Charlton Athletic: Nathan Jones aims dig back at Birmingham boss Chris Davies | OneFootball

Nathan Jones was animated in his rebuttle to Chris Davies' bizarre claims that the Addicks had 'spent a fortune'.

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones has issued a strong response to recent comments made by Birmingham City head coach Chris Davies following the Blues' 1-0 defeat at The Valley, who suggested Charlton had little to no interest in playing their own game.

Going into the game on the back of three successive losses, Charlton were overwhelming underdogs against the league leaders.

In a match that only saw one shot on target in its entirety, Matty Godden fired home to give the Addicks all three points in what was arguably the upset of the weekend.

Accused of employing tactical methods aimed solely at nullifying Birmingham’s style of play, Charltonboss Jones has speculated sour grapes emanating from the West-Midlands.

Charlton Athletic's Tactical Accusation

After the match, Davies remarked that Charlton focused on shutting down Birmingham’s attacking strengths rather than imposing their own game plan. He implied that the London club were primarily reactive, lacking a proactive approach in the fixture.

After the match, the Birmingham boss expressed frustration, telling the Mirror “Charlton were man-to-man pressing us. Their job was to stop us, rather than do too much with the ball – and they did a good job of it, in terms of trying to stop us playing at times”.

These comments seemed to suggest that Charlton had over-invested in a defensive game plan that merely sought to disrupt Birmingham’s natural flow of play.

Jones, however, was quick to defend his side’s tactics, refuting the idea that Charlton’s game plan was solely designed to counteract their opponents. Speaking to South London Press in response to Davies' comments, Jones made it clear that his team had played their own style and deserved to win based on the opportunities they created during the match:

“Contrary to what some people say, we don’t set up just to stop people playing. We have to be very good in possession and then have more than them in possession.

“Regardless of how people want to see it, we are ourselves in every game. That is what we will be on Saturday – regardless of formation or personnel.”

“I don’t want to go into a game and think we need three goals to beat Birmingham, or any other side for that matter. In and out of possession we are set up to be Charlton Athletic, regardless of anyone else.”

“We try to play and we had more shots on targets. We created the clearer chances. So, realistically, I’m not sure what anyone can say about that performance, other than it was a fantastic performance. Regardless of perception you have to stop Birmingham playing, because if you don’t they score goals."

Asked if his words were based off what opposition bosses had said this season, the Welshman then told SLP: “I don’t tend to listen to other interviews because they can sometimes cloud your thinking."

Financial Spending Under Fire

In addition to criticising Charlton's tactics, Davies also suggested that the London side had “spent a fortune” in assembling their squad, bizarrely implying that their financial advantage could have played a part in the result despite his own side being the league's biggest spenders by far.

This was another point of contention that Jones was eager to address in his post-match comments. The Charlton boss stressed that while his club had invested in players, their spending was far from extravagant and certainly not on the level of some of their Championship rivals.

"We’ve not spent anywhere near what people might think," Jones responded. "Of course, we’ve made some key signings, but we’re very much operating within financial fair play regulations, and we’re mindful of the resources we have." Jones seemed to suggest that Davies’ remarks overlooked the broader context of spending in the league, where clubs with deeper pockets tend to dominate discussions around transfer budgets.

He further argued that Birmingham, in fact, had also made significant investments and that Davies’ comments may have been a bit misplaced given the competitive landscape of the league. "Birmingham’s financial power is well-known, and we’re certainly not spending at that level. We have been smart with our resources," Jones justifiably added.

“I don’t know what he classes as fortunes. We have spent more than a lot of League One sides, but I wouldn’t quite call it fortunes.

“We have been very thrifty in the transfer market. I don’t like commenting on others. Birmingham spent fortunes but if they can do that then there is no problem with that, from my point of view. I don’t want to get into an argument about it.

“We know how much we have spent and we can’t spend fortunes because there are restrictions at the club – financial fair play. So we can only spend what we can spend. Have we spent money on players? Absolutely. Is it fortunes compared to a lot of sides? It’s healthy, compared to other sides, and minute compared to others. It depends how you want to look at it."

Jones tries to keep everything in house

For Jones, the focus remains on Charlton's long-term objectives and continued improvement, regardless of external criticisms.

“They are entitled to their opinions, all managers. I try not to get embroiled in arguments.

“I try to keep everything in-house about speaking about Charlton – when I get angry I get angry about Charlton, not anybody else. I very rarely get embroiled in what is going on elsewhere.”

Despite the somewhat heated and seemingly ongoing exchange, Jones was careful not to escalate tensions too much, acknowledging that both clubs are working within the confines of the same competitive environment.

Charlton and Birmingham will both build on this result

As Charlton look to build on their victory, Jones' response suggests that he is determined to keep his team focused on the task ahead and not get drawn into protracted disputes over finances or tactics. Birmingham, on the other hand, may have to reflect on their performance and how they approach matches against teams they deem to be less attack-minded.

The exchange between Jones and Davies serves as a reminder of the pressure managers face, not only to secure results but also to justify their approach in a highly competitive league.

Whether Davies' decision to throw stones from his glass house came from personal frustration or attempted rage-baiting, Jones’ firm, but largely composed response indicates that he is more than ready to defend his team both on and off the pitch.