Tuesday 7 June 2016 17:15, UK
Charlton's new manager Russell Slade has revealed there is no clause in his contract that gives him full control over the club's transfer activity.
However, the former Leyton Orient and Cardiff City boss insists he will be the man making the decisions at The Valley.
Slade became the sixth managerial appointment of owner Roland Duchatelet's two-and-a-half-year reign on Monday and is the first man to be given the title of manager instead of head coach.
Recently-relegated Charlton hope to secure an immediate return to the Sky Bet Championship and to regain the trust of their deeply-unhappy fans who have consistently protested against the club's hierarchy.
Belgians Duchatelet and chief executive Katrien Meire have been the main targets of their criticism amid the belief their so-far unsuccessful recruitment of playing and coaching staff is responsible for the decline.
There have also been allegations the club's top brass interfere with team selection and Slade admits there is no written agreement giving him full control of transfers.
"It's not in the contract, but it's certainly a verbal agreement that we will discuss everything, in terms of recruitment," Slade said.
"Picking the team is certainly in my contract. I will have huge influence over the comings and goings but it will be an open discussion.
"We got to work on a few targets yesterday [Monday]. We've got a shortlist. [And] nobody will be leaving on the cheap."
The 55-year-old was then asked if he was concerned about Duchatelet's and Meire's collective track record.
"Not really, because I believe in my own ability in the first instance," Slade said.
"To leave Cardiff and come to Charlton was my decision, I instigated that. I thought it was a good opportunity to come to a club that maybe lost its way last season, but for me to get it back on its feet in the right direction.
"We're looking to achieve promotion. It will be a healthy budget and give us every opportunity. There's an awful lot to be done but we're looking forward to it.
"There's a desire to reconnect with the fans and that's important, because you won't achieve anything unless you're together, and that will take time."
He added: "There's a real intent to learn from those mistakes and they've made a start by appointing a British manager, which hasn't happened for a good number of years.
"It's important to manage upwards, it's important to manage downwards. It's so important everyone's on the same page."
