For those who believe he has some dastardly plan and that is why he is running the club into the ground, that makes no sense. He bought the club and could have closed it on day 1 and saved all the money he has put into the club which he will not get back. No he has some pan European political agenda .
Remembering Dreke's original post, and what has happened in 10 years there, I reckon this could have been the original blueprint/ general idea for Charlton in some form or other. It may still be, especially at some future point. The relegation and protests ( though he clearly gets a bit rattled by the home visits and general bad publicity ) are but a blip to him, I fear. But I think if he continues to lose money on the club with no clear or easy revenue stream that he can generate by his "clever" alternatives to producing a sound successful team, he might back away and sell. Who knows, regrettably I fully expect to be doing the counting the days till Roland sells thread till one of us pegs out.
Hi. Apparently it's nearly six years since my post here when RD took over. A lot has happened with your big protest in Sint-Truiden as an unseen display to me. I was happy to march with you and talk to some of you. I read in the news paper today that he finally found a buyer. Nothing can guarantee it will be better. But the new owners will have a challenge to beat him in a bad way. Good luck to Chartlon Athletic.
Big thanks from me, too. You and others such as @skywalker rightly rang an early warning bell on RD. Who knows what the future brings now for our football club but may we experience interesting times.
Hi Charlton fans
I'm a fan of one of Roland Duchatelet's teams: K Sint-Truidense VV.
STVV is a club that played for years in the Belgian top flight. In search for extra money (let's say 10 years ago) our Commercial Manager wrote a letter to the top-100 richest Belgians. That's how RD got involved in our club in a sponsordeal. As years went by RD became the president of our club. He managed to buy the football ground and the grounds around it. A few years ago he built a new stand with shops, offices, a hotel etc. The year of the construction we were relegated but got promoted after one year in the second division. Our goalkeeper that year was Simon Mignolet. Yep, now at Liverpool FC.
He took over Ujpest in Hungaria. His son Roderick is president over there.
When Standard Liège was for sale, he jumped on that wagon. Since you can not own two teams in one flight, he "gave" STVV to his wife Marieke Hofte. We got relegated due to a lack of investment and now still play in the second division. A new stand is being built at the moment. Google on "Stayen".
He took over another second division team (Tubize) and a few weeks ago Jena as you all know.
To round up. He owns (or is involved in):
- Standard de Liège
- Sint-Truiden VV
- Tubize AFC
- Carl Zeiss Jena
- Ujpest FC
That is a brief (and incomplete) round up of his history in football.
What I think you all should know:
- He bought the grounds around Staaien for peanuts from the city council. He's transforming the ground into something multifunctional. The benefits go straight into his pockets. No bennefit for the club.
- After huge protest against him in Liège, he announced he would put the club up for sale. Nothing happened since. Of course the results of Standard (first in the league) helps him with that.
- Between Sint-Truiden, Tubize and Standard players switch very often. It's no exception when there are 4 to 5 five players on loan from Standard at Sint-Truiden. None are of real added value.
- The president of STVV is a close friend and businesspartner of Duchatelet.
What I want to warn you for:
- Charlton will be just one link in his football club imperium.
- Duchatelet is often seen as an idiot in football matters. But no one can deny he is a genious in businesses.
- At first, we were delighted to see him arrive at our club. 10 years later, he is the worst thing that could have happened to us. We don't own our own ground any more (it's like a bird locked up in a golden cage), we got relegated to second devision thanks to his policy and now he still has his shadow hanging over us. I honestly believe he wants us to stay there because that's better for him.
- He got me that far that I am doubting to buy a season ticket in the future. I'm disgusted by him and his accomplices who don't fear lieing straight in the fans' faces at supporters meetings.
What I would like to know from you:
- Are there any plans for a new ground at Charlton? Because that's what is importent for him in Sint-Truiden and Liège. I can not speak for Ujpest, Zena and Tubize.
A fiew last remarks:
- I have the feeling that the bigger part of the Sint-Truiden fans have the same view as me. Altough I'm not sure. But there are also people who believe he has saved our club.
- This is only a very brief round up. It is far more complicated than this. So if you have questions, just ask them. I'll try to visit your forum on a regular basis.
- Maybe he brings you back to the Premier League, maybe he destroys you completely. No one knows. Maybe we will see Charlton players in Sint-Truiden, Zena, Liège and Tubize. Or the other way around. No one knows.
- With this post, I only want to prevent you guys from (potentially) misplaced euforia.
- I did my best to express myself in English. That's what we do. :-) Please don't botter on general remarks about Belgians like the ones in a post in this treath. They are short-sighted.
Hi Charlton fans
I'm a fan of one of Roland Duchatelet's teams: K Sint-Truidense VV.
STVV is a club that played for years in the Belgian top flight. In search for extra money (let's say 10 years ago) our Commercial Manager wrote a letter to the top-100 richest Belgians. That's how RD got involved in our club in a sponsordeal. As years went by RD became the president of our club. He managed to buy the football ground and the grounds around it. A few years ago he built a new stand with shops, offices, a hotel etc. The year of the construction we were relegated but got promoted after one year in the second division. Our goalkeeper that year was Simon Mignolet. Yep, now at Liverpool FC.
He took over Ujpest in Hungaria. His son Roderick is president over there.
When Standard Liège was for sale, he jumped on that wagon. Since you can not own two teams in one flight, he "gave" STVV to his wife Marieke Hofte. We got relegated due to a lack of investment and now still play in the second division. A new stand is being built at the moment. Google on "Stayen".
He took over another second division team (Tubize) and a few weeks ago Jena as you all know.
To round up. He owns (or is involved in):
- Standard de Liège
- Sint-Truiden VV
- Tubize AFC
- Carl Zeiss Jena
- Ujpest FC
That is a brief (and incomplete) round up of his history in football.
What I think you all should know:
- He bought the grounds around Staaien for peanuts from the city council. He's transforming the ground into something multifunctional. The benefits go straight into his pockets. No bennefit for the club.
- After huge protest against him in Liège, he announced he would put the club up for sale. Nothing happened since. Of course the results of Standard (first in the league) helps him with that.
- Between Sint-Truiden, Tubize and Standard players switch very often. It's no exception when there are 4 to 5 five players on loan from Standard at Sint-Truiden. None are of real added value.
- The president of STVV is a close friend and businesspartner of Duchatelet.
What I want to warn you for:
- Charlton will be just one link in his football club imperium.
- Duchatelet is often seen as an idiot in football matters. But no one can deny he is a genious in businesses.
- At first, we were delighted to see him arrive at our club. 10 years later, he is the worst thing that could have happened to us. We don't own our own ground any more (it's like a bird locked up in a golden cage), we got relegated to second devision thanks to his policy and now he still has his shadow hanging over us. I honestly believe he wants us to stay there because that's better for him.
- He got me that far that I am doubting to buy a season ticket in the future. I'm disgusted by him and his accomplices who don't fear lieing straight in the fans' faces at supporters meetings.
What I would like to know from you:
- Are there any plans for a new ground at Charlton? Because that's what is importent for him in Sint-Truiden and Liège. I can not speak for Ujpest, Zena and Tubize.
A fiew last remarks:
- I have the feeling that the bigger part of the Sint-Truiden fans have the same view as me. Altough I'm not sure. But there are also people who believe he has saved our club.
- This is only a very brief round up. It is far more complicated than this. So if you have questions, just ask them. I'll try to visit your forum on a regular basis.
- Maybe he brings you back to the Premier League, maybe he destroys you completely. No one knows. Maybe we will see Charlton players in Sint-Truiden, Zena, Liège and Tubize. Or the other way around. No one knows.
- With this post, I only want to prevent you guys from (potentially) misplaced euforia.
- I did my best to express myself in English. That's what we do. :-) Please don't botter on general remarks about Belgians like the ones in a post in this treath. They are short-sighted.
Woah, forgotten about this. @Dreke373 pretty much predicted our future.
Hi. Apparently it's nearly six years since my post here when RD took over. A lot has happened with your big protest in Sint-Truiden as an unseen display to me. I was happy to march with you and talk to some of you. I read in the news paper today that he finally found a buyer. Nothing can guarantee it will be better. But the new owners will have a challenge to beat him in a bad way. Good luck to Chartlon Athletic.
Vooruit STVV.
Good luck to you and STVV also. What is the situation with the ground now?
What happened over the issue of Stayen having an artificial pitch, and the Belgian football authorities requiring proper grass in future? There was quite a bit in the S-T press about this a while back, because the Stayen pitch has a carpark under it, the roof of which was designed for a lightweight artificial pitch, not grass growing in soil.
Comments
The relegation and protests ( though he clearly gets a bit rattled by the home visits and general bad publicity ) are but a blip to him, I fear. But I think if he continues to lose money on the club with no clear or easy revenue stream that he can generate by his "clever" alternatives to producing a sound successful team, he might back away and sell.
Who knows, regrettably I fully expect to be doing the counting the days till Roland sells thread till one of us pegs out.
I think we know how that one ended.
Does he still own AFC Tubize?
Vooruit STVV.
You will always be welcomed by us to The Valley.
Who knows what the future brings now for our football club but may we experience interesting times.
Any time you want a beer i am only up the road.