Former Charlton boss Chris Powell has revealed how owner Roland Duchatelet told him to pick certain players in his team.

The Belgian tycoon wanted his network of footballers in the first-team but the Addicks legend fought his demands.

Powell was manager at the time when Duchatelet took over the club in January 2014 - but he was sacked just two months into his reign.

He claims that in his first meeting with the Charlton chief, he knew he was not going to be at the club for much longer.

He said: “In my first meeting with him [Duchatelet] and the previous owner, I sat there and thought ‘I won’t be here for too long.’

“He told me that I needed a new goalkeeper, a striker better than Kermorgant - who is one of the best players I’ve ever managed - and a new full-back, I had Chris Solly and Rhoys Wiggins.

“I knew there was a network of clubs and he was saying ‘we’ve got the players that will be better than them.’

“Roland straight away said to me we need these players so I told him that as long as I’ve seen them and they have the right characteristics then fine.

“I’d go to training and get a phone call ‘there’s a goalkeeper downstairs’, I said ‘I didn't know he was coming here?’

“I’m thinking ‘nice to meet you but I don’t know who you are’ - then all of a sudden, you have to play him.

“It’s never the players’ fault, they’ve obviously been told to go to England and that you’re going to play.”

Numerous players arrived during the January transfer window in 2014 including Anil Koc, Loic Nego and Yohann Thuram-Ulien - who simply were not good enough - and barely featured.

Powell admitted that Duchatelet did tell him to pick certain players in his starting XI.

He added on talkSPORT last night: “Yes [the owner did tell me who to pick] but a lot of the time I said no - I never ever said yes.

“I would always choose the right team for the game because you have to believe in the 18 players that you choose.

“But for Roland, after losing a game, he’d ask me ‘why didn't you play him?’ I didn't play him because he isn’t good enough or right for the Championship.

“I didn't want to compromise my principles because then I’m not the manager of the team.

“I knew straight away in January and I knew if this is the way they’re going to work, it will not work.

“We were in the quarter finals of the FA Cup - but I thought that once this run ends, I’ll be leaving - we lost to Sheffield United and I left the next day.”