Haven't read any posts on this thread and have no idea about this bloke at all. I will ignore the fact he's a Belgian. My first comment having just read the official website article is -
he is 30.
I have no problem with signing 30 year olds. In fact I think they can provide some real effective experienced bargains. Mendonca was 29 when we signed him, for example.
But it goes against Roland's policy. He makes no sense.
Haven't read any posts on this thread and have no idea about this bloke at all. I will ignore the fact he's a Belgian. My first comment having just read the official website article is -
he is 30.
I have no problem with signing 30 year olds. In fact I think they can provide some real effective experienced bargains. Mendonca was 29 when we signed him, for example.
But it goes against Roland's policy. He makes no sense.
It might help get the best out of the younger players....
Am I going mad or was there once a time when if we signed a new player, everyone would be posting welcome and good luck messages. These days there only ever seem to see a handful. More people seem interested in moaning than wishing our new man well.
There are clubs out there that are either at our level or are worse than us, with lower supports, lower financial stability and lower ambitions/prestige, yet they seem to be a lot more attractive to players and seem to be a lot better about getting players to at least be vaguely interested in signing a contract.
Now Roland's methods are probably the main culprit here. He seems to be running a very focussed transfer agenda where players have to fit a very specific set of criteria before being approached (i.e. being a 30-year old Belgian 1-legged donkey from a 3rd tier club in Hungary). He also seems to be running the transfer show. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the only member of our scouting network.
I think there is also another problem. Look at the publicity photo of Lepoint signing.
Why is he signing his contract in what looks like a 1970s office running a boiler room scam, in a chair that looks like it's worth less than my pants? Literally everything about that office screams 'we don't give a fuck'. Why not invest some money into some nice stationary and furniture? Image isn't everything but first imagine is everything. What player is going to look at that photo and not think that Charlton is a 2p operation running everything on the cheap. Football players want fast car, nice clothes and 'swag', not a printer that I imagine makes more noise than a Skoda going over a cattlegrid and random bits of stationary lying around that would make one think this is where Milton from Office Space ended up. Contrast that with the below publicity photo (Skeletor warning):
See, that's what a vaguely professional outfit looks like. Don't get me wrong, that's an Argos desk, a £30 PC World wireless desktop set-up, a Sky HD remote and a mousemat nicked from the club shop but that looks two million times better than the shitshow in our publicity photo.
Our club really needs to get its head together. Even if the rest of the offices looks like a call centre in Dhaka, could they at least shell out a monkey on getting the one the players and the public see look at least semi-professional?
So you think that Lierse / Beveren / Truden would only be good enough for the English Third Tier? (League One)
Michel Preud'homme... I know that name wasnt he a Footballer (Goalkeeper?) from the 90s?
yes, 58 times international, great keeper
and an absolute success as a trainer too: champion with Standard, cup winner and vice-champion with Gent, cup winner and vice-champion with Twente, champion with Al Shabab in Arabia and now probably champion with Bruges
best Belgian coach
Sounds promising, we'll take him when Luzon gets the boot then!
I think Fiiish makes a very good point, but without spending a penny I'd expect any photographer worth their salt to say, "Before we take the photo let's just tidy up the desk and lets lose that old box in the corner and straighten up the noticeboard".
too young/too old* Another Belgiun/hes not Belgian enough* Too short/too tall* Too expensive/on the cheap* Another loanee/why sign him on a permenant* Standard reject/were a feeder club* Another network/whys he not network* *delete where appropriate*
I think Fiiish makes a very good point, but without spending a penny I'd expect any photographer worth their salt to say, "Before we take the photo let's just tidy up the desk and lets lose that old box in the corner and straighten up the noticeboard".
This implies the club employs a photographer. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if Church was holding the camera given his form on taking a good shot.
If only there were some plans to totally rebuild the training ground complex and build brand new offices and other facilities. Damn you Roland.
Meanwhile, 100s of great players look not at the pitches, the size of their contract or the quality of the other players and coaches but at the standard of chair in the club secretary's office when making a decision whether to sign.
too young/too old* Another Belgiun/hes not Belgian enough* Too short/too tall* Too expensive/on the cheap* Another loanee/why sign him on a permenant* Standard reject/were a feeder club* Another network/whys he not network* *delete where appropriate*
Welcome to the addicks Christophe!
Basically the perfect Charlton signing is a 26 year old Englishman with French grandparents, 5 ft 10, costs £650k, signs a 3 year deal and played for Alcorcon 5 years ago.
Am I going mad or was there once a time when if we signed a new player, everyone would be posting welcome and good luck messages. These days there only ever seem to see a handful. More people seem interested in moaning than wishing our new man well.
Anyway, welcome and good luck, Christophe!
You're not going mad - the comments are a reflection of the turbulence of the last 12 months: 1) January 2014 - either they misjudged the Championship or simply saw us as a way to get value from players not good enough for Luzon at Liege 2) we are on our fourth coach in four months - Powell going was controversial but replacing Riga with Peeters was nuts! 3) M.Duchatelet refuses to describe the narrative and his "CEO" refuses to meet with the largest organised fan body, the supporters Trust. She will talk to select fans in a closed meeting and random fans on a train but not an organisation with 5,000 fan followers 4) There have been some poor signings and some good ones but some obvious gaps have been left in the squad such as reserve keeper and a #9
Essentially Meire and Duchatelet have created a comms vacuum and fans attribute incompetence and lack of respect together with possible malicious intent in the absence of meaningful communication
People are inferring strategy and vision from the first 12 months of Staprix ownership but without a meaningful statement we can only really see the bigger picture in say August. The random signings and randomness of results means it's impossible to call whether M.Duchatelet wants to maintain mid-table forever or whether he will fund the acquisition of top quality players to push on.
I think that's why there are more cynical posts than a few
Why is he signing his contract in what looks like a 1970s office running a boiler room scam, in a chair that looks like it's worth less than my pants? Literally everything about that office screams 'we don't give a fuck'. Why not invest some money into some nice stationary and furniture? Image isn't everything but first imagine is everything. What player is going to look at that photo and not think that Charlton is a 2p operation running everything on the cheap. Football players want fast car, nice clothes and 'swag', not a printer that I imagine makes more noise than a Skoda going over a cattlegrid and random bits of stationary lying around that would make one think....
See, that's what a vaguely professional outfit looks like. Don't get me wrong, that's an Argos desk, a £30 PC World wireless desktop set-up, a Sky HD remote and a mousemat nicked from the club shop but that looks two million times better than the shitshow in our publicity photo.
Our club really needs to get its head together. Even if the rest of the offices looks like a call centre in Dhaka, could they at least shell out a monkey on getting the one the players and the public see look at least semi-professional?
Just catching up with this thread. There are some great one liners on it. Someone really should turn them into a book.
Anyway I digress. Although I have no idea what CL is like as a player, may I be the first to say he really does look one ugly f****r. Will scare the s**t out of the opposition.
If only there were some plans to totally rebuild the training ground complex and build brand new offices and other facilities. Damn you Roland.
Meanwhile, 100s of great players look not at the pitches, the size of their contract or the quality of the other players and coaches but at the standard of chair in the club secretary's office when making a decision whether to sign.
Beyond parody.
Whoosh.
My post was largely tongue-in-cheek, just lampooning what a laughably poor publicity photo it was.
He is a former Belgian International, who wasn't good enough for the Belgian Pro League (presumably after having his leg re-built after a car crash) that has been shipped out to us. What's exciting about him? If he wasn't part of the 'network' I would have a hefty bet on the fact we wouldn't have even been looking at him. I'm sure he's a nice guy, but what is the 'lepoint' of signing players like him?
Also....Why is every fee now 'undisclosed'. If we have paid a fee for him and both clubs have agreed to it, why can't it be public? It just adds to the grubby feeling that we are all being conned. Be open and honest and it will help to get supporters back on side.
Ghent is not part of the network!! Its a signing outside of the network! But a player from Belgium league so Luzon must have liked what he saw when Lepoint was up against Liege
Comments
The thing is he isn't part of the "network".
officially/naively, you're right.
He is now. He'll be farmed off to Ujpest/Sint Truiden as soon as he's not good enough.
What are you talking about ?
Are you suggesting that every player in Belgium is secretly part of the network ?
Are you suggesting that every player in Belgium is secretly part of the network ?
ROLAND IS IN THE ILLUMINATI!!1!!1!!
he is 30.
I have no problem with signing 30 year olds. In fact I think they can provide some real effective experienced bargains. Mendonca was 29 when we signed him, for example.
But it goes against Roland's policy. He makes no sense.
Are you suggesting that every player in Belgium is secretly part of the network ?
If every Belgian player is part of the network then why are all ours so shit?
Now we have this 30 year old midfielder - I wonder if a much-loved Charlton player is leaving ?
Hope not.
Anyway, welcome and good luck, Christophe!
There are clubs out there that are either at our level or are worse than us, with lower supports, lower financial stability and lower ambitions/prestige, yet they seem to be a lot more attractive to players and seem to be a lot better about getting players to at least be vaguely interested in signing a contract.
Now Roland's methods are probably the main culprit here. He seems to be running a very focussed transfer agenda where players have to fit a very specific set of criteria before being approached (i.e. being a 30-year old Belgian 1-legged donkey from a 3rd tier club in Hungary). He also seems to be running the transfer show. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the only member of our scouting network.
I think there is also another problem. Look at the publicity photo of Lepoint signing.
Why is he signing his contract in what looks like a 1970s office running a boiler room scam, in a chair that looks like it's worth less than my pants? Literally everything about that office screams 'we don't give a fuck'. Why not invest some money into some nice stationary and furniture? Image isn't everything but first imagine is everything. What player is going to look at that photo and not think that Charlton is a 2p operation running everything on the cheap. Football players want fast car, nice clothes and 'swag', not a printer that I imagine makes more noise than a Skoda going over a cattlegrid and random bits of stationary lying around that would make one think this is where Milton from Office Space ended up. Contrast that with the below publicity photo (Skeletor warning):
See, that's what a vaguely professional outfit looks like. Don't get me wrong, that's an Argos desk, a £30 PC World wireless desktop set-up, a Sky HD remote and a mousemat nicked from the club shop but that looks two million times better than the shitshow in our publicity photo.
Our club really needs to get its head together. Even if the rest of the offices looks like a call centre in Dhaka, could they at least shell out a monkey on getting the one the players and the public see look at least semi-professional?
I think there are - it's the owner and some managers / board members that people don't like.
Another Belgiun/hes not Belgian enough*
Too short/too tall*
Too expensive/on the cheap*
Another loanee/why sign him on a permenant*
Standard reject/were a feeder club*
Another network/whys he not network*
*delete where appropriate*
Welcome to the addicks Christophe!
Meanwhile, 100s of great players look not at the pitches, the size of their contract or the quality of the other players and coaches but at the standard of chair in the club secretary's office when making a decision whether to sign.
Beyond parody.
1) January 2014 - either they misjudged the Championship or simply saw us as a way to get value from players not good enough for Luzon at Liege
2) we are on our fourth coach in four months - Powell going was controversial but replacing Riga with Peeters was nuts!
3) M.Duchatelet refuses to describe the narrative and his "CEO" refuses to meet with the largest organised fan body, the supporters Trust. She will talk to select fans in a closed meeting and random fans on a train but not an organisation with 5,000 fan followers
4) There have been some poor signings and some good ones but some obvious gaps have been left in the squad such as reserve keeper and a #9
Essentially Meire and Duchatelet have created a comms vacuum and fans attribute incompetence and lack of respect together with possible malicious intent in the absence of meaningful communication
People are inferring strategy and vision from the first 12 months of Staprix ownership but without a meaningful statement we can only really see the bigger picture in say August. The random signings and randomness of results means it's impossible to call whether M.Duchatelet wants to maintain mid-table forever or whether he will fund the acquisition of top quality players to push on.
I think that's why there are more cynical posts than a few
Anyway I digress. Although I have no idea what CL is like as a player, may I be the first to say he really does look one ugly f****r. Will scare the s**t out of the opposition.
My post was largely tongue-in-cheek, just lampooning what a laughably poor publicity photo it was.