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Latest Katrien Miere article (Evening Standard)

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  • edited March 2015
    The club spent £4m on new players up to 30th June 2014. Much of that was Vetokele (€3m?) and they recouped £850k in loan fees after the year end. I presume that's for Reza, Piotr and others where we still hold the registration. £4m plus perhaps £2m more recently isn't that much considering the change in performance and results compared to last season. Certainly not compared to Pardew's expenditure!

    And that's the highlight for me with a simple quote "look at where we were in the league 12 months ago and look at the players we have now... Some came from Liege but so what, that doesn't matter... Watt, Buyens, Bulot and Ben Haim are regulars in the first team."

    Of course some players recruited have not been of the required standard - that happens everywhere. But here at Charlton they disappear six months later to another network club or elsewhere generating loan fees. Some want to leverage these errors for whatever reason but we are running a low budget because players move on, because we aren't carrying 30 senior pros AND we are not dependent on the open market. That is we don't have to outbid other clubs to sign what turns out to be mediocre talent.

    Bigger picture is that Slater and Jiminez sold the club as a going concern one division higher than they found it. This without major contractual commitments to the 2012-14 squad.

    Some thought that was a bad thing. I think that actually helped the sale and that we have a far superior squad now. Basically the accelerated transformation of our club was possible precisely because the club wasn't locked into long term deals for the League 1 winners. Only young talent was awarded long term deals.

    We don't know who will come and go this summer nor who might be sold for big money. But the biggest transformation for CAFC is that we have young top talent in our squad. I can identify five high value young players either acquired or from our academy where the sale of perhaps two or three would create a break-even scenario. That's five more than last summer.

    Not saying I want player sales but the focus on developing and acquiring young talent has given the club choices. To put that in perspective the club has spent the last eight years in decline losing £6-8m a year, wiping out one board's equity and the fans shares in the process.

    If you want to see another model in action, try Millwall - average age 28 and losing £10m pa.

    In just 14 months M.Duchatelet has created a sustainable club which has the potential to break even this season AND retain a competitive squad, obviously with additions and replacements.

    If fans had been offered that and a top half finish back in January 2014 then I suggest most would have said "yes"


    Katrien Meire has just highlighted some of the actions and events along that journey. Let's see what the squad looks like in August.
  • We're not close to breaking even this season though are we? Pretty sure that was dismissed at the VIP meeting.
  • You're right. I'm sure the Evening Standard journalist just plucked that quote out of thin air.

    The Standard amended the story immediately after reviewing the audio version of their interview with Katrien, which shows it was a mistake initially.
    So where did the story come from then?
    Duchatelet had long wanted an ¬English club and weighed up Fulham before Shahid Khan’s takeover in the summer of 2013. “The idea was to buy a club in London because London is attractive for everybody: investors and players,” says Meire.

    When I ask why didn’t you buy Fulham she laughs and then says: “At the time I think the price was a bit too high, they were still in the Premier League. Also the idea is to have clubs at different levels


    It was the reporter that suggested Fulham.
    How would she know the price was too high?
    Im sure the estimated asking price wasn't much of a secret amongst those with enough money.
  • Rodders, just say Solly.


    Whisper it though, you weren't wrong....

    #iwasthere

    And I was sitting next to him so 1 it wasn't said to the press and 2 he said not that much more than Rochdale not the "same" as or "in line" with and 3. he was referring to the his first half season not to the season after when we won the league.

    But other than that totally accurate

    Davo55 said:

    The point about having the third lowest budget in the Championship troubles me, IF it implies that that is where Roland and Katrien plan to keep it. Unless they are utter genius' at unearthing high quality talent at very low cost (i.e. free plus low-ish wages) and/or Guy is fantastic at coaching superior performances from average talent, sooner or later the budget will be reflected in league position. I want to see us challenging in the top half, not struggling near the bottom.

    We had a budget in line with Rochdale the season we bought League one didn't we according to what we told the press. .
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.



    Relax. Deary me.
    See you cut out the important bit about you being completely wrong. Oh dear indeed.
    My response was aimed at the completely melodramatic pained whine!

    If it validates your afternoon and for the avoidance of doubt.... Henry Irving you were correct ... I was mistaken... I bow to your superior knowledge of all things Charlton and dream of the day when I can post with enough factual accuracy to escape such condemning "Aaaaaaaaaaaarghs" in future.

    Christ in tears.


    Relax and stop being so passive aggressive
    You're a tit.
    You got it wrong, AFKA got it wrong, get over it.
  • She said she always travels alone. I was on that train and she had three guys with her in suits!

    Its all lies!!!! :)
  • cafctom said:



    “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    You don't like em, we get it.

    We were a Championship club without a pot to piss in, just like everyone else then.
    Expect most other Championship clubs had decent pitches and could afford to fix the floodlights, pay the wages and fix the kitchens.

    No, I don't like them, they were running my club into the ground, forcing long serving staff out and yet people still defended them then and still do so now.
  • edited March 2015

    The club spent £4m on new players up to 30th June 2014. Much of that was Vetokele (€3m?) and they recouped £850k in loan fees after the year end. I presume that's for Reza, Piotr and others where we still hold the registration.

    No, the £850k (actually £891k) includes the agreed basic payment for Poyet, which will account for most of it.

    They spent about £2m of the £4m (actually £4.4m) on Reza, Polish Pete and Nego.
  • Does worry me slightly that she travels by train to games by herself, could (has) left her open to verbal abuse. It's good that she is now doing a fair bit in the media but this will only make her more reconisable to opposition fans and to the wider public and could lead her to having more problems.

    If there are "gentlemen" on the train with her, they should stand up for her, (whether you agree with her, RD, GL, the network, or anything else) and there should be no problems.

    It was the way I was brought up, I suppose. Men should not treat women that way.
    Or perhaps people should not treat people that way, regardless of their sex?
  • Does worry me slightly that she travels by train to games by herself, could (has) left her open to verbal abuse. It's good that she is now doing a fair bit in the media but this will only make her more reconisable to opposition fans and to the wider public and could lead her to having more problems.

    If there are "gentlemen" on the train with her, they should stand up for her, (whether you agree with her, RD, GL, the network, or anything else) and there should be no problems.

    It was the way I was brought up, I suppose. Men should not treat women that way.

    can't find fault in any of in any of what you say regards stepping in
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  • robroy said:

    She said she always travels alone. I was on that train and she had three guys with her in suits!

    Its all lies!!!! :)

    It was said they were sponsors
  • cafctom said:



    “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    You don't like em, we get it.

    We were a Championship club without a pot to piss in, just like everyone else then.
    Expect most other Championship clubs had decent pitches and could afford to fix the floodlights, pay the wages and fix the kitchens.

    No, I don't like them, they were running my club into the ground, forcing long serving staff out and yet people still defended them then and still do so now.
    Take it you didn't fancy celebrating when they hired Chris Powell and won us promotion in a record breaking season then.
  • Rodders, just say Solly.


    Whisper it though, you weren't wrong....

    #iwasthere

    And I was sitting next to him so 1 it wasn't said to the press and 2 he said not that much more than Rochdale not the "same" as or "in line" with and 3. he was referring to the his first half season not to the season after when we won the league.

    But other than that totally accurate

    Davo55 said:

    The point about having the third lowest budget in the Championship troubles me, IF it implies that that is where Roland and Katrien plan to keep it. Unless they are utter genius' at unearthing high quality talent at very low cost (i.e. free plus low-ish wages) and/or Guy is fantastic at coaching superior performances from average talent, sooner or later the budget will be reflected in league position. I want to see us challenging in the top half, not struggling near the bottom.

    We had a budget in line with Rochdale the season we bought League one didn't we according to what we told the press. .
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.



    Relax. Deary me.
    See you cut out the important bit about you being completely wrong. Oh dear indeed.
    My response was aimed at the completely melodramatic pained whine!

    If it validates your afternoon and for the avoidance of doubt.... Henry Irving you were correct ... I was mistaken... I bow to your superior knowledge of all things Charlton and dream of the day when I can post with enough factual accuracy to escape such condemning "Aaaaaaaaaaaarghs" in future.

    Christ in tears.


    Relax and stop being so passive aggressive
    The day satire died.
  • All these interviews are great and helps with some publicity for the club, but the only thing I'm interested in is the comings and goings at the end of the season. As they say in Game of Thrones - words are wind - I just want to see us build on what we have. To me that means keeping the best of what he have, offloading the worst of what we have, and bringing in more players to compliment the likes of Igor, Watt, JBG, Cousins etc.
  • cafctom said:



    “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    You don't like em, we get it.

    We were a Championship club without a pot to piss in, just like everyone else then.
    Was the seat down on the pot?
  • Rodders, just say Solly.


    Whisper it though, you weren't wrong....

    #iwasthere

    And I was sitting next to him so 1 it wasn't said to the press and 2 he said not that much more than Rochdale not the "same" as or "in line" with and 3. he was referring to the his first half season not to the season after when we won the league.

    But other than that totally accurate

    Davo55 said:

    The point about having the third lowest budget in the Championship troubles me, IF it implies that that is where Roland and Katrien plan to keep it. Unless they are utter genius' at unearthing high quality talent at very low cost (i.e. free plus low-ish wages) and/or Guy is fantastic at coaching superior performances from average talent, sooner or later the budget will be reflected in league position. I want to see us challenging in the top half, not struggling near the bottom.

    We had a budget in line with Rochdale the season we bought League one didn't we according to what we told the press. .
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.



    Relax. Deary me.
    See you cut out the important bit about you being completely wrong. Oh dear indeed.
    My response was aimed at the completely melodramatic pained whine!

    If it validates your afternoon and for the avoidance of doubt.... Henry Irving you were correct ... I was mistaken... I bow to your superior knowledge of all things Charlton and dream of the day when I can post with enough factual accuracy to escape such condemning "Aaaaaaaaaaaarghs" in future.

    Christ in tears.


    Relax and stop being so passive aggressive
    You're a tit.
    When one has lost the argument, resort to abuse.
  • RedPanda said:

    I really thought Le Point was on loan. God damn it. How much are we supposed to have spent on him?

    No, 2.5 year deal.

    Transfermarket values him at £1.32m and that is the most reliable site in the world, ever.
    I'm hoping there's an easily explained mistake here and that "m" is actually the missing one from Henry's "£4" posted earlier!!! :wink:
  • Rodders, just say Solly.


    Whisper it though, you weren't wrong....

    #iwasthere

    And I was sitting next to him so 1 it wasn't said to the press and 2 he said not that much more than Rochdale not the "same" as or "in line" with and 3. he was referring to the his first half season not to the season after when we won the league.

    But other than that totally accurate

    Davo55 said:

    The point about having the third lowest budget in the Championship troubles me, IF it implies that that is where Roland and Katrien plan to keep it. Unless they are utter genius' at unearthing high quality talent at very low cost (i.e. free plus low-ish wages) and/or Guy is fantastic at coaching superior performances from average talent, sooner or later the budget will be reflected in league position. I want to see us challenging in the top half, not struggling near the bottom.

    We had a budget in line with Rochdale the season we bought League one didn't we according to what we told the press. .
    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.



    Relax. Deary me.
    See you cut out the important bit about you being completely wrong. Oh dear indeed.
    My response was aimed at the completely melodramatic pained whine!

    If it validates your afternoon and for the avoidance of doubt.... Henry Irving you were correct ... I was mistaken... I bow to your superior knowledge of all things Charlton and dream of the day when I can post with enough factual accuracy to escape such condemning "Aaaaaaaaaaaarghs" in future.

    Christ in tears.


    Relax and stop being so passive aggressive
    You're a tit.
    When one has lost the argument, resort to abuse.
    Valid response to being called passive-aggressive by Mr PassiveAggressive himself. :blush::wink::smiley:
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  • I think I've just visited the CL Kids thread.
    Very interesting comments from HI and RCT, for a couple of 10 years they're quite articulate.
    Hug it out lads.
  • Enjoyed watching the video ...... she comes across as very passionate in her job, immersed in all things Charlton.
    Never realised before, that she was one of the 10% of people in the world who are left handed.

    People at the club saying all the right things, evidently seem to like working with her.
    And she shows a mischievous sense of humour.

    Like the way she joins in with the singing at matches - you can hear her shouting "Charlton!"
    Time to leave the Directors Box, Kat .........take your seat in the Covered End, if you want to be Pwopa Charlton.

    ;o)



  • Davo55 said:

    The point about having the third lowest budget in the Championship troubles me, IF it implies that that is where Roland and Katrien plan to keep it. Unless they are utter genius' at unearthing high quality talent at very low cost (i.e. free plus low-ish wages) and/or Guy is fantastic at coaching superior performances from average talent, sooner or later the budget will be reflected in league position. I want to see us challenging in the top half, not struggling near the bottom.

    I hope Charlton move up the table in the third lowest budget stakes, a not too promising future if that does not change.
  • The most interesting bit of the Sky interview was the bit with Jacko, seems he's happy with the role she played in moving Peeters on
  • cafctom said:

    cafctom said:



    “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    You don't like em, we get it.

    We were a Championship club without a pot to piss in, just like everyone else then.
    Expect most other Championship clubs had decent pitches and could afford to fix the floodlights, pay the wages and fix the kitchens.

    No, I don't like them, they were running my club into the ground, forcing long serving staff out and yet people still defended them then and still do so now.
    Take it you didn't fancy celebrating when they hired Chris Powell and won us promotion in a record breaking season then.
    Which was just after Kevin Cash pulled out and took his money with him.

    Up to then it had been fine but after that no investment, senior staff either walking out or being forced out, player budgets slashed, employment tribunals left right and centre, pitch allowed to decay, local businesses not paid, valuable assets such as Poyet not signed to longer contracts. Management structure in a "mess" (quote from KM).

    So yes I celebrated the promotion but that was before it all went wrong.
    So it was Kevin Cash's departure which has got your goat. Effectively you're holding it against TJ and MS because they didn't have millions and millions of pounds?

    Yes sacrifices were made that I'm sure many regret. On the whole they are in the credit when you keep in mind it is a results based business. Had they not joined us then there is no guarantee that we would have made it out of League One full stop.

    This is a football club, and at the end of the day it is results on the pitch that matter more than anything.
  • cafctom said:

    cafctom said:

    cafctom said:



    “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    You don't like em, we get it.

    We were a Championship club without a pot to piss in, just like everyone else then.
    Expect most other Championship clubs had decent pitches and could afford to fix the floodlights, pay the wages and fix the kitchens.

    No, I don't like them, they were running my club into the ground, forcing long serving staff out and yet people still defended them then and still do so now.
    Take it you didn't fancy celebrating when they hired Chris Powell and won us promotion in a record breaking season then.
    Which was just after Kevin Cash pulled out and took his money with him.

    Up to then it had been fine but after that no investment, senior staff either walking out or being forced out, player budgets slashed, employment tribunals left right and centre, pitch allowed to decay, local businesses not paid, valuable assets such as Poyet not signed to longer contracts. Management structure in a "mess" (quote from KM).

    So yes I celebrated the promotion but that was before it all went wrong.
    So it was Kevin Cash's departure which has got your goat. Effectively you're holding it against TJ and MS because they didn't have millions and millions of pounds?

    Yes sacrifices were made that I'm sure many regret. On the whole they are in the credit when you keep in mind it is a results based business. Had they not joined us then there is no guarantee that we would have made it out of League One full stop.

    This is a football club, and at the end of the day it is results on the pitch that matter more than anything.
    Nothing got my goat.

    You're right slater and Jimenez didn't have any money.

    We don't know why Cash pulled the plug but it might well have to do with how TJ did business and treated his former friends. See the Denis Wise case for one.

    but after paying £1 and getting it to 9th (or you could say Powell) got it there) in div 2 and having no cash that was the time to sell. But they asked for way to much 35m and so put off lots of potential buyers.

    Meanwhile the pitch and everything else was falling apart and that included results on the pitch.

    Finally they sold for 14m but they couldn't pay the wages anymore and we're in danger of going down again. Their greed and mismanagement was hitting us on the pitch and in results. RD and KM are still clearing up the mess.

    You're right that it's results that matter hut they don't happen in isolation of everything else. Well run and we'll managed clubs tend to do better on the pitch.
  • I like her style and her manner and she justifies her actions sufficiently well for me to think she is as genuine as she can be notwithstanding her need for diplomacy and a certain economising of the truth which is pretty acceptable running any organisation. So her need to be successful with the third lowest budget is the real issue and whether it be luck or good judgement her popularity is really in the hands of the fitness levels and performance of the players on the pitch . So just hope Tony Watt and Cousins don't get injured.


  • “When we were here at Charlton the first time and walked round to see the condition of the stadium, we were told the club didn’t have money to repair the ovens in the kitchen. It was really very weird that you don’t have a couple of hundred pounds. Most of the players were at the end of their contracts when we took over. They just didn’t want to invest in players any more.”

    But everything was OK under Slater and Jimenez?
    Was it?
    Not in my book it wasn't
  • Even the bloody great Charlton badge on wall had given up and cracked
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