Sorry,he wont give a toss about a protest at Belgian Embassy. The only way is to embarass him in his own town.
This 100 per cent. Protesting at the embassy might get a few lines and a small photo in the Belgian press. He won't worry about that.
Although more complicated and more expensive, " hurting" him in his own town is more efficient.
A few people spending a few minutes with spray cans gave him apoplexy.
I don't quite agree with you there.
What is our overall strategy, that makes S-T an important tactical venue? I'd suggest it is to target his ego, influencing those whose opinions of him he cares about. So we suspect that he hangs around S-T because he feels loved an appreciated by many there, whereas he probably will never set foot in Liege again if he can possibly avoid it. I believe that the other group he cares about are Belgium's business elite, his peer-group. And then that peer group is influenced for example by the senior managers they employ and also the various other influential groups around business.
One such group are Embassies, and I know a bit of which I speak here. The fact is that in any Belgian Embassy, RD and any of his local management will be treated preferentially. His companies are Big in Belgium. But at the same time, Embassy staff will give discreet feedback to such people about external noise which might affect their reputations. Unfortunately for us, and AFAIK, his companies don't have a big footprint in the UK. On the other hand, which Belgian companies do, and Embassy staff will be well aware that RD is routinely described in virtually all media as a "Belgian businessman". By now, and thanks to @Davo55 initiative, they have already decided that his antics at Charlton are not helpful to Belgium, NV.
So while I agree that S-T is the main focus, anything which is a route to influencing his reputation with his Belgian peer group is well worth it.
Two more points. One, its a war of attrition. No one event will be do-or-die. In that sense it is different to the Valley Party. So in one sense we must focus, but so long as we all understand our overall strategy, all kinds of people can do all kinds of things, big and small, which bug him. And by bugging him we disrupt his "2%" time allocation. Which I suspect he really hates, and would be a compelling reason for him to think "oh, sod it, I need to just sell this thing"
Two, a side effect of communal protests is that people get to know each other, ideas are pooled, working groups set up. I think most people who went to S-T really enjoyed it, and I personally met several fine people on that trip whom I previously only knew as names on here. The personal group involvement sustains a protest movement for the long haul, just as the shared experiences of great games, home and away, are what keep us close to our club and stop us from drifting away.
Prague,
There is not much of what you say that I would disagree with. I should also make it clear that I am not saying there should be no protests in this country. Any action that harms his reputation is fine with me. If that can be done via the Belgian Embassy, then good, do it. However I do believe that a few people with placards saying “ Down with this sort of thing “ is a waste of time. Similarly, I feel that protests at the ground have pretty much run their course and I believe that the press both here in England and Belgium are starting to yawn. However, again, if someone can think of a protest that really will garner mass interest, then do it.
I firmly believe that that protests directly at Roland and his immediate family and interests do seem to hit home. They don’t have to involve many people and often can be done cheaply and quickly. The perpetrators may need a sense of nerve and timing but I do think that, pound for pound, these kind of protests represent good value for money and time. Like you, however, I would steer clear of aggravating the local population and traders.
Based purely on my own vibe from the taxi event, and the march, I would say Roland only has to pick up the phone to the police in ST and get his 'concerns' actioned as an ST police priority.
Of course,thats a given, but if there is 100 of us being relatively peaceful, then it gives the OB a problem - a problem they would not be expecting, and therefore would not have the resources to deal with it immediately.
The problem is when you talk about getting nasty and a 100 people involved there has to be a lot of trust involved. Youve had your chat about the dos and donts, your out in belgium for the protest giving a little bit of aggro then all of a sudden it starts to go a bit pear shaped. Are the belgian police just going to nick the half a dozen involved or nick everyone. Sorry Mr President we dont give two shits you were part of the group. 99.8% of our fans dont want that b@llocks
Based purely on my own vibe from the taxi event, and the march, I would say Roland only has to pick up the phone to the police in ST and get his 'concerns' actioned as an ST police priority.
Of course,thats a given, but if there is 100 of us being relatively peaceful, then it gives the OB a problem - a problem they would not be expecting, and therefore would not have the resources to deal with it immediately.
The problem is when you talk about getting nasty and a 100 people involved there has to be a lot of trust involved. Youve had your chat about the dos and donts, your out in belgium for the protest giving a little bit of aggro then all of a sudden it starts to go a bit pear shaped. Are the belgian police just going to nick the half a dozen involved or nick everyone. Sorry Mr President we dont give two shits you were part of the group. 99.8% of our fans dont want that b@llocks
Based purely on my own vibe from the taxi event, and the march, I would say Roland only has to pick up the phone to the police in ST and get his 'concerns' actioned as an ST police priority.
Of course,thats a given, but if there is 100 of us being relatively peaceful, then it gives the OB a problem - a problem they would not be expecting, and therefore would not have the resources to deal with it immediately.
The problem is when you talk about getting nasty and a 100 people involved there has to be a lot of trust involved. Youve had your chat about the dos and donts, your out in belgium for the protest giving a little bit of aggro then all of a sudden it starts to go a bit pear shaped. Are the belgian police just going to nick the half a dozen involved or nick everyone. Sorry Mr President we dont give two shits you were part of the group. 99.8% of our fans dont want that b@llocks
No one has mentioned 'getting nasty'
Prez on page 6....
He clearly said whilst remaining legal, so why would people get arrested?
I think we need to put a bit of edgy ness into any future demos.......nothing OTT just a bit more ballsy. A hard one to judge as we most certainly don’t wish to upset the good citizens of Belgium.....just Duchatalet.
Sorry,he wont give a toss about a protest at Belgian Embassy. The only way is to embarass him in his own town.
This 100 per cent. Protesting at the embassy might get a few lines and a small photo in the Belgian press. He won't worry about that.
Although more complicated and more expensive, " hurting" him in his own town is more efficient.
A few people spending a few minutes with spray cans gave him apoplexy.
I don't quite agree with you there.
What is our overall strategy, that makes S-T an important tactical venue? I'd suggest it is to target his ego, influencing those whose opinions of him he cares about. So we suspect that he hangs around S-T because he feels loved an appreciated by many there, whereas he probably will never set foot in Liege again if he can possibly avoid it. I believe that the other group he cares about are Belgium's business elite, his peer-group. And then that peer group is influenced for example by the senior managers they employ and also the various other influential groups around business.
One such group are Embassies, and I know a bit of which I speak here. The fact is that in any Belgian Embassy, RD and any of his local management will be treated preferentially. His companies are Big in Belgium. But at the same time, Embassy staff will give discreet feedback to such people about external noise which might affect their reputations. Unfortunately for us, and AFAIK, his companies don't have a big footprint in the UK. On the other hand, which Belgian companies do, and Embassy staff will be well aware that RD is routinely described in virtually all media as a "Belgian businessman". By now, and thanks to @Davo55 initiative, they have already decided that his antics at Charlton are not helpful to Belgium, NV.
So while I agree that S-T is the main focus, anything which is a route to influencing his reputation with his Belgian peer group is well worth it.
Two more points. One, its a war of attrition. No one event will be do-or-die. In that sense it is different to the Valley Party. So in one sense we must focus, but so long as we all understand our overall strategy, all kinds of people can do all kinds of things, big and small, which bug him. And by bugging him we disrupt his "2%" time allocation. Which I suspect he really hates, and would be a compelling reason for him to think "oh, sod it, I need to just sell this thing"
Two, a side effect of communal protests is that people get to know each other, ideas are pooled, working groups set up. I think most people who went to S-T really enjoyed it, and I personally met several fine people on that trip whom I previously only knew as names on here. The personal group involvement sustains a protest movement for the long haul, just as the shared experiences of great games, home and away, are what keep us close to our club and stop us from drifting away.
Trying to work out how to justify holidays in the ex-Belgian colonies?
More seriously I do agree that all Belgian embassies in any country across the world will have direct links back into seriously high up levels of Belgian society.
You, @PragueAddick could approach the Belgian ambassador to the Czech Republic, in the same week other overseas based fans could do the same. If everyone could contribute we could have discussions with senior diplomats in at least (apologies for missing some countries out and also for not completely respecting that in some countries this may not be possible (esp 5th on list))
France; Spain; US; Thailand; China; Germany; Portugal; Luxembourg; UK
I think this would be more than a thorn in Duchâtelet’s side particularly if the discussions become ongoing. Coordination would massively increase the impact.
The Belgian MEPs May also be interested in receiving updates.
Actually, I think this idea could work - there are lots of countries where we know there are Addicks who post on here - add Spain, Canada, Australia & New Zealand to the list, and I am sure there are many more where peaceful protest would not be a problem. The question is whether enough Overseas Addicks would be prepared to stand outside their nearest Belgian Embassy on the chosen day waving a suitable banner and / or requesting an interview with a member of the Ambassador's staff.
As for RD not being bothered, I disagree. Wasn't it immediately after the meeting at the Belgian Embassy in London that RD called us "soft terrorists" in another of his rants?
Politically, he is a bit of a "Farage" in his own back yard, having founded his own political party when he couldn't find one to fit - and unlike Farage he has been elected to his national Parliament. So being known amongst the diplomatic circle as a figure of ridicule rather than a figure of gravitas would certainly dent his ego and his reputation.
And whereas a few English football fans protesting at the Belgian Embassy in England did not raise much adverse publicity for him in the Belgian papers, I think a coordinated world-wide protest might just grab press attention in the way the pink pigs did.
He's never been elected to the Belgian parliament. He was on the town council in Sint-Truiden. I don't know much about Belgian local government but I reckon I've held a more senior political office in the UK than he has in Belgium!
Sorry,he wont give a toss about a protest at Belgian Embassy. The only way is to embarass him in his own town.
This 100 per cent. Protesting at the embassy might get a few lines and a small photo in the Belgian press. He won't worry about that.
Although more complicated and more expensive, " hurting" him in his own town is more efficient.
A few people spending a few minutes with spray cans gave him apoplexy.
I don't quite agree with you there.
What is our overall strategy, that makes S-T an important tactical venue? I'd suggest it is to target his ego, influencing those whose opinions of him he cares about. So we suspect that he hangs around S-T because he feels loved an appreciated by many there, whereas he probably will never set foot in Liege again if he can possibly avoid it. I believe that the other group he cares about are Belgium's business elite, his peer-group. And then that peer group is influenced for example by the senior managers they employ and also the various other influential groups around business.
One such group are Embassies, and I know a bit of which I speak here. The fact is that in any Belgian Embassy, RD and any of his local management will be treated preferentially. His companies are Big in Belgium. But at the same time, Embassy staff will give discreet feedback to such people about external noise which might affect their reputations. Unfortunately for us, and AFAIK, his companies don't have a big footprint in the UK. On the other hand, which Belgian companies do, and Embassy staff will be well aware that RD is routinely described in virtually all media as a "Belgian businessman". By now, and thanks to @Davo55 initiative, they have already decided that his antics at Charlton are not helpful to Belgium, NV.
So while I agree that S-T is the main focus, anything which is a route to influencing his reputation with his Belgian peer group is well worth it.
Two more points. One, its a war of attrition. No one event will be do-or-die. In that sense it is different to the Valley Party. So in one sense we must focus, but so long as we all understand our overall strategy, all kinds of people can do all kinds of things, big and small, which bug him. And by bugging him we disrupt his "2%" time allocation. Which I suspect he really hates, and would be a compelling reason for him to think "oh, sod it, I need to just sell this thing"
Two, a side effect of communal protests is that people get to know each other, ideas are pooled, working groups set up. I think most people who went to S-T really enjoyed it, and I personally met several fine people on that trip whom I previously only knew as names on here. The personal group involvement sustains a protest movement for the long haul, just as the shared experiences of great games, home and away, are what keep us close to our club and stop us from drifting away.
Trying to work out how to justify holidays in the ex-Belgian colonies?
More seriously I do agree that all Belgian embassies in any country across the world will have direct links back into seriously high up levels of Belgian society.
You, @PragueAddick could approach the Belgian ambassador to the Czech Republic, in the same week other overseas based fans could do the same. If everyone could contribute we could have discussions with senior diplomats in at least (apologies for missing some countries out and also for not completely respecting that in some countries this may not be possible (esp 5th on list))
France; Spain; US; Thailand; China; Germany; Portugal; Luxembourg; UK
I think this would be more than a thorn in Duchâtelet’s side particularly if the discussions become ongoing. Coordination would massively increase the impact.
The Belgian MEPs May also be interested in receiving updates.
Actually, I think this idea could work - there are lots of countries where we know there are Addicks who post on here - add Spain, Canada, Australia & New Zealand to the list, and I am sure there are many more where peaceful protest would not be a problem. The question is whether enough Overseas Addicks would be prepared to stand outside their nearest Belgian Embassy on the chosen day waving a suitable banner and / or requesting an interview with a member of the Ambassador's staff.
As for RD not being bothered, I disagree. Wasn't it immediately after the meeting at the Belgian Embassy in London that RD called us "soft terrorists" in another of his rants?
Politically, he is a bit of a "Farage" in his own back yard, having founded his own political party when he couldn't find one to fit - and unlike Farage he has been elected to his national Parliament. So being known amongst the diplomatic circle as a figure of ridicule rather than a figure of gravitas would certainly dent his ego and his reputation.
And whereas a few English football fans protesting at the Belgian Embassy in England did not raise much adverse publicity for him in the Belgian papers, I think a coordinated world-wide protest might just grab press attention in the way the pink pigs did.
He's never been elected to the Belgian parliament. He was on the town council in Sint-Truiden. I don't know much about Belgian local government but I reckon I've held a more senior political office in the UK than he has in Belgium!
His Banana party didnt meet the minimum vote threshold for getting into Parliament? I am amazed. With a genius name like that, what could possibly have gone wrong?
Sorry,he wont give a toss about a protest at Belgian Embassy. The only way is to embarass him in his own town.
This 100 per cent. Protesting at the embassy might get a few lines and a small photo in the Belgian press. He won't worry about that.
Although more complicated and more expensive, " hurting" him in his own town is more efficient.
A few people spending a few minutes with spray cans gave him apoplexy.
I don't quite agree with you there.
What is our overall strategy, that makes S-T an important tactical venue? I'd suggest it is to target his ego, influencing those whose opinions of him he cares about. So we suspect that he hangs around S-T because he feels loved an appreciated by many there, whereas he probably will never set foot in Liege again if he can possibly avoid it. I believe that the other group he cares about are Belgium's business elite, his peer-group. And then that peer group is influenced for example by the senior managers they employ and also the various other influential groups around business.
One such group are Embassies, and I know a bit of which I speak here. The fact is that in any Belgian Embassy, RD and any of his local management will be treated preferentially. His companies are Big in Belgium. But at the same time, Embassy staff will give discreet feedback to such people about external noise which might affect their reputations. Unfortunately for us, and AFAIK, his companies don't have a big footprint in the UK. On the other hand, which Belgian companies do, and Embassy staff will be well aware that RD is routinely described in virtually all media as a "Belgian businessman". By now, and thanks to @Davo55 initiative, they have already decided that his antics at Charlton are not helpful to Belgium, NV.
So while I agree that S-T is the main focus, anything which is a route to influencing his reputation with his Belgian peer group is well worth it.
Two more points. One, its a war of attrition. No one event will be do-or-die. In that sense it is different to the Valley Party. So in one sense we must focus, but so long as we all understand our overall strategy, all kinds of people can do all kinds of things, big and small, which bug him. And by bugging him we disrupt his "2%" time allocation. Which I suspect he really hates, and would be a compelling reason for him to think "oh, sod it, I need to just sell this thing"
Two, a side effect of communal protests is that people get to know each other, ideas are pooled, working groups set up. I think most people who went to S-T really enjoyed it, and I personally met several fine people on that trip whom I previously only knew as names on here. The personal group involvement sustains a protest movement for the long haul, just as the shared experiences of great games, home and away, are what keep us close to our club and stop us from drifting away.
Trying to work out how to justify holidays in the ex-Belgian colonies?
More seriously I do agree that all Belgian embassies in any country across the world will have direct links back into seriously high up levels of Belgian society.
You, @PragueAddick could approach the Belgian ambassador to the Czech Republic, in the same week other overseas based fans could do the same. If everyone could contribute we could have discussions with senior diplomats in at least (apologies for missing some countries out and also for not completely respecting that in some countries this may not be possible (esp 5th on list))
France; Spain; US; Thailand; China; Germany; Portugal; Luxembourg; UK
I think this would be more than a thorn in Duchâtelet’s side particularly if the discussions become ongoing. Coordination would massively increase the impact.
The Belgian MEPs May also be interested in receiving updates.
Actually, I think this idea could work - there are lots of countries where we know there are Addicks who post on here - add Spain, Canada, Australia & New Zealand to the list, and I am sure there are many more where peaceful protest would not be a problem. The question is whether enough Overseas Addicks would be prepared to stand outside their nearest Belgian Embassy on the chosen day waving a suitable banner and / or requesting an interview with a member of the Ambassador's staff.
As for RD not being bothered, I disagree. Wasn't it immediately after the meeting at the Belgian Embassy in London that RD called us "soft terrorists" in another of his rants?
Politically, he is a bit of a "Farage" in his own back yard, having founded his own political party when he couldn't find one to fit - and unlike Farage he has been elected to his national Parliament. So being known amongst the diplomatic circle as a figure of ridicule rather than a figure of gravitas would certainly dent his ego and his reputation.
And whereas a few English football fans protesting at the Belgian Embassy in England did not raise much adverse publicity for him in the Belgian papers, I think a coordinated world-wide protest might just grab press attention in the way the pink pigs did.
He's never been elected to the Belgian parliament. He was on the town council in Sint-Truiden. I don't know much about Belgian local government but I reckon I've held a more senior political office in the UK than he has in Belgium!
The Senate is the "Upper House" of the Federal Parliament of Belgium. I may be incorrect in my assumption that this was an elected position, but according to Wiki the 2014 elections were the first ones without direct elections of senators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_(Belgium)
He was later a member of Sint-Truiden local council.
The Senate is the "Upper House" of the Federal Parliament of Belgium. I may be incorrect in my assumption that this was an elected position, but according to Wiki the 2014 elections were the first ones without direct elections of senators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_(Belgium)
He was later a member of Sint-Truiden local council.
Fair enough - it may well be a list system but I’m sure it’s elected.
Just on the Embassy protest possibilities. I've been thinking that it is really only going to work in those countries where he is present in football, namely the UK, Germany and Hungary. I'm all for this, and being both gobby and stroppy I would have no problem doing something in CZ, but when I started to think about what i might write to the Belgian Amb. to CZ, the words didn't exactly flow out in my head. Generally they do, when I have a good case to make. Even though RD does have business in CZ, nobody has heard of him, and especailly not his misdemeanours, so I fear the Ambassador would think "My role -and that of my commercial department - is about Belgium's reputation in the Czech Republic. If nobody has heard of RD here, then what's the reputational issue to Belgium here? Ignore..."
However he deffo has factories in Germany and I think in Hungary too, and AFAIK he remains controversial and high profile in both (regionally at least in Germany) because of his football antics. Last I heard, about a year ago, Ujpest fans were still boycotting, and I can get a good reliable update. As for Germany, well I notice that Jena opened their Div 3 campaign with four straight losses. What's behind that I don't know, maybe if @GlassHalfFull is available he can help me find out and assess the mood there.
Is there a way to get one of our (good well spoken in the know confident) fans on talksport at the same time as Roland's now more or less general weekly appearance.
Obviously Jim White and maybe Simon Jordan also part of the conversation.
Roland won't agree prior to it....but it could always be a trick??
I am fairly certain that when I was researching such things for WAR & then for ROT I saw thathat one of his firms is based or has a branch in the USA. I will go back through my records & check on this if it would be helpful.
Is there a way to get one of our (good well spoken in the know confident) fans on talksport at the same time as Roland's now more or less general weekly appearance.
Obviously Jim White and maybe Simon Jordan also part of the conversation.
Roland won't agree prior to it....but it could always be a trick??
Pretend to be an upset Prem fan complaining that there club is being destroyed or the manager should be sacked. They always get on.
@PragueAddick - FCC had a dreadful first half to last season and the coach was fired just before the break so that his replacement had time to settle. A near-miracle ensued and remarkably FCC managed to avoid the drop. During the summer almost the entire roster was changed, only for the form to revert to last year's first half showing. As you say, so far 4 played 4 lost, although yesterday they beat a ?7th tier local team 5-0 in the State Cup. Players continue to come and go. Of Mr 49.98% there has been little sign for some time. His investment is as locked in as is his venture in SE7, and although he has the fall-back of the stadium's commercialisation (albeit requiring much more cash) that project is moving like a glacier flowing uphill on a cold day. Nothing to see here.
I've had enough of the 'lets not upset the locals' method. Its not done anything and we've got nowhere by being 'nice'.
Its time to do some serious protesting, on the edge, not this stupid powder puff stuff that we have done so far. Its time to get real, and forget about whether we are upseting St Truidians or not - its time to put RD in the spotlight by being nasty (though just legal) to the locals.
Anyone who thinks we can be the nice friendly fans again, can just put up with RD for another x years.
Lets not pussy foot about this time. Do you want him out or not ??
I wonder how much traction these new protests will get after today’s activities
and therein lies the problem
Exactly If Taylor had gone and we got no replacement then maybe more people would be angry and protest. As it is its difficult for CARD as fickle fans now wont be interested in protest
My take - Roland spends 2% of his time on CAFC. While the Meire was CEO the time was listening to her and letting her crack on (silly cow that she was ). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
My take - Roland spends 2% of his time on CAFC. While the Meire was CEO the time was listening to her and letting her crack on (silly cow that she was ). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
That's your right to do mate and I respect it
Unfortunately whilst people have this belief that he is listening to Bowyer he will stick around, he is not of normal mindset. Sometimes you have to have courage of your convictions and mine is to stay away while the poisonous old bastard owns us. As much as I'd dearly love to spend my Saturdays at the Valley with my pals watching us win regularly for a change I'd be being hypocritical given how much I have been opposed to the regime from the moment it arrived.
My take - Roland spends 2% of his time on CAFC. While the Meire was CEO the time was listening to her and letting her crack on (silly cow that she was ). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
That's your right to do mate and I respect it
Unfortunately whilst people have this belief that he is listening to Bowyer he will stick around, he is not of normal mindset. Sometimes you have to have courage of your convictions and mine is to stay away while the poisonous old bastard owns us. As much as I'd dearly love to spend my Saturdays at the Valley with my pals watching us win regularly for a change I'd be being hypocritical given how much I have been opposed to the regime from the moment it arrived.
But the team is winning. The shop is doing a roaring trade. We didnt get totally shafted in the transfer window.
My take - Roland spends 2% of his time on CAFC. While the Meire was CEO the time was listening to her and letting her crack on (silly cow that she was ). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
That's your right to do mate and I respect it
Unfortunately whilst people have this belief that he is listening to Bowyer he will stick around, he is not of normal mindset. Sometimes you have to have courage of your convictions and mine is to stay away while the poisonous old bastard owns us. As much as I'd dearly love to spend my Saturdays at the Valley with my pals watching us win regularly for a change I'd be being hypocritical given how much I have been opposed to the regime from the moment it arrived.
My take - Roland spends 2% of his time on CAFC. While the Meire was CEO the time was listening to her and letting her crack on (silly cow that she was ). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
A bit like 2015 when we beat QPR and Hull in the first two home games of the season then. The difference is that the madness on the field has stopped thanks to Bowyer and that’s great. I hope it continues but we still have a squad that is light on Championship experience and thin in general, as well as over-dependent on loans, and hence the January whims of other clubs. West Ham will clearly want a fee for Cullen, for example, or they will recall him. David Gold has indicated as much.
As Bowyer has recognised, a good season will be staying up, and I for one would be happy with that, but the fundamentals haven’t changed and at best this will last only as long as Bowyer does. If he keeps Charlton up on a half or a third of the playing budget of bottom half clubs - which is where we are - he will be hot property.
Duchatelet is driving away people who could take the club forward. He never will.
Bowyers contract runs out at the end of this season , he seems to be doing a reasonable job . Would now maybe the best time to get him to extend his contract. He appears to be an asset so having a longer contract would entitle us to compensation if a big club like Brentford came knocking on the door for him.
Comments
There is not much of what you say that I would disagree with. I should also make it clear that I am not saying there should be no protests in this country. Any action that harms his reputation is fine with me. If that can be done via the Belgian Embassy, then good, do it. However I do believe that a few people with placards saying “ Down with this sort of thing “ is a waste of time. Similarly, I feel that protests at the ground have pretty much run their course and I believe that the press both here in England and Belgium are starting to yawn. However, again, if someone can think of a protest that really will garner mass interest, then do it.
I firmly believe that that protests directly at Roland and his immediate family and interests do seem to hit home. They don’t have to involve many people and often can be done cheaply and quickly. The perpetrators may need a sense of nerve and timing but I do think that, pound for pound, these kind of protests represent good value for money and time. Like you, however, I would steer clear of aggravating the local population and traders.
A hard one to judge as we most certainly don’t wish to upset the good citizens of Belgium.....just Duchatalet.
The Senate is the "Upper House" of the Federal Parliament of Belgium.
I may be incorrect in my assumption that this was an elected position, but according to Wiki the 2014 elections were the first ones without direct elections of senators. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_(Belgium)
He was later a member of Sint-Truiden local council.
However he deffo has factories in Germany and I think in Hungary too, and AFAIK he remains controversial and high profile in both (regionally at least in Germany) because of his football antics. Last I heard, about a year ago, Ujpest fans were still boycotting, and I can get a good reliable update. As for Germany, well I notice that Jena opened their Div 3 campaign with four straight losses. What's behind that I don't know, maybe if @GlassHalfFull is available he can help me find out and assess the mood there.
Obviously Jim White and maybe Simon Jordan also part of the conversation.
Roland won't agree prior to it....but it could always be a trick??
Or he's gone.
#we love u Rowland the rat ❤❤❤🙈
@PragueAddick - FCC had a dreadful first half to last season and the coach was fired just before the break so that his replacement had time to settle. A near-miracle ensued and remarkably FCC managed to avoid the drop. During the summer almost the entire roster was changed, only for the form to revert to last year's first half showing. As you say, so far 4 played 4 lost, although yesterday they beat a ?7th tier local team 5-0 in the State Cup. Players continue to come and go. Of Mr 49.98% there has been little sign for some time. His investment is as locked in as is his venture in SE7, and although he has the fall-back of the stadium's commercialisation (albeit requiring much more cash) that project is moving like a glacier flowing uphill on a cold day. Nothing to see here.
Altogether not such a bad thing.
If Taylor had gone and we got no replacement then maybe more people would be angry and protest. As it is its difficult for CARD as fickle fans now wont be interested in protest
). Now his 2% is listening to Bowyer (nearly a legend aready) and letting him crack on - while this continues I am back in the fold
Unfortunately whilst people have this belief that he is listening to Bowyer he will stick around, he is not of normal mindset. Sometimes you have to have courage of your convictions and mine is to stay away while the poisonous old bastard owns us. As much as I'd dearly love to spend my Saturdays at the Valley with my pals watching us win regularly for a change I'd be being hypocritical given how much I have been opposed to the regime from the moment it arrived.
Everything is fine now, isnt it? Isnt it?
As Bowyer has recognised, a good season will be staying up, and I for one would be happy with that, but the fundamentals haven’t changed and at best this will last only as long as Bowyer does. If he keeps Charlton up on a half or a third of the playing budget of bottom half clubs - which is where we are - he will be hot property.
Duchatelet is driving away people who could take the club forward. He never will.
Would now maybe the best time to get him to extend his contract.
He appears to be an asset so having a longer contract would entitle us to compensation if a big club like Brentford came knocking on the door for him.