Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

Am I The Only One That Wants Roland To Stay?

As the rain pours down in Manchester, I thought I would try to get my views on the current crisis across, as I am one of the 98% silent majority.

I have been following Charlton since 1965 and after retiring I have been a season ticket holder and a Valley Gold member. I have been to every home and away fixture this season ( bar MK Dons).

I fully support Roland Duchatelet’s aims of:
1. Creating a team that is competitive in the Championship with Premiere League ambitions.
2. Develop and improve the infrastructure of The Valley.
3. Improve the training facilities and Academy setup at Sparrows Lane, in order to provide our own players of the future.

I am pretty sure that most fans would support these objectives, so the arguments are around how they are to be achieved and how fast they happen.

Having been through the traumatic times of Hulyer and Fryer and the gradual decline of The Valley under Jimenez and Slater I want to see a steady evolution of the club, with a realistic budget that does not put the club in financial jeopardy in the future.

Duchatelet has certainly not got everything right. Player recruitment has obviously been a concern, especially last season and to a lesser extent this, with some signings not up to the standard or especially the rigour of the Championship. The important point is that he and his management team are learning from their mistakes, and the quality of the present squad shows a steady improvement. (although results might harm this argument!)

The second issue that some fans have complained about is the rapid turnover of managers/coaches. I personally supported all the changes except not giving Jose Riga a chance at the start of last season after his performance in the relegation battle. I supported the sacking of Guy Luzon because towards the end of his tenure he was playing players in unfamiliar positions and his rigid adherence to 4-4-2 left us undermanned in midfield. He seemed to lack tactical understanding that would have enabled us to scrape some points during our injury crisis.

The third issue is the CEO, Katrien Meire, she appears to have upset a great deal of people and has been accused of lying to fans, incompetent management of the club’s staff and mismanaging several issues such as the season ticket sales and the reorganisation of the lounges. I really don’t have enough insite or knowledge into what is going on inside the club, day to day to have a firm view on whether she has been beneficial to the development of CAFC. At the moment I’m on the fence, but I am willing at this stage to give her the benefit of the doubt until the end of this season. Changing CEO’s mid season may cause more problems than it solves.

Onto the protests, I have been disappointed at the crude sledging of RD and KM on here. What has it got to do with whether they come from Belgium or that KM is a woman? You are either successful at running a football club or not. The xenophobic and misogynistic rants that have appeared on Charlton Life are unacceptable. If you want to campaign for a change use arguments containing factual information not swearing rants, and empty talk. It concerns me that CL gets hijacked by some people for their own agenda, a bit like Militant infiltrating the Labour Party in the ‘80’s. Perhaps we have some UKIP/BNP/EDL members spouting their abhorrent rhetoric on here.

So, as a member of the 98% silent majority what am I going to do next?
1. I will not support the protest outside the West Stand against Ipswich.
2. I will not be supporting the Black and White campaign.
3. I will get behind the team fully during this relegation battle, I really don’t want to be in Div 1 next season.
4. I will continue to monitor the decision making prowess of our owners/CEO to try and get a balanced view as to their progress and intentions of CAFC.

What should the 2% vocal majority do? Well that is a thing that I should leave up to you. I fully support your right to protest, and make your complaints heard. What I’m not picking up is what you want to change other than wanting Duchatelet and Meire to leave the club with immediate effect.

My own opinion is while the club is in this difficult relegation fight, that you postpone your protests at the Ipswich game, both inside and outside the ground. Communicate with the club that you were going to hold mass demonstrations, but in light of the on-field problems they are being held back until the New Year. If, in your views, that the club have not shown a willingness to address the issues raised in the Fans Forum, start up your protests after Christmas.

My emotions for the club haven’t changed over the past 50 years, if anything, since I have retired and can spend more time following CAFC, they have strengthened. I am continually surprised on reading CL how many fans comment on, “ I want my Charlton back” and “ I’ve fallen out of love with my team”. Well the club is still here and it needs all the support it can get at the present moment.

So, finally, AM I THE ONLY ONE?
«13456710

Comments

  • The figure comes from KM's assertion that 2% were involved in the protests outside the West last game. I put that in tongue in cheek.
  • I like what Roland has done so far...he bought a club that had the appearance (to me) of teetering towards the abyss and has moved it away from the edge...some of the players he's brought in were clearly not meant to be, some he's brought in have been fantastic...the managers he's brought in have all shown early promise but their tactics seem to get found out and there doesn't appear to have been a plan B but all credit to Roland, he gives them a chance to sort it out but quickly takes action if its just not happening...obviously there is clearly work to be done off the field as well and sometimes you just have to wonder- last week's DJ in Croossbars for example but that's not Roland...
  • I don't think Rolland is to blame, although being owner obviously he is ultimately responsible for everything that is going on.

    I think he needs a change of CEO and maybe just take a step back a bit perhaps then we could be successful, but as things stand he needs to go.

    I think we could find a better option than Rolland. To be honest.

  • Do not let Katrien define you, your club and it's future direction.

    As stated in my post, I am waiting to see how KM responds to fan's concerns. Based on her responses to issues like communications I will then make a judgement as to whether I feel see is up to the job.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Why can't you make a judgment now, as she has been in the job for a couple of years?
  • OP. Can you please find a post where someone has stated the KM is rubbish at her job because she's a woman ?
    Not saying there aren't any but I'm sure most of her opponents dislike her because of her failings and attitude towards fans.

  • I want us to leave the EU. How abhorrent of me.

    What a bastard I am
  • I also agree that Duchatelet could be a decent owner, but the problem is that some of his appointments (CEO, and some managers) have been poor. He has acknowledged (through his CEO) that mistakes have been made, and while we can accept that to an extent, there comes a point when something has to give.

    Where managers have failed (Luzon, Peters), or been deemed to have failed (Roga, Powell), the axe has fallen all too quickly. Where Miere has categorically failed (sofa, season ticket fiasco, not answering emails, lying over manager interviews, alienating a large chunk of the fan base, etc etc) she has remained ensconced, and it is this area that is now preventing the club moving forwards. If we (RD) can replace her with a more experienced CEO, give that person backing, then the club can once more move forwards.

    We all ultimately want the same outcome for the club - for me, I phrase it as becoming a better club year on year. That may not necessarily be as a result of league position each season, but improve as a club - financially, profitably, better players, more fans, better facilities, etc). Throughout the 1990's, when Richard Murray was a board member and then became Chairman, we improved year on year. Look back on the details, stats, etc and you will concur. We had three bad years where we fell from the Prem to the third division, but have slowly clawed our way back up to the Championship, improving as we did. Now we have become static, or worse. This is the progress we need to reverse, and removing Miere would go a long way to doing this.

    We can still go forwards with RD, but not with KM in my opinion.

  • AA - I agree with much of what you've written. If only our inscrutable owner would begin the reconciliation process by a long-overdue overhaul of the communication with the fans, allowing the present deep and mutual distrust gradually to be resolved ....

    It was the great man's 69th birthday yesterday - I hope that by the time he duly reaches his three score years and ten the current malaise will have faded to a distant memory.
  • You ain't alone
  • edited November 2015
    Interesting post and always good to hear the different views.
    98% silent majority ?
    You believed Katrien 2% take on the people demonstrating.

    As i didn't get there till 2.35 i can tell you that the majority who were half way back, or in the cark park were silent or quiet but were demonstrating in a Ghandi way either holding up the printed message or showing by their presence that they were not happy with the Status Quo.

    The personal abuse of Katrien as a women and any Xenophobic chants were self defeating but if you are the CEO and the conduit between the fans and the Absent Owner, and her statements are hard to swallow with what even timeline you use,
    she should in her position, and the clubs position expect criticism, as it goes with the territory.

    The relationship Between Katrien Meire and so many of the good Charlton folk who have given up their time to help seem to have broken down, and this is my guide line more than the choice words of a few, who she will always mention, instead of the civil majority who have run out of patience with her spinning more than Alistair Campbell.
  • Sponsored links:


  • I think if we were a premier league side he could be great for our club . The problem is , with managers and staff he keeps hiring and the lack of investment in the team when it counts , there's fat chance of that happening.
  • Altrincham Addick you say:
    Perhaps we have some UKIP/BNP/EDL members spouting their abhorrent rhetoric on here.
    Why is this politicised don't left wing Labour militants and SNP also spout rubbish?
    I think you are wrong about 98% silent majority.
    I didn't renew my season ticket (had one since 1986) because
    I'm so disappointed with these new owners and their lack of ambition!
  • I think if we were a premier league side he could be great for our club.

    What makes you say that Beds?
    I can't help thinking that if we fluked a promotion we would hurtle straight back down, because he probably won't invest in the better calibre of player required to compete at the higher level.
  • Yes mate, you are the only one.

    No he ain't.
  • Yes of course he is learning from his mistakes.....by appointing a third division Belgium manager, joke decision.
  • I think if we were a premier league side he could be great for our club.

    What makes you say that Beds?
    I can't help thinking that if we fluked a promotion we would hurtle straight back down, because he probably won't invest in the better calibre of player required to compete at the higher level.
    It's an ego thing. I think he had publicity of owning a team in the Premier League he would want us to stay there. Perhaps I'm being niave?
Sign In or Register to comment.

Roland Out Forever!