Talking of club/ company employees it must be remebered that Directors are merely office holders and therefore employees. Employees resign, for many and varied reasons. Have a look at the financial press over the last 6 months and you will be amazed at the number of directors who have resigned their postion for any amount of reasons, some personal and some commercial.
Add to this the fact that all of those resignations reported were in respect of publicly listed companies, which CAFC is not. Listed PLC's are required to comply with far more rigorous reporting requirements than private companies as any change in the make up of the board may have an effect on the quoted share price, either positive or negative.
CAFC in its many corporate guises is not subject to the same scrutiny and is under no obligation to wash its linen in public.
It is really not unusual for changes in private companies to go unnoticed. It is only at a football club, where the fans feel an affinity with the club (not necessarily with the club's board of directors) and therefore feel that they should be kept informed that these matters become an issue.
We all want the best for our club and to an extent have been spoilt by the open attitude and honesty of the Murray years. There are not many clubs where the fans have been given such open access to senior figures over the years as Charlton, witness the various City Addicks meetings where RM has turned up and spoken honestly about matters normally kept hidden from view by mere supporters.
The new guard obviously have a different ethos to the old guard. I am not saying that either one is right or wrong nor am I saying that we should not be concerned or even worried by the various tidbits of information that have come our way. What I am saying is that we as supporters do not have enough information to be able to form a considered view and in all likelihood we will never get it. Trust needs to be earned, the old board did it in spades, the new lot have yet to do so but they have not steered us wrong thus far.
This being so lets not get carried away with prophecies of doom. Certainly we should continue to question those who have control of what we hold so dear but at the same time lets get some perspective. Record points total, Champions, a good preseason so far and possibly the best young manager in the country coupled with the fact that we have not yet sold any of our star assets and have been investing in the future in the shape of the academy and have brought some new blood in.
Dare I say the future's bright, the futures Red White and Black (apologies to Orange)?
Bexley Dan , thankyou for your thoughts and comments, you've pretty much put what i've been thinking , but said in a better way!
We do overly worry about the slightest thing , and yes our owners are not fully transparent with us , but we seem to be panicking every time there is a change of one sort or another , i fear i will end up on medication at this rate , good job the Olympics are coming , something else to distract my thoughts until the season ends , i do wonder if supporters of other clubs are on here to stir the pot a bit and bring about division , and also burst our bubble from last season.
JWAddick, having had one or two interesting chats this afternoon (on the phone of course), I'm inclined to say that you are right. I'm not sure yet that I'm ready to say the future's bright, but I'm now more reassured that we are a lot less close to midnight than I was starting to think since I came back from hols. As I understand it the overall problem is that we cannot be competitive and cover our costs from gate and TV money alone. In that respect we are in the same boat as virtually every club outside the Prem. And all these clubs need rich directors to plug the gap. Overall the kerfuffles have arisen because one particular of our benefactors no longer wishes to commit such funds. That fundamentally answers my own question, why this year when not last year. ? Those that remain are actively looking for a replacement, and from their point of view, its unreasonable for us to expect a running commentary on how they resolve the funding gap, not least because such discussions involve considerable negotiation skills, and I think we can credit Jiminez with having those skills, because they are essential in the kind of business he's in. I currently believe that the gap will be closed short -term, and hopefully medium term as well. When it comes to players the fact that nobody good has been sold, and that Yann has a fancy new contract, rather than being sold to Celtic, is a solid positive and not an accident. We may not get any 'sexy' new signings such as Baldock, but definitely more useful cover. Personally if that means we keep all our best current players I'll be more than happy and will consider the Board to have done a decent job against a background of unexpected funding shortfalls. That said, I still think the case for a Supporters Trust remains strong. It is a long term rather than short -term project, and I've been given some ideas about how it could find acceptance with the current board. But that's something for the appropriate thread, and most importantly, the meetings.
My point is that RM is still regarded in the highest of esteem by all Charlton fans and him making some sort of statement would go a long way in elevating fears. I wonder why the board havn't wheeled him out to do so ? Perhaps they have tried and he won't. Just speculation of course.
He's recovering from a stroke remember, perhaps he doesn't need the hassle or perhaps the club are keeping him out of the loop for the sake of his health.
My point is that RM is still regarded in the highest of esteem by all Charlton fans and him making some sort of statement would go a long way in elevating fears. I wonder why the board havn't wheeled him out to do so ? Perhaps they have tried and he won't. Just speculation of course.
He's recovering from a stroke remember, perhaps he doesn't need the hassle or perhaps the club are keeping him out of the loop for the sake of his health.
JWAddick, having had one or two interesting chats this afternoon (on the phone of course), I'm inclined to say that you are right. I'm not sure yet that I'm ready to say the future's bright, but I'm now more reassured that we are a lot less close to midnight than I was starting to think since I came back from hols. As I understand it the overall problem is that we cannot be competitive and cover our costs from gate and TV money alone. In that respect we are in the same boat as virtually every club outside the Prem. And all these clubs need rich directors to plug the gap. Overall the kerfuffles have arisen because one particular of our benefactors no longer wishes to commit such funds. That fundamentally answers my own question, why this year when not last year. ? Those that remain are actively looking for a replacement, and from their point of view, its unreasonable for us to expect a running commentary on how they resolve the funding gap, not least because such discussions involve considerable negotiation skills, and I think we can credit Jiminez with having those skills, because they are essential in the kind of business he's in. I currently believe that the gap will be closed short -term, and hopefully medium term as well. When it comes to players the fact that nobody good has been sold, and that Yann has a fancy new contract, rather than being sold to Celtic, is a solid positive and not an accident. We may not get any 'sexy' new signings such as Baldock, but definitely more useful cover. Personally if that means we keep all our best current players I'll be more than happy and will consider the Board to have done a decent job against a background of unexpected funding shortfalls. That said, I still think the case for a Supporters Trust remains strong. It is a long term rather than short -term project, and I've been given some ideas about how it could find acceptance with the current board. But that's something for the appropriate thread, and most importantly, the meetings.
This is reassuring. Compared to many CAFC must have an easier job attracting further investment than many Championship clubs - good young squad that got results last year, good young manager, strong coaching/youth set up, good stadium, good fan base, based in a vibrant area.
The truth is, that the finances of football are a nonsense, an industry where virtually every club budgets to make losses each year has major problems, and all clubs will have to juggle their cashflows, unless they have a super rich owner prepared to cough up.
All clubs dream about promotion to the pot of gold in the PL, but once there the extra money just goes on wages and transfer fees (with a bit spent on ground improvements). We may still owe money on the North Stand development, but at least that's a tangible asset from our PL days.
Unfortunately only 20 clubs can play in the PL, whereas at least 40 clubs have realistic ambitions of being in the PL, and spend money to achieve this aim, when most will miss out...
Good post JWAddick ... there seems to have been a fair bit of concern on here over SK's departure ... although I can understand to an extent why this is the case, I'm not convinced this means doom and gloom
During a transfer window you don't want people to know if you are either minted or strapped .for obvious reasons. So you just don't make a comment either way.
I liked the way it was played last year when CP let it be known at a fans meeting that we were operating on the same financial level as Rochdale. It caused pages of anguish on here but better to under promise and over deliver...
....Unfortunately only 20 clubs can play in the PL...
and not all of those turn a profit of course. An alarming number of clubs outside the PL and without significant realisable value in their playing squad are probably technically insolvent.
Well done prague, and thanks for taking the time to re-assure the more nervous amongst us (myself being one) Looking forward to meeting yourself at the next CAST meeting, as well as any other supporter that can make it. If as you say that the director thought the club was going to make money in the championship, unless we asset strip the team, then he must have been advised pretty poorly. Perhaps there personal circumstances have changed, who knows?.
I was advised by someone who knows SK that he is a sound guy with loads of integrity. But he came to the club as a financial accountant having previously worked for a large firm of accountants. He was promoted internally with nothing on his CV to suggest he could be a good CEO of a football club. I'm not saying he isn't. But the fact is that we went downhill financially while he was CEO.
It is also worth noting that current owners don't appear to be here for the love of the club. Last year we had a surplus player we could get a million for which was very handy. This year we don't. If you are in football for profit you need an exit route and you need to avoid spending more than you have to along the way. Id not expect us to spend more than the bare essential in the transfer market.
Personally I think we have done good business this summer, that we have a squad that will compete well at this level with good cover in every position and that we don't need any more signings. I hope that is also SCP's view. He strikes me as realistic and smart and not at all Dowiesque so why should he be unhappy with his lot in life?
Fundamentally you don't buy into a football club you don't support and let it go pear shaped after a promotion. You spend what you have to and no more in order to achieve your goal which has to be an onward sale. I am working on the assumption that mysteron is not a fan!
My tv and broadband have been down all day. But Prague, I assume by your post that there have been 'developments' even today. If that is the case, especially if it means we keep the current football side of things intact, then it is good news. The reason I say this, is that like Fanny said last night, what we have is special on the playing side at the moment and it needs to be recognised and nurtured. There has been/is lots of worries around, but for me the worry has never been that we're not making big signings.
I was advised by someone who knows SK that he is a sound guy with loads of integrity. But he came to the club as a financial accountant having previously worked for a large firm of accountants. He was promoted internally with nothing on his CV to suggest he could be a good CEO of a football club. I'm not saying he isn't. But the fact is that we went downhill financially while he was CEO.
That's not true, is it? When Steve became chief exec in 2010/11 we were on the brink of administration and stuck in League One. Last season we won promotion and will have increased our income and the value of the business as a consequence. Obviously that's not (just) down to him, but it's simply wrong to say things have got worse.
reassured by PragueAddicks post as knowing Richard he has spoken to some well connected people in and around the Club and if he is more positive than before and reassured by what he has learned then that is good enough for me.
Comments
Add to this the fact that all of those resignations reported were in respect of publicly listed companies, which CAFC is not. Listed PLC's are required to comply with far more rigorous reporting requirements than private companies as any change in the make up of the board may have an effect on the quoted share price, either positive or negative.
CAFC in its many corporate guises is not subject to the same scrutiny and is under no obligation to wash its linen in public.
It is really not unusual for changes in private companies to go unnoticed. It is only at a football club, where the fans feel an affinity with the club (not necessarily with the club's board of directors) and therefore feel that they should be kept informed that these matters become an issue.
We all want the best for our club and to an extent have been spoilt by the open attitude and honesty of the Murray years. There are not many clubs where the fans have been given such open access to senior figures over the years as Charlton, witness the various City Addicks meetings where RM has turned up and spoken honestly about matters normally kept hidden from view by mere supporters.
The new guard obviously have a different ethos to the old guard. I am not saying that either one is right or wrong nor am I saying that we should not be concerned or even worried by the various tidbits of information that have come our way. What I am saying is that we as supporters do not have enough information to be able to form a considered view and in all likelihood we will never get it. Trust needs to be earned, the old board did it in spades, the new lot have yet to do so but they have not steered us wrong thus far.
This being so lets not get carried away with prophecies of doom. Certainly we should continue to question those who have control of what we hold so dear but at the same time lets get some perspective. Record points total, Champions, a good preseason so far and possibly the best young manager in the country coupled with the fact that we have not yet sold any of our star assets and have been investing in the future in the shape of the academy and have brought some new blood in.
Dare I say the future's bright, the futures Red White and Black (apologies to Orange)?
As I understand it the overall problem is that we cannot be competitive and cover our costs from gate and TV money alone. In that respect we are in the same boat as virtually every club outside the Prem. And all these clubs need rich directors to plug the gap. Overall the kerfuffles have arisen because one particular of our benefactors no longer wishes to commit such funds. That fundamentally answers my own question, why this year when not last year. ? Those that remain are actively looking for a replacement, and from their point of view, its unreasonable for us to expect a running commentary on how they resolve the funding gap, not least because such discussions involve considerable negotiation skills, and I think we can credit Jiminez with having those skills, because they are essential in the kind of business he's in.
I currently believe that the gap will be closed short -term, and hopefully medium term as well. When it comes to players the fact that nobody good has been sold, and that Yann has a fancy new contract, rather than being sold to Celtic, is a solid positive and not an accident. We may not get any 'sexy' new signings such as Baldock, but definitely more useful cover. Personally if that means we keep all our best current players I'll be more than happy and will consider the Board to have done a decent job against a background of unexpected funding shortfalls.
That said, I still think the case for a Supporters Trust remains strong. It is a long term rather than short -term project, and I've been given some ideas about how it could find acceptance with the current board. But that's something for the appropriate thread, and most importantly, the meetings.
Have you been to docklands this past week!
All clubs dream about promotion to the pot of gold in the PL, but once there the extra money just goes on wages and transfer fees (with a bit spent on ground improvements). We may still owe money on the North Stand development, but at least that's a tangible asset from our PL days.
Unfortunately only 20 clubs can play in the PL, whereas at least 40 clubs have realistic ambitions of being in the PL, and spend money to achieve this aim, when most will miss out...
An alarming number of clubs outside the PL and without significant realisable value in their playing squad are probably technically insolvent.
Looking forward to meeting yourself at the next CAST meeting, as well as any other supporter that can make it.
If as you say that the director thought the club was going to make money in the championship, unless we asset strip the team, then he must have been advised pretty poorly. Perhaps there personal circumstances have changed, who knows?.
What I do know is that if we had a Supporters Trust like Swansea's we would know, and it probably wouldnt be such a crisis anyway
It is also worth noting that current owners don't appear to be here for the love of the club. Last year we had a surplus player we could get a million for which was very handy. This year we don't. If you are in football for profit you need an exit route and you need to avoid spending more than you have to along the way. Id not expect us to spend more than the bare essential in the transfer market.
Personally I think we have done good business this summer, that we have a squad that will compete well at this level with good cover in every position and that we don't need any more signings. I hope that is also SCP's view. He strikes me as realistic and smart and not at all Dowiesque so why should he be unhappy with his lot in life?
Fundamentally you don't buy into a football club you don't support and let it go pear shaped after a promotion. You spend what you have to and no more in order to achieve your goal which has to be an onward sale. I am working on the assumption that mysteron is not a fan!
There has been/is lots of worries around, but for me the worry has never been that we're not making big signings.