Russell Slade hopes Charlton fans can see that he is undergoing a rebuilding job at the Valley.

The former Cardiff and Leyton Orient boss was offered the Addicks gig in June – seven weeks after the club suffered relegation from the Championship.

Slade’s appointment was widely welcomed by Charlton supporters, who had been subjected to inexperienced, foreign managers since Roland Duchatelet bought the club in 2014.

But many remain disengaged and when asked whether he has a message to disgruntled fans ahead of the season, Slade told News Shopper: “I will demand the players give their very best, that’s what I will do and can give to the fans.

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“If we give our best, don’t offer excuses and begin to move this football club forward, I would hope the fans, despite being disgruntled or upset with the way the club is, would eventually see there’s rebuilding taking place.

“But of course they need to see the evidence of the changes and I understand that.

“The changes I talk about here at the training ground, they don’t really see any of that.

“The only changes they see as fans are hopefully in terms of the recruitment and what happens on the pitch.”

Slade, 55, continued: “The fans will understand that we’ve dropped a league and lost a few key players – that’s an inevitable process in a sense – but there’s a rebuilding process taking place.

News Shopper:

“The club is going through a period of transition but hopefully they can see the transition is positive.”

The changes at Sparrows Lane that Slade refers to are small but significant.

Posters and pictures of club legends have been displayed around the complex to signify and remind current players of the history of the club.

The canteen has, in Slade’s words, been transformed into a restaurant with better sourced food and better facilities.

There is also a code of conduct which players must adhere to, or else face punishment in the form of a fine from Slade, who spent 18 months as a teacher before entering football management.

“The football club can’t forget its history – that’s why these changes are important,” Slade added.

“We also have to understand that this is where we function, this is where we work.

“Although the football club has probably outgrown this building – because we have another project in hand – it still has to work for us and be the environment that we can enjoy and flourish in.

News Shopper:

“It’s important that we get it right.

“So things like air conditioning in the gym is important, to have the day’s programme on a roll outside the changing room is important.

“To have the right kind of food, which we have sourced differently, in our new canteen – I’d actually to call it a restaurant now, because that’s what it is – with table clothes on and drinks, yoghurts and fresh fruit is important.

“To have a code of conduct, which the club hasn’t had properly, is massively important.

“Lots of little things like that we’ve done and there’s many more. Things are taking shape.”

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