Addicks boss wants new strike duo to prove doubters wrong at Valley

Sordell has agreed a one-year loan deal from Championship rivals Bolton, while Church is a permanent signing on a two-year contract after being released from Reading earlier this summer.

Church, 24, didn’t feature at all for the Royals during their brief one-season stay in the Premier League last year, finding himself restricted to one appearance in the League Cup and a seven-game loan spell with Huddersfield.

Sordell has also struggled to hold down a first-team spot during his 18-month at the Reebok and now Addicks boss Powell wants both to prove their doubters wrong with the Addicks.

He explained: “Simon’s got a point to prove I feel as well and I like that.

“I like them players, I’m not worried about what they’ve done elsewhere.

“What I’m worried about and my only concern is when they come through the doors here at the training ground and at The Valley, when they put on their training kit or when they wear the red and white of Charlton, it is what they do for us, it is as simple as that.

“If I worried about what other players have done at other clubs I wouldn’t have half my squad.

“Yann’s experience at Leicester to what he has done here, Michael Morrison what he done at Sheffield Wednesday to what he has done here, I could keep going.

“It is what they do here and I what I say to them and what they want to do.

“This is a progressive club. This is a club they can show people they are good enough to play at this level, they are good enough to play in my first team and that is all I’m concerned about.

“With Marvin Sordell and Simon Church it is about what they do for Charlton Athletic.”

Powell is optimistic Sordell has what it takes to be a big hit in SE7.

“I’m hoping he brings goals,” the Valley manager said.

“He is a player that has got a decent record, is sharp, lively, scores different types of goals, has got experience of the Championship and the Premier League and he has been good in pre-season.

“I’ve looked and he has been scoring goals in pre-season.

“He scored against us last year at the start of our good run towards the end of the season and he was just someone who was on my list.

“I never thought we would get anywhere near him so I’m really pleased we’ve managed to do it because it is financially tough out there.

“We’ve lost out on players because we can’t compete and that’s a fact of life.

“But he is a player he did some good things at Watford and I really hope he can do good things for us.”

Powell and Charlton had been rumoured to be interested in Sordell last season but the boss admitted it was never a serious proposition at the time.

He said: “I was linked with him but to be honest with you it wasn’t something I felt was ever going to happen.

“I didn’t make any calls, it was just someone who I saw was out of the team and thought was it possible?

“But of course Dougie Freedman went in new last year and he wanted to have a look at his side and squad.

“He has had a few changes and we’ve been able to bring Marvin in.

“I’m really glad the club have allowed me to do it and I think he will be a good addition.”

Powell suggested after Saturday’s game against Inverness Church still had a lot to prove fitness wise before securing a deal with the Addicks.

But although still not fully up to speed with the rest of the squad, the gaffer is confident it won’t take too long.

“The only issue with that is he just needs to have that football training with a group,” the gaffer said.

“I’m sure he has been road running but there is a big difference.

“People always say ‘well, why aren’t they fit?’.

“When you train on your own you don’t have that added edge because you’ve got a point to prove.

“You think you are pushing yourself but as soon as you join a squad which has been together for a number of weeks, they are way ahead because they’ve had the balance of doing gym work, the running work, the football work on the grass, resting at the right times, doing all the right things at the right times.

“When you are on your own you can’t do that.

“To be fair to him we threw him in in the game at Ebbsfleet, he done an hour and he looked OK.

“His movement was very good and he has trained well. It will just be that catch up but not as bad as maybe when lads come in and the season has started.”

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