The problem I have with these Liege signings is the fact that they are being imposed on Powell rather than being his choice. That can't be healthy all round. Nothing I have read about these new players leaves me feeling like we have strengthened our squad. I think Chrissy will be gone soon. Like others, I am struggling to understand RD's strategy as the current situation looks likely to devalue his investment . . . . . something that seems so avoidable. Feeling a bit frustrated and depressed about the whole situation.
If this is the case then RD should let CP go now, back or sack. I would hate to see CP trying to manage a team full of players that are not his, that are not very good and having been so comprehensively undermined. RD should sit in the stands and carry the can for all that he is doing. RD should start whatever plan now, rather than wait until the close season.
If there is no strengthening and more key players go, alongside Powell, I will know it is time to start finding something else to do with my Saturdays for the rest of the season.
Why should he though? Cheaper and easier for him to see out the contracts and then do his own business, sort out his own position with CP after we know what league we will be in next season. Yes I would LIKE to know what he's about, but he has no interest nor any obligation to act until he wishes to.
I have no obligation to get a season ticket next year ! I am a supporter / season ticket holder / customer and am not feeling at all like RD gives a flying feck about any of the Charlton support. Same at Liege and every club he is involved with. The player interview did not help either. At this moment will wait to see what happens in the next 2 days and then what happens at the end of the season before making any commitment. The evidence is not looking good so far.
Whatever his plans are they wouldn't appear to include Powell. By potentially dismantling the core of his team that he had probably planned to build around in January/the summer I'd say SCP is on borrowed time. Perhaps RD is thinking his Liege of approach of cleaning house will work again. I'm sceptical lightening will strike twice
Me too. In fact more than that, I'm terrified it won't!
TBH I don't know why everyone is so shocked, we were warned about this man and his stupidity when it comes to football. The SL supporter that came on here warned us "he knows nothing about football and he'll sell all your best players". The takeover was stage managed very well, but now comes the reality of his management style.
No offence to any individual, but to keep saying "he's a businessman" is meaningless. What do you think Richard Murray is? (leads a FTSE quoted company) What do you think Mike Ashley is? Steve Parish? All the Yanks in the FAPL? The Pornographers across the river?
On its own "he's a businessman" doesn't explain anything about his strategy and plans
No offence to any individual, but to keep saying "he's a businessman" is meaningless. What do you think Richard Murray is? (leads a FTSE quoted company) What do you think Mike Ashley is? Steve Parish? All the Yanks in the FAPL? The Pornographers across the river?
On its own "he's a businessman" doesn't explain anything about his strategy and plans
Takes me back to 1985 - the board couldn't be at the supporters' club AGM to explain why they'd sold us out, but apparently we had to remember they were "businessmen" and therefore far too busy to fit in with the likes of us, their customers.
No offence to any individual, but to keep saying "he's a businessman" is meaningless. What do you think Richard Murray is? (leads a FTSE quoted company) What do you think Mike Ashley is? Steve Parish? All the Yanks in the FAPL? The Pornographers across the river?
On its own "he's a businessman" doesn't explain anything about his strategy and plans
Takes me back to 1985 - the board couldn't be at the supporters' club AGM to explain why they'd sold us out, but apparently we had to remember they were "businessmen" and therefore far too busy to fit in with the likes of us, their customers.
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
Yes, they were shit businessmen too - quite a lot of them are I suppose.
He does what he wants, he does what he wants, Roland Duchatelet, he does what he wants - he owns it- he wins or loses... We suffer or smile. Que sera sera.. :-) back the team (whoever is left)
The problem I have with these Liege signings is the fact that they are being imposed on Powell rather than being his choice...
I know that it's tempting to think that, but do we know it for a fact?
I agree with this... Yes RD owns Standard Liege so is gonna try to send us their Reserves yet I dont think he's having the say as to which players come to the Valley... more I reckon it could be the below conversation.
CP - The Squad really needs strengthening if were to stay up RD - Okay so what positions we talking here CP - X / Y / Z RD - Oh right I've Joe Bloggs in that position available from X club, I'd prefer to do that than sign new players just for one club CP - Okay send me a video and I'll take a look
i.e. Surely if RD was imposing these players on Powell he would also be demanding that they start else it dont make sense from RD's angle
Until Powell signs a new contract, and we know for sure that what Steve Dixon posted yesterday was inaccurate, I'm reserving judgement. The last 24 hours have definitely been a lot more positive than I expected they could possibly be but I am still highly sceptical about the bloke's intentions.
Just to point out that Standard are top of the Belgian League - which is not bad for a bloke who knows nothing about football! (Must be hell being at Standard fan)
Secondly if we get players on loan from English Clubs they are usually not in the first team and for a variety of reasons need playing experience. Get the from Standard and they are sniffed at as rejects! Costs us nothing and some of them look interesting. We should offer them the same welcome and support we would any other players.
As for various references to them being unknown, well yes they played in Belgium so we probably don't know them!
This guy has been in charge a few weeks and everyone is slagging him off based on very little and the rants of an outraged Standard fan (Why are they outraged they are top of their league! - please Roland afflict this misery on us!).
I have even seen comments linking him to a game being called off a few days after he arrived! Nothing to do with the wettest winter for a hundred years or the historical drainage problems of course.
I think we need to afford him at least a little benefit of the doubt and a little more time than three and a half weeks before he is cast a the cause of problems which long predate his arrival.
Hi all, first time poster from across the pond in the USA. I attended my first Charlton Athletic game during Curbs last season as manager. Had an amazing experience visiting The Valley along with my mom and dad, and had a great experience at our first professional soccer (sorry!) game. That game Charlton beat Middlesbrough. I've kept watching Charltons progress since, and honestly feel for what you all have been through. You don't deserve the heartache you've had to go through, and quite honestly the fans deserve better than most of the nonsense that has occurred during the past eight years. You had to deal with Dowies incompetence, Les Reed being given a contract for no reason at all, Murray pissing away all the money, Pardew being just as useless as Dowie, Parkinson, the previous board messing up the clubs finances. You didn't deserve all that nonsense.
Luckily, Chris Powell seems to be a legitimately good guy. You should all feel very fortunate to have someone truly committed to the club, that's something very rare in todays game. To be honest, Powell would likely stay at Charlton forever if he was given the chance. I've watched the boardroom drama unfolding and just wanted to give you my view...
Roland Duchatelet is a businessman. When it comes down to it his main focus is money, so he certainly wants Charlton to be successful. Businessmen don't spend millions on something and then just watch it all go down the drain as the project fails. The threat of administration is over, the rebuilding can begin.
My theory regarding Mr. Duchatelet is that he really wants Charlton to be a Premier League club. Charlton are already his second biggest club that he owns, and in terms of value we could likely eclipse Standard Liege with only a few seasons in the Prem.
Something to remember, the purchase of Charlton was not fully completed until the middle of January, this has only left roughly two weeks in the window. I can understand some peoples frustration at Powell not being given millions to throw into transfers, but it's going to take time to build a squad. You can't just bring in an entire new team and expect them to be world beaters, lord knows the Dowie fiasco should have taught people that.
Might Charlton get relegated again? Sure. If the club are relegated though, so what? Rolands money isn't going to dry up. For goodness sake he has around ten times as much as the Murray board when Charlton were in the Prem. The club will go on. The fans just have to keep cheering as loud as they can. If the fans give up then why should the players try? Why should Powell try?
Don't judge Roland yet, I think this summer will give everyone a clear view of what his intentions for the club are. Please try to stay positive.
Well said American Addick, not bad at all for a first post! I think you are right to say let's not judge yet - if in the summer and beyond things only get worse, then perhaps the criticism will intensify, and justifiably. But this window, we've lost one important player (who has long been linked with moves away anyway), might end up losing Yann (but haven't yet) and given another a big fat tempting contract to keep him here, or at least get a better price. In addition we've signed one highly rated striker, another is not far away, we've got a right back cheap and with promise - there are potentially more signings to come. Even the Liege midfielder is not a total waste of time now that Stephens is gone - he's got a good chance to make his name on these shores, should he take it.
Under the shyster crowd of Slater and cronies, we'd have lost players just the same, and had crap replacements if any at all. RD is probably not the messiah, but it is way, way too early to be calling him a tit, as some already have.
Only one thing, I have a very good reason why the players should try, and that's not just their BMW, Mercedes and 4x4's sitting outside in the car park.
Comments
On its own "he's a businessman" doesn't explain anything about his strategy and plans
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
"Ownership issues mean Racing Santander players are refusing to play...they will go on field but won't kick a ball..other clubs to take note?"
"Racing Santander have told referee they won't compete tonight. Currently warming up. Will only compete if the board submit their resignation"
CP - The Squad really needs strengthening if were to stay up
RD - Okay so what positions we talking here
CP - X / Y / Z
RD - Oh right I've Joe Bloggs in that position available from X club, I'd prefer to do that than sign new players just for one club
CP - Okay send me a video and I'll take a look
i.e. Surely if RD was imposing these players on Powell he would also be demanding that they start else it dont make sense from RD's angle
Secondly if we get players on loan from English Clubs they are usually not in the first team and for a variety of reasons need playing experience. Get the from Standard and they are sniffed at as rejects! Costs us nothing and some of them look interesting. We should offer them the same welcome and support we would any other players.
As for various references to them being unknown, well yes they played in Belgium so we probably don't know them!
This guy has been in charge a few weeks and everyone is slagging him off based on very little and the rants of an outraged Standard fan (Why are they outraged they are top of their league! - please Roland afflict this misery on us!).
I have even seen comments linking him to a game being called off a few days after he arrived! Nothing to do with the wettest winter for a hundred years or the historical drainage problems of course.
I think we need to afford him at least a little benefit of the doubt and a little more time than three and a half weeks before he is cast a the cause of problems which long predate his arrival.
Luckily, Chris Powell seems to be a legitimately good guy. You should all feel very fortunate to have someone truly committed to the club, that's something very rare in todays game. To be honest, Powell would likely stay at Charlton forever if he was given the chance. I've watched the boardroom drama unfolding and just wanted to give you my view...
Roland Duchatelet is a businessman. When it comes down to it his main focus is money, so he certainly wants Charlton to be successful. Businessmen don't spend millions on something and then just watch it all go down the drain as the project fails. The threat of administration is over, the rebuilding can begin.
My theory regarding Mr. Duchatelet is that he really wants Charlton to be a Premier League club. Charlton are already his second biggest club that he owns, and in terms of value we could likely eclipse Standard Liege with only a few seasons in the Prem.
Something to remember, the purchase of Charlton was not fully completed until the middle of January, this has only left roughly two weeks in the window. I can understand some peoples frustration at Powell not being given millions to throw into transfers, but it's going to take time to build a squad. You can't just bring in an entire new team and expect them to be world beaters, lord knows the Dowie fiasco should have taught people that.
Might Charlton get relegated again? Sure. If the club are relegated though, so what? Rolands money isn't going to dry up. For goodness sake he has around ten times as much as the Murray board when Charlton were in the Prem. The club will go on. The fans just have to keep cheering as loud as they can. If the fans give up then why should the players try? Why should Powell try?
Don't judge Roland yet, I think this summer will give everyone a clear view of what his intentions for the club are. Please try to stay positive.
COYA! Higher and higher!
Under the shyster crowd of Slater and cronies, we'd have lost players just the same, and had crap replacements if any at all. RD is probably not the messiah, but it is way, way too early to be calling him a tit, as some already have.
Hope you're right BTW!
Only one thing, I have a very good reason why the players should try, and that's not just their BMW, Mercedes and 4x4's sitting outside in the car park.