MARK Kinsella is hopeful the Addicks will have assembled a squad capable of challenging for promotion by the time Charlton kick off the new campaign.

The Charlton coach was speaking after last night’s 1-0 victory at Welling, which came courtesy of Akpo Sodje’s winner.

Sodje is one of the few remaining faces presently under contract in SE7 from last season’s beaten play-off semi-final squad but coach Kinsella is certain Phil Parkinson will sign up quality additions before the opening game with Bournemouth.

He explained: “I’m confident that come August 7 we will have a squad and a team which is good enough to get us promoted.

“It is the target every year, especially in this league where we got so close last year and there was a massive disappointment not to get over that line.

“It hard us hard through the summer and the lads couldn’t wait to get back to put that right.

“Obviously it is going to be very difficult because we are still a big fish in this league and a big scalp for clubs.

“It took Leeds four or five years to get out, so we know how difficult it is going to be and we know we need to bring players in to make us stronger.

“That is what the gaffer has been working hard on in the last two or three weeks.”

Kinsella also conceded strengthening Charlton’s front line is the number one priority at the moment.

He added: “It is and I’m sure the gaffer is working on it day in, day out.

“I think a lot of clubs are the same and you hear other managers speaking about it. A lot of them are sitting tight and waiting to see what happens.

“We’ve got to work at the moment day-to-day with what we’ve got and obviously Jackson, Doherty and McCormack have come in, so they’ve all been added in the last week or so.

“Between now and the start of the season I’m sure there will be more faces coming in.

“There are phone calls going through to clubs. The gaffer and the chairman have obviously been doing that.

“We will go and look at pre-season games to see what is out there and hopefully make the squad stronger.

“It is difficult because there are a lot of clubs in the same boat looking for the same players but hopefully we can sell Charlton to these players and get them to come to us.”

Kinsella also hinted at a return to The Valley for Jon Fortune after the former Addick made an appearance at Park View Road.

“Jon Fortune was asked by us to come in and train,” he said. “He can keep his options open and obviously we can have a look at him at the same time.

“He wasn’t ready to play on Saturday but he fancied a run out today and we will just see how it goes.”

Another defender who Kinsella would like to see pen a deal is Christian Dailly, who returned to the club for pre-season training despite being a free agent.

He said: “Christian Dailly came back in last week and has been training with us so hopefully that can get sorted out.

“It would be another big plus because he was player of the year last year and is an outstanding professional.

“He is a great advertisement for the other lads and an act to follow.

“His professionalism is second to none and it is great for our young lads to have that sort of player around the place.”

There was also some positive news on Kelly Youga after last season’s injury nightmare.

Kinsella said: “Kelly Youga is not fit yet and is still coming back from injury. He is training on his own with the physio so hopefully in the near future we will see Kelly back. I hope he will be back for the start of the season.

“He hasn’t been in with the lads but has been doing his own individual stuff at the moment but hopefully within the next few days or maybe a week or two he will be back.

“Kelly has been making steady progress but we will just have to wait and see.”