Charlton Athletic’s unpredictable season continued when they reappointed José Riga as head coach on an 18-month contract.
The 58-year-old Belgian becomes Charlton’s third manager this season and sixth appointment in two years, having successfully steered the club away from relegation danger at the end of the 2013-14 season.
Charlton’s previous manager, the interim head coach Karel Fraeye who left the club in the wake of Tuesday’s humiliating 5-0 defeat at Huddersfield, had taken charge following the dismissal of Guy Luzon at the end of October but he managed only two wins in 14 matches in all competitions.
The Charlton owner, Roland Duchâtelet, told the club website: “This has been a disappointing season for everyone connected with Charlton and the board take responsibility for that. Some things, like an unprecedented number of injuries, we could not have foreseen. But we have also made errors in recruitment, mistakes we have immediately tried to address in January.
“It was also crucial we dealt with the position of the head coach. José did an excellent job in his short period with Charlton two seasons ago. He was very popular with supporters and I believe that he will get us back on track. There are 20 matches of the season still to play and it’s vital that we battle for every point.”
Riga guided Belgian club Standard Liège to the last 16 of the Europa League in the 2011-12 season and, after leaving Charlton in the summer of 2014, had a short spell at Blackpool where he was sacked after just four and a half months before rejoining the Belgian club for the end of the 2014-15 season.
He was appointed head coach of the Ligue 2 club Metz in June 2015 but left in December with them in sixth place.
He oversaw 16 Championship matches during his first stint in SE7, winning seven and drawing three to lift the Addicks from the foot of the Championship to 18th position. They currently lie second bottom and visit second from the top Hull on Saturday.
