Could have involved ebbsfleet becoming part of the network, the Kuwaitis there having a stake in kaprix (or whatever the holding company is called) or something similar? Or an investment in the valley/the training ground? Could be anything but with Varney involved I think it would be for the best interests of the club.
She is speaking a potential investor to a business that she runs yet she 1) sounds like she doesn't give a shit and 2) sounds like she's sending a text. An investor to a company the company you run that turns over millions - staggering.
It's interesting in the age of social media how helpless we feel when information and action are not instant. Past experience should tell us that a satisfactory outcome may take years. Shouting loudly online about how much it hurts and how robust our credentials are, is ultimately pointless. My boy is 14 and has an Oldham with 9 men, a Barnsley hit for six and a Carlisle promotion. I fully expect him to have the equivalent of a St Andrews or a Wembley in time, hopefully with me there too. PV seems to have the club in his veins so I'll trust to his and our collective resilience. If VOTV helps as it did in the past more power to it and to those that float it. Long long time ago that train to Forest. COYR.
Would people be willing to move away from the valley, new stadium by the peninsular if it meant rd and co were out and we had this Varney and Kuwaiti backed investment?
Speaking for myself. Absolutely. What's not to like about that idea?
First i heard of this was today when i bought the Voice.
My prediction earlier in the week that "where would CAFC be in 10 years" that we'd have Owner Dr Abdulla Al-Humadi and Peter Varney CEO and we'd be in the Prem ! I also said that Katrien Meire would be CEO of Centre parcs ?
I hope the first statement comes True, but not the 2nd as Katrien would screw up Centre parcs by putting waterproof Sofas by every other tree.
I understand people would like more information online but I have to show some respect for the VOTV subscribers, whose copies will hopefully arrive in the post tomorrow, having been posted on Christmas Eve, as well as today's purchasers.
I'm not aware of who is standing behind Peter Varney, but I do know that Richard Murray is keen to stop the Belgians talking to him and I don't respect his motives in that. That is the trigger for the article. If Murray is indeed the obstacle then it is time he was held to account.
I have been told this has nothing to do with Charlton being part of the Swanscombe development and that the investment may well go into another club if it cannot be directed into Charlton. Given the fury there would be if, for example, that turned out to be Millwall, I'm sure people would want to feel that Charlton had had the opportunity first, whatever it is. The introduction of Millwall is entirely hypothetical - I don't know what other club might be the recipient.
From what I understand the door has not been closed on Charlton, but the schoolgirl responses of Meire are obviously a major obstruction. She is too busy to meet but she can go to Dublin to talk nonsense at the same time. If they don't want to meet Varney why not say so over a three month period or even send a representative to find out the details? Instead, we have the email trail, which shows her to be an unprofessional idiot, in my view.
My guess is that RD asked her to meet him and she has been ducking and diving to avoid it but without actually disobeying the emperor.
My apologies, I wrote it quickly with the kids running round the house and my other half nagging me to stop sitting around watching football.
What I mean though is given there possibly could be a slim chance of a positive resolution to this mess - how would the fanbase get behind or show support for it. How could the Trust disengage from the charade of dialogue with Meire and push an alternative agenda for instance? How could we use the media to help turf the Belgian regime out?
Having a (possible) solid alternative solution to build a campaign on rather than merely saying Sack the Board has to be a good thing?
My apologies, I wrote it quickly with the kids running round the house and my other half nagging me to stop sitting around watching football.
What I mean though is given there possibly could be a slim chance of a positive resolution to this mess - how would the fanbase get behind or show support for it. How could the Trust disengage from the charade of dialogue with Meire and push an alternative agenda for instance? How could we use the media to help turf the Belgian regime out?
Having a (possible) solid alternative solution to build a campaign on rather than merely saying Sack the Board has to be a good thing?
As Prague has said, one question that's always bothered us is what next? I think even this needs a bit more flesh on the bones but it does suggest there is a meaningful third way to explore.
To answer an earlier question, the Trust board exists to make decisions on behalf of members. It's why we hold elections. Even so we consult frequently and our last member survey was just a few weeks ago. There's always merit in taking the temperature, but there's never anything to stop our members writing to us with their views, we've repeatedly asked for that recently, and we try to respond even to complaints...
What's the relocation away from the valley stuff about?
There is evidence that PV, while seeking buyers for Charlton, was pointing potential buyers towards the Peninsula. But Airman says that this was simply a hook he was using to try and get potential investors in. Personally I believe him. I have no doubt that PV understands how potentially toxic a move away from the Valley can be.
It is pretty clear that all this has come out because Varney's investment is now dead in the water. How could either party co-operate with each other in future. It is very telling though. People, including myself have referred to RDs plan as an experiment. It clearly isn't that, it is more of a religion for him. When an experiment fails you ditch it and try another plan. With a religion, you continue in the belief it is right even though all the evidence points to it being wrong. To be fair, the basic premise behind it all is sound. We all know and believe that there is too much money in the game being spent in the wrong ways. There is a rebalancing required. But where RD has got it all wrong is in the execution. He doesn't seem to have a lot of respect for the job a manager does, when everybody else realises it is the most important role in the club. And it is like pissing in the wind, when the other clubs don't see it your way. The Football league should be a club of clubs, but it is full of individual businesses trying to stitch the others up. Like his political party, there is no appetite to listen to RDs ideas.
What is almost poetic about the revelations, is that here we have the best CEO the club has ever had, trying to communicate with the worst. It should also shoot down the very few apologists for this regime who say, whithout RDs money, where would we be? I maintain, if RD hadn't bought us, somebody else would have and this investment opportunity shows the interest there is in football and a club like ours.
Because it is a religion, the one solution to this mess won't be taken by the owner. It's like having a joker and putting it back in the pack. That is revising aspects of the plan - not monetarily, but on the football side. It would mean bringing in a manager the fans would get behind and giving him some control - at least in the upcoming window and until the end of the season. From the owners perspective, Curbishley would be two jokers. Riga, possibly one. Even Pearson and Warnock could be classed as a joker, the situation is that bad. But the owner has to act now, with the window about to open and we know that whilst KF may go soon, there won't be a proper plan or change in direction attached to it.Without that change, League 1 here we come and beyond that, who knows. Yes we can drop further and when RD loses his religion, what will be left of our great club?
When you look at the owner's manager recruitment, it is clear he has a list. As he works his way down that list, they are by definition, going to get worse not better! Waiting for the 5th choice now!
I understand people would like more information online but I have to show some respect for the VOTV subscribers, whose copies will hopefully arrive in the post tomorrow, having been posted on Christmas Eve, as well as today's purchasers.
I'm not aware of who is standing behind Peter Varney, but I do know that Richard Murray is keen to stop the Belgians talking to him and I don't respect his motives in that. That is the trigger for the article. If Murray is indeed the obstacle then it is time he was held to account.
I have been told this has nothing to do with Charlton being part of the Swanscombe development and that the investment may well go into another club if it cannot be directed into Charlton. Given the fury there would be if, for example, that turned out to be Millwall, I'm sure people would want to feel that Charlton had had the opportunity first, whatever it is. The introduction of Millwall is entirely hypothetical - I don't know what other club might be the recipient.
From what I understand the door has not been closed on Charlton, but the schoolgirl responses of Meire are obviously a major obstruction. She is too busy to meet but she can go to Dublin to talk nonsense at the same time. If they don't want to meet Varney why not say so over a three month period or even send a representative to find out the details? Instead, we have the email trail, which shows her to be an unprofessional idiot, in my view.
My guess is that RD asked her to meet him and she has been ducking and diving to avoid it but without actually disobeying the emperor.
Thanks @AirmanBrown for adding a few other interesting insights. As Rick has said as far as he understands the door has not been closed on us, yet. Now that CAST has this new information, would it not be worth approaching KM and asking what her (RD's) objection is to just hearing what PV has to say. It could be, and I emphasise could, be good for both parties (RD/PV) and the club moves forward instead of hurtling backwards as we are now. I'm clutching at straws here but a concerted effort to at least get RD to listen might be a starting point. The emails are now out in the open, we need to ask a direct question of our CEO, will RD meet PV or not, its a closed question she needs to answer without waffling. This maybe OUR window of opportunity to move this along, I will be sending a well thought out email to KM asking her the direct question, I doubt I will get a response, but if we all did it...................?
I'm praying PV can lead a takeover. I wonder why PV didn't look to buy the club when the previous lot were flogging it? Presumably because the financial muscle weren't interested then. All very interesting though.
I understand people would like more information online but I have to show some respect for the VOTV subscribers, whose copies will hopefully arrive in the post tomorrow, having been posted on Christmas Eve, as well as today's
I'm not aware of who is standing behind Peter Varney, but I do know that Richard Murray is keen to stop the Belgians talking to him and I don't respect his motives in that. That is the trigger for the article. If Murray is indeed the obstacle then it is time he was held to account.
I have been told that it ithas nothing to do with Charlton being part of the Swanscombe development and that the investment may well go into another club if it cannot be directed into Charlton. Given the fury there would be if, for example, that turned out to be Millwall, I'm sure people would want to feel that Charlton had had the opportunity first, whatever it is. The introduction of Millwall is entirely hypothetical - I don't know what other club might be the recipient.
From what I understand the door has not been closed on Charlton, but the schoolgirl responses of Meire are obviously a major obstruction. She is too busy to meet but she can go to Dublin to talk nonsense at the same time. If they don't want to meet Varney why not say so over a three month period or even send a representative to find out the details? Instead, we have the email trail, which shows her to be an unprofessional idiot, in my view.
My guess is that RD asked her to meet him and she has been ducking and diving to avoid it but without actually disobeying the emperor.
@Airman Brown's last point is an interesting dynamic to the situation. We don't know what the subject of any meeting was/is to be, it could be a full scale offer for the whole club, shirt/stadium sponsorship (my guess), something more strategic or something else entirely. Neither did RD/KM know which makes their refusal to follow up on it all the more ludicrous.
Whatever our thoughts on RD he's a businessman first and foremost and therefore will always have an eye for a deal. I find it staggering that he would countenance a situation where an approach by serious investors is made to one of his businesses and they are given such an unprofessional runaround. So either KM went against his genuine intention for her to meet with PV, in which case she may have some explaining to do. Or they'd discussed it between themselves and for reasons unknown decided not to follow up on it without actually making that clear to PV. Given RD isnt here for the love of CAFC I'd be amazed if he wasn't at least interested to hear what the proposal was.
Whether this means KM might have made one cock up too far, who knows...
Were you aware of @Airman Brown / Varney VOTV revelations ahead of your Xmas Eve statement ?
Can honestly say it took me by surprise, can't speak for the others. Think this particular content was kept close to Rick's chest until publication.
Indeed. While I do talk to various members of the trust board and they to me, neither is an extension of the other and neither would want to be. One of the obstacles to dealing with a representative body is that the members may feel the need to share information, during which a story is retold and misunderstandings occur. Potentially it then leaks into the public domain in a misleading way.
More generally nobody reporting a scoop is going to bandy details around before it is published and spoil their own story. This one needed to be presented with the evidence, i.e. the emails, or we would no doubt have had people on here saying it was exaggerated or made up, etc. Finally, the days leading up to Christmas are traditionally days when it is difficult to get news out effectively or for anyone to follow it up.
Comments
Prague / Rikofold / Steve Clarke etc
Were you aware of @Airman Brown / Varney VOTV revelations ahead of your Xmas Eve statement ?
The bugger wouldn't even send through my digital copy last night on the basis that I would be there in person.
But I get it that Rick feels VOTV is also a main source of revenue at this time, and he needs to maximize sales.
We are aware now...
CEO?? I don't think so.
No professionalism.
No courtesy.
No clue.
Past experience should tell us that a satisfactory outcome may take years. Shouting loudly online about how much it hurts and how robust our credentials are, is ultimately pointless.
My boy is 14 and has an Oldham with 9 men, a Barnsley hit for six and a Carlisle promotion. I fully expect him to have the equivalent of a St Andrews or a Wembley in time, hopefully with me there too. PV seems to have the club in his veins so I'll trust to his and our collective resilience. If VOTV helps as it did in the past more power to it and to those that float it.
Long long time ago that train to Forest.
COYR.
My prediction earlier in the week that "where would CAFC be in 10 years"
that we'd have Owner Dr Abdulla Al-Humadi and Peter Varney CEO and we'd be in the Prem !
I also said that Katrien Meire would be CEO of Centre parcs ?
I hope the first statement comes True, but not the 2nd as Katrien would screw up
Centre parcs by putting waterproof Sofas by every other tree.
I'm not aware of who is standing behind Peter Varney, but I do know that Richard Murray is keen to stop the Belgians talking to him and I don't respect his motives in that. That is the trigger for the article. If Murray is indeed the obstacle then it is time he was held to account.
I have been told this has nothing to do with Charlton being part of the Swanscombe development and that the investment may well go into another club if it cannot be directed into Charlton. Given the fury there would be if, for example, that turned out to be Millwall, I'm sure people would want to feel that Charlton had had the opportunity first, whatever it is. The introduction of Millwall is entirely hypothetical - I don't know what other club might be the recipient.
From what I understand the door has not been closed on Charlton, but the schoolgirl responses of Meire are obviously a major obstruction. She is too busy to meet but she can go to Dublin to talk nonsense at the same time. If they don't want to meet Varney why not say so over a three month period or even send a representative to find out the details? Instead, we have the email trail, which shows her to be an unprofessional idiot, in my view.
My guess is that RD asked her to meet him and she has been ducking and diving to avoid it but without actually disobeying the emperor.
What I mean though is given there possibly could be a slim chance of a positive resolution to this mess - how would the fanbase get behind or show support for it. How could the Trust disengage from the charade of dialogue with Meire and push an alternative agenda for instance? How could we use the media to help turf the Belgian regime out?
Having a (possible) solid alternative solution to build a campaign on rather than merely saying Sack the Board has to be a good thing?
To answer an earlier question, the Trust board exists to make decisions on behalf of members. It's why we hold elections. Even so we consult frequently and our last member survey was just a few weeks ago. There's always merit in taking the temperature, but there's never anything to stop our members writing to us with their views, we've repeatedly asked for that recently, and we try to respond even to complaints...
.
What is almost poetic about the revelations, is that here we have the best CEO the club has ever had, trying to communicate with the worst. It should also shoot down the very few apologists for this regime who say, whithout RDs money, where would we be? I maintain, if RD hadn't bought us, somebody else would have and this investment opportunity shows the interest there is in football and a club like ours.
Because it is a religion, the one solution to this mess won't be taken by the owner. It's like having a joker and putting it back in the pack. That is revising aspects of the plan - not monetarily, but on the football side. It would mean bringing in a manager the fans would get behind and giving him some control - at least in the upcoming window and until the end of the season. From the owners perspective, Curbishley would be two jokers. Riga, possibly one. Even Pearson and Warnock could be classed as a joker, the situation is that bad. But the owner has to act now, with the window about to open and we know that whilst KF may go soon, there won't be a proper plan or change in direction attached to it.Without that change, League 1 here we come and beyond that, who knows. Yes we can drop further and when RD loses his religion, what will be left of our great club?
When you look at the owner's manager recruitment, it is clear he has a list. As he works his way down that list, they are by definition, going to get worse not better! Waiting for the 5th choice now!
This maybe OUR window of opportunity to move this along, I will be sending a well thought out email to KM asking her the direct question, I doubt I will get a response, but if we all did it...................?
I wonder why PV didn't look to buy the club when the previous lot were flogging it? Presumably because the financial muscle weren't interested then.
All very interesting though.
Whatever our thoughts on RD he's a businessman first and foremost and therefore will always have an eye for a deal. I find it staggering that he would countenance a situation where an approach by serious investors is made to one of his businesses and they are given such an unprofessional runaround. So either KM went against his genuine intention for her to meet with PV, in which case she may have some explaining to do. Or they'd discussed it between themselves and for reasons unknown decided not to follow up on it without actually making that clear to PV. Given RD isnt here for the love of CAFC I'd be amazed if he wasn't at least interested to hear what the proposal was.
Whether this means KM might have made one cock up too far, who knows...
More generally nobody reporting a scoop is going to bandy details around before it is published and spoil their own story. This one needed to be presented with the evidence, i.e. the emails, or we would no doubt have had people on here saying it was exaggerated or made up, etc. Finally, the days leading up to Christmas are traditionally days when it is difficult to get news out effectively or for anyone to follow it up.