Pards: Spain Trip Will Help Us

After suffering our shock defeat in the FA Cup third round to Nottingham Forest, Charlton are without a game on fourth-round day with their next match away at Bolton Wanderers not until January 31st.

Pardew is set to bring in a strict fitness regime in a bid to kick on in the final third of the season, with a trip to Spain also planned.

Alan explained: 'The most significant thing for me is that we have a game in nine or 10 days' time and then another break after the Manchester United match.

'I've already pencilled in a sort of mid-season pre-season. We will put in a lot of hard work in this next week; we need to be fitter than everybody else and more intense than everybody else.

'Pre-season starts on Monday between now and the Bolton game,' he added. 'It's a brilliant opportunity for us to work on all disciplines that I'm about and get our fitness levels up.

'We'll have a four-day break in Spain and while we are away working hard at a very good centre it will be a chance to get the builders in and change a few things around at the training ground.'

'On top of that we have Darren Bent and Luke Young back in training and Andy Reid will also train so that's a lot of talent to come back into the squad,' he said. 'We've given ourselves a real chance now and I hope to build on the Portsmouth victory.'


After the Trotters trip, Charlton will play troubled Chelsea on February 3rd and then go to Manchester United a week later.

While many will see those two games as bonus points should we do the unimaginable and sneak a draw, Pardew is backing his side to beat the drop should we remain in significant striking distance of our relegation rivals.

He pointed out: 'The key for us is after we are out of this Bolton, Man United, Chelsea run of games.

'If the points gap is like it is at the moment I think we'll have a great chance. It's in that period that we have to ensure our rivals don't get away from us when we play the top teams.'


Pardew said: 'A lot of people said to me it was a difficult scenario for me to go into and might not be advisable after my experiences at West Ham but I didn't see it that way.

'My view was that if we could pull it off it would be magnificent and I like that type of challenge.

'Of course I have to focus a little on next year but my main focus is staying in the Premiership; in some ways it might be easier staying in than getting out of the Championship next season.'

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