The stuff about air-conditioning is a bit of a puzzle to me. As far as I'm aware the main lounges and staff offices have air conditioning, indeed the main complaint in the west stand over the years has been that it was too effective in summer and rooms were too cold. It may be different on hot matchdays, given the volume of people, but we mostly play in winter. Either way I'm sure it can be improved, but for football it must be a marginal concern.
Secondly, the club has outsourced the lounges. Either this is expenditure required by the existing contract and therefore factored in originally against the revenue or it is investment that is likely to provide very limited financial returns for the club and is therefore a strange priority for the business? Much like replacing perfectly functional seats.
Perhaps it's to exactly the cigarette smoke from the North Stand bogs at half-time :-)
Is it just me, but I at least welcome the statement about aiming to be a stable Championship club with aspirations for the Premier League. A bit bland, but it provides a yardstick against which to measure progress. Relegation would be a failure. Season after season of struggling against relegation would be a failure. Mid to upper in the table would be on plan. Promotion in a few years would be a success.
We're never going to be a stable Championship club without investment. We struggled last season and should have invested more over the summer. Instead we have a team worse than this time last year and are struggling to stay ahead of poor teams like Blackpool, Millwall and Wigan.
Is it just me, but I at least welcome the statement about aiming to be a stable Championship club with aspirations for the Premier League. A bit bland, but it provides a yardstick against which to measure progress. Relegation would be a failure. Season after season of struggling against relegation would be a failure. Mid to upper in the table would be on plan. Promotion in a few years would be a success.
Agreed, now we at least have a general idea of what Roland is expecting his appointments to manage - staying up COMFORTABLY is the bare minimum. Not survival with a week to go, not scrapping around at the bottom but pulling through - midtable at least and looking up not down. As you say it's bland and unspecific but at least we can say with authority whether the manager of the moment is living up to network expectations as well as our own.
Is it just me, but I at least welcome the statement about aiming to be a stable Championship club with aspirations for the Premier League. A bit bland, but it provides a yardstick against which to measure progress. Relegation would be a failure. Season after season of struggling against relegation would be a failure. Mid to upper in the table would be on plan. Promotion in a few years would be a success.
We're never going to be a stable Championship club without investment. We struggled last season and should have invested more over the summer. Instead we have a team worse than this time last year and are struggling to stay ahead of poor teams like Blackpool, Millwall and Wigan.
I complained on Monday to the club as I had no correspondence about the VIP meeting, they said they would put my name on the list. Just checked my email got this yesterday from club,
Apologies for the lateness of the below, however we have just had a small batch of letters returned to us from Royal Mail and unfortunately one of them was for you to make you aware of tonight’s annual VIP Q&A evening.
This is after they got many names wrong on the ST renewal forms last year, and they want to introduce a smart card system, posting a letter is a struggle as far as I can see.
This air con investment is bizarre. Clubs traditionally use revenue generated from success on the pitch to make improvements to their stadium and infrastructure. We appear to investing in premier league level stadium and infrastructure whilst funding a team that's borderline between lower Championship and League 1.
I feel a little reassured that RD has not bought us with malicious intent. Unfortunately I am now convinced that the people in charge are just totally and utterly incompetent. What use is state of the art air conditioning in an empty stadium?
It was the most passionate VIP meeting I had been to as well and would have been uncomfortable for many people there.
I did feel it was strange that Guy Luzon wasn't there and the players were which wasn't explained right at the start and also the other additions to the panel which wasn't advertised at all. As such all the questions at the start were answered by Katrien as Richard Murray wasn't present and nobody expected the other quests. This could have been handled much better by the club and is indicative of the current communication issues.
I am not 100% happy with the current situation but neither at the extreme of despair as many of the members of this forum are.
It was mentioned by Katrien that she had been to see Roland in Belgium the day before to get the sign-off for £1m of expenditure for further work at The Valley, including a new screen, changes to the hospitality areas (inc necessary work on the Air Con) etc. It was also good to here the club had met with the planners the day before regarding the training ground and that the detailed plans were to be submitted within 6 weeks. No doubt more will be heard on this shortly especially when it enters the public domain.
If the works to the air conditioning are essential maintenance / health and safety requirements then fair enough. I imagine that that should have been discovered, like the pitch problems, by due diligence. However, it's unwise to try to sell them to supporters as a benefit at a public meeting.
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
Richard Murray said this wasn't true.
I never knew Mr Murray was so clued up about Twitter.
If the works to the air conditioning are essential maintenance / health and safety requirements then fair enough. I imagine that that should have been discovered, like the pitch problems, by due diligence. However, it's unwise to try to sell them to supporters as a benefit at a public meeting.
I didn't take it as a "sell". It was just one of the things mentioned as part of £1m worth of work that had been approved the day before. I just took it that she was mentioning various items. No more no less.
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
Richard Murray said this wasn't true.
Did he say that? Surely it was demonstrably true. Is he suggesting it was a fake account or something?
If the works to the air conditioning are essential maintenance / health and safety requirements then fair enough. I imagine that that should have been discovered, like the pitch problems, by due diligence. However, it's unwise to try to sell them to supporters as a benefit at a public meeting.
I didn't take it as a "sell". It was just one of the things mentioned as part of £1m worth of work that had been approved the day before. I just took it that she was mentioning various items. No more no less.
Is it just me, but I at least welcome the statement about aiming to be a stable Championship club with aspirations for the Premier League. A bit bland, but it provides a yardstick against which to measure progress. Relegation would be a failure. Season after season of struggling against relegation would be a failure. Mid to upper in the table would be on plan. Promotion in a few years would be a success.
We're never going to be a stable Championship club without investment. We struggled last season and should have invested more over the summer. Instead we have a team worse than this time last year and are struggling to stay ahead of poor teams like Blackpool, Millwall and Wigan.
I tend to agree with you in general TRR, although I wouldn't agree we have a team worse than this time last year - it's about the same IMHO, but that isn't good enough. Just saying it's the first time (that I know of) where this statement regarding our aspirations/targets has been made. It suggests that theories about RD being ok with going into L1 are wide of the mark but, more importantly, it gives us the knowledge from which to ask the difficult questions if we fall short of those goals this season, next season etc.
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
Richard Murray said this wasn't true.
Did he say that? Surely it was demonstrably true. Is he suggesting it was a fake account or something?
We all know that prospective managers are contacted before a current manager is sacked, we all know that all clubs would completely deny this. Why is this being made so significant.
If the works to the air conditioning are essential maintenance / health and safety requirements then fair enough. I imagine that that should have been discovered, like the pitch problems, by due diligence. However, it's unwise to try to sell them to supporters as a benefit at a public meeting.
I didn't take it as a "sell". It was just one of the things mentioned as part of £1m worth of work that had been approved the day before. I just took it that she was mentioning various items. No more no less.
Noted, thanks.
I was really following up on this comment above: "What was annoying was too much drivel about how they are improving the facilities at the ground and when you go out on a social occasion this is very important, it was repeated enough times for many to start moaning. They were talking as if the Valley is a hotel."
In summary. I would say it's impossible to say, what the majority of attendees thought. Because only say 20 or so spoke. However, the majority of attendees were quite likely aged 60+ and are perhaps less forthright than younger people. Perhaps if you are in your 70's, you are not quite as concerned where Charlton will be in 20 years time. I mean no offence to anyone and I'm no spring chicken myself, but it is probably akin to West Stand attendees, who understandably, aren't as vocal as North Stand attendees.
All the presubmitted questions were searching and showing great concern, over what has gone on in the last 12 months, but Katrien was allowed to give an answer of sort, unopposed, as no one was allowed to comment on what she was saying. So pretty pointless imo.
Whilst extremely frustrated at the change of attendees without notice and the fact that free speech is not permitted at Charlton these days, I do feel slightly more positive than before.
KM did say our ambition was to make The Prem, but it was unlikely in the next couple of seasons. But at least she said it.
RM also said we hoped to get a midfielder in this week.
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
I notice from the write up there was no answer to the question regarding Luzon's wife following CAFC on twitter weeks before he was appointed? Or have i just missed it?
Richard Murray said this wasn't true.
We can check on video but I'm not sure he did.
I though he said Luzon being appointed in advance of BP's sacking wasn't true and that he didn't know anything GL's mrs following us on twitter.
In summary. I would say it's impossible to say, what the majority of attendees thought. Because only say 20 or so spoke. However, the majority of attendees were quite likely aged 60+ and are perhaps less forthright than younger people. Perhaps if you are in your 70's, you are not quite as concerned where Charlton will be in 20 years time. I mean no offence to anyone and I'm no spring chicken myself, but it is probably akin to West Stand attendees, who understandably, aren't as vocal as North Stand attendees.
All the presubmitted questions were searching and showing great concern, over what has gone on in the last 12 months, but Katrien was allowed to give an answer of sort, unopposed, as no one was allowed to comment on what she was saying. So pretty pointless imo.
Whilst extremely frustrated at the change of attendees without notice and the fact that free speech is not permitted at Charlton these days, I do feel slightly more positive than before.
KM did say our ambition was to make The Prem, but it was unlikely in the next couple of seasons. But at least she said it.
RM also said we hoped to get a midfielder in this week.
I agree generally with what CE says.
The VIPs tend to be older and by definition wealthier so are not a cross section of the support but there were Trust board members there and people like CE voicing strong opinions.
KM did say later on that the Prem was the target but when the question "At last year’s Q & A Katrien said that “Roland doesn’t do failure” in relation to the relegation clause in the purchase price. Could she explain what Roland would consider success in both the short and long term for Charlton Athletic?" her response was to break even and be "competitive" in the championship.
I disagree about "free speech not allowed at Charlton" but I do think people should have been allowed to follow up on the written questions. Even Prime Minister's Questions allows that.
Anyway, watch the video.
PS disappointed no one there mentioned the witty talk about the museum before the meeting proper. Hope that's not on the video : - )
Is it just me, but I at least welcome the statement about aiming to be a stable Championship club with aspirations for the Premier League. A bit bland, but it provides a yardstick against which to measure progress. Relegation would be a failure. Season after season of struggling against relegation would be a failure. Mid to upper in the table would be on plan. Promotion in a few years would be a success.
We're never going to be a stable Championship club without investment. We struggled last season and should have invested more over the summer. Instead we have a team worse than this time last year and are struggling to stay ahead of poor teams like Blackpool, Millwall and Wigan.
RM told me afterwards, that Luzon's wife signing up to Charlton twitter wasn't true.
And free speech is allowed up to the point that it isn't
OK, if he said it afterwards.
We can argue over what constitutes "free speech" but you weren't thrown out for what you said (not that I think you should have been or that you asked anything that was inappropriate).
Comments
I think our team is slightly stronger and struggling to stay above poor teams....http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-championship/2013-2014/table/2014-02-18
Apologies for the lateness of the below, however we have just had a small batch of letters returned to us from Royal Mail and unfortunately one of them was for you to make you aware of tonight’s annual VIP Q&A evening.
This is after they got many names wrong on the ST renewal forms last year, and they want to introduce a smart card system, posting a letter is a struggle as far as I can see.
I feel a little reassured that RD has not bought us with malicious intent. Unfortunately I am now convinced that the people in charge are just totally and utterly incompetent. What use is state of the art air conditioning in an empty stadium?
Let's face it she probably knows more about horses than running a football club.
I did feel it was strange that Guy Luzon wasn't there and the players were which wasn't explained right at the start and also the other additions to the panel which wasn't advertised at all. As such all the questions at the start were answered by Katrien as Richard Murray wasn't present and nobody expected the other quests. This could have been handled much better by the club and is indicative of the current communication issues.
I am not 100% happy with the current situation but neither at the extreme of despair as many of the members of this forum are.
It was mentioned by Katrien that she had been to see Roland in Belgium the day before to get the sign-off for £1m of expenditure for further work at The Valley, including a new screen, changes to the hospitality areas (inc necessary work on the Air Con) etc. It was also good to here the club had met with the planners the day before regarding the training ground and that the detailed plans were to be submitted within 6 weeks. No doubt more will be heard on this shortly especially when it enters the public domain.
I was really following up on this comment above: "What was annoying was too much drivel about how they are improving the facilities at the ground and when you go out on a social occasion this is very important, it was repeated enough times for many to start moaning. They were talking as if the Valley is a hotel."
But I'll judge for myself later.
However, the majority of attendees were quite likely aged 60+ and are perhaps less forthright than younger people. Perhaps if you are in your 70's, you are not quite as concerned where Charlton will be in 20 years time.
I mean no offence to anyone and I'm no spring chicken myself, but it is probably akin to West Stand attendees, who understandably, aren't as vocal as North Stand attendees.
All the presubmitted questions were searching and showing great concern, over what has gone on in the last 12 months, but Katrien was allowed to give an answer of sort, unopposed, as no one was allowed to comment on what she was saying. So pretty pointless imo.
Whilst extremely frustrated at the change of attendees without notice and the fact that free speech is not permitted at Charlton these days, I do feel slightly more positive than before.
KM did say our ambition was to make The Prem, but it was unlikely in the next couple of seasons. But at least she said it.
RM also said we hoped to get a midfielder in this week.
I though he said Luzon being appointed in advance of BP's sacking wasn't true and that he didn't know anything GL's mrs following us on twitter.
The VIPs tend to be older and by definition wealthier so are not a cross section of the support but there were Trust board members there and people like CE voicing strong opinions.
KM did say later on that the Prem was the target but when the question "At last year’s Q & A Katrien said that “Roland doesn’t do failure” in relation to the relegation clause in the purchase price. Could she explain what Roland would consider success in both the short and long term for Charlton Athletic?" her response was to break even and be "competitive" in the championship.
I disagree about "free speech not allowed at Charlton" but I do think people should have been allowed to follow up on the written questions. Even Prime Minister's Questions allows that.
Anyway, watch the video.
PS disappointed no one there mentioned the witty talk about the museum before the meeting proper. Hope that's not on the video : - )
And free speech is allowed up to the point that it isn't
We can argue over what constitutes "free speech" but you weren't thrown out for what you said (not that I think you should have been or that you asked anything that was inappropriate).