People ever thought that there's a chance that you do end up pushing Roland out and then we get a chairman that maybe wants us to move from the valley or doesn't like the colour red and changes out kit to blue or finds our badge offensive ? Or just simply hikes up the ticket prices ?
So we should just sit back and watch Roland rip the heart out of club out of fear of what the next owner would be like? That is like being unhappy with the Mrs but being scared to break up because you are scared to be alone.
For me Roland and any owner are just a custodian of our great club and that does not give them a pass to do what they like.
Explain to me how Roland is ripping the heart out the club... i want to see some good solid points to back this stupid claim
I and others have put on here why we think he is ripping the heart out of the club.
I don't agree with your views but can accept that they are your views without having to just dismiss them as "stupid"
the bond and link to fans has been gone ages, employing powell bought it closer, but the realism of that appointment was that a legend within the club was already being criticised and building a wedge between fans before RD ,
our club changed in the premier league and continual decline happened once we were relegated, communication became fractured, it was full of lies deceit and propaganda, many words said were treated with contempt and cynicism
now we are being told nothing , id rather not hear the bullshit than listen to people talking lies
I am not in the know about previous lies etc NLA so cant comment. I just know how i felt under previous regimes and ow i feel now.
People ever thought that there's a chance that you do end up pushing Roland out and then we get a chairman that maybe wants us to move from the valley or doesn't like the colour red and changes out kit to blue or finds our badge offensive ? Or just simply hikes up the ticket prices ?
So we should just sit back and watch Roland rip the heart out of club out of fear of what the next owner would be like? That is like being unhappy with the Mrs but being scared to break up because you are scared to be alone.
For me Roland and any owner are just a custodian of our great club and that does not give them a pass to do what they like.
Explain to me how Roland is ripping the heart out the club... i want to see some good solid points to back this stupid claim
The fact that many fans of long standing who are astute are ringing the alarm bells and many not going should be enough evidence. They are all seeing wworrying issues.
But for me (and I have been anti network from day 1 because i thought this would be the case) there is no evidence that there is any aspiration on the footballing side, because Roland does not need it in my view to make money in his model, which is all about a group of clubs breaking even as a whole, and him getting his personal profit from player growth and sales. The long term loan out of 3 strikers he bought into the network is an example of this ie purchases not for the benefit of Charlton but for the develpment of those individuals and their value.
When the team is aligned with an owner / network in such a way the link between team and fans crashes ie the heart of a football club is ripped out.
RD is a clever man, He knows that there is serious money in the Premiership, Get us up sell us and he will easily get double the price and he knows that, He does not want us to be a League one club, that is plain stupid he knows where the money is.
All this network stuff we moan about, Yes he has tried using it to our advantage and some of its failed but:
Henderson Vetokele Gudmunsson Le Point Roger Johnson Bikey Moussa Onyewu Velijkovic
All came OUTSIDE the network and are decent players, you also can not moan that Buyens isnt a good player and Tony Watt has bags of potential & Ben Haim.
Yes there is your flops like PP and your Negos but i can live with a few bad signings if we keep getting the calibre of players above.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
That to me is more loosing the club.
Financially safe, New training Ground, Decent average return of new players ONE win from 12th and my god we are in much better way under RD than what we was under Jimenz.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
i do truely understand the feeling against RD , i am not anywhere near as supportive of it as i was welcoming of it at the out set, but i think we have had years of decline bullshit and lies and this is the tip of the ice berg or the breaking point , however its a combination of the anger that has manifested into every thing is now RD the network and nothing else
Powell was a very covenant cover for the previous ownership to destroy the fabric of the club, but no one was prepared to protest against that.
You could be right I would not know about what the TJ and MS did?
I think the issue now though is with RD everything is out for all to see.
Think you are right @roseandcrown. We are approaching the perfect storm and some people say 'it's just a shower', or 'we've had bad weather before', or 'it's not so bad, bright and sunny here'..
Powell was a very covenant cover for the previous ownership to destroy the fabric of the club, but no one was prepared to protest against that.
I think you'll find the protest was internal. The previous ownership did not set out to destroy the fabric of the club. When they took over they left in place a non-football structure that was tried and tested, and when decisions needed to be made they were not irrational, even if they were remote. Then they ran out of money, asked people to do things that they could not accept for professional and ethical reasons, as well as practical ones, and the place fell apart.
On the football side, Powell was not TJ's first choice as manager, as has been well documented. He wanted Eddie Howe, but he wouldn't come. It was PV who brought Powell into the equation.
What I was suggesting 11 months ago was that people withheld their renewal to put pressure on the club until such time as we got some clarity. This idea was overtaken by the discussions that went on subsequently and led to the G21 statement, something drawn up in close discussion with members of the trust board despite the fact that it backed off from supporting it as an organisation in the end.
Nearly a year on I think we have that clarity. A season ticket strike (not a boycott) is a possible tactic, but realistically sales are likely to collapse regardless of any protest. I think we need to take more immediate steps, but also that we need to work together.
There is though, I suggest, a bit too much despondency. If we could get back to The Valley we can do anything, given time. Have a little more faith in what we are.
Agree completely with this. I won't be renewing my or my son's season ticket for next season unless and until I see some positive moves to improve the top to bottom management of the club and real investment in the playing side - which means actual noteworthy transfers and not just empty promises, vague statements and excuses.
Going to Charlton for me, though, is about much more than the football. It is where I grew up, It is where I spend time with one son, and near where I visit my other son and grandkids. I'll never give it up completely, but I will pick and choose my matches more from now on unless something changes for the better.
I would love to know what the "immediate steps" are that @Airman Brown envisages, what kind of organised action we could take and how that might best be done. I sense a role for the Trust here - it's time has come, I suggest.
As AFKA says, it's heart breaking to read all these posts. Boycotting is not for me. End of. Might as well cut off my right hand ( OK, maybe the left-right is for holding my wine glass...)
Seriously, the only positive I've taken on here tonight are AB's words. I'll admit that we don't always see eye to eye but if there's going to be a fight ( for all the right reasons) then I want to be in his corner. We did what we could to help with the Valley Party all those years ago but now, with the name of our Club even more deeply engraved on our hearts, the Fanackapans will do our utmost to support any campaign he initiates. Might sound a bit gung ho but we ALL know what happened when AB & co girded their loins before .....
I too await with bated breath to hear more of those "immediate steps" he mentions , Davo.
Let's keep the faith a bit longer, guys & see how this pans out.
Out of interest @Fanny Fanackapan what would be the moment that you say "I've seen enough, time for drastic action" ?
Out all day so only just seen this response to my earlier post.
My answer to your question would be at this moment in time, I can't say.
But I think it will be blatantly obvious when that time arrives ...& to more supporters than post on CL.
I've advocated keeping the faith a bit longer, and I'm sticking with that. Nothing today has changed my opinion.
The first hurdle will be whether we can stay in this division or not. If it's the former, then we see what transpires in the summer. If the latter, then I think "that moment" will be sooner rather than later.
OThere will be other instances along the way to give fans a clearer picture as to how RD's cookie crumbles eg season ticket /matchday prices for next season ....and there's only so much people will be prepared to take. Nails in coffin is an apt phrase maybe ?
As for "drastic action " - I'm a foot soldier, not a mover or shaker so I'm leaving the decision as to the most appropriate time/method to others, with AB clearly a major player.
I'm merely a supporter - of both our football team, and the future fight to reclaim the soul of our Football Club if and when "it's time"..
I can see your reasoning FF and if we were talking about CAFC in isolation I would probably agree with you. However, we are fortunate (?) that we have several seasons of SL experience and 10 years of RD being at STVV. We know how he's played it at those clubs so we have a pretty good idea now what is in store for us. A year ago we were guessing. We are still guessing but based on a lot of information. The time for action is now!
People ever thought that there's a chance that you do end up pushing Roland out and then we get a chairman that maybe wants us to move from the valley or doesn't like the colour red and changes out kit to blue or finds our badge offensive ? Or just simply hikes up the ticket prices ?
So we should just sit back and watch Roland rip the heart out of club out of fear of what the next owner would be like? That is like being unhappy with the Mrs but being scared to break up because you are scared to be alone.
For me Roland and any owner are just a custodian of our great club and that does not give them a pass to do what they like.
Explain to me how Roland is ripping the heart out the club... i want to see some good solid points to back this stupid claim
The fact that many fans of long standing who are astute are ringing the alarm bells and many not going should be enough evidence. They are all seeing wworrying issues.
But for me (and I have been anti network from day 1 because i thought this would be the case) there is no evidence that there is any aspiration on the footballing side, because Roland does not need it in my view to make money in his model, which is all about a group of clubs breaking even as a whole, and him getting his personal profit from player growth and sales. The long term loan out of 3 strikers he bought into the network is an example of this ie purchases not for the benefit of Charlton but for the develpment of those individuals and their value.
When the team is aligned with an owner / network in such a way the link between team and fans crashes ie the heart of a football club is ripped out.
RD is a clever man, He knows that there is serious money in the Premiership, Get us up sell us and he will easily get double the price and he knows that, He does not want us to be a League one club, that is plain stupid he knows where the money is.
All this network stuff we moan about, Yes he has tried using it to our advantage and some of its failed but:
Henderson Vetokele Gudmunsson Le Point Roger Johnson Bikey Moussa Onyewu Velijkovic
All came OUTSIDE the network and are decent players, you also can not moan that Buyens isnt a good player and Tony Watt has bags of potential & Ben Haim.
Yes there is your flops like PP and your Negos but i can live with a few bad signings if we keep getting the calibre of players above.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
That to me is more loosing the club.
Financially safe, New training Ground, Decent average return of new players ONE win from 12th and my god we are in much better way under RD than what we was under Jimenz.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
M Largo You may well be right about Lepoint but judging him on 20 minutes is not really fair.
Yeah I know mate. Believe me, I'm not one to make snap judgements about players or managers. On Saturday, my one bright spot of the afternoon was the morbid amusement of watching a bloke who appeared to be even less fit than me trying to keep up with professional footballers - that doesn't mean I've written him off(although he definitely needs to do some fitness work!). Admittedly I'm expecting him to be less Johann Berg Gudmondssen and more Loic Nego, but I'll give him a chance to prove me wrong.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
Many did moan, many were aware of a paper thin squad and close calls but our luck was in. Some people even got carried away in optimism and blind faith, kind of like some people are now.
We have white all over our shirts and wear red shorts. Season ticket prices will no doubt rise this year. Every stadium in Germany has had naming rights sold - have Schalke, Dortmund, etc sold their souls?
Only the deluded would have truly thought that Curbishley was our saviour. He wouldn't have lasted until the end of the season being told who to play but of course, RD knows better than any 'coach' he's employed.
People are kicking up a stink because things are highly likely to get worse. They would like to do something before (hypothetically) we have yellow on our kits, have eleven Belgians in each squad, etc.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
Many did moan, many were aware of a paper thin squad and close calls but our luck was in. Some people even got carried away in optimism and blind faith, kind of like some people are now.
We have white all over our shirts and wear red shorts. Season ticket prices will no doubt rise this year. Every stadium in Germany has had naming rights sold - have Schalke, Dortmund, etc sold their souls?
Only the deluded would have truly thought that Curbishley was our saviour. He wouldn't have lasted until the end of the season being told who to play but of course, RD knows better than any 'coach' he's employed.
People are kicking up a stink because things are highly likely to get worse. They would like to do something before (hypothetically) we have yellow on our kits, have eleven Belgians in each squad, etc.
People ever thought that there's a chance that you do end up pushing Roland out and then we get a chairman that maybe wants us to move from the valley or doesn't like the colour red and changes out kit to blue or finds our badge offensive ? Or just simply hikes up the ticket prices ?
So we should just sit back and watch Roland rip the heart out of club out of fear of what the next owner would be like? That is like being unhappy with the Mrs but being scared to break up because you are scared to be alone.
For me Roland and any owner are just a custodian of our great club and that does not give them a pass to do what they like.
Explain to me how Roland is ripping the heart out the club... i want to see some good solid points to back this stupid claim
The fact that many fans of long standing who are astute are ringing the alarm bells and many not going should be enough evidence. They are all seeing wworrying issues.
But for me (and I have been anti network from day 1 because i thought this would be the case) there is no evidence that there is any aspiration on the footballing side, because Roland does not need it in my view to make money in his model, which is all about a group of clubs breaking even as a whole, and him getting his personal profit from player growth and sales. The long term loan out of 3 strikers he bought into the network is an example of this ie purchases not for the benefit of Charlton but for the develpment of those individuals and their value.
When the team is aligned with an owner / network in such a way the link between team and fans crashes ie the heart of a football club is ripped out.
RD is a clever man, He knows that there is serious money in the Premiership, Get us up sell us and he will easily get double the price and he knows that, He does not want us to be a League one club, that is plain stupid he knows where the money is.
All this network stuff we moan about, Yes he has tried using it to our advantage and some of its failed but:
Henderson Vetokele Gudmunsson Le Point Roger Johnson Bikey Moussa Onyewu Velijkovic
All came OUTSIDE the network and are decent players, you also can not moan that Buyens isnt a good player and Tony Watt has bags of potential & Ben Haim.
Yes there is your flops like PP and your Negos but i can live with a few bad signings if we keep getting the calibre of players above.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
That to me is more loosing the club.
Financially safe, New training Ground, Decent average return of new players ONE win from 12th and my god we are in much better way under RD than what we was under Jimenz.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
and yes I and many others no doubt are embarrassed by all the rose tinted, COYR, follow the team whatever folk who are totally missing the point, but we know you have a right to a view so dont call you stupid.
Many those pro RD are i know younger fans who think protesting etc at football is about standing up at away games, but more and more will see.
People ever thought that there's a chance that you do end up pushing Roland out and then we get a chairman that maybe wants us to move from the valley or doesn't like the colour red and changes out kit to blue or finds our badge offensive ? Or just simply hikes up the ticket prices ?
So we should just sit back and watch Roland rip the heart out of club out of fear of what the next owner would be like? That is like being unhappy with the Mrs but being scared to break up because you are scared to be alone.
For me Roland and any owner are just a custodian of our great club and that does not give them a pass to do what they like.
Explain to me how Roland is ripping the heart out the club... i want to see some good solid points to back this stupid claim
The fact that many fans of long standing who are astute are ringing the alarm bells and many not going should be enough evidence. They are all seeing wworrying issues.
But for me (and I have been anti network from day 1 because i thought this would be the case) there is no evidence that there is any aspiration on the footballing side, because Roland does not need it in my view to make money in his model, which is all about a group of clubs breaking even as a whole, and him getting his personal profit from player growth and sales. The long term loan out of 3 strikers he bought into the network is an example of this ie purchases not for the benefit of Charlton but for the develpment of those individuals and their value.
When the team is aligned with an owner / network in such a way the link between team and fans crashes ie the heart of a football club is ripped out.
RD is a clever man, He knows that there is serious money in the Premiership You don't have to be at all clever to know that, Get us up sell us and he will easily get double the price and he knows that, He does not want us to be a League one clubHave you taken a look at the league table recently? , that is plain stupid he knows where the money is.
All this network stuff we moan about, Yes he has tried using it to our advantage and some of its failed but:
Henderson Injured for the last 3 months. RD to tight to bring in an experienced replacement and we've plummeted Vetokele Great player. Unfortunately nobody available to deputise for him whilst carrying an injury so now looks a shadow of his early season self. Not scored for 3 months Gudmunsson Granted, an excellent signing. Le Point Really. Bit early to judge, although based on Saturday I'd say he's a heavy smoker and probably needs to do quite a lot of exercise to get up to speed Roger Johnson Really? Not played for a year, not played for Wolves for a year and a half. We've only got him because of Wolves desperation to get rid of him Bikey Yep good player. No back up though, has looked knackered and out of form for a while, hence we keep losing Moussa Can't remember, not seen him since October! Onyewu You think he's great, but neither Peeters or Luzon have so far considered him worthy of starting a game, even though we keep losing Velijkovic Yep looks ok from what little I've seen so far
Yes there is your flops like PP and your Negos but i can live with a few bad signings if we keep getting the calibre of players above.
Financially safe, New training Ground when did they finish building that then?, Decent average return of new players ONE win from 12th and my god we are in much better way under RD than what we was under Jimenz Jiminez was broke, what's RD's excuse.
I should stop rising to this nonsense but I can't help it. If @colin1961 is Katrien then you must presumably be Roland. Welcome to Charlton Life, please sell up as soon as possible.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
That simply isn't true
There were a few who weren't impressed with the team early on. We had the longest run of flukey results i have seen since supporting the club. However back then if you posted anything negative on here you were hounded off ,called a troll and told to go and support someone else. That meant the fans who weren't happy couldn't post.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years). or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
Many did moan, many were aware of a paper thin squad and close calls but our luck was in. Some people even got carried away in optimism and blind faith, kind of like some people are now.
We have white all over our shirts and wear red shorts. Season ticket prices will no doubt rise this year. Every stadium in Germany has had naming rights sold - have Schalke, Dortmund, etc sold their souls?
Only the deluded would have truly thought that Curbishley was our saviour. He wouldn't have lasted until the end of the season being told who to play but of course, RD knows better than any 'coach' he's employed.
People are kicking up a stink because things are highly likely to get worse. They would like to do something before (hypothetically) we have yellow on our kits, have eleven Belgians in each squad, etc.
Oooh yes please, a nice retro kit in a few years time.. Maybe something that represents the good old glory days of the premiership?
I can hold my hand up as one of those people who a year ago, maybe even 6 months ago was still on the defensive over the RD Network, i managed to deal with the Yann sale, then the SCP sacking with the idea that it might be short term heartbreak(in the case of SCP situation especially) but other then a bit of over excitement like most fans with Igor's early form that kept us nearer the top of the table, the reality has finally set in for what we are facing as a club under this owner.
Im personally embarressed that it has taken me the best part of a year to realise what many others realised in the early stages of new ownership and embarressed about some of the rubbish i probably posted on here in defence of the network as others still do now.
Maybe it was because i was just so happy to see the back of the last lot after the disaster the club turned into behind the scenes but as a fan of the generation of the mid 90s(im 24) personally this is the lowest i have ever felt about the club i love, we might be in a better league then a few years ago, we might even have a more valuable squad(only to foreign clubs) but that disconnect has kicked in for the first time as a supporter for me.
I just want to feel proud of my club again, not to be confused with league postion but for what it represents as a whole, i want an owner who if he/she/they make the right decision or not are doing it for the good of the club & fans, not just themselves or a network system that clearly does not work.
To some that might seem unreasonable but if this is our future for the whatever many seasons RD hangs onto our club, then it makes me look back fondly to the days under Parkinson in League 1 scrabbling to get a cheap squad together to give it the best shot at moving us forward.
As at least that felt like Charlton, not an ever increasing feeling of just being the English branch of a European network.
I can hold my hand up as one of those people who a year ago, maybe even 6 months ago was still on the defensive over the RD Network, i managed to deal with the Yann sale, then the SCP sacking with the idea that it might be short term heartbreak(in the case of SCP situation especially) but other then a bit of over excitement like most fans with Igor's early form that kept us nearer the top of the table, the reality has finally set in for what we are facing as a club under this owner.
Im personally embarressed that it has taken me the best part of a year to realise what many others realised in the early stages of new ownership and embarressed about some of the rubbish i probably posted on here in defence of the network as others still do now.
Maybe it was because i was just so happy to see the back of the last lot after the disaster the club turned into behind the scenes but as a fan of the generation of the mid 90s(im 24) personally this is the lowest i have ever felt about the club i love, we might be in a better league then a few years ago, we might even have a more valuable squad(only to foreign clubs) but that disconnect has kicked in for the first time as a supporter for me.
I just want to feel proud of my club again, not to be confused with league postion but for what it represents as a whole, i want an owner who if he/she/they make the right decision or not are doing it for the good of the club & fans, not just themselves or a network system that clearly does not work.
To some that might seem unreasonable but if this is our future for the whatever many seasons RD hangs onto our club, then it makes me look back fondly to the days under Parkinson in League 1 scrabbling to get a cheap squad together to give it the best shot at moving us forward.
As at least that felt like Charlton, not an ever increasing feeling of just being the English branch of a European network.
Nothing to be embarrassed about @GretnaGreenAddick you gave the guy a chance. Lots of people have slowly reversed their thinking over the past 12 months and it's because of no single issue. People will usually forgive the odd error in judgement or poor decision and chalk it up as human nature, but there has been a series of them since RD took over and many are now saying enough is enough.
I think it's too early to do any sort of protest like boycotting season tickets. I think at this time it will do more harm than good to the club.
I prefer to wait to see how the rest of the season and the close season goes.
I just hope this isn't being driven because the owners are foreign but I have my doubts.
Why do you have your doubts? I've seen plenty of evidence to suggest that the reasons people are feeling down is because of poor management of the club and poor decisions being taken time and time again. There are obviously some posts around that use waffles and such as a way to denigrate the owners of the club, but I don't think this is necessarily an indicator that those people are anti-foreign ownership. It's more that they are poking fun at them.
I do think however that you are right to raise the issue and maybe this kind of thing should be toned down a bit. I'm sure that the club and people of opposing views will be looking for excuses or ammunition to fire at the fans who are in favour of taking action, and if claims of xenophobia are widely reported then it will not help the Trust or it's supporters going forward.
The anti Duchatelet argument is not based around xenophobia. Charlton supporters have had many heros who hail from other parts of the world. If there was owners from another country ran the club competently, with sensible and clear football decisions then Charlton supporters would, I believe have no problem with that.
There is a lack of and a misunderstanding of the strength and competitiveness of the British market; and the strength of the game at the Championship and league one level. This for me borders on arrogance and disrespect. Their is also a profound misunderstanding by Duchatelet of where Charlton sit within the London footballing and entertainment market. Also why people support Charlton and what ties supporters to the club. IMO Duchatelet and his advisors are totally out of their depth as they appear to ignore local market conditions.
Saying that things could be worse, for me is not a good enough reason for accepting a lack of ambition and mediocrity that appears to be standard fare for the Duchatelet network.
I would be interested to understand how long a time frame those still giving the Duchatelet network strategy a chance will give it before accepting that it has not worked.
Is there, can there be, such a thing as an 'anti-fan'? By that I mean you go to matches (get a season ticket even) and your intention is to subvert, criticise, negate, undermine, put down, ridicule and abuse (legally) and to try to encourage others to be present and do the same thing, to be audibly and visually anti the team and anti the club before during and after matches. Not turning your back on the club, but shouting your derision, and distain at every opportunity. I would say that such a fan ought to behave within the law, and ground regulations, but the motivation would be 'lets not get behind the boys, but yet make some noise'. You could construct an argument that such a fan, at this moment in time, is a true fan of Charlton Athletic.
Anyone who buys a season ticket for next year is insane.
I'm Charlton through and through and will get a season ticket whether we're in championship, league 1 or even league 2 after that. The footballs not been great the majority of the season but I'd be lost without Charlton on a sat win lose or draw it's a good day out on the piss with friends and even better when we do win ( not that it happends often lol).
Comments
I don't agree with your views but can accept that they are your views without having to just dismiss them as "stupid"
All this network stuff we moan about, Yes he has tried using it to our advantage and some of its failed but:
Henderson
Vetokele
Gudmunsson
Le Point
Roger Johnson
Bikey
Moussa
Onyewu
Velijkovic
All came OUTSIDE the network and are decent players, you also can not moan that Buyens isnt a good player and Tony Watt has bags of potential & Ben Haim.
Yes there is your flops like PP and your Negos but i can live with a few bad signings if we keep getting the calibre of players above.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
A chairman ripping a heart out a club is what you have over Cardiff, Changing kit,increasing prices, or Newcastle even selling the naming rights to their ground.
That to me is more loosing the club.
Financially safe, New training Ground, Decent average return of new players ONE win from 12th and my god we are in much better way under RD than what we was under Jimenz.
but hmm maybe i should forget all about that and moan and bitch because we didnt get curbs back ( the man untouched by nearly every opening job offer in the last 5 years).
or the fact we didn't sign a striker in the window.
Im a realist and i know things could be alot worse for Charlton and far to many people are over the top and it is simply embarrassing.
which imo is not strictly true ,
I think the issue now though is with RD everything is out for all to see and make an opinion.
You may well be right about Lepoint but judging him on 20 minutes is not really fair.
On the football side, Powell was not TJ's first choice as manager, as has been well documented. He wanted Eddie Howe, but he wouldn't come. It was PV who brought Powell into the equation.
We have white all over our shirts and wear red shorts. Season ticket prices will no doubt rise this year. Every stadium in Germany has had naming rights sold - have Schalke, Dortmund, etc sold their souls?
Only the deluded would have truly thought that Curbishley was our saviour. He wouldn't have lasted until the end of the season being told who to play but of course, RD knows better than any 'coach' he's employed.
People are kicking up a stink because things are highly likely to get worse. They would like to do something before (hypothetically) we have yellow on our kits, have eleven Belgians in each squad, etc.
Many those pro RD are i know younger fans who think protesting etc at football is about standing up at away games, but more and more will see.
NO ONE and i mean NO ONE moaned about the network 7 games in when we was top, infact alot of you was all going back on your word.
That simply isn't true
Now its the opposite. Funny how things change.
Or this maybe...?
Im personally embarressed that it has taken me the best part of a year to realise what many others realised in the early stages of new ownership and embarressed about some of the rubbish i probably posted on here in defence of the network as others still do now.
Maybe it was because i was just so happy to see the back of the last lot after the disaster the club turned into behind the scenes but as a fan of the generation of the mid 90s(im 24) personally this is the lowest i have ever felt about the club i love, we might be in a better league then a few years ago, we might even have a more valuable squad(only to foreign clubs) but that disconnect has kicked in for the first time as a supporter for me.
I just want to feel proud of my club again, not to be confused with league postion but for what it represents as a whole, i want an owner who if he/she/they make the right decision or not are doing it for the good of the club & fans, not just themselves or a network system that clearly does not work.
To some that might seem unreasonable but if this is our future for the whatever many seasons RD hangs onto our club, then it makes me look back fondly to the days under Parkinson in League 1 scrabbling to get a cheap squad together to give it the best shot at moving us forward.
As at least that felt like Charlton, not an ever increasing feeling of just being the English branch of a European network.
I prefer to wait to see how the rest of the season and the close season goes.
I just hope this isn't being driven because the owners are foreign but I have my doubts.
I do think however that you are right to raise the issue and maybe this kind of thing should be toned down a bit. I'm sure that the club and people of opposing views will be looking for excuses or ammunition to fire at the fans who are in favour of taking action, and if claims of xenophobia are widely reported then it will not help the Trust or it's supporters going forward.
There is a lack of and a misunderstanding of the strength and competitiveness of the British market; and the strength of the game at the Championship and league one level. This for me borders on arrogance and disrespect. Their is also a profound misunderstanding by Duchatelet of where Charlton sit within the London footballing and entertainment market. Also why people support Charlton and what ties supporters to the club. IMO Duchatelet and his advisors are totally out of their depth as they appear to ignore local market conditions.
Saying that things could be worse, for me is not a good enough reason for accepting a lack of ambition and mediocrity that appears to be standard fare for the Duchatelet network.
I would be interested to understand how long a time frame those still giving the Duchatelet network strategy a chance will give it before accepting that it has not worked.
By that I mean you go to matches (get a season ticket even) and your intention is to subvert, criticise, negate, undermine, put down, ridicule and abuse (legally) and to try to encourage others to be present and do the same thing, to be audibly and visually anti the team and anti the club before during and after matches.
Not turning your back on the club, but shouting your derision, and distain at every opportunity. I would say that such a fan ought to behave within the law, and ground regulations, but the motivation would be 'lets not get behind the boys, but yet make some noise'.
You could construct an argument that such a fan, at this moment in time, is a true fan of Charlton Athletic.
The footballs not been great the majority of the season but I'd be lost without Charlton on a sat win lose or draw it's a good day out on the piss with friends and even better when we do win ( not that it happends often lol).