Lots of factors as to why Reading might be more attractive.
They have modern stadium with a slightly smaller capacity but have applied for planning permission to expand. It has a hotel/conference centre and is already multi-use as some rugger team play there. There is parking etc so much more like the US model of arenas
They have been in the prem (or EPL/BPL) more recently, still have parachute money, decent crowds.
They aren't in London but they do have a sizable town and area to themselves.
We don't know the price at Reading but it seems a decent purchase.
We don't know which of Harris or RD will be the "better" owner of a football club. Harris has had some success with other sports but RD is a football fan.
Harris is richer but that doesn't mean he will or would have spent more.
Jury is still out on both as owners and only time will tell.
All fair comments. On the margin I think I'd prefer Harris, but I'm guessing obviously and could easily be wrong. If Harris is buying Reading he'll be paying a lot more than Duchatelet has paid for Charlton.
I see that Powell went out of his way to thank the previous owners and compliment them. Wonder if the usual suspects on here will say he is "full of shit" and "sarcastic" like they did after Jiminez's blog post....
Do you really imagine that people who have left the club in the last 18 months having worked closely with Chris over many years don't have a very good idea what he thought of TJ and MS, and equally what they thought of him? Do you really imagine they broke off all communication with him the day they left?
Chris will have his own reasons for what he says and that's fair enough. If you think that's the full story then you're very much mistaken.
I'm not saying that those who worked for the club don't have a good understanding about the relationship.
I'm pointing out that it is double standards for some to have a dig at Jiminez as he was apparently 'insincere' in his thanks, but yet they clearly haven't made similar remarks about Chris Powell. If one is being insincere, then surely the other is too?
As Gary points out - CP thanked the owners on his own initiative. It was the very first thing that he wanted to say. You rightfully have your take on it, but I'm more likely to take on board what Chris Powell is saying, and in the manner that he said it, rather than what employees who have been sacked are saying.
As we have seen in countless other clubs in the last couple of years, strained relationships between chairmen and managers only ever ends up in one outcome. We're either an incredible exception to the rule, or the relationship isn't bad as some like to make out.
Very few employees have been sacked, most have walked out with no job to go to because of the way they have been treated. We can have this debate endlessly, but if you look at the objective evidence of what has happened to the squad since 2012, the pitch, the staff and former executive directors, the lack of communication with supporters, plus what the judge in the Wise case said about Jimenez and the solicitors' professional body said about Slater, it's an heroic assumption to believe that they have had a good relationship with the manager.
So basically look at any evidence against him and ignore anything in favor of him (ie - Chris Powell openly saying that he has been first class and thanking him publicly).
There's a difference between ignoring what he says and thinking about why it may be in his interests to say it.
I see that Powell went out of his way to thank the previous owners and compliment them. Wonder if the usual suspects on here will say he is "full of shit" and "sarcastic" like they did after Jiminez's blog post....
Do you really imagine that people who have left the club in the last 18 months having worked closely with Chris over many years don't have a very good idea what he thought of TJ and MS, and equally what they thought of him? Do you really imagine they broke off all communication with him the day they left?
Chris will have his own reasons for what he says and that's fair enough. If you think that's the full story then you're very much mistaken.
I'm not saying that those who worked for the club don't have a good understanding about the relationship.
I'm pointing out that it is double standards for some to have a dig at Jiminez as he was apparently 'insincere' in his thanks, but yet they clearly haven't made similar remarks about Chris Powell. If one is being insincere, then surely the other is too?
As Gary points out - CP thanked the owners on his own initiative. It was the very first thing that he wanted to say. You rightfully have your take on it, but I'm more likely to take on board what Chris Powell is saying, and in the manner that he said it, rather than what employees who have been sacked are saying.
As we have seen in countless other clubs in the last couple of years, strained relationships between chairmen and managers only ever ends up in one outcome. We're either an incredible exception to the rule, or the relationship isn't bad as some like to make out.
Very few employees have been sacked, most have walked out with no job to go to because of the way they have been treated. We can have this debate endlessly, but if you look at the objective evidence of what has happened to the squad since 2012, the pitch, the staff and former executive directors, the lack of communication with supporters, plus what the judge in the Wise case said about Jimenez and the solicitors' professional body said about Slater, it's an heroic assumption to believe that they have had a good relationship with the manager.
So basically look at any evidence against him and ignore anything in favor of him (ie - Chris Powell openly saying that he has been first class and thanking him publicly).
It's more the quantity of evidence against - and that's only what you know about. In what possible respect can they have been first class, given what we know about, for example, the squad and the pitch?
The squad he bought which won League One in Chris' first full manager of a season? I wouldn't mind that if I were going into my first full season as a manager at a struggling club.
We know TJ wasn't everyone's cup of tea and he had his faults (the pitch, communication etc). However, that still doesn't contribute to the argument that he and CP had a strained relationship does it?
I'm sure you know more from personal experiences, however it is not as lop-sided from an objective evidence standpoint as it may seem.
Chris Powell seems to have a great strength in managing relationships. I think he understands that the interview was not an occasion to make enemies with people for no possible gain. On the contrary, he showed he has the class to say thank you when people leave an organisation - in stark contrast to the undignified silence from those who have just left when it was their responsibility to say something fitting when others departed. In situations like this you say something gracious, whether you believe it or not. Those supporters who we don’t have respect for the departees, might have got some satisfaction had Chris not praised their contribution, but it would be a mistake to expect it from him.
Chris Powell seems to have a great strength in managing relationships. I think he understands that the interview was not an occasion to make enemies with people for no possible gain. On the contrary, he showed he has the class to say thank you when people leave an organisation - in stark contrast to the undignified silence from those who have just left when it was their responsibility to say something fitting when others departed. In situations like this you say something gracious, whether you believe it or not. Those supporters who we don’t have respect for the departees, might have got some satisfaction had Chris not praised their contribution, but it would be a mistake to expect it from him.
In fairness TJ was also very complimentary of CP in his closing HPost statement
Chris Powell seems to have a great strength in managing relationships. I think he understands that the interview was not an occasion to make enemies with people for no possible gain. On the contrary, he showed he has the class to say thank you when people leave an organisation - in stark contrast to the undignified silence from those who have just left when it was their responsibility to say something fitting when others departed. In situations like this you say something gracious, whether you believe it or not. Those supporters who we don’t have respect for the departees, might have got some satisfaction had Chris not praised their contribution, but it would be a mistake to expect it from him.
Lots of factors as to why Reading might be more attractive.
They have modern stadium with a slightly smaller capacity but have applied for planning permission to expand. It has a hotel/conference centre and is already multi-use as some rugger team play there. There is parking etc so much more like the US model of arenas
They have been in the prem (or EPL/BPL) more recently, still have parachute money, decent crowds.
They aren't in London but they do have a sizable town and area to themselves.
We don't know the price at Reading but it seems a decent purchase.
We don't know which of Harris or RD will be the "better" owner of a football club. Harris has had some success with other sports but RD is a football fan.
Harris is richer but that doesn't mean he will or would have spent more.
Jury is still out on both as owners and only time will tell.
All fair comments. On the margin I think I'd prefer Harris, but I'm guessing obviously and could easily be wrong. If Harris is buying Reading he'll be paying a lot more than Duchatelet has paid for Charlton.
Agree that my gut feeling if forced would be to choose Harris but 1. I and the rest of us did get a choice and 2. we don't know enough about either to really say.
I would also agree that harris is more than likely paying more for Reading than the £20m he was asked for Charlton. So did he think it was better value and if so why? Or was the Charlton deal too messy with the other debts, Kavanagh's ET etc.
Then again I heard RD looked at another Championship club and then switched his interest to us so it works both ways.
just at the end of the video on the OS (top content available for free - well done CAFC), SCP does a cheeky look, as he turns away from the camera. anyone else notice that?
Yes, when I saw it on CAFC Player. Really wasn't sure what to make of it. Thought he looked a slightly uncomfortable. Took the gloss of what was otherwise an excellent interview in which I thought he was buzzing.
Think it was just him saying - Ok, that's me said my piece, you can stop recording now? Should really have been edited out...
I see that Powell went out of his way to thank the previous owners and compliment them. Wonder if the usual suspects on here will say he is "full of shit" and "sarcastic" like they did after Jiminez's blog post....
Do you really imagine that people who have left the club in the last 18 months having worked closely with Chris over many years don't have a very good idea what he thought of TJ and MS, and equally what they thought of him? Do you really imagine they broke off all communication with him the day they left?
Chris will have his own reasons for what he says and that's fair enough. If you think that's the full story then you're very much mistaken.
I'm not saying that those who worked for the club don't have a good understanding about the relationship.
I'm pointing out that it is double standards for some to have a dig at Jiminez as he was apparently 'insincere' in his thanks, but yet they clearly haven't made similar remarks about Chris Powell. If one is being insincere, then surely the other is too?
As Gary points out - CP thanked the owners on his own initiative. It was the very first thing that he wanted to say. You rightfully have your take on it, but I'm more likely to take on board what Chris Powell is saying, and in the manner that he said it, rather than what employees who have been sacked are saying.
As we have seen in countless other clubs in the last couple of years, strained relationships between chairmen and managers only ever ends up in one outcome. We're either an incredible exception to the rule, or the relationship isn't bad as some like to make out.
Very few employees have been sacked, most have walked out with no job to go to because of the way they have been treated. We can have this debate endlessly, but if you look at the objective evidence of what has happened to the squad since 2012, the pitch, the staff and former executive directors, the lack of communication with supporters, plus what the judge in the Wise case said about Jimenez and the solicitors' professional body said about Slater, it's an heroic assumption to believe that they have had a good relationship with the manager.
So basically look at any evidence against him and ignore anything in favor of him (ie - Chris Powell openly saying that he has been first class and thanking him publicly).
It's more the quantity of evidence against - and that's only what you know about. In what possible respect can they have been first class, given what we know about, for example, the squad and the pitch?
The squad he bought which won League One in Chris' first full manager of a season? I wouldn't mind that if I were going into my first full season as a manager at a struggling club.
We know TJ wasn't everyone's cup of tea and he had his faults (the pitch, communication etc). However, that still doesn't contribute to the argument that he and CP had a strained relationship does it?
I'm sure you know more from personal experiences, however it is not as lop-sided from an objective evidence standpoint as it may seem.
To be fair, though, you've had a pretty consistent position on this issue, as have I. You specifically asked for a reaction and I thought not to give you one would imply something of itself.
There is another version of what went on in the summer of 2011, which may or may not come out in time, but my positive interpretation of what Chris has done is that he has not reopened old wounds unnecessarily.
He's still looking! @NetsDaily: Told Josh Harris owner of Devils, 76ers and The Rock will be announcing acquisition of an overseas soccer team tomorrow, NOT a 76er move.
He's still looking! @NetsDaily: Told Josh Harris owner of Devils, 76ers and The Rock will be announcing acquisition of an overseas soccer team tomorrow, NOT a 76er move.
Very interesting if Harris has bought Reading, shows that he was genuinely interested in investing in a Championship club in the south-east - will be fascinating to see what money he puts into them compared to what Duchatelet puts into us.
Can't help feeling that we are in a better location than Reading in the longer-term, am always amazed at the booming Thames corridor whenever I am back home.
The cherry on the cake from a Charlton point of view would be improved transport links into the area, an extension of the DLR would be perfect as Charlton station itself is jut not good enough.
Reading is definitely in a booming part of the South East. Against it, is relative inaccessibility to London, with the ground being well out of town, so inconvenient for public transport and a massive traffic jam for drivers. As a club, it also suffers from a lack of, well character, it's quite a beige sort of club, that evokes little response from neutrals.
Reading is definitely in a booming part of the South East. Against it, is relative inaccessibility to London, with the ground being well out of town, so inconvenient for public transport and a massive traffic jam for drivers. As a club, it also suffers from a lack of, well character, it's quite a beige sort of club, that evokes little response from neutrals.
Reading is on that M4 corridor in the Thames Valley which has attracted a lot of investment, no doubt about that.
However, with all the foreign money coming into London - and so little space available - it just seems inevitable that the real growth will be right on Charlton's doorstep, not least because its the only place there is any space left!
Amazing really that places like Lewisham (where I grew up) and Charlton were seen as pretty undesirable in the 80's/90's and yet within 20 years they will be seen as very desirable inner-London suburbs attracting middle-class professionals because they are so close to London and more affordable than Clapham/Balham etc.
Thinking out loud really here, but if he is also interested in a potential NFL franchise in or around London then it's possible that there were too many ifs and buts with CAFC (e.g. not definite that a full size stadium could be built on the peninsular etc.). With Reading he's got a 24k capacity, modern stadium that's expandable if it all takes off. Granted not right on top of London but not far away and how many other options did he have it that's his motive?
I'm disappointed as I would have like to have heard from him personally but as long as in due course we get a meaningful statement from whoever he appoints as CEO then that will do. I do hope the plan is not to be as non communicative as the last owners.
agree SHG. Would have liked to have heard something more by now, even if only from RM. Will be interesting to hear, if we do that is, what RM says to the Trust clique when they meet ;-)
agree SHG. Would have liked to have heard something more by now, even if only from RM. Will be interesting to hear, if we do that is, what RM says to the Trust clique when they meet.
It's hard to hear much over the music in a lap dancing club ;0)
Harris is richer but that doesn't mean he will or would have spent more.
This.
Like some of you,I too would prefer Harris but it's only based on those negative comments from Belgian fans.Had we been taken over by Harris,perhaps there would also have been negative views from Americans (wait,perhaps not since they usually have very little interest in football...) And to a rich American businessman,NBA and NHL are always (much) more important than English football.We would probably only have a very tiny place in his entire business plan.Now that the takeover is done,I think all we can do is look forward to the new era,albeit with cautious optimism.
Comments
We know TJ wasn't everyone's cup of tea and he had his faults (the pitch, communication etc). However, that still doesn't contribute to the argument that he and CP had a strained relationship does it?
I'm sure you know more from personal experiences, however it is not as lop-sided from an objective evidence standpoint as it may seem.
I would also agree that harris is more than likely paying more for Reading than the £20m he was asked for Charlton. So did he think it was better value and if so why? Or was the Charlton deal too messy with the other debts, Kavanagh's ET etc.
Then again I heard RD looked at another Championship club and then switched his interest to us so it works both ways.
Interesting. Had no idea that might have been the case and wouldn't really have expected it. Good news I'd say.
There is another version of what went on in the summer of 2011, which may or may not come out in time, but my positive interpretation of what Chris has done is that he has not reopened old wounds unnecessarily.
Reading
Can't help feeling that we are in a better location than Reading in the longer-term, am always amazed at the booming Thames corridor whenever I am back home.
The cherry on the cake from a Charlton point of view would be improved transport links into the area, an extension of the DLR would be perfect as Charlton station itself is jut not good enough.
However, with all the foreign money coming into London - and so little space available - it just seems inevitable that the real growth will be right on Charlton's doorstep, not least because its the only place there is any space left!
Amazing really that places like Lewisham (where I grew up) and Charlton were seen as pretty undesirable in the 80's/90's and yet within 20 years they will be seen as very desirable inner-London suburbs attracting middle-class professionals because they are so close to London and more affordable than Clapham/Balham etc.
Thinking out loud really here, but if he is also interested in a potential NFL franchise in or around London then it's possible that there were too many ifs and buts with CAFC (e.g. not definite that a full size stadium could be built on the peninsular etc.). With Reading he's got a 24k capacity, modern stadium that's expandable if it all takes off. Granted not right on top of London but not far away and how many other options did he have it that's his motive?
Indications so far are that Roland Duchatelet not planning to hold press conference. New #cafc owner apparently tends to keep low profile.
Like some of you,I too would prefer Harris but it's only based on those negative comments from Belgian fans.Had we been taken over by Harris,perhaps there would also have been negative views from Americans (wait,perhaps not since they usually have very little interest in football...) And to a rich American businessman,NBA and NHL are always (much) more important than English football.We would probably only have a very tiny place in his entire business plan.Now that the takeover is done,I think all we can do is look forward to the new era,albeit with cautious optimism.
Rick Everitt @airmanbrown 31m
#cafc set to announce new sporting director, I'm told. Might surprise a few people ...