I initially was under the impression that we were being lied to, and made my feelings about it quite vocal in the heat of the moment.
On reflection, I don't think she was lying. Its just that the information as it was presented is a little bit blurred IMO.
- 20 Applicants - Yes, I expect so. - Interviewed? - I doubt it considering the time frames, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had interviewed or considered others BEFORE Bob was sacked. Afterall the turnaround between sacking Powell and bringing in Riga was about 30 minutes and looked pre-planned.
I actually had a positive view of KM before this disastrous week but now accept that she has been given an extremely difficult task to handle in which it would have been impossible for her to come out the other side in a positive light considering many associate her with the network, Roland etc.
I certainly have more time for her than I do for Roland.
If I had cocked with communication et al like the club have this week, I'd not only be happy to have my professionalism questioned, I'd hold my hands up. I run an imports/exports business and the relationships I have with my customers are what makes the business successful.
I initially was under the impression that we were being lied to, and made my feelings about it quite vocal in the heat of the moment.
On reflection, I don't think she was lying. Its just that the information as it was presented is a little bit blurred IMO.
- 20 Applicants - Yes, I expect so. - Interviewed? - I doubt it considering the time frames, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had interviewed or considered others BEFORE Bob was sacked. Afterall the turnaround between sacking Powell and bringing in Riga was about 30 minutes and looked pre-planned.
I actually had a positive view of KM before this disastrous week but now accept that she has been given an extremely difficult task to handle in which it would have been impossible for her to come out the other side in a positive light considering many associate her with the network, Roland etc.
I certainly have more time for her than I do for Roland.
I think that is fair comment, but she is in Roland's employ. There was something very fishy going on with the statements in the week and I do believe misinformation about the intent if not about the letter of what was said was part of it at the very least. Mind you if you go into most offices/HR departments you will see lies from managers etc... for what they regard as the interests of the business. But as the employee of Roland,we have to unfortunately treat her as Roland. He is hiding behind her and you have to get him through her. If anybody has been hung out to dry, it is her by him. It is quite possible that she travels back with fans where possible because that is what Roland wants her to do. He is the sort of sad twisted individual that would see all this as a character building test for her as he plans her career in his stupid network. I don't condone bullying but the man was drunk and upset and the defeat was fresh. Surely she shouldn't have put herself in that position after such a capitualition at the end of a terrible week.
It just doesn't make sense to announce a recruitment process and accentuate that it will be a genuine search only to announce the successful candidate so quickly. The first part must have been to convince the home office the eventual appointment of Luzon was fair and did not disregard suitable British and European managers. There was no mileage in getting fan's hopes up, only to dash them so quickly, and the fact this was done is the cause of some of the problems now. After all, we fans would have been more likely to accept things if it was just announced rather than all the perceived mis-infomation. Put any of us on a lie detector and ask if we think we know more about the championship than our owner and his network. The mis-trust in his approach and knowledge he is wrong fuels our anger. We have seen the reports in the national press about Luzon before and after Peeters' sacking and it is pretty clear to me that the appointment announcement had to be brought forwards as it was coming out that he had been offered the job.
The only way forwards that I can see is some essential investment in the team. I also have seen enough of the network to see that it wont happen bar a few more Liege rejects. The statements that the team is now stronger than when Duchatelet took over can be argued. And the team he took over was the best a Del Boy with no money could muster! Yes we have introduced some quality players, but lost some too. And whilst our first eleven when on form and fresh is a match for any club at this level, scratch the surface and you quickly find the tin.
So if she has had a bad week. Well, it is probably the sort of week, as a highly paid executive, that she deserves. She is part of a regime that does things their way with no consideration of the fans'views. This may not be her preferred approach, but she doesn't have the choice. She is an intelligent woman and I hope she does the decent thing and resigns. She won't have problems finding another job. The reason she won't do that though is because she will know that this job is a stepping stone for her in terms of a career in Duchatelet's network. For that reason, we have to give her a very hard time, but not through in your face bullying, but by intelligent challenge and sabotage.
Whilst there is clearly an underestimation of the Championship, there is also clearly an underestimation of what Charlton fans can achieve if you rile them enough from this network.
Charlton Athletic Choice Tv On Monday we will be bringing you exclusive inside info re the manager Roland really wants who will replace Luzon + intended stadium developments at The Valley #cafc
Developments at the time the attendances are dropping in the hundreds weekly? Kinell..
Probably closing one of the stands to keep costs down. . Its probably retail related rather than more seats, you know, hotel, cinema, Lidl....
getting on the trains after recent events is a bit green behind the ears for me as much as anything else Haven't seen the video on farcebook but I'm over 40 and thought you had to be a bit younger to go on that !
Wouldn't Saturday have been a good opportunity to have found out how another foreign set up running a more successful English Championship club went about things A cup of tea in the boardroom and trying to get an insight into the Watford way of things would seem a better learning opportunity But I think if Katrien believed it'd make a dent in the Douchebags theory she'd give it a go but imo it's the rats way or the highway as it currently stands
Couldn't see the video when I clicked on it for some reason but I could hear it. No swear words that I remember. It was a pissed bloke who liked the sound of his own voice. He asked some questions we all would but kept then talking over the top of her about Paul Jewell and leaving at half time!
Not very impressive questioning and somewhat too aggressive in his tone but it didn't really sound like 'abuse' to me. As a CEO of a major business I would expect her to have sufficient thickness of skin that this sort of thing would not really bother her. If it does then it was not wise of her to get the train straight after that game.
I also think if she says enough times there were no lies she may even believe it herself.
To be honest she looked close to tears but she was shouting back at people.
That's really not good, whatever the rights or wrongs of the situation are.
She should travel by motor to avoid this situation.
She is either brave or silly to leave herself open with all this bad feeling around at the moment.
I give her credit for going on the train and not hiding.
I'm not happy at all with some of her comments especially the " the should accept" it comment but it's clear she is caught between a rock and a hard place.
I initially was under the impression that we were being lied to, and made my feelings about it quite vocal in the heat of the moment.
On reflection, I don't think she was lying. Its just that the information as it was presented is a little bit blurred IMO.
- 20 Applicants - Yes, I expect so. - Interviewed? - I doubt it considering the time frames, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had interviewed or considered others BEFORE Bob was sacked. Afterall the turnaround between sacking Powell and bringing in Riga was about 30 minutes and looked pre-planned.
I actually had a positive view of KM before this disastrous week but now accept that she has been given an extremely difficult task to handle in which it would have been impossible for her to come out the other side in a positive light considering many associate her with the network, Roland etc.
I certainly have more time for her than I do for Roland.
I think that is fair comment, but she is in Roland's employ. There was something very fishy going on with the statements in the week and I do believe misinformation about the intent if not about the letter of what was said was part of it at the very least. Mind you if you go into most offices/HR departments you will see lies from managers etc... for what they regard as the interests of the business. But as the employee of Roland,we have to unfortunately treat her as Roland. He is hiding behind her and you have to get him through her. If anybody has been hung out to dry, it is her by him. It is quite possible that she travels back with fans where possible because that is what Roland wants her to do. He is the sort of sad twisted individual that would see all this as a character building test for her as he plans her career in his stupid network. I don't condone bullying but the man was drunk and upset and the defeat was fresh. Surely she shouldn't have put herself in that position after such a capitualition at the end of a terrible week.
It just doesn't make sense to announce a recruitment process and accentuate that it will be a genuine search only to announce the successful candidate so quickly. The first part must have been to convince the home office the eventual appointment of Luzon was fair and did not disregard suitable British and European managers. There was no mileage in getting fan's hopes up, only to dash them so quickly, and the fact this was done is the cause of some of the problems now. After all, we fans would have been more likely to accept things if it was just announced rather than all the perceived mis-infomation. Put any of us on a lie detector and ask if we think we know more about the championship than our owner and his network. The mis-trust in his approach and knowledge he is wrong fuels our anger. We have seen the reports in the national press about Luzon before and after Peeters' sacking and it is pretty clear to me that the appointment announcement had to be brought forwards as it was coming out that he had been offered the job.
The only way forwards that I can see is some essential investment in the team. I also have seen enough of the network to see that it wont happen bar a few more Liege rejects. The statements that the team is now stronger than when Duchatelet took over can be argued. And the team he took over was the best a Del Boy with no money could muster! Yes we have introduced some quality players, but lost some too. And whilst our first eleven when on form and fresh is a match for any club at this level, scratch the surface and you quickly find the tin.
So if she has had a bad week. Well, it is probably the sort of week, as a highly paid executive, that she deserves. She is part of a regime that does things their way with no consideration of the fans'views. This may not be her preferred approach, but she doesn't have the choice. She is an intelligent woman and I hope she does the decent thing and resigns. She won't have problems finding another job. The reason she won't do that though is because she will know that this job is a stepping stone for her in terms of a career in Duchatelet's network. For that reason, we have to give her a very hard time, but not through in your face bullying, but by intelligent challenge and sabotage.
Whilst there is clearly an underestimation of the Championship, there is also clearly an underestimation of what Charlton fans can achieve if you rile them enough from this network.
Perhaps this week she's found out what English football is all about.
I'm not going to call her a liar because I think that implies a type of intent that I dont think is a worthy accusation. She is, however, responsible for her own words and unfortunately there are things she has said that simply cannot be reconciled. I don't think they can be explained to her credit, and this is the impossible situation she finds herself in.
I do wonder if she's beginning to realise that the type of approach the owner is following really doesn't work at this level of the game, in England. When RM tried a similar European style Head Coach setup it resulted in relegation from the Premiership.
I'm really struck by the insightful words of Leroy Rosenior on the Football League show tonight: "I think the owner s doing what he wants to do because he's the owner, he's not taking into consideration what the fans think, what the fans feel. When you go to a club you have to take into consideration what the club's all about. I was on loan at Charlton, I know what the club's about: theyve been through some terrible times, there's a great community feel around that football club and they want someone who represents them and at the moment I don't feel they're getting that. And Guy Luzon I don't know a lot about, I know he got sacked at Standard Liege but does he know anything about Charlton, does he know anything about the Championship? That remains to be seen and on what we've seen today he's got an absolutely massive job and it's going to take some turning around."
He seems to get it more than those do who are so ready to jump to the board's defence this week. It really isn't about KM's level of veracity or even Guy Luzon - it's like seeing your baby handed to a childminder who clearly has no idea of how to look after it, and despite your best efforts to help being rebuffed by them whilst the same mistake is repeated again in front of your eyes. Well sooner or later you'll feel no choice but to do something - anything - and whilst I don't defend the actions of this guy on the train (there are better ways fella) I know why he felt he needed to say something whilst the chance presented itself.
What happened is probably unacceptable. I say 'probably' because I've not seen the video and I wasn't there.
However, after the week we've had she shouldn't have been on a train with fans. She must have read (or had someone read) what's been on here and elsewhere.
Admittedly, he wasn't Jeremy Paxman, but quite a few drunk Charlton fans would have done the same after that performance and in those circumstances, so soon after it. I can't promise I wouldn't although I would not want to intimidate and I don't think Jewell is the answer, although probably a better one than Luzon. I think she is best lying (excuse the pun) low for a few games. We know RD is tight, but surely he can afford to get her a driver!
Regarding transport, I'd say Meire can't win with (some) fans.
People saying she shouldn't be on a public train because fans are also using it, hence she apparently deserves fans looming over her without listening to her answers.
If Meire was seen getting into and being driven away in a plush, tinted windowed car, people would accuse her of being flash and having no connections with what it's like to be a fan.
I suspect that the train journey to and from the away game was a publicity stunt, a friendly gesture that misfired very badly. As others have said, this is not polite Belgium. This was a situation where passionate English football fans, some who'd had a few beers, had just seen their team capitulate on the field of play after weeks of turmoil and upheaval at the club they follow and said fans were eager to vent their frustrations. Katrien was foolish to put herself in this position, IF we'd won, she would have been Ms Popularity, but we didn't, the team for which she is ostensibly responsible was dire and so was the response to her. Let that be a lesson to the owner, if he is capable of learning any lessons about English football 'culture'
But Liege fans have done worse in polite Belgium! I don't think she should have exited like the queen in a limo - but a ford focus was probably the best option under the circumstances.
just watched video the bloke talking to KM done nothing wrong in my eyes asked the questions that most of us would have asked her ,never heard anything abusive but that might av occurred b4 or after the video was posted , she seemed nervous saying she never lied etc .
I'll take her in my crappy old car. That way she's travelling with a fan and she isn't in a plush limo, nor is she at risk of verbal abuse. Perhaps we could stop for a bit of dinner on the way back and talk about things in a civilised manner... Sounds the perfect solution. To me, if not to her.
I suspect that the train journey to and from the away game was a publicity stunt, a friendly gesture that misfired very badly. As others have said, this is not polite Belgium. This was a situation where passionate English football fans, some who'd had a few beers, had just seen their team capitulate on the field of play after weeks of turmoil and upheaval at the club they follow and said fans were eager to vent their frustrations. Katrien was foolish to put herself in this position, IF we'd won, she would have been Ms Popularity, but we didn't, the team for which she is ostensibly responsible was dire and so was the response to her. Let that be a lesson to the owner, if he is capable of learning any lessons about English football 'culture'
Just goes to show how much they've underestimated us as a club and a fan base. I personally think that as long as it didn't get out of hand, its no bad thing for Katrien to see passion running high. Let's face it, slater probably told Douche that we're a bit of a pushover and he can piss ball about all he likes once he's taken over. Maybe yesterday went a little way to showing them that we are not going to nod our heads and smile every time they make another hair brained decision.
I admire KM for her train journey but it would be far better if she explained the situation to all of us through the O.S. rather than a select few at the Fans Forum or on a train, then we all might realise that she didn't lie.
She puts herself in the firing line she is gonna be shot at ,fair play to her for that,but she surely must understand what most fans want it ain't rocket science , the fans ain't happy the players whatever people say ain't happy , us fans feel our voice ain't being heard and that never used to be the charlton way ,RD is using her and taking us for mugs how much more can us fans take ,the club as a whole is in free fall and that is worrying.
Nobody was rude or threatening, stop blowing it out of proportion. The guy was a bit drunk and a bit loud
Which could be threatening and intimidating to a woman alone on a train especially if he's asking questions she knows he won't like the answers to.
You'd all be going mad if she had stayed quiet and refused to talk about the events of the last week, bare in mind when on that train she.wasn't even at work so didn't have to answer a single question.
She does have a right to be on public transport at any time without being harassed or bullied in any way. That's it, full stop, otherwise you are effectively blaming a victim for the bullying that she received. The man has to take responsibility for his own actions.
Still...........of course she has a right to travel that way. I also have a right to tell the toughest Millwall fan that I think he supports a scummy club..........the bottom line is, I wouldn't do that because my decision-making skills would stop me making a probable mistake. My point is that KM needs to be significantly wiser in her decision-making in future. No CEO/club mouth-piece is going to escape a difficult time trapped on a train with loads of angry fans. It was always going to be a very bad and niaive decision.
Still...........of course she has a right to travel that way. I also have a right to tell the toughest Millwall fan that I think he supports a scummy club..........the bottom line is, I wouldn't do that because my decision-making skills would stop me making a probable mistake. My point is that KM needs to be significantly wiser in her decision-making in future. No CEO/club mouth-piece is going to escape a difficult time trapped on a train with loads of angry fans. It was always going to be a very bad and niaive decision.
I suspect that the train journey to and from the away game was a publicity stunt, a friendly gesture that misfired very badly. As others have said, this is not polite Belgium. This was a situation where passionate English football fans, some who'd had a few beers, had just seen their team capitulate on the field of play after weeks of turmoil and upheaval at the club they follow and said fans were eager to vent their frustrations. Katrien was foolish to put herself in this position, IF we'd won, she would have been Ms Popularity, but we didn't, the team for which she is ostensibly responsible was dire and so was the response to her. Let that be a lesson to the owner, if he is capable of learning any lessons about English football 'culture'
You realise SL fans almost started a riot and tried to break into Roland's office to confront him, not what I'd call polite.
Calling what happened bullying is quite far from the mark in my opinion, as CEO of the football club, after the mistakes she's made this week what exactly was she expecting?
She would have been happy to take the praise if things had gone well so surely she must accept the criticism, she chose to put herself on a train she must have know was going km be full of unhappy customers.
What I find most insulting towards KM is those calling her "poor girl" she's not a girl, she's a well educated experienced woman, we have every right to expect more from her.
She does have a right to be on public transport at any time without being harassed or bullied in any way. That's it, full stop, otherwise you are effectively blaming a victim for the bullying that she received. The man has to take responsibility for his own actions.
The fella did nothing wrong didn't see him being abusive or bullying , he asked her simple questions nothing wrong with that.
I don't think he done anything wrong at all. If it was a man he was questioning no one would have a problem what so ever.
I know him personally have done for a few years and he loves charlton more than anyone I know. Goes home and away etc. He's a top bloke. I saw him yesterday and he'd had quite a few beers and said 'what can we do about all this at the club' I think he just wants answers and there's nothing wrong with that.
Comments
On reflection, I don't think she was lying. Its just that the information as it was presented is a little bit blurred IMO.
- 20 Applicants - Yes, I expect so.
- Interviewed? - I doubt it considering the time frames, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had interviewed or considered others BEFORE Bob was sacked. Afterall the turnaround between sacking Powell and bringing in Riga was about 30 minutes and looked pre-planned.
I actually had a positive view of KM before this disastrous week but now accept that she has been given an extremely difficult task to handle in which it would have been impossible for her to come out the other side in a positive light considering many associate her with the network, Roland etc.
I certainly have more time for her than I do for Roland.
She is either brave or silly to leave herself open with all this bad feeling around at the moment.
It just doesn't make sense to announce a recruitment process and accentuate that it will be a genuine search only to announce the successful candidate so quickly. The first part must have been to convince the home office the eventual appointment of Luzon was fair and did not disregard suitable British and European managers. There was no mileage in getting fan's hopes up, only to dash them so quickly, and the fact this was done is the cause of some of the problems now. After all, we fans would have been more likely to accept things if it was just announced rather than all the perceived mis-infomation. Put any of us on a lie detector and ask if we think we know more about the championship than our owner and his network. The mis-trust in his approach and knowledge he is wrong fuels our anger. We have seen the reports in the national press about Luzon before and after Peeters' sacking and it is pretty clear to me that the appointment announcement had to be brought forwards as it was coming out that he had been offered the job.
The only way forwards that I can see is some essential investment in the team. I also have seen enough of the network to see that it wont happen bar a few more Liege rejects. The statements that the team is now stronger than when Duchatelet took over can be argued. And the team he took over was the best a Del Boy with no money could muster! Yes we have introduced some quality players, but lost some too. And whilst our first eleven when on form and fresh is a match for any club at this level, scratch the surface and you quickly find the tin.
So if she has had a bad week. Well, it is probably the sort of week, as a highly paid executive, that she deserves. She is part of a regime that does things their way with no consideration of the fans'views. This may not be her preferred approach, but she doesn't have the choice. She is an intelligent woman and I hope she does the decent thing and resigns. She won't have problems finding another job. The reason she won't do that though is because she will know that this job is a stepping stone for her in terms of a career in Duchatelet's network. For that reason, we have to give her a very hard time, but not through in your face bullying, but by intelligent challenge and sabotage.
Whilst there is clearly an underestimation of the Championship, there is also clearly an underestimation of what Charlton fans can achieve if you rile them enough from this network.
Haven't seen the video on farcebook but I'm over 40 and thought you had to be a bit younger to go on that !
Wouldn't Saturday have been a good opportunity to have found out how another foreign set up running a more successful English Championship club went about things
A cup of tea in the boardroom and trying to get an insight into the Watford way of things would seem a better learning opportunity
But I think if Katrien believed it'd make a dent in the Douchebags theory she'd give it a go but imo it's the rats way or the highway as it currently stands
Not very impressive questioning and somewhat too aggressive in his tone but it didn't really sound like 'abuse' to me. As a CEO of a major business I would expect her to have sufficient thickness of skin that this sort of thing would not really bother her. If it does then it was not wise of her to get the train straight after that game.
I also think if she says enough times there were no lies she may even believe it herself.
I'm not happy at all with some of her comments especially the " the should accept" it comment but it's clear she is caught between a rock and a hard place.
I'm not going to call her a liar because I think that implies a type of intent that I dont think is a worthy accusation. She is, however, responsible for her own words and unfortunately there are things she has said that simply cannot be reconciled. I don't think they can be explained to her credit, and this is the impossible situation she finds herself in.
I do wonder if she's beginning to realise that the type of approach the owner is following really doesn't work at this level of the game, in England. When RM tried a similar European style Head Coach setup it resulted in relegation from the Premiership.
I'm really struck by the insightful words of Leroy Rosenior on the Football League show tonight: "I think the owner s doing what he wants to do because he's the owner, he's not taking into consideration what the fans think, what the fans feel. When you go to a club you have to take into consideration what the club's all about. I was on loan at Charlton, I know what the club's about: theyve been through some terrible times, there's a great community feel around that football club and they want someone who represents them and at the moment I don't feel they're getting that. And Guy Luzon I don't know a lot about, I know he got sacked at Standard Liege but does he know anything about Charlton, does he know anything about the Championship? That remains to be seen and on what we've seen today he's got an absolutely massive job and it's going to take some turning around."
He seems to get it more than those do who are so ready to jump to the board's defence this week. It really isn't about KM's level of veracity or even Guy Luzon - it's like seeing your baby handed to a childminder who clearly has no idea of how to look after it, and despite your best efforts to help being rebuffed by them whilst the same mistake is repeated again in front of your eyes. Well sooner or later you'll feel no choice but to do something - anything - and whilst I don't defend the actions of this guy on the train (there are better ways fella) I know why he felt he needed to say something whilst the chance presented itself.
However, after the week we've had she shouldn't have been on a train with fans. She must have read (or had someone read) what's been on here and elsewhere.
People saying she shouldn't be on a public train because fans are also using it, hence she apparently deserves fans looming over her without listening to her answers.
If Meire was seen getting into and being driven away in a plush, tinted windowed car, people would accuse her of being flash and having no connections with what it's like to be a fan.
Katrien was foolish to put herself in this position, IF we'd won, she would have been Ms Popularity, but we didn't, the team for which she is ostensibly responsible was dire and so was the response to her. Let that be a lesson to the owner, if he is capable of learning any lessons about English football 'culture'
Perhaps we could stop for a bit of dinner on the way back and talk about things in a civilised manner...
Sounds the perfect solution. To me, if not to her.
Just goes to show how much they've underestimated us as a club and a fan base. I personally think that as long as it didn't get out of hand, its no bad thing for Katrien to see passion running high.
Let's face it, slater probably told Douche that we're a bit of a pushover and he can piss ball about all he likes once he's taken over. Maybe yesterday went a little way to showing them that we are not going to nod our heads and smile every time they make another hair brained decision.
You'd all be going mad if she had stayed quiet and refused to talk about the events of the last week, bare in mind when on that train she.wasn't even at work so didn't have to answer a single question.
Out of interest, what is our representation in the boardroom at away games now?
Calling what happened bullying is quite far from the mark in my opinion, as CEO of the football club, after the mistakes she's made this week what exactly was she expecting?
She would have been happy to take the praise if things had gone well so surely she must accept the criticism, she chose to put herself on a train she must have know was going km be full of unhappy customers.
What I find most insulting towards KM is those calling her "poor girl" she's not a girl, she's a well educated experienced woman, we have every right to expect more from her.
Vid
I know him personally have done for a few years and he loves charlton more than anyone I know. Goes home and away etc. He's a top bloke. I saw him yesterday and he'd had quite a few beers and said 'what can we do about all this at the club' I think he just wants answers and there's nothing wrong with that.