The reality is that RD's investment is in his idea, not in the business. Hence a fantastic training ground, but poor first team squad and management.
Perhaps this is why people made successes of his ideas later on - because they recognised that most ideas have to be delivered within the reality of the environment to which they are being applied.
All makes sense now. This is what Roland means by meeting the fans. Looking at the more presentable and (hopefully) polite ones but not actually engaging.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. The training ground is impressive. Katrien was there. Tony Keohane was there. Keith Peacock was there and Ravi was there. Mel Baroni was there and Felicity (Fizz) Waller (Head of Commercial) was there.
I'm sure someone will say they should be at the ground doing something else but that's because they can't win regardless of what they do.
It's a good day and a nice insight into the club we all support. If you don't want to go then don't but it's unfair to slate the club for trying to do something we have wanted them to do - communicate!
But it isn't communication, it's a sales pitch to corporate sponsors and hospitality "customers" ie the bigger spending fans they desperately need to keep having pissed off most of the others.
She isn't going on record and as usual she surrounds herself with human shields.
Sure, some the guests will also ask difficult questions and be as pissed off as most but this is not about real communication. She was shocked to be asked difficult questions by me 14 addick yesterday.
And all this in the context of rant gate and other lies.
I also recommended they open it up to the slightly wider collective as it really is worthwhile - we'll see if it happens.
It's a good idea, they'll probably be able to open it out to all season ticket holders next season, without having to run an additional session.
And I'd love to go and see the training ground but I haven't been invited for some reason.
Last time I went I was called a criminal in front of my son by Katrien for suggesting she answer her emails and communicate with fans. That is the real Katrien Meire.
I thought it was common knowledge that you've had a few run-ins with the Fashion Police?
@ME14. - I think she swerved it because she saw the copious amount of preparation you had done in assembling the case for the prosecution. You and your lists of searching questions would have frightened off better prepared execs then her. I think turning up with the trust statement printed out to asail her with was also a stroke of genius on your part...!
@Swisdom - I asked her whether she would be responding to the CARD statement and she told me that she didn't think it necessary. I said I thought she should and gave her a copy of it to read. She still didn't think it necessary to respond.
I then asked her if she would be meeting with the Trust and she said that they will only spoke to RD and she knew that he would not speak to them.
She asked me whether having seen all of the new developments at Sparrows Lane, did not see that they are doing a lot of good work. I said I thought it was great, but not enough and that I and most fans did not believe that they would change.
I left it pretty much at that but she didn't look very happy.
One of the issues that KM can't seem to grasp is that fans are all for Sparrows Lane being redeveloped. It is long overdue and needed and the new facilities are a vast improvement. Category 1 status for the Academy is also welcomed.
But not for the sacrifice of the core-product which is the first team. The new training centre and Cat 1 Academy will help of course but it should not be solely what the club is about. That is what KM seems to not understand (amongst a whole load of other aspects of football!).
You could show every CAFC the world over the goings on at Sparrows Lane but that doesn't change how we all feel about what is going on on the pitch. The core-end product is not up to standard. Even with new facilities, this will not change. A new building will not make a player a world beater, it's the boots on the ground as such that help that. Manager/Head Coach, Coaches etc.
Mod's can title be changed to 'Hospitality Club Meeting' or that ilk as I cannot wait to see what comes from the Sponsors/Partners meeting on Monday!
Explain it to here in terms she can understand. You can paint the restaurant, you can install a world class, state of the art kitchen, but if you're ingredients are crap and your waiting staff rude, nobody will eat in your restaurant, and no tours of the fantastic kitchen will change that.
@Swisdom - I asked her whether she would be responding to the CARD statement and she told me that she didn't think it necessary. I said I thought she should and gave her a copy of it to read. She still didn't think it necessary to respond.
I then asked her if she would be meeting with the Trust and she said that they will only spoke to RD and she knew that he would not speak to them.
She asked me whether having seen all of the new developments at Sparrows Lane, did not see that they are doing a lot of good work. I said I thought it was great, but not enough and that I and most fans did not believe that they would change.
I left it pretty much at that but she didn't look very happy.
The problem, and it's a big one, is that unless those developments are ultimately in place to help the first team then none of us give a sh!t. If it's to attract a better caliber of youngster to the player farm to be quickly sold on at a profit then it does nothing for us.
A football club is about community but what holds the community together is sporting ambition. Without it there's nothing but the memories (which they also don't care for!). They could build a category one academy facility out of diamonds and platinum for all I care, all the time that the point of doing so is to move towards financial break even rather than succeed on the pitch it means nothing.
Where you still wearing your Pinocchio mask ME14 ?
I know we are trying to be upgraded to the top Category for the academy. Other than Crewe, what other teams would focus more on their youth than their 1st team ?
I feel it should be holistic, with all things connected, But by the law of Nature it can only Cascade down.
To save the obvious suspects time.
I know over the last few years academy players have made it to the 1st team, but for every Joe Gomez who is ready at 17, Others like Karlan Aherne-Grant were light years away and may have set him back for ever.
By the time this comes to fruition and we reaped the benefits for the 1st team we will be in League 2 or the Conference.
In football terms that is a massive Failure, Roland Duchatelet is a massive failure at football.
If Roland owned a cinema in London he would show Belgium art films with no sub titles. Which is so Absurd the only two customers would be Seth Plum and Soapboxsam.
We are still waiting for Godot. (Peter Varney will do thou)
Yes it's all well and good but when 2 of my sons are crying at the end of their last home (Reading) game and the other one was trying to leave when Reading got their winner and all of them were moaning why can't we ever win , I don't think we have great training facilities going up is gonna get them onside
The 4th and youngest one (just turned 4) has been to one game ,the wolves defeat , where his favourite bit was joining in the pantomime style boooooing at the end . He has now watched the taped Boro game 3 times and has put it on every day after school , whilst changing into his 4th hand Charlton kit , I think it's cos I pointed out you can see me running down towards the corner flag after the first that he likes it so much ;-)but he keeps coming to tell me "Charlton are winning daddy , come watch" because thats what we want more than lovely training facilities
These kids are the future and should have been walking out as mascots for the Brighton game but won't be and I hate the fact my principles are robbing me of the dream of seeing all 4 of my boys as mascots . A beautiful training ground won't change my mind .
How many times has my eldest asked me why his then favourite player Kermorgant was allowed to go when he didn't really want to and the way he looked at me after we clapped him off at the end of the reading game with tears in his eyes , saying we had great training facilities wasn't gonna mend his heart .
Just sell the club and go where you want and leave us real fans to enjoy our club again please .
great post Oohaah, but it will soon be cricket season and you will be loudly singing 'Eeeeaaaaaagles'
Where you still wearing your Pinocchio mask ME14 ?
I know we are trying to be upgraded to the top Category for the academy. Other than Crewe, what other teams would focus more on their youth than their 1st team ?
I feel it should be holistic, with all things connected, But by the law of Nature it can only Cascade down.
To save the obvious suspects time.
I know over the last few years academy players have made it to the 1st team, but for every Joe Gomez who is ready at 17, Others like Karlan Aherne-Grant were light years away and may have set him back for ever.
By the time this comes to fruition and we reaped the benefits for the 1st team we will be in League 2 or the Conference.
In football terms that is a massive Failure, Roland Duchatelet is a massive failure at football.
If Roland owned a cinema in London he would show Belgium art films with no sub titles. Which is so Absurd the only two customers would be Seth Plum and Soapboxsam.
We are still waiting for Godot. (Peter Varney will do thou)
Decided to leave my mask at home on this occasion!
Her trilling about Sparrows Lane is a bit like someone showing off their new garden shed while behind them their house is about to collapse through neglect.
Comments
Perhaps this is why people made successes of his ideas later on - because they recognised that most ideas have to be delivered within the reality of the environment to which they are being applied.
I then asked her if she would be meeting with the Trust and she said that they will only spoke to RD and she knew that he would not speak to them.
She asked me whether having seen all of the new developments at Sparrows Lane, did not see that they are doing a lot of good work. I said I thought it was great, but not enough and that I and most fans did not believe that they would change.
I left it pretty much at that but she didn't look very happy.
But not for the sacrifice of the core-product which is the first team. The new training centre and Cat 1 Academy will help of course but it should not be solely what the club is about. That is what KM seems to not understand (amongst a whole load of other aspects of football!).
You could show every CAFC the world over the goings on at Sparrows Lane but that doesn't change how we all feel about what is going on on the pitch. The core-end product is not up to standard. Even with new facilities, this will not change. A new building will not make a player a world beater, it's the boots on the ground as such that help that. Manager/Head Coach, Coaches etc.
Mod's can title be changed to 'Hospitality Club Meeting' or that ilk as I cannot wait to see what comes from the Sponsors/Partners meeting on Monday!
A football club is about community but what holds the community together is sporting ambition. Without it there's nothing but the memories (which they also don't care for!). They could build a category one academy facility out of diamonds and platinum for all I care, all the time that the point of doing so is to move towards financial break even rather than succeed on the pitch it means nothing.
Thanks for that.
As I say desperate and so going OTT with the human shields
Mel wasn't at the club last year. Felicity wasn't here. Tony Keohane wasn't here.
Maybe just maybe we are trying something different.....as requested....
@Swisdom, with that "we" statement, does that mean you are employed by CAFC?
@Swisdom, with that "we" statement, does that mean you are employed by CAFC?
When you tell people how Charlton got on at the weekend do you say ;
"We won"
"We lost"
"Charlton Athletic won"
"Charlton Athletic lost"
We in this instance means Charlton. My club. The club I am a supporter (not customer) of.
I trust this clarifies
I know we are trying to be upgraded to the top Category for the academy.
Other than Crewe, what other teams would focus more on their youth than their 1st team ?
I feel it should be holistic, with all things connected,
But by the law of Nature it can only Cascade down.
To save the obvious suspects time.
I know over the last few years academy players have made it to the 1st team, but for every Joe Gomez who is ready at 17, Others like Karlan Aherne-Grant were light years away and may have set him back for ever.
By the time this comes to fruition and we reaped the benefits for the 1st team we will be in League 2 or the Conference.
In football terms that is a massive Failure,
Roland Duchatelet is a massive failure at football.
If Roland owned a cinema in London he would show Belgium art films with
no sub titles. Which is so Absurd the only two customers would be Seth Plum and Soapboxsam.
We are still waiting for Godot. (Peter Varney will do thou)