HolyArcher

CHARLTON manager Alan Pardew admits his team did not deserve to stay in the Premiership.

The Addicks needed to win their final two games of the season to stand any chance of survival, but they went down 2-0 at home to Tottenham this morning.

Said Pardew: 'We haven't been good enough. The league table speaks for itself, there's no politics involved, no court cases, this is where it's at.

'In terms of where we are in the league, aside from the politics that are going on off the pitch, you end up where you end up.

'What we have to do, more importantly, is focus on our last league game and make sure we leave this division with pride.'

The 'politics' Pardew was referring to is the possibility of legal action over West Ham's Premier League punishment for breaking rules when signing Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Pardew, who was West Ham boss when the Argentina pair arrived at Upton Park, wants his former club to stay up.


Alan Pardew gives a thumbs-up to Charlton fans. But his team is not good enough to receive one. -- Picture: AP
'I'd love West Ham to stay up because there are a lot of people there I love,' he said.

Charlton's hopes of survival were dented after seven minutes when Dimitar Berbatov turned Talal El Karkouri and raced through to score. Defoe sealed the win in stoppage-time.

'I couldn't fault the effort of the players,' he said. 'The scoreline doesn't really do the game justice. Their little bit of quality was the difference.

'That bit of quality is what we've lacked on this final run when we got ourselves so close.

'UNDER PRESSURE'

'Ultimately, you have to score goals and you're under pressure if you're not scoring.

'I felt we were unlucky with the fixtures, they didn't fall our way. We didn't come across anyone who didn't have an agenda.

'It's the first time I've experienced relegation and I don't know how I'll feel over the next few days.

'I know relegation costs people jobs and it can be people who have been here for 10 or 15 years.'

Pardew refused to be drawn on whether the managerial changes the club made this season contributed to their downfall.

He said: 'I can only talk since I've been here.

'This is a great club. The board have been very, very supportive to me and the fans have been absolutely brilliant.

'We've tried everything and it's not to be. I've no regrets, I'm just sorry I couldn't pull it off for them.'

Asked whether the club may now need to sell star striker Darren Bent, Pardew added: 'It's an unfair question to hit me with. I don't think this is the night to talk about that.'

As for his own future, he said: 'I've signed a contract here and people here have been brilliant to me and in some ways I want to repay that.' - PA Sport.




i still say that charlton did their best charlton is good but slightly weaker players still the fight goes on they deserve the best among