West Country Branch is on the agenda and I've put in request to attend this and question the CEO. Haven't yet heard which game but before Christmas seems likely.
Before attending I'll study fully the Bromley Addicks report on their meeting.
Like many I subscribe to the view that there is no future for Meire or Duchatelet at this Club so any questions really have to be designed to tease out her exit strategy given that she has not yet felt the need to resign, and to get a little more with regard to the existence or otherwise of RDs long-term plan. It is far from sufficient simply to say 'we are not selling'. If not, then what is in place as a Plan B given that FFP has collapsed and the Club has regressed in the 2.5 years of current ownership rather than prospered.
Bromley Addicks may have already asked of Meire many of the difficult questions so it may be that we need to be inventive with ours but IMO we need to reflect (by dint of question rather than statement) the general feeling as I understand it that Meire has long outstayed her welcome and should do the honourable thing for once and resign as there can surely be no reconciliation with the majority of fans which she has treated with contempt and/or driven away from The Valley in their thousands.
If you need any questions, I've got plenty I can send you. They're good, if I say so myself.
West Country Branch is on the agenda and I've put in request to attend this and question the CEO. Haven't yet heard which game but before Christmas seems likely.
Before attending I'll study fully the Bromley Addicks report on their meeting.
Like many I subscribe to the view that there is no future for Meire or Duchatelet at this Club so any questions really have to be designed to tease out her exit strategy given that she has not yet felt the need to resign, and to get a little more with regard to the existence or otherwise of RDs long-term plan. It is far from sufficient simply to say 'we are not selling'. If not, then what is in place as a Plan B given that FFP has collapsed and the Club has regressed in the 2.5 years of current ownership rather than prospered.
Bromley Addicks may have already asked of Meire many of the difficult questions so it may be that we need to be inventive with ours but IMO we need to reflect (by dint of question rather than statement) the general feeling as I understand it that Meire has long outstayed her welcome and should do the honourable thing for once and resign as there can surely be no reconciliation with the majority of fans which she has treated with contempt and/or driven away from The Valley in their thousands.
Get her to visit the west country for the meeting. It's a very dangerous place with slurry pits big enough to loose KM, big bollox and four meatheads.
sorry, was there a vote of confidence in her at the end? I'm assuming if so that she left knowing the strength of feeling against her.
I was sitting with the lad at the back of the directors' box and directly behind KM. When she turned up to take her seat she looked - and I'm not being dramatic here - positively shell- shocked. I think she'd got the message...
This. I was sat very near the Directors area and thought she looked close to tears when she arrived. Momentarily I felt sorry for her, then she turned and tried to stare down a load of supporters and I remembered she brings all of this on herself and all sympathy evaporated.
West Country Branch is on the agenda and I've put in request to attend this and question the CEO. Haven't yet heard which game but before Christmas seems likely.
Before attending I'll study fully the Bromley Addicks report on their meeting.
Like many I subscribe to the view that there is no future for Meire or Duchatelet at this Club so any questions really have to be designed to tease out her exit strategy given that she has not yet felt the need to resign, and to get a little more with regard to the existence or otherwise of RDs long-term plan. It is far from sufficient simply to say 'we are not selling'. If not, then what is in place as a Plan B given that FFP has collapsed and the Club has regressed in the 2.5 years of current ownership rather than prospered.
Bromley Addicks may have already asked of Meire many of the difficult questions so it may be that we need to be inventive with ours but IMO we need to reflect (by dint of question rather than statement) the general feeling as I understand it that Meire has long outstayed her welcome and should do the honourable thing for once and resign as there can surely be no reconciliation with the majority of fans which she has treated with contempt and/or driven away from The Valley in their thousands.
Get her to visit the west country for the meeting. It's a very dangerous place with slurry pits big enough to loose KM, big bollox and four meatheads.
Not sure the hired muscle has ever been outside the M25. And suspect Squirrel Face thinks the West Country is Fulham and the King's Road.
sorry, was there a vote of confidence in her at the end? I'm assuming if so that she left knowing the strength of feeling against her.
I was sitting with the lad at the back of the directors' box and directly behind KM. When she turned up to take her seat she looked - and I'm not being dramatic here - positively shell- shocked. I think she'd got the message...
This. I was sat very near the Directors area and thought she looked close to tears when she arrived. Momentarily I felt sorry for her, then she turned and tried to stare down a load of supporters and I remembered she brings all of this on herself and all sympathy evaporated.
Reckon a few North Korean flags, or some simple leafleting, at the Football Business Awards may be enough to tip her over?
If the Bromley Addicks meeting really did mess her up, and we have a degree of success in hitting Centre Circle and getting them investigated before the next home match, then suddenly SE7 may seem more unwelcoming than ever. If her attempts at adding a few bullet points to her CV become too difficult then she may just decide to jack it in.
With what we know about Roland, he picks young people and gives them a chance - with seeming limitless loyalty to be fair - but if his young protege CEO resigns in another country without any network replacements, and the club is pissing away money and gaining endless negative attention... Surely it's time to sell? Besides, he doesn't even need to do failure that way: Katrien was the failure when she resigned, not Sir Roland Turing.
Reckon a few North Korean flags, or some simple leafleting, at the Football Business Awards may be enough to tip her over?
If the Bromley Addicks meeting really did mess her up, and we have a degree of success in hitting Centre Circle and getting them investigated before the next home match, then suddenly SE7 may seem more unwelcoming than ever. If her attempts at adding a few bullet points to her CV become too difficult then she may just decide to jack it in.
With what we know about Roland, he picks young people and gives them a chance - with seeming limitless loyalty to be fair - but if his young protege CEO resigns in another country without any network replacements, and the club is pissing away money and gaining endless negative attention... Surely it's time to sell? Besides, he doesn't even need to do failure that way: Katrien was the failure when she resigned, not Sir Roland Turing.
Roland Dutchatalet is a menace to football. He is a nemesis to football.
Things like this sound over the top, but the bloke is pure poison. A gradual spreading virus that may at one point, consume the victim until its forced to fight back. Football clubs are the unfortunate sufferers.
I think he's very close to being the current worst owner in english football.
Roland has alot more money then most owners in this division or the one above. Imagine if he was actually struggling like the last lot we had. How bad would it be then? (And he didn't sell)
I refuse to believe it. Meire promised that Lookman wouldn't be sold in January and she doesn't lie.
Ok, I'm being facetious. Meire lies more often than she tells the truth.
Poor old Sue Perks is in for a surprise, when she tells her, that she's never liked her and has been using her as a shield for nearly 3 years.
"How can we stand in the way of a player if he wants to leave" will be the line thrown out!!
Easy with Lookman. Much more difficult with Esri
Not really... "Any side like [Enter Premier League team here] would be difficult to turn down and we didnt want to stand in Ezri's way of his dreams of playing at the highest level at the earliest opportunity"
Konsa sold having played less than 20 games, Lookman sold despite Katrien Meire promising he wouldn't be. Tex likely to be sold because she's clueless and stuck him on big money and long-term contract, Pearce injured, Lennon picking up injuries, as does Solly, Holmes injured too.
I do wonder why this has been leaked to the SLP now?
OK, good young players likely to leave league 1 club who have policy of selling good young players is hardly news.
But why would De Cloob leak this?
The cynic is me says either
1. They are trying to soften the blow in January
or
2. They don't plan to sell but want to give the impression that they fought off buyers and so can say "aren't we wonderful" (see turning down Lookman deal in August)
or
3. They haven't got a clue and have lied to Robinson
I think most of us are resigned to losing lookman, the question is whether Robinson will be given sufficient funds to strengthen the team. We are about to find out if they are serious about going for promotion or not
I think most of us are resigned to losing lookman, the question is whether Robinson will be given sufficient funds to strengthen the team. We are about to find out if they are serious about going for promotion or not
Which is why I think The Valley protests are best put on hold until the end of January.
I do wonder why this has been leaked to the SLP now?
OK, good young players likely to leave league 1 club who have policy of selling good young players is hardly news.
But why would De Cloob leak this?
The cynic is me says either
1. They are trying to soften the blow in January
or
2. They don't plan to sell but want to give the impression that they fought off buyers and so can say "aren't we wonderful" (see turning down Lookman deal in August)
or
3. They haven't got a clue and have lied to Robinson
Has KM actually stated somewhere that Lookman wouldn't be sold in Jan?
She stated it at the Bromley supporters meeting with her, prior to the Coventry game and I was there.
In fairness to her I swear her nose was extending as she said it.
Not sure why she bothers stating anything. It's quite clear RD makes the decisions so why would you consistently make statements when you have no say in the matter?
Why not just say "ideally we'd like to keep him, but if we get a decent offer then it's up to RD to decide".
You certainly wouldn't say "he won't be sold" when you can't guarantee it.
I refuse to believe it. Meire promised that Lookman wouldn't be sold in January and she doesn't lie.
Ok, I'm being facetious. Meire lies more often than she tells the truth.
Poor old Sue Perks is in for a surprise, when she tells her, that she's never liked her and has been using her as a shield for nearly 3 years.
"How can we stand in the way of a player if he wants to leave" will be the line thrown out!!
Easy with Lookman. Much more difficult with Esri
Not really... "Any side like [Enter Premier League team here] would be difficult to turn down and we didnt want to stand in Ezri's way of his dreams of playing at the highest level at the earliest opportunity"
I do wonder why this has been leaked to the SLP now?
OK, good young players likely to leave league 1 club who have policy of selling good young players is hardly news.
But why would De Cloob leak this?
The cynic is me says either
1. They are trying to soften the blow in January
or
2. They don't plan to sell but want to give the impression that they fought off buyers and so can say "aren't we wonderful" (see turning down Lookman deal in August)
or
3. They haven't got a clue and have lied to Robinson
I am loathe to jump to premature conclusions and think that criticising the owners over every single issue dilutes our argument, can appear petty and turns off many to the cause of seeking a change of ownership, a cause I vehemently support.
However this will be interesting to see this unfold in the coming weeks.
Duchatelet's model of nurturing youth, supplemented by recruiting under- valued players, and supported by a network bringing efficiencies to give an advantage over rivals sounded good on paper. The notion of stability and sustainability was also appealing on the back of the post- Curbs turbulence and roulette wheel mismanagement. Add in the cited intention to spend big on infrastructure to support this plan in the form of a brand new academy plus much required investment into the significantly neglected stadium and pitch and even if the pioneer appeared a little obscure, and those charged with executing the strategy unqualified, there was still lingering hope that there was method in the madness. However the project hit material stumbling blocks with the relinquished FFP scheme and the loss of Standard Liege and the subsequent abject failure of the executive in alienating a significant proportion of an historically loyal fanbase and the managerial mis- appointments and player recruitment policies that saw us fall down as a club in so many ways beyond the mere league table.
We are led to believe the old politicians favourite that “lessons have been learned” and the appointments of experienced British managers and players who know the leagues have somewhat quelled the vitriol the was so vocal and virulent among the Charlton faithful as Karel Fraye oversaw the decline of our Championship status and the fan base stood largely united against the unmitigated catastrophes unfolding at our club only a relatively short time ago.
The sale of Lookman would indicate that the ambition to return to the Championship asap is perhaps not the immediate objective unless the proceeds were to be given to Robinson as a war chest to fund our march to promotion in the notoriously inefficient and uneconomical January transfer window which is by and large unfruitful for most at the best of times.
This would not make sense when you would be gambling your arguably best asset to try and assemble a stronger team for the remaining months when the owners vast wealth could quite easily see such spending without dispensing with a player apparently key to helping us climb the table and who is under sufficient enough a contract as to not force the club's hand to leave.
Even if he did command a move then it would highlight the inexperience and incompetence of an executive who have communicated with a disenchanted fan base that he is not for sale. Why risk doing that unless you are 100% sure that be the case given the existent mistrust unless you just don’t know what you are doing or simply don’t care (not sure which is worse).
As commendable as it may be the plan does not appear to be working and has thus far yielded far from successful results for the club.
Retaining the likes of Lookman, funding the manager (and backing him in other ways) would be a signal of a departure from the stubbornness to adhere to the masterplan and a withdrawal from the arrogance of believing that consistently making the same mistakes will produce different results if you apply them for long enough.
Murray hailed the arrival of the owner as the days of selling our best young players are gone (apologies if I’ve misinterpreted that or imagined it)
Whilst this is a very simplistic way to view whether there has been any real change in the mind-set I think the January transfer window and its departures and arrivals will be very telling in terms of whether they have at last started to get their act together or as I fear, continue to bluff, blag, spin and fluster their way through another impotent season and an continuation of the cumulative decline of the club.
Comments
If the Bromley Addicks meeting really did mess her up, and we have a degree of success in hitting Centre Circle and getting them investigated before the next home match, then suddenly SE7 may seem more unwelcoming than ever. If her attempts at adding a few bullet points to her CV become too difficult then she may just decide to jack it in.
With what we know about Roland, he picks young people and gives them a chance - with seeming limitless loyalty to be fair - but if his young protege CEO resigns in another country without any network replacements, and the club is pissing away money and gaining endless negative attention... Surely it's time to sell? Besides, he doesn't even need to do failure that way: Katrien was the failure when she resigned, not Sir Roland Turing.
Things like this sound over the top, but the bloke is pure poison. A gradual spreading virus that may at one point, consume the victim until its forced to fight back. Football clubs are the unfortunate sufferers.
I think he's very close to being the current worst owner in english football.
Roland has alot more money then most owners in this division or the one above. Imagine if he was actually struggling like the last lot we had. How bad would it be then? (And he didn't sell)
Never
Ok, I'm being facetious. Meire lies more often than she tells the truth.
Poor old Sue Perks is in for a surprise, when she tells her, that she's never liked her and has been using her as a shield for nearly 3 years.
Enjoy Karl.
OK, good young players likely to leave league 1 club who have policy of selling good young players is hardly news.
But why would De Cloob leak this?
The cynic is me says either
1. They are trying to soften the blow in January
or
2. They don't plan to sell but want to give the impression that they fought off buyers and so can say "aren't we wonderful" (see turning down Lookman deal in August)
or
3. They haven't got a clue and have lied to Robinson
We are about to find out if they are serious about going for promotion or not
In fairness to her I swear her nose was extending as she said it.
Lookman is easy to stand in the way of as he is small. Konsa, not so small.
Don't worry @rikofold, your humour wasn't wasted on me.
Why not just say "ideally we'd like to keep him, but if we get a decent offer then it's up to RD to decide".
You certainly wouldn't say "he won't be sold" when you can't guarantee it.
Wonder how much Karlo will get from the sales' kitty .
However this will be interesting to see this unfold in the coming weeks.
Duchatelet's model of nurturing youth, supplemented by recruiting under- valued players, and supported by a network bringing efficiencies to give an advantage over rivals sounded good on paper. The notion of stability and sustainability was also appealing on the back of the post- Curbs turbulence and roulette wheel mismanagement. Add in the cited intention to spend big on infrastructure to support this plan in the form of a brand new academy plus much required investment into the significantly neglected stadium and pitch and even if the pioneer appeared a little obscure, and those charged with executing the strategy unqualified, there was still lingering hope that there was method in the madness.
However the project hit material stumbling blocks with the relinquished FFP scheme and the loss of Standard Liege and the subsequent abject failure of the executive in alienating a significant proportion of an historically loyal fanbase and the managerial mis- appointments and player recruitment policies that saw us fall down as a club in so many ways beyond the mere league table.
We are led to believe the old politicians favourite that “lessons have been learned” and the appointments of experienced British managers and players who know the leagues have somewhat quelled the vitriol the was so vocal and virulent among the Charlton faithful as Karel Fraye oversaw the decline of our Championship status and the fan base stood largely united against the unmitigated catastrophes unfolding at our club only a relatively short time ago.
The sale of Lookman would indicate that the ambition to return to the Championship asap is perhaps not the immediate objective unless the proceeds were to be given to Robinson as a war chest to fund our march to promotion in the notoriously inefficient and uneconomical January transfer window which is by and large unfruitful for most at the best of times.
This would not make sense when you would be gambling your arguably best asset to try and assemble a stronger team for the remaining months when the owners vast wealth could quite easily see such spending without dispensing with a player apparently key to helping us climb the table and who is under sufficient enough a contract as to not force the club's hand to leave.
Even if he did command a move then it would highlight the inexperience and incompetence of an executive who have communicated with a disenchanted fan base that he is not for sale. Why risk doing that unless you are 100% sure that be the case given the existent mistrust unless you just don’t know what you are doing or simply don’t care (not sure which is worse).
As commendable as it may be the plan does not appear to be working and has thus far yielded far from successful results for the club.
Retaining the likes of Lookman, funding the manager (and backing him in other ways) would be a signal of a departure from the stubbornness to adhere to the masterplan and a withdrawal from the arrogance of believing that consistently making the same mistakes will produce different results if you apply them for long enough.
Murray hailed the arrival of the owner as the days of selling our best young players are gone (apologies if I’ve misinterpreted that or imagined it)
Whilst this is a very simplistic way to view whether there has been any real change in the mind-set I think the January transfer window and its departures and arrivals will be very telling in terms of whether they have at last started to get their act together or as I fear, continue to bluff, blag, spin and fluster their way through another impotent season and an continuation of the cumulative decline of the club.