There has been much discussion by cleverer and more informed people than I over Duchatelet's intentions, plan, vision - call it what you will - and yet it seems that none of us can yet work it out. There have been one or two recent comments suggesting that Dr Evil may actually want us relegated as part of some grand plan to cash in on the real estate value of the ground. I find this really hard to believe and don't understand how that could possibly even work - but is it remotely possible, especially in light of all the ACV business, that our ground might be at risk? Or are the real estate references that have been posted - like me - just plain daft?
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However I am not 'in the know' either way.
Not saying it will happen but as said it isn't impossible
By George, you've got it !
We get RD sectioned & hence declared as a non fit & proper person to own a football club( let alone several!)
And a second possibility could also be an 'article 4 directive' , issued by the secretary of state.
along with what the Airman has already stated it would be an unlikely business plan, but then we are dealing with someone who probably has the energy and finances to do this. By the way the Valley has the ACV, and the Supporters Trust are the nominated body.
It seems to me from what he's done and from the small snippets of information we have had that his original strategy was to:
- Reduce costs by switching players and other staff across the network
- Buy and/or develop young talent relatively cheaply and then sell it on at a premium
- Bide his time and then build a competitive team for promotion once most of the opposition had critically damaged themselves through financial over-stretching and falling foul of FFP.
Those plans are now looking rather difficult, if not impossible, in the light of what we (and surely he) have learned over the last year:
- The championship is a far more of a competitive league than he bargained for.
- You can't just move players and coaches willy-nilly around a network and expect them to thrive. Some may do ok, but you need to match the skills and temperaments of the individuals with the needs and cultures of the clubs. Whether some version of the network model can bear fruit is still uncertain; but whether this particular network can thrive under its meddlesome master is rather more clear cut: Not the way things are managed at the moment.
- The Changes to FFP (and more recently, the new Sky contract), have blown any thoughts of success through frugality out of the water. The dash to the Premiership is a massive gamble that a significant number of other clubs think is worth taking a chance on. Like it or not, it's a winner takes all situation and if you aren't prepared to roll the dice then you aren't going to get close to the prize.
- Players do not increase their value at unsuccessful clubs at anything like the rate they do at successful ones.
Frankly, where this all leaves RD I'm not too sure. The way he's going, he's going to have a relegated club on his hands that will cost him more money. The network is a mess of ill-suited bedmates, seemingly picked for their availability rather than their compatibility. And if the pick and mix approach to playing staff is proving problematic, it is absolutely insane when applied to managers. Of course he may have some ace up his sleeve. Some winning idea that we don't know and he hasn't told of. But if he has, he'd better play it pretty quickly, because what we've got at the moment is just one big buggers muddle.
The meeting is very important but we CANNOT get it into our heads that Roland will see the fans are unhappy and A) buy/loan better players or b) sell to a new owner. He might very well just stop putting any money in and flog it to Slater-style chancers in an effort to make what little he can back - leaving us worse off than before.
Anyway, the bottom line is what happens to CAFC and its supporters. The team is weak and its divisional status precarious...the latter - the lifeblood of the former - is dejected.
Next week's meeting is unlikely to be harmonious, but I sincerely hope that we can engineer some outcomes that pave the way for something better than what we have...
Stig's analysis is masterly.
The problem for RD's vision is that thanks to the watering-down of FFP and now the new Prem deal the basic rules have changed. RD is no more an egoist than any self-made half-billionaire is entitled to be, but he is reluctant to adjust his Plan because he is concerned that his theories are still consistently applied throughout the Network. Internal discipline must be maintained across the board - that is why JR's amazing achievement was rewarded by his dismissal for past disloyalty, and why Miss Moneypenny tells us that we "need to accept" the Owner's wishes.
It is only just over a year since the Network doubled in number with the arrival of CZ Jena, Alcorcon and CAFC (and no-one else wanted to buy us, remember), but in the turbulent world of Big Football things move fast. However, football clubs cannot be run like McDonalds' franchises, exclusively out of an operating manual. The wider world holds sway, and the Owner needs to address the evidence which is now mounting daily before his eyes. It's Reality-Check O'Clock, and the tide is not running in King Canute's favour.
Of course the underlying problem is that the Football League has totally failed to shadow the enviable success of the EPL, leaving the 72-club remnant ill-equipped to handle the gross sporting and financial distortions which have befallen what is arguably the world's #4 league competition. Never mind the closed-shop at the top of the Prem - how likely is it that a Yeovil, a Scunny or a Colchester will ever again be able to maintain a solid, regular place in the Champ? Bournemouth have shown that in order to succeed a talented manager depends not on gate-money but only the Owner's ambition and generosity. What's a £15 million loss if it gains you the Prem ?
As the scriptures say, Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin : The Writing Is On The Wall ....
maybe RD is set on development and to be fair, looking at other property ventures by various non uk domicile wealthy individuals in SE10 SE13 and other parts of London (utterly disgusting need to get the Tories out) he may well get permission. Boris seems to be in the reach of most asian oligarchs, so why not some Euros. Our only saving grace could be the fact RD is not wealthy enough!
the other problem with people like RD is that you can NEVER tell them they are wrong or question anything they do. KM has alluded to this a few times. We are part of his little circus and no force other than the man himself is ever going to change that.
Are we anywhere near close to seeing any ground actually being broken for this project, or is it more PR bullshit?