Yes. If the buyer has worked out a way he can relocate and utilise that - you have found a reason. But whoever buys a Premiership Charlton will have their own reasons. I am just speculating that there are clear reasons there and that is why somebody who buys football clubs to make money has bought us!
Don't want to be pedantic, but posters keep stating that the price Shahid Khan paid for Fulham was £300m. As far as I know, Khan's aim was to keep the price confidential, i.e. it has not been made public, but media reports at the time estimated that he paid between £150-200m. A big sum, but a long way south of £300m.
I believe the original press "guestimate" was 300m US dollars, Mundell.
Ok, let's have some other theories. One could be that RD is mad, another could be.......... erm.... I can't think of any more! Maybe he doesn't want to make money, but the evidence suggests he does.
Sometimes you need the vision. I thought Airman was mad when he started target 10,000!
If I may go back a little are we now saying that it would cost between £50m and £100m to add 13,000 more seats? That's between £3,846 and £7,692 per seat.
That does seem wildly extravagant. Diverting slightly, I note that the concept of 'safe standing' is gathering momentum again. Is there any appetite for this among fellow Lifers? In past decades I was always a committed standee - even disdained the seats - but fear that the aching limbs may be catching up on me...
The £100m would relate to the building of a new stadium at the peninsula - one estimate is £15m just to deal with the gas holder.
However, there are significant issues with developing the east and Jimmy Seed stands at The Valley which would add dramatically to the cost. That's why it was considered prudent to look at the opportunities elsewhere. I don't believe £50m is unrealistic, based on conversations with the person who did the feasibility work.
Ok, let's have some other theories. One could be that RD is mad, another could be.......... erm.... I can't think of any more! Maybe he doesn't want to make money, but the evidence suggests he does.
Sometimes you need the vision. I thought Airman was mad when he started target 10,000!
Among a number of possible ways is something like that described by STVVfan on the 'Belgium football fans - Welgekomen a Charlton, kan je mij helpen?' thread:
"at my own club at last Sintruidense VV or STVV his girlfriend is owner of the stadium and all grounds surrounding it. Officially he sold our club when he bought Standard because both teams were in the first division at that point and you obviously cannot own 2 clubs that compete in the same division. But he actually still runs things at the club. Our current chairman is a dear friend of his and just a puppet on a string. When he "sold" the club he gave the stadium and its grounds to his girlfriend so we now pay 400.000 Euro rent a year to plag in our own Stadium".
The hospitality and conference facilities at the Valley, are some of the worst in London at a sports ground. Improving or expanding those would help a lot
What worst than Palace and Fulham do me a favour
Likewise bewildered. I've been in most of the hospitality suites and whilst clearly not to be confused with Claridges all of the facilities provide good no nonsense grub at a very reasonable price (perhaps too reasonable!) and the staff have always been friendly and helpful.
Agree having a fairly good knowledge of the hospitality at the valley it's ok but does need a serious revamp
I've never BEEN in one of our boxes, but sitting in front of them, they are pretty basic, and there's no lounge attached to them. That side of the ground is much more workaday and a bit tired now. There's also the problem of away fans in the boxes, celebrating when their team scores... I guess most of the pricier hospitality will be in the shared lounges in the West Stand, next to the carpark.
The number of contracts handed out to current players should be a big indicator as to the direction he wants to take us. If Morrison, Wiggins et al are kept on then it should mean we will run at a similar ethic to what we currently are ie looking to build stability, developing youth, keeping a British core. If the majority haven't received contracts by March 1st I will be worried.
However, there will always be second guessing and cynicism. Given the stories we've heard from fans in Belgium there will be some (me included) who will think new contracts could be a ploy to simply sell them on for decent fees in the summer. Either way this will be a Charlton unlike we've seen before and I think it's normal to have some reservations.
The problem with the boxes is that caviar and champagne could be served by a bevvy of Brazilian models and you still wouldn't sell them out for Championship fixtures.
Clearly forward planning is required as boxes can't be bulit/redeveloped in a single pre-season but the ability to charge true premium pricing rests on both the quality of the hospitality and the offering on the pitch.
The good news is that a virtuous cycle of higher revenues maintaining the quality of the team can be set in motion. I think those of who are broadly 'pro-Peninsula' would consider this to be a key argument in favour.
Among a number of possible ways is something like that described by STVVfan on the 'Belgium football fans - Welgekomen a Charlton, kan je mij helpen?' thread:
"at my own club at last Sintruidense VV or STVV his girlfriend is owner of the stadium and all grounds surrounding it. Officially he sold our club when he bought Standard because both teams were in the first division at that point and you obviously cannot own 2 clubs that compete in the same division. But he actually still runs things at the club. Our current chairman is a dear friend of his and just a puppet on a string. When he "sold" the club he gave the stadium and its grounds to his girlfriend so we now pay 400.000 Euro rent a year to plag in our own Stadium".
400,000€ a year initially seems a shocker, but if you take in account the staffing, groundswork, maintenance then it's a bargain actually. Looks like a tax referral system in play against the profits of another company. Sounds sensible from a business pov as long as the owners have no plans to sell it off!
@Dani_RiveraRuiz: Roland Duchâtelet, empresario belga propietario del Standard de Lieja, Újpest y Charlton Athletic, avanzado en la compra del Alcorcón.
Loosely translated would suggest he is about to buy another football club in Spanish Alcorcon
If I may go back a little are we now saying that it would cost between £50m and £100m to add 13,000 more seats? That's between £3,846 and £7,692 per seat.
That does seem wildly extravagant. Diverting slightly, I note that the concept of 'safe standing' is gathering momentum again. Is there any appetite for this among fellow Lifers? In past decades I was always a committed standee - even disdained the seats - but fear that the aching limbs may be catching up on me...
The £100m would relate to the building of a new stadium at the peninsula - one estimate is £15m just to deal with the gas holder.
However, there are significant issues with developing the east and Jimmy Seed stands at The Valley which would add dramatically to the cost. That's why it was considered prudent to look at the opportunities elsewhere. I don't believe £50m is unrealistic, based on conversations with the person who did the feasibility work.
The only real way to do it, (to get a 40k+ capacity) would be to demolish both the East and the JS Stands and build a new wrap around two tier connecting up with the West and North. PP shouldn't be an issue in going significantly higher than they are at the moment.
@Dani_RiveraRuiz: Roland Duchâtelet, empresario belga propietario del Standard de Lieja, Újpest y Charlton Athletic, avanzado en la compra del Alcorcón.
Loosely translated would suggest he is about to buy another football club in Spanish Alcorcon
@Dani_RiveraRuiz: Roland Duchâtelet, empresario belga propietario del Standard de Lieja, Újpest y Charlton Athletic, avanzado en la compra del Alcorcón.
Loosely translated would suggest he is about to buy another football club in Spanish Alcorcon
If this is true, then I'm even more uneasy about our new owner. Funding one club requires deep pockets - financing several requires cash that he doesn't appear to have. Where does that leave us?
I wasn't saying RD hadn't bought us to make money. What I'm saying is that nobody in their right mind would pay £300m for a Premier League Charlton as a means of making money. If we are promoted quickly and the sell- on price is realistic there is every chance for RD to make money and so it goes on until a price is reached at which nobody could conceivably sell on at a profit. That price in our case is well short of £300m in my opinion.
I wasn't saying RD hadn't bought us to make money. What I'm saying is that nobody in their right mind would pay £300m for a Premier League Charlton as a means of making money. If we are promoted quickly and the sell- on price is realistic there is every chance for RD to make money and so it goes on until a price is reached at which nobody could conceivably sell on at a profit. That price in our case is well short of £300m in my opinion.
If you're using the Fulham sale as your yardstick, Bryan - I'll think you'll find it was estimated by the press to be worth 300m US dollars - and not 300m GBP.
Belgian businessman Roland Duchatelet has completed a takeover of Charlton Athletic Football Club. His company, Staprix NV, will take 100% of the club's shares. It is difficult to say whether Charlton fans should be optimistic, or pessimistic, about this switch at the top. Here is an analysis of what the future may have in store for the Addicks.
As it stands, Charlton are struggling. Despite an impressive first season in the Championship, Chris Powell has been granted very little funds. Then-chairman Michael Slater, along with directors Tony Jimenez and Martin Prothero, were content not to invest in the squad. The owners have in fact had very little contact with the club and its fans, leaving Powell in a difficult position. All three of Charlton's signings this summer, Richard Wood, Simon Church and Mark Gower, have been on a free transfer.
Since the start of this campaign, the Addicks have suffered from a severe dose of second-season syndrome. Finishing strongly in their last campaign to finish ninth, they are now nineteenth, only three points above the relegation zone. By all accounts, a very poor quality of football has been played at the Valley, with the team struggling to keep possession and often resorting to long ball tactics. Although they have a better defensive record than most teams in the bottom half, only Doncaster, Yeovil and Barnsley have scored less goals.
Indeed, the main reason Charlton are out of the relegation zone is the lack of quality elsewhere. In every second tier campaign since 1985, the team who stays up has had more points than the number of games played. Charlton currently have just twenty-four points from the same number of matches. They could be closer to, if not in the relegation zone, but for teams below them doing poorly.
If Charlton were to continue with the current lack of investment, even if they stayed up, they could really struggle in their next campaign. Yeovil and Barnsley have been by a long way the bottom two clubs, and will more than likely be out of the equation next season. The current teams competing for promotion in League One have all have an average of over two points per game so far. This is a lot more than Doncaster, Bournemouth or Yeovil attained. It is dangerous to do too much guesswork given the unpredictability of the Football League, but the quality in the division next season could be higher.
From that point of view, a fresh injection of cash would be vital for Charlton. And the man taking them over, Roland Duchatelet, was ranked as the eighteenth richest man in Belgium in 2011, with a fortune of €502 million. He does own four other football clubs, but Charlton is likely to be his main priority, with potential for massive sums of Premier League TV money. Apart from Standard Liege, the other clubs he runs present less financial opportunity - one is in the Hungarian top flight, one is in the Belgian second division, one in the fourth tier in Germany. Charlton fans can expect a fair proportion of his money to be invested into the club.
However, with this new chairman's cash could come a lack of sense and stability. According to an interview with a Belgian football expert on Valley Talk, the Charlton fanzine, Duchatelet belongs to a rather regular breed of impatient, money-orientated owners. He had sold Standard Liege's best players, and was happy to make the club for sale when pressurized into doing so, yet not his shares in it. He also has a history for parting company with his manager quickly. Duchatelet worked with five different head coaches in his two and a half year reign at Standard Liege. This all suggests he will take a knee-jerk approach to try and get Charlton into the Premier League, sacking as quickly as he spends. Rather than gradually building a football club from the bottom upwards, we can expect the Belgian to look for an instant return of success and money. This makes Chris Powell's position as manager look ominous, to say the least. Will Duchatelet want his own coach in charge?
He may be able to pull off some transfer dealings with Standard Liege, to add to Charlton's squad. This is evidenced by the six month loan signing of Astrit Ajdarevic from the Belgian club. Unless this was a massive coincidence, you wouldn't have thought that would be a decision made by Chris Powell. Already, we can see a sign that Duchatelet is the kind of chairman that will interfere with footballing matters.
Ajdarevic has only made nineteen appearances for Standard Liege since signing in summer 2012, and has hardly featured for them this season. The Belgian Pro League is not a particularly higher level than the Championship in England. Anderlecht, who have dominated the country, nearly always finish bottom of their Champions League group. Standard Liege finished sixth last season, although they are currently top, you have to question if a few players coming in from their reserves will be of much use to Charlton's squad.
Another possibility, is that he will personally arrange a transfer of Standard Liege's best players to Charlton, and give them a bigger wage. When he first took over Liege he showed a willingness to sell his key men on for financial gain, and with more money at stake in England, he might well be prepared to hand some of their players over to Charlton. Liege are up for sale, their fans have a loathing attitude towards Duchatelet, so presumably he does not care about their fortunes. The more we find out about this Belgian businessman, the more he seems in the Vincent Tan mould. Unpredictable, ego-driven, nonsensical, yet rich and powerful. If he could pump some serious money into the club, Charlton will no doubt improve results on a short-term scale. Better quality players would mean the threat of relegation to League One will be reduced. The dour football that has been played at the Valley over the last few weeks could be improved, so Charlton could be able to adopt a more enjoyable style of play. And possibly, the club could begin to look at getting back into the Premier League, where it had been established for so many years under Alan Curbishley.
Yet this potential progress comes at a cost. Roland Duchatelet now owns 100% of Charlton Athletic, meaning the club is selling its' history, heart and soul to the hands of one maniac who only cares about money. The truth is, fans have no say in the destiny of their football club. Everything is decided by the actions of businessmen, and whoever has the most cash. That is the hard, hard reality of modern football.
Comments
Sometimes you need the vision. I thought Airman was mad when he started target 10,000!
However, there are significant issues with developing the east and Jimmy Seed stands at The Valley which would add dramatically to the cost. That's why it was considered prudent to look at the opportunities elsewhere. I don't believe £50m is unrealistic, based on conversations with the person who did the feasibility work.
Depends if the seats are padded.
"at my own club at last Sintruidense VV or STVV his girlfriend is owner of the stadium and all grounds surrounding it. Officially he sold our club when he bought Standard because both teams were in the first division at that point and you obviously cannot own 2 clubs that compete in the same division. But he actually still runs things at the club. Our current chairman is a dear friend of his and just a puppet on a string. When he "sold" the club he gave the stadium and its grounds to his girlfriend so we now pay 400.000 Euro rent a year to plag in our own Stadium".
I guess most of the pricier hospitality will be in the shared lounges in the West Stand, next to the carpark.
However, there will always be second guessing and cynicism. Given the stories we've heard from fans in Belgium there will be some (me included) who will think new contracts could be a ploy to simply sell them on for decent fees in the summer. Either way this will be a Charlton unlike we've seen before and I think it's normal to have some reservations.
Clearly forward planning is required as boxes can't be bulit/redeveloped in a single pre-season but the ability to charge true premium pricing rests on both the quality of the hospitality and the offering on the pitch.
The good news is that a virtuous cycle of higher revenues maintaining the quality of the team can be set in motion. I think those of who are broadly 'pro-Peninsula' would consider this to be a key argument in favour.
@Dani_RiveraRuiz: Roland Duchâtelet, empresario belga propietario del Standard de Lieja, Újpest y Charlton Athletic, avanzado en la compra del Alcorcón.
Loosely translated would suggest he is about to buy another football club in Spanish Alcorcon
Either that or we're in for a great Summer Tournament.
Big difference in value.
SOCCER HOME
Changes for Charlton
Belgian businessman Roland Duchatelet has completed a takeover of Charlton Athletic Football Club. His company, Staprix NV, will take 100% of the club's shares. It is difficult to say whether Charlton fans should be optimistic, or pessimistic, about this switch at the top. Here is an analysis of what the future may have in store for the Addicks.
As it stands, Charlton are struggling. Despite an impressive first season in the Championship, Chris Powell has been granted very little funds. Then-chairman Michael Slater, along with directors Tony Jimenez and Martin Prothero, were content not to invest in the squad. The owners have in fact had very little contact with the club and its fans, leaving Powell in a difficult position. All three of Charlton's signings this summer, Richard Wood, Simon Church and Mark Gower, have been on a free transfer.
Since the start of this campaign, the Addicks have suffered from a severe dose of second-season syndrome. Finishing strongly in their last campaign to finish ninth, they are now nineteenth, only three points above the relegation zone. By all accounts, a very poor quality of football has been played at the Valley, with the team struggling to keep possession and often resorting to long ball tactics. Although they have a better defensive record than most teams in the bottom half, only Doncaster, Yeovil and Barnsley have scored less goals.
Indeed, the main reason Charlton are out of the relegation zone is the lack of quality elsewhere. In every second tier campaign since 1985, the team who stays up has had more points than the number of games played. Charlton currently have just twenty-four points from the same number of matches. They could be closer to, if not in the relegation zone, but for teams below them doing poorly.
If Charlton were to continue with the current lack of investment, even if they stayed up, they could really struggle in their next campaign. Yeovil and Barnsley have been by a long way the bottom two clubs, and will more than likely be out of the equation next season. The current teams competing for promotion in League One have all have an average of over two points per game so far. This is a lot more than Doncaster, Bournemouth or Yeovil attained. It is dangerous to do too much guesswork given the unpredictability of the Football League, but the quality in the division next season could be higher.
From that point of view, a fresh injection of cash would be vital for Charlton. And the man taking them over, Roland Duchatelet, was ranked as the eighteenth richest man in Belgium in 2011, with a fortune of €502 million. He does own four other football clubs, but Charlton is likely to be his main priority, with potential for massive sums of Premier League TV money. Apart from Standard Liege, the other clubs he runs present less financial opportunity - one is in the Hungarian top flight, one is in the Belgian second division, one in the fourth tier in Germany. Charlton fans can expect a fair proportion of his money to be invested into the club.
However, with this new chairman's cash could come a lack of sense and stability. According to an interview with a Belgian football expert on Valley Talk, the Charlton fanzine, Duchatelet belongs to a rather regular breed of impatient, money-orientated owners. He had sold Standard Liege's best players, and was happy to make the club for sale when pressurized into doing so, yet not his shares in it. He also has a history for parting company with his manager quickly. Duchatelet worked with five different head coaches in his two and a half year reign at Standard Liege. This all suggests he will take a knee-jerk approach to try and get Charlton into the Premier League, sacking as quickly as he spends. Rather than gradually building a football club from the bottom upwards, we can expect the Belgian to look for an instant return of success and money. This makes Chris Powell's position as manager look ominous, to say the least. Will Duchatelet want his own coach in charge?
He may be able to pull off some transfer dealings with Standard Liege, to add to Charlton's squad. This is evidenced by the six month loan signing of Astrit Ajdarevic from the Belgian club. Unless this was a massive coincidence, you wouldn't have thought that would be a decision made by Chris Powell. Already, we can see a sign that Duchatelet is the kind of chairman that will interfere with footballing matters.
Ajdarevic has only made nineteen appearances for Standard Liege since signing in summer 2012, and has hardly featured for them this season. The Belgian Pro League is not a particularly higher level than the Championship in England. Anderlecht, who have dominated the country, nearly always finish bottom of their Champions League group. Standard Liege finished sixth last season, although they are currently top, you have to question if a few players coming in from their reserves will be of much use to Charlton's squad.
Another possibility, is that he will personally arrange a transfer of Standard Liege's best players to Charlton, and give them a bigger wage. When he first took over Liege he showed a willingness to sell his key men on for financial gain, and with more money at stake in England, he might well be prepared to hand some of their players over to Charlton. Liege are up for sale, their fans have a loathing attitude towards Duchatelet, so presumably he does not care about their fortunes.
The more we find out about this Belgian businessman, the more he seems in the Vincent Tan mould. Unpredictable, ego-driven, nonsensical, yet rich and powerful. If he could pump some serious money into the club, Charlton will no doubt improve results on a short-term scale. Better quality players would mean the threat of relegation to League One will be reduced. The dour football that has been played at the Valley over the last few weeks could be improved, so Charlton could be able to adopt a more enjoyable style of play. And possibly, the club could begin to look at getting back into the Premier League, where it had been established for so many years under Alan Curbishley.
Yet this potential progress comes at a cost. Roland Duchatelet now owns 100% of Charlton Athletic, meaning the club is selling its' history, heart and soul to the hands of one maniac who only cares about money. The truth is, fans have no say in the destiny of their football club. Everything is decided by the actions of businessmen, and whoever has the most cash. That is the hard, hard reality of modern football.
By Gabriel Sutton
His opinions are rational as well.