Curbishley: 'Konchesky can help us'

Charlton chief Alan Curbishley has promised Paul Konchesky he will not get the reception he feared when he turns up for Christmas Eve training with the Addicks.

The versatile left-sided player was recalled from his four-month loan at Tottenham late yesterday afternoon after Curbishley decided his injury-hit squad was just too thin to cope with the St Stephen's Day derby against Chelsea at The Valley.

Last week, Konchesky was forced to explain being quoted as saying a return to his parent club would be “horrible.”

The 22-year-old said he made his comments because feared he would be dumped in the reserves – but Curbishley has now assured him that is not the case after activating his 24-hour recall.

The Charlton boss said: “We were fully stretched against Newcastle on Saturday so I’ve recalled Paul and informed both him and David Pleat.

“I felt that, with our current problems and so many games over Christmas, we needed him back in our squad.”

Meanwhile, Curbishley has no plans to spoil goal-shy Jason Euell’s Christmas by dropping the club-record buy for the St Stephen's date with the Blues.

Euell, signed from Wimbledon in July 2001, fluffed a succession of chances in the 0-0 home draw with Newcastle.

But Curbishley, who dropped the striker earlier in the season as punishment for his sending off against Manchester United, is not poised to wield the axe again even though Jonatan Johansson is back from his thigh injury.

“I haven’t thought about giving Jason a rest,” the manager said.

“I haven’t really said anything in particular to him since the weekend.

“I watched the game again and it’s really disappointing as we could have had it sewn up. But at least we’re creating the chances.

“No-one’s really set the world alight for us up front this season. But my players do put themselves under pressure to perform.”

Despite Charlton’s profligacy in front of goal, the Barclaycard Premiership table does make cheery reading for Addicks fans this Christmas.

The south-east Londoners are seventh ahead of the clash with Claudio Ranieri’s big-spenders.

And Curbishley believes the key to getting one over on the club whose summer spending spree changed the face of English football could be the man who masterminded their downfall last season.

Paolo di Canio, then a West Ham player, thundered home a brace at Stamford Bridge – including a goal of the season contender – to condemn the Blues to a 3-2 defeat.

Curbishley added: “The Chelsea game is what the Premiership’s all about. I brought Paolo here to help us win tight home games.

“We just can’t get a win at home at the moment but we need to get a result on Boxing Day.

“After the Chelsea game, we’ll have played all the top five at home as well as Fulham, who were fourth when we played them and Everton, who were third.

“We’ve got to turn our home record round in the new year and win games against teams who are level with us or below us.”

Centre-back Mark Fish has recovered from his groin problem but Carlton Cole is unavailable and Kevin Lisbie, Shaun Bartlett, Luke Young, Richard Rufus and Gary Rowett are all still sidelined.