I'm trying to read the tea leaves in Katrien's notes in the Brighton programme. She starts by saying she's going to review the objectives but then doesn't mention a single specific objective.
From what has been said before by BP and Katrien I think there are probably three main objectives this season, as follows:
1. Meet the budget. This seems to be on track and probably means there will be little or no signings in this window other than from the network
2. Survive in the Championship. Also on track, although obviously not as much as a few weeks ago. I personally think the current squad will just about survive
3. Bring on the youngsters (to become 1st team regulars and to increase their value (to help with objective #1) On track
So all 3 objectives on track which is why the tone of her piece is relatively upbeat (although it had to be anyway for PR reasons)
Katrien finishes by reminding us this is a long-term project and I do believe RD is looking for a long term return (rather like investing in the stock market)
So I predict the rest of this season will be more of the same (I was there yesterday and it was dreadful) but I think RD will be happy enough with a low table finish just above the relegation places. Not much fun for us supporters in the short term!!
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"My job now is certainly an easier one compared to when I arrived at Charlton following the takeover last January.
At that time we were in the bottom six and just above the relegation zone while now we are mid-table in the Championship and looking upwards"
Before today's game we were six places better off, and five points better off than Rotherham who were sixth bottom. Now we are five places and five points better off compared to last year.
I hope she does not think we have made a lot of progress.
Let us see if we finish lower than we did last season come May and see what she has to say.
Every clubs got objectives.
Some of them even manage to have a bit of fun and endeavour trying to achieve them.
I often find myself wishing I was at the dentist or a baby shower rather than being stuck at the house of glum on a Saturday afternoon nowadays.
Gomez is clearly a star in the making, Cousins has had a solid season if unspectacular, KAG shows promise...but Harriott has clearly gone backwards, Pope hasn't perhaps made the breakthrough people were hoping for, Pigott hasn't improved and Fox has disappointed, so mixed messages on the youngster front...
You know something is going to happen, but not exactly when, and when it does it will probably bad anyway.
At the moment it is pretty embarrassing to see so called "smaller" teams with lower crowds playing very attacking football and attracting good players
1) the short term finances of CAFC aren't that hard to predict. Only cup revenue and player sales are volatile. The important thing for the club is what is the budget for next season.
2) we are clearly surviving but we have gone from play-off form to relegation form overnight. This will hamper every single objective of the club from season ticket sales to enhancing player value to as attracting decent quality acquisitions over the summer. To dice with relegation last season was unfortunate but if we go there again in February or March it's sheer carelessness.
3) Bringing on the youngsters is obviously key to the strategy of this owner but Harriot, Fox and Pope have not advanced that much. Whereas, in my opinion Gomez, Cousins and Ahearne Grant have come on. Whether young players come from the Academy or other clubs the simple fact is that we have the youngest squad in the Championship and the bench is full of young players every week.
But there is something missing here and that is ambition and communication / involvement with the fans. Just staying up and then selling our best players won't improve the club as a whole. This needs to be revisited. And we need to aim for the top half of the table and then the play-offs. So next seasons budget needs to be set accordingly.
And they need to communicate why we only saw Coquelin on loan and no one else. No-one purchased in August to fill the number nine shirt is one thing but are we now to go the whole season with it not being used?
All in all its been a great first year with Staprix but I sincerely hope the second year is more ambitious. When clubs like Brentford, Ipswich and Bournemouth can compete at the top then surely so can we, once the basics are in place.
He was assuming, that by achieving this position at an early stage, we would then hold an advantage over the other clubs.
He was assuming a year or two down the line, many other clubs would have transfer embargoes and he could pick up players for bargains, from clubs, that had to offload them.
We would then have developed some youngsters and added the bargain buys to them & be breaking even.
This is not going to happen now and RD must change his plan, which clearly now will not work. (not that it was ever going to in all probability).
The clubs that have broke even or got close to breaking even in the past get relegated eg Peterboro.
Now that FFP is almost worthless in a years time, the same will apply.
Yes he may get near breaking even, but it will also relegate us.
New plan, new objectives are needed. The rules have changed.
That nice Mr. Kite was quoted in The Guardian ' I wish it wasn't Tesco who had came knocking at my door'. One wonders how many other 'suitors' he turned away before he got so far up Tesco's rear end?
"We need to get back to winning ways and everyone at the club from the top down would agree with that. However, it is important to stay calm and not carried away by one rocky patch
So what's changed since your notes then, Katrien? Are you and Roly not singing from the same hymn sheet!