FORMER Charlton Athletic boss Chris Powell has explained his decision to leave Walsall after just fourteen days to become new Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere‘s assistant.
Former Arsenal and England midfielder Wilshere, 33, has taken on his first senior manager role after the Hatters sacked Matt Bloomfield after nine months in charge with the side eleventh in League One following successive relegations.
Powell, 56, who led the Addicks to the League One title in 2011-12, joined the Saddlers on an interim basis as part of boss Mat Sadler’s staff.
Powell was part of England’s coaching staff under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He has worked at Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Ado Den Haag and Sheffield Wednesday.
In 2024, Powell was awarded with an MBE for services to football.
“We [Luton] are in and we have to navigate our way to where we want to get to,” Powell said on talkSPORT.
“It’s a quick turnaround for me because I’m sure people know I’ve been at Walsall, just helping out the coaching staff there.
“[They have a] brilliant young manager with good staff and a good team. I felt part of it, but it was only interim.
“But I didn’t think it would turn around so quickly that I now find myself here at Luton Town helping Jack Wilshere and looking to do well at Kenilworth Road.”
Wilshere started his coaching career in Arsenal’s academy before his first senior role as part of Johannes Hoff Thorup’s coaching staff at Norwich City. He was briefly interim boss after Thorup left towards the end of last season.
Powell said: “Hopefully he will carry on what he exuded as a player and manager. It’s a long road, it’s a rocky road, it’s a road that tests you.
“I think the astute [managers] understand where they’re at. They understand the group they’ve got and the level they’re working at.
“You’ve got to understand that footballers are very similar in many ways. The difference for me in the different leagues is the decision-making. That’s all it is.
“The elite, the Premier League players, make good decisions quicker. They understand where they’re meant to be quicker.
“I think with someone like Jack, he will understand that straight away.
“There are elements that are very similar to the Premier League and there’s one or two that you have to learn pretty quickly.”
