Accrington Stanley: Dion Charles in 'Mexican stand-off' over contract - Coleman
- Published
Dion Charles has not been in a matchday squad for Accrington Stanley since September
Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman says "nobody wins" in a contract dispute with striker Dion Charles.
Northern Ireland striker Charles netted 20 goals for League One side Stanley last season but has not been included in a matchday squad since September.
The 26-year-old, who made his NI debut in March, was omitted from the squad for November's World Cup qualifiers.
"It has become a bit of a Mexican stand-off which doesn't suit anybody," Coleman told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"The ball's in Dion's court, it has been in Dion's court since the summer. If it doesn't change from Dion's perspective it's not going to change from my perspective."
Stanley sit 17th in League One with just six wins from 18 games and Coleman admits he would be "lying if I said we didn't miss" Charles.
"You've got to draw a line in the sand and Dion openly stated to me in the summer that if he didn't go in the transfer window he'd sign a new contract and now he's reneged on that," added Coleman.
"He has left me nowhere to go. I've got nothing against Dion, I like Dion as a lad, he's been misguided by the advice he's been given earlier on and he's continued to follow that.
"Dion had gone through a little bit of a sticky spell anyway; after he got called up to the Northern Ireland squad I think he scored two penalties and that was it in the league.
"My door's always open. he can come back into the fold at the drop of a hat but he'll have to sign a new contract.
'It has to be the right bid'
Coleman added Charles is likely to be sold in the January transfer window if a club makes an acceptable approach for the forward.
"If someone comes in with the right bid for him of course he'll go. It's got to be right for him as well, he doesn't have to just go to the first club that comes for him," he said.
"One of the things about being a manager is you have to see things from both perspectives and sometimes players don't see it from both perspectives they just see it from their own.
"Dion won't be the first player that has gone down that road. I've only ever tried to be fair with players and I only ever will try to be fair with players."