exchange on Friday that the 46-year-old had committed to The Valley until 2007.
"I have always said I was happy at Charlton throughout all the speculation and stories that have been written about me," Curbishley told the club's website.
"I would not have signed this new contract if I didn't feel totally content," he added.
"The club has continued to move forward, both on and off the field, and I firmly believe we have still not fulfilled our potential."
Addicks chairman Richard Murray said: "After a somewhat unsettling period for the club during the transfer window, to receive such a positive endorsement of what we are doing at Charlton from someone who has been instrumental for the past decade is a very welcome boost for all of us.
"Like Alan, I believe we can still keep moving forwards," Murray added.
"We have not surpassed ourselves this season because I feel this is the level at which we should be able to operate."
Curbishley's deal provides a timely boost for Charlton.
The south London club reluctantly sold their star midfielder Scott Parker to Chelsea for £10m and then saw the player score on his debut this week.
That came as Curbishley's men were being thrashed 4-2 at home by Spurs - their third successive defeat.
On target that night for Tottenham was Jermain Defoe - the striker who learned his trade with the Addicks only to move to West Ham when his apprenticeship finished. When Defoe switched to Spurs earlier this month for £7m Charlton felt they deserved more than the £800,000 sent to The Valley as their cut.
But Curbishley's contract has given a fresh boost to Charlton as they prepare for the rest of the season and their push for a Champions League place.
The former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder is the Premiership's second-longest serving manager after Sir Alex Ferguson.
He joined the club as joint-manager alongside Steve Gritt in 1991 and has been in solo charge for the last nine years.
Bureau Report
But the Addicks announced to the Stock Exchange on Friday that the 46-year-old had committed to The Valley until 2007.
"I have always said I was happy at Charlton throughout all the speculation and stories that have been written about me," Curbishley told the club's website.
"I would not have signed this new contract if I didn't feel totally content," he added.
"The club has continued to move forward, both on and off the field, and I firmly believe we have still not fulfilled our potential."
Addicks chairman Richard Murray said: "After a somewhat unsettling period for the club during the transfer window, to receive such a positive endorsement of what we are doing at Charlton from someone who has been instrumental for the past decade is a very welcome boost for all of us.
"Like Alan, I believe we can still keep moving forwards," Murray added.
"We have not surpassed ourselves this season because I feel this is the level at which we should be able to operate."
Curbishley's deal provides a timely boost for Charlton.
The south London club reluctantly sold their star midfielder Scott Parker to Chelsea for £10m and then saw the player score on his debut this week.
That came as Curbishley's men were being thrashed 4-2 at home by Spurs - their third successive defeat.
On target that night for Tottenham was Jermain Defoe - the striker who learned his trade with the Addicks only to move to West Ham when his apprenticeship finished. When Defoe switched to Spurs earlier this month for £7m Charlton felt they deserved more than the £800,000 sent to The Valley as their cut.
But Curbishley's contract has given a fresh boost to Charlton as they prepare for the rest of the season and their push for a Champions League place.
The former West Ham and Aston Villa midfielder is the Premiership's second-longest serving manager after Sir Alex Ferguson.
He joined the club as joint-manager alongside Steve Gritt in 1991 and has been in solo charge for the last nine years.
Bureau Report