Charlton Athletic Have – Ex-Striker Sees Specific Addicks Approach | OneFootball

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Former Championship striker Sam Parkin is of the view that Charlton Athletic have followed in Oxford United’s footsteps and ‘cherry-picked’ the best players from League One to strengthen their squad.

Last season, Nathan Jones guided Charlton back to the Championship and they have been active in the market to recruit players that the Addicks boss deems suitable for the battle ahead.

Charlton have signed Charlie Kelman and Tanto Olaofe, both of whom were standout players in League One last season; combined they netted 32 goals last season, assisting eight more.

Jones brought in his disciples from Luton Town in Amari’i Bell and Reece Burke, both of whom have Premier League experience and managed to sign Reading’s midfield maestro Harvey Knibbs, despite Noel Hunt claiming the deal fell down.

Parkin is of the view that Charlton took a leaf from Oxford United’s playbook where the U’s, following their promotion from the third tier, signed top players from League One in the summer to ensure their survival in the Championship.

He thinks that Jones has brought in players who he can trust and knows well and added that Charlton will be hard to play against.

“What they have done is, I suppose, similar to what Oxford did… They cherry-picked the best players from the third tier to try and make that step naturally with them”, Parkin said on What The EFL (9:45).

“The likes of Kelman, Harvey Knibbs, done it in the last couple of days, Olaofe from Stockport and obviously the contingent following him from Bedfordshire, another three captured from Luton.

“The biggest loss maybe is Thierry Small, but they covered that with Amari’i Bell, who obviously is a player that he knows and has Premier League experience, as do Reece Burke and Thomas Kaminski, so signings that he knows and that he trusts.

“They will be hard to play against.”

Charlton’s Olaofe is someone Perkin praised in the past by pointing out that he brings pace and directness on the pitch.

The Addicks also signed Kaminski to bolster their goalkeeper department and the Belgian last season kept eleven clean sheets, but failed to save Luton from relegation.