Charlton Athletic striker Lyle Taylor has claimed that speculation surrounding the future of manager Lee Bowyer has not had any impact on the squad.

Bowyer has worked wonders since taking over in 2018 as he guided his side to promotion from League One last season, while the Addicks are currently sitting in 10th place in the Championship after the first quarter of the campaign.

The South London outfit have won five of their first 11 matches since their Championship return, and this has led to reports linking Bowyer with a number of jobs at clubs including Stoke City and Huddersfield Town.

These are not the only occasions where Bowyer's future at the club has been in doubt as he initially failed to agree terms on a contract extension over the summer, before eventually reversing this decision to stay on for at least another year.

Charlton forward Lyle Taylor has now revealed that any uncertainty surrounding Bowyer's future has not had any effect on the club's players, as he says that support from the manager is all that matters to them.

“What goes on at boardroom level is nothing to do with the players," Taylor told the Totally Football Show.

"We don’t live our lives in the boardroom. We have no real contact with anybody who’s in the boardroom other than Steve Gallen.

“So it doesn’t really make any difference to us what goes on upstairs as long as we are supported – and we are, mainly by the manager. That’s the only thing that really matters to me."

Taylor was a central figure to Charlton's promotion efforts last term by scoring 25 goals in 45 appearances, and he continued this form into the new season by netting five goals in his first six appearances before suffering a leg injury.

The Verdict

Any speculation linking Bowyer with a move away from the club this season would have largely ignored by the players, as they would have been assured by the man himself that he is committed to leading Charlton's efforts this term.

However, the impressive work he has done at The Valley means there are bounds to be other clubs pursuing his services in the near future, and it is hard to predict what sort of impact his potential departure would have on the club.

But for now, Charlton's fans and players alike should enjoy having Bowyer at the club. He is an extremely bright and young manager who surely has a promising future in management, and the Addicks could really achieve something special under him this term.

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