For at least two years Duchatelet has been swimming against the tide of opinion anger and venom of 95% of Charlton fans and pretty much every neutral bystander who has shown any interest in our plight. Even Simon Jordan that well known Charlton fan showed sympathy and support. He hires and fires on a whim and holds the opinion of a twelve year old FIFA game player sitting in his bedroom over and above the opinions of seasoned professional football people. He hasn’t shown interest in the team, fans or club enough to watch a game in four years including a Wembley final. He’s refused to pay a promised bonus to a hard working and largely decimated workforce and bizarrely called for the EFL to buy the club. He pfaffed and fannied around with our managers contract to the point of publishing a farewell Lee statement.
Does anyone really think that this unstable, arguable lunatic would change his view and double his offer within just a few hours on the basis that the clubs one manned phone line was red hot for an hour before close of business with angry and incredulous supporters threatening to return season tickets they ought not to have bought in the first place.
I think anyone who who thinks this was significant is as mad as Duchatelet is ;0)
@JamesSeed On reflection. This stuff about Duchatelet feeling the heat and being concerned about his public image. I think it’s bollox. Someone trying to keep a low profile and stay out of the media limelight doesn’t publish a statement as barking mad as he did and effectively wave goodbye to the one person in his Charlton team that is universally getting 100% support unless they couldn’t give a shit.
It can't be bollox because we know he loses his shit and we get a reaction EVERY SINGLE TIME there is a protest or action against him in Belgium.
He doesn't seem to care or be concerned about how much money he loses by continuing to stay as owner of this club, but we do know he cares a lot about his public image, especially in his home town/country.
Let's be honest if you personally were made to look a complete mug in (for example) Sweden, i doubt you'd give a shit. You probably never go there, you don't care what people think. But if those same people came to your hometown and made you look a complete mug, you'd probably feel a lot more bothered.
...The reason he goes on Jim White’s show is also because he’s trying to improve his public image... 2 observations - Talksport's listenership is tiny. All their programs that aren't live commentary are dreadful bilge. Yet more proof of roly's pathetic delusion. polishing turds is pointless at the best of time, polishing a turd with more ordure is the perfect allegory for the rat's football business acumen. We should add coprofiliac to his list of characteristics.
Not all that tiny, and what he says to JW gets picked up and repeated all over the shop.
Yep, many of the Sports hacks, working from home, will listen for topics that they can then write about themselves.
Plus all the free-lancers, wanna-bees and the social media information ITKs.
I think it was a combination of factors that all have their root in the fans' reaction.
I can believe inquiries about cancelling season tickets would have prompted a phone call to Belgium at the very least. I expect there was also a certain amount of pushback from the PR team given how well Roland's past statements have gone down. The prospective buyers may well have expressed an opinion on the value of the club without a manager and the fan unrest they would have to repair. He was clearly aware things were kicking off or he wouldn't have gone on Talksport to try and get his story over. The bloke might have a complete tin ear to how other people feel but it gets through to him eventually.
How many enquires about cancelling season tickets do you think the club received between the statement being published on the OS and Roland going all wobbly and doubling his offer to Bowyer that very evening ? I’m guessing none.
On the Season Ticket Refund thread a couple of people said that they had so that's at least two more than none. Club staff read this forum, they know what it's like for getting stuff organised. There was the beginning of a season ticket refund action there.
No one was going to get a refund on their ST, behave yourself !
Read 2 posts above yours.
That someone had an “understanding...suspect” - yep sounds rock solid to me. Also that the club website couldn’t load because too many people were phoning up? You’re easily convinced!
Didn't someone actually ask for and receive legal advice which suggested that it was very unlikely that you could claim a refund on a season ticket from a football team because they changed their manager and you didn’t want them to?
Still, nice to think it’s down to fan power eh?
I doubt they would have refunded S/T's. But the original point by Missed It was about fans enquiring for a refund. This was backed up Bubble who said "my understanding from someone who works at the club was that all phone lines we're flooded with calls within minutes of that statement, complaining and I suspect demanding cancellation of season tickets."
He added "the club website article couldn't even be read for a period of time due to traffic", which I should imagine he wasn't alleging due to a S/T issue, but to the volume of fans wanting to read what the Douche had done.
We know people read this site on behalf of RD, because they have been quoted and even arrested. I think it almost certain RD would have been made aware of fan reaction and that everyone on here backed LB.
Whether RD totally ignored this is debatable. I suspect he didn't ignore it.
Well if Roland has turned into this snowflake being portrayed and withers in front of a tirade of anger from us fans then I suggest we get shirty and deluge the switchboard and ask for our money back on season tickets because of the insulting and derisory budget given to Bowyer.
Can somebody paste the newsshopper stuff please, its usually just clickbait
Here you go, Red Henry ...... lifted from the News Hopper site:
"Charlton’s plans for life in the Championship have not been affected by Lee Bowyer contract fiasco according to the manager.
The 42-year-old agreed a one-year extension with The Addicks less than 24hours after a Club statement from owner Roland Duchatelet revealing a deal had failed to be reached.
Bowyer, currently on holiday in France, admitted he was unaware of the released statement before coming to an agreement.
Speaking to TALKsport on Tuesday the former Newcastle Untied, West Ham and Leeds United midfielder turned his focus on the season ahead as he looks to build a squad capable of competing in the Championship.
“I’m delighted,” he said.
“It’s been a long process. I was hoping it would have got settled a lot sooner than it has but the main thing is that we’ve agreed I’ll be in charge next season we can all move on.
“The Championship is going to be difficult, I’m not going to lie.
“We’ve got the players lined up and we’ll bring them in before pre-season.
“Time wise, it’s knocked it back a little bit but it’s not going to effect it.
“I’m going to be straight and honest, it’s going to be difficult.
“We’ll have the lowest budget, there’s no hiding that.
“But I do believe that the team spirit we’ll have, the fans behind us like they came back last season, everything at the club came together again, we’ll carry that on into next season.
“We’ll have momentum.
“We’ll bring in players that will improve us and I think we’ll surprise teams. “We were a good side last season and I think we’ll be a better side next season with the players we’re looking to bring in.
“I’m excited, it’s going to be a big challenge, it’s going to be difficult.
Duchatelet revealed he thought Bowyer’s agents demands were excessive and that offering him the contract he wanted would’ve made the club an ‘unattractive’ proposition for potential buyers.
'I'm not greedy'
Bowyer quashed the notions his demands were ‘greedy’ and that the agreement between both parties was a ‘win-win’ situation.
“I’m not greedy, it’s not just all about money.
“I want to stay at the club, I love the club.
“It’s perfect for me, I started there as a kid, worked well there last season, we both did.
“I didn’t want to just walk away from something that we had done.
“Negotiations, it is what it is
“The club want to pay a certain fee. I wanted a certain fee. That’s the way it is in any job.
“But the most important thing is that we’ve come to an agreement.”
When Bowyer's finished in football, he's got a future in the diplomatic corps.
So are people now going to re-buy the season tickets they sent back yesterday?
Give it a rest
Don't under-estimate the potential impact the season-ticket reaction may have had on Duchatelet's about-turn.
Reaction from fans has been stated as the reason for Roland’s about turn in quite a few of the press reports. I’ve heard that he is more sensitive to negative publicity that you might think, and was clearly hoping that the Wembley win might have got supporters on his side.
But his failure to deal with the Directors’ loans over the last 18 months, his putting up the sale price after promotion, despite promising not to do so, and his attempt to smear Bowyer as greedy, have had the opposite effect. I’m not sure if anyone actually did return their season tickets for a refund, but you can only think that people doing so wouldn’t have helped.
He knows selling the club before the end of June is key, so let’s hope he’ll help make it happen.
So we think that after talks between Lee and Shitbag broke down and after issuing that statement that Duchatelet spent the next couple of hours trawling through fans forums looking at the reaction of the fans ? It’s possible one or two of his minions might have had a peek and phoned the boss but cause enough for Roland to do a complete u turn and get on the blower to Bowyer and double his offer.
Not buying it. He changed his mind sure enough but fans reaction over a couple of hours didn’t do it. Would love to know what did.
He’s become hugely concerned about his public image recently, according to a very good source, and is genuinely feeling the pressure, I promise you. Also, it doesn’t get in the Times or Guardian without there being at least some truth in it.
It wasn’t just the pressure of those two or three hours that did it, it was the buildup of pressure over the last couple of weeks, with an absolute deluge after the statement on the website calling Bowyer greedy. The publicity about that was on a different scale, so not a question of minions scouring the forums at all.
It’s not just forums, but yes, they’re aware of what gets in national newspapers in particular, as well as what appears on Twitter. The reason he goes on Jim White’s show is also because he’s trying to improve his public image. There were some comments on here that some of what he said made sense, so it can be effective. It’s possible that potential owners have had a word as well, but I think you’re underestimating the value of the constant pressure from the fans that gets reported in the press.
imo he would have had a lot more to worry about than his public image
I find it amazing that six weeks from the start of the season, we have no shirt sponsor (or provider?). This is potentially millions to our budget, which could impinge on what LB had to spend. Have we even got anyone competent on board to negotiate?
I find it amazing that six weeks from the start of the season, we have no shirt sponsor (or provider?). This is potentially millions to our budget, which could impinge on what LB had to spend. Have we even got anyone competent on board to negotiate?
The whole infrastructure needs improving at Cafc which it surely will if a new Owner/consortium can bring business acumen which can dovetail with the football nous we already have with Bowyer, Gallen, JJ and Euell. There are still good people employed by Cafc, Tracey Leaburn is a prime example, and I would like to hope that a new dynamic CEO can coalesce the skills needed to run a successful team off the pitch and give support and understanding to Bowyer and Gallen on football matters.
Even a budget which was 19 or 20th in the Championship would give Lee a chance to not only emulate Rotherham by getting promotion from Wembley after going out in the semis the year before but may stop us emulating Rotherham last season as well !
Bowyer’s contract extension is and will be the best signing of the summer. How good is it to feel complete trust in the manager a la Powell and Curbs? How many signings have said something similar to Lockyer:
Speaking to Valley Pass Lockyer said: "The first time I sat down with Lee it was quite surreal to be honest, I was hanging off every word he said. I left the meeting thinking 'Wow, this is a challenge I want to be a part of'. I've had meetings with other managers and compared them but it wasn't quite something like that. I'm really excited to be working with him."
We are fortunate to have the triumvirate of Lee Bowyer, Johnnie Jackson and Steve Gallen. LB and JJ are both proper Charlton men, and SG seems to have an unerring ability to source real talent amongst the lower leagues and loan signings that are the envy of many teams outside of the Premiership. My thanks to the three wise men.
If Roland wants to get rid of us and get his money back (or some / most of it) the most sensible thing he could do would extend Lees contract and give him a proper transfer budget.
We can’t have the shenanigans of this summer happening again.
Comments
Does anyone really think that this unstable, arguable lunatic would change his view and double his offer within just a few hours on the basis that the clubs one manned phone line was red hot for an hour before close of business with angry and incredulous supporters threatening to return season tickets they ought not to have bought in the first place.
I think anyone who who thinks this was significant is as mad as Duchatelet is ;0)
He doesn't seem to care or be concerned about how much money he loses by continuing to stay as owner of this club, but we do know he cares a lot about his public image, especially in his home town/country.
Let's be honest if you personally were made to look a complete mug in (for example) Sweden, i doubt you'd give a shit. You probably never go there, you don't care what people think. But if those same people came to your hometown and made you look a complete mug, you'd probably feel a lot more bothered.
Plus all the free-lancers, wanna-bees and the social media information ITKs.
But the original point by Missed It was about fans enquiring for a refund.
This was backed up Bubble who said "my understanding from someone who works at the club was that all phone lines we're flooded with calls within minutes of that statement, complaining and I suspect demanding cancellation of season tickets."
He added "the club website article couldn't even be read for a period of time due to traffic", which I should imagine he wasn't alleging due to a S/T issue, but to the volume of fans wanting to read what the Douche had done.
We know people read this site on behalf of RD, because they have been quoted and even arrested.
I think it almost certain RD would have been made aware of fan reaction and that everyone on here backed LB.
Whether RD totally ignored this is debatable. I suspect he didn't ignore it.
imo he would have had a lot more to worry about than his public image
Who they are I've no idea.
I think the reason they haven't been announced is just incompetence from De Turck but who knows with this shambles.
Hummel are still the shirt manufacturers.
There are still good people employed by Cafc, Tracey Leaburn is a prime example, and I would like to hope that a new dynamic CEO can coalesce the skills needed to run a successful team off the pitch and give support and understanding to Bowyer and Gallen on football matters.
Even a budget which was 19 or 20th in the Championship would give Lee a chance to not only emulate Rotherham by getting promotion from Wembley after going out in the semis the year before but may stop us emulating Rotherham last season as well !
How many signings have said something similar to Lockyer:
Speaking to Valley Pass Lockyer said: "The first time I sat down with Lee it was quite surreal to be honest, I was hanging off every word he said. I left the meeting thinking 'Wow, this is a challenge I want to be a part of'. I've had meetings with other managers and compared them but it wasn't quite something like that. I'm really excited to be working with him."
My thanks to the three wise men.
We can’t have the shenanigans of this summer happening again.