The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
Thanks. That's a big answer.
There's got to be a balance between having a thin squad that gives youngsters and loanees a chance whilst ensuring essential cover for injuries, loss of form and suspensions. The championship season is a long one. The balance in the squad is not right at the moment to cope with it.
I think the truth lies somewhere between some of the extremes posted here. It seems to me that the current set-up have recognised that we needed a quality step up from the signings of the past and consequently the players signed this summer are better than those of the past. They should be given credit for this. However, the anorexic squad is a massive problem and means that we struggle to cope as soon as one of the first IX is off of their top form. I don't know whether it was a conscious decision to forsake quantity for quality, but that's what's happened and we are certainly suffering for lack of cover and options.
Another worry is why we have so many injuries. I don't honestly know whether we get more than other teams. But it seems it to me, maybe that's because I pay more attention to us. The problem here is definitely exacerbated by the thin squad though, because people end up playing when not fit, turning in poor-performances whilst risking further injury. If we are to have any more than a relegation dogfight on our hands, we definitely need more investment in the squad.
I think the truth lies somewhere between some of the extremes posted here. It seems to me that the current set-up have recognised that we needed a quality step up from the signings of the past and consequently the players signed this summer are better than those of the past. They should be given credit for this. However, the anorexic squad is a massive problem and means that we struggle to cope as soon as one of the first IX is off of their top form. I don't know whether it was a conscious decision to forsake quantity for quality, but that's what's happened and we are certainly suffering for lack of cover and options.
Another worry is why we have so many injuries. I don't honestly know whether we get more than other teams. But it seems it to me, maybe that's because I pay more attention to us. The problem here is definitely exacerbated by the thin squad though, because people end up playing when not fit, turning in poor-performances whilst risking further injury. If we are to have any more than a relegation dogfight on our hands, we definitely need more investment in the squad.
Big Mak being one example of as was Igor the 2nd half of last season.
A definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.
I think the truth lies somewhere between some of the extremes posted here. It seems to me that the current set-up have recognised that we needed a quality step up from the signings of the past and consequently the players signed this summer are better than those of the past. They should be given credit for this. However, the anorexic squad is a massive problem and means that we struggle to cope as soon as one of the first IX is off of their top form. I don't know whether it was a conscious decision to forsake quantity for quality, but that's what's happened and we are certainly suffering for lack of cover and options.
Another worry is why we have so many injuries. I don't honestly know whether we get more than other teams. But it seems it to me, maybe that's because I pay more attention to us. The problem here is definitely exacerbated by the thin squad though, because people end up playing when not fit, turning in poor-performances whilst risking further injury. If we are to have any more than a relegation dogfight on our hands, we definitely need more investment in the squad.
Big Mak being one example of as was Igor the 2nd half of last season.
A definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.
Thing is though, if we do manage to pull clear and form picks up this season then Roland will be perfectly happy with the result and so will do it over and over again. We'll think it's insane but he'll enjoy breaking even.
I think the truth lies somewhere between some of the extremes posted here. It seems to me that the current set-up have recognised that we needed a quality step up from the signings of the past and consequently the players signed this summer are better than those of the past. They should be given credit for this. However, the anorexic squad is a massive problem and means that we struggle to cope as soon as one of the first IX is off of their top form. I don't know whether it was a conscious decision to forsake quantity for quality, but that's what's happened and we are certainly suffering for lack of cover and options.
Another worry is why we have so many injuries. I don't honestly know whether we get more than other teams. But it seems it to me, maybe that's because I pay more attention to us. The problem here is definitely exacerbated by the thin squad though, because people end up playing when not fit, turning in poor-performances whilst risking further injury. If we are to have any more than a relegation dogfight on our hands, we definitely need more investment in the squad.
Big Mak being one example of as was Igor the 2nd half of last season.
A definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.
Thing is though, if we do manage to pull clear and form picks up this season then Roland will be perfectly happy with the result and so will do it over and over again. We'll think it's insane but he'll enjoy breaking even.
But he's not breaking even. We're losing money and those losses don't appear to be dropping significantly either. Costs are likely to increase with the Sparrows Lane spend while self-generated income (commercial/tickets/catering) is unlikely to have increased. There is more TV money but not enough to break even.
We as Supporters as fast becoming the THFC of the championship. Win a game and it's all glory glory.... Lose and its sack the board, manager, players, tea lady etc...!!!!!
I tend to agree that there is over reaction both ways although it is more than one defeat now.
And I haven't seen much sack the board or manager yet.
That tea lady though, she's got to go.
I don't think the tea lady will thank you for alerting Mr Duchatlet that they are still at the club. Next one on the list after Phil Chappell (replaced by a fax machine). I can see a link to a hot drink vending machine company website on its way to the catering manager right now.
We as Supporters as fast becoming the THFC of the championship. Win a game and it's all glory glory.... Lose and its sack the board, manager, players, tea lady etc...!!!!!
I tend to agree that there is over reaction both ways although it is more than one defeat now.
And I haven't seen much sack the board or manager yet.
That tea lady though, she's got to go.
I don't think the tea lady will thank you for alerting Mr Duchatlet that they are still at the club. Next one on the list after Phil Chappell (replaced by a fax machine). I can see a link to a hot drink vending machine company website on its way to the catering manager right now.
If they do sack the tea lady I hope they realise that she owns all the kettles and cups and she'll take them with her. Not that Charlton would ever make a mistake like that : - )
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
Good read Henners apart from in bold It's only meaningless because you don't like the answer and predictable because they are some of the real truths. It's odd, from most, I hear very little praise for RD when it's going right ie first few games (it's down to the coach, Phil Chapple etc) but when we have Injuries that wreck the squad, yes it's a thin squad but ultimately it's his toy that he is gonna play with and experiment with. RD is an extremely wealthy man and I think that he doesn't really give a toss what we think! So he tries a few new football business model, maybe they don't work, he loses a few quid , so what. A client of my friends(ahem) just lost millions on a business venture, oh well, we move on was his answer, because he can afford to lose it!
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Luzon is complicit in all of this though, there is nothing separating him from Duchatalet and Meire. He's a long term employee of the network, nestled in alongside his Israeli agent buddy who landed him the job and the rest of the mediocrity infesting our club. I would prefer a manager who would have the balls to stand up to the owner & say I need better resources - is company man Luzon going to do that. I have my doubts.
As someone who reads the results and reports, listens on the radio or gets along to a midweek game every now and then, I'm struggling to muster up interest or care at the moment, so for the die hard travellers or season ticket holders it must be extremely frustrating times.
1 point from 15 very attainable points is absolutely dire. If players are going through the motions then the fans will only do the same, and a couple of poor results over the next 2 weeks could see the Valley slip back into a poisonous atmosphere.
I do feel for Luzon as I think from what I've seen and the way he talks about the game, he's an excellent young coach with good ideas. The signings he's been excited about have impressed in patches, which by my standards is more than acceptable as they've had little time to adapt.
I can't get behind RD or even KM at the moment tho. As someone that's always tried to give them the benefit of the doubt or support their ideas, they've just gone quiet and cold. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with the new training ground plans and the upgraded facilities but if you ask fans like Nicholas or hundreds of others that travel miles and spend fortunes, it's on the pitch that it really matters. After a good start and hope that lessons from last year were learnt, it's all a bit dejavu. At the moment it's just not good enough and the January transfer window must seem like an age away for fans and Luzon.
I hope the fans to stick by Luzon because he's been badly let down by his bosses.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Not as simple as that.
Only Blackpool fans have gone that far.
I'm not going to cut my nose to spite my face because of the two clowns running/ruining our/my club.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Because I love Charlton not the owners. I'll always go, until I am unable. It's what I do. It's what I am.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Because I love Charlton not the owners. I'll always go, until I am unable. It's what I do. It's what I am.
Well said that man.
The rubbish Meire comes out with about supporting Charlton, don't make me laugh.
Is it all about heading in the direction of living within our means?
More players have left than have come in, and younger (cheaper?) players have been promoted.
There is supposedly a big investment in the academy.
If the Joe Gomez money was huge, then maybe there is an argument that we should be spending more, there is also the past mistakes to pay for to soak up the dosh.
It may be that we have to accept that RD is a money tree, but not a money tree that can be harvested daily, and he actually means the bits that he says about reducing losses.
We have the set up we have, and the thin squad will have to manage, as will Luzon, unless there RD has lined up a magician, a miracle worker out there, who can make lots of silk purses out of sows ears.
On the one hand developing the academy, having a route through for our young players to the first team, and having our younger players play rather than indifferent loanees is not the worst idea in the world, but the current results are worrying.
The argument that relegation would be costly is obvious, also that promotion would be bountiful, but RD is more likely to avoid gambling (as in Delort and Henry), and make haste slowly.
I hope we have enough to stay up, but morale throughout is pretty low. We need some leadership and oomph from some quarter at the club, but I can't see where that's coming from.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Because I love Charlton not the owners. I'll always go, until I am unable. It's what I do. It's what I am.
I was kinda playing devils advocate but.......This! Maybe RD plays on our love for the club. So like him or loathe him, he's the captain of the good ship Charlton. Choppy waters or plain sailing ahead!
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
Good read Henners apart from in bold It's only meaningless because you don't like the answer and predictable because they are some of the real truths. It's odd, from most, I hear very little praise for RD when it's going right ie first few games (it's down to the coach, Phil Chapple etc) but when we have Injuries that wreck the squad, yes it's a thin squad but ultimately it's his toy that he is gonna play with and experiment with. RD is an extremely wealthy man and I think that he doesn't really give a toss what we think! So he tries a few new football business model, maybe they don't work, he loses a few quid , so what. A client of my friends(ahem) just lost millions on a business venture, oh well, we move on was his answer, because he can afford to lose it!
Indeed, but he's not running an electronics firm here and if you operate in a cavalier way towards your customers - for example ignoring reasonable correspondence at an individual level, forcing people to queue to collect season tickets and blanking long-term sponsors in the lounges - you will damage your business, because in football the relationship is the product.
I guess if you think the only thing that matters is developing and trading players then you may get away with that, but you are going to create a lot of unnecessary discontent and some lost revenue in the meantime.
How many times have we been relegated since they took over?
How many times have we been close to bankruptcy?
How many times have we been evicted from the ground and forced to share the worst stadium in the league?
In the last, say, seventy years, when has the pitch been properly invested in and been in better condition?
Since, say, the war*, when have we had better, realistic, funded, approved plans for training facilities? (Take your pick: Iraq, Falklands, WWII).
We may not be as high up in the football league as most of us want. But without the investment, stability and security that these people have brought to the club, there was always the possibility we wouldn't *be* in the football league.
Then who would we support?
Agree with most of that....but when I started going (early 70's) we did have a fantastic pitch...one of the best in the country, unfortunately the ground was falling apart.
The writing was on the wall from the start of the season with the thin squad. No pace on the wings, lack of a creative midfield, weakness at left midfield, no cover at right back, apart from inexperienced Cook or one of Charlton's best midfielder, Cousins. The lack of a decent additional striker, doesn't allow for strikers to recover properly from injury. The lack of striking options last season led to Vetekele being played when injured. The lack of strikers this season has forced Vetekele to be played before fully able to recover fitness and form. The aggravation of Makienok's injury at Huddersfield similar. The squad contains some quailty but is overall not strong enough for a competitive Championship season.
And not only do you know that and I know that but Luzon knows that.
I suspect Miere knows that too.
Whats the reasoning behind having a consistently under strength squad ? Particularly where it doesn't help assets retain their value - such as Vetekele, who has gone back wards from a good start at the club. Its a real flaw in the plan.
We don't know.
KM has said that RD believes that football clubs can be run in a different way ie not losing money. Originally that was based on the "network" producing savings but that proved to be full of flaws, costly flaws too, and no longer really exists or is mentioned by the club.
Financial Fair Play (FFP) was going to reduce other clubs' spending so we were competing on a slightly more level playing field. That has been blown away with clubs being allowed to overspend by £13m per season rather than £0m.
So RD sets a budget and we have to stick to it.
Only we don't as KM has already said we have gone over it and we would have gone further over if we'd had to pay the fee and wages from James Henry. Yet that money earmarked for Henry hasn't been spent elsewhere. Instead we have McAleny who I suspect was a much cheaper option but was still bought in after KM said we were over budget.
And that is over RDs budget NOT over the FFP limits. RD could spend more but chooses not to.
His money and his decision and I do believe that money isn't the only answer. Coaching, tactics, experience, leadership, team spirit, fitness, luck, all play a part but if other clubs are spending much more than they are likely to have more and better players with all those qualities. Especially if they have better contacts in English football and are so better able to find quality loans/deals.
The argument being made by some now is that this isn't our year and that we are building for next season or even the season after that. I haven't seen this said by KM or RD but it is a convenient rationalisation for not doing well this year. Only it doesn't work like that.
This would be fine if there was evidence of building a squad over those 2 or 3 seasons but that isn't the case. The turnover of players is large and often it is the first teamers that are leaving (Gomez, Buyens, Johnson, Bulot, Eagles) that leave.
So every season we start again. We've also started each of the last three seasons under RD with a different head coach and that's not counting Riga who never even got that far.
How can you plan long term and build stability when the likelihood is that there will be yet another head coach. A mid-table finishing position and demands to raise a set amount of money means that it is all change every summer?
RD is investing long term in Sparrows Lane and that is great but the new training ground won't be ready until just before the 2017/8 season. A decent pitch is a minimum requirement not a nice to have extra BTW.
We're producing good young players. But when they come into the team now it is too often in a struggling side. And rather than one young player slotting into an experienced side it is four or five playing because that all we have not because they are ready. And remember nearly all those players were with the club long before Roland.
The plan doesn't make sense and while people guess like to guess what it is or look for the positives (and there are positives) this whole situation could easily fixed.
RD and KM could tell us what the plan is and how it is going to work. That simple.
"You've got no right to know" "It's his club, he can do what he likes" "You put £££££ in and then you can know" will be the predictable and meaningless responses.
If KM wants to "build a better tomorrow together" then she and RD need to focus on the "together" bit. Try taking a leaf out of the Palace Chairman's book (and he's only doing what CAFC did years before) and try selling what you are doing to fans, tell us what you are doing, answer the difficult questions, explain, explain, explain.
Create a buzz about the club and its future, don't just expect all the fans to sit passively wanting for success.
It's not another meaningless "town hall" meeting she needs to worry about. That was all wind and noise. The real threats are the silent decisions to not renew that season ticket, to not bother with the shirt sponsorship or the lounge pass. Once those fans have stopped it is much, much harder than you think to get them back. That means less income, more empty seats and a lower budget and so the downward spiral continues.
A perfect summation. RD/KM will of course not reveal their plan, because they know the fans won't like it.
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
Ultimately I suppose, if you don't like the owners, why go? Why put your money in their pocket?
Because I love Charlton not the owners. I'll always go, until I am unable. It's what I do. It's what I am.
I was kinda playing devils advocate but.......This! Maybe RD plays on our love for the club. So like him or loathe him, he's the captain of the good ship Charlton. Choppy waters or plain sailing ahead!
I agree but if you were on a ship on choppy waters wouldn't you appreciate and be reassured if the captain told you what his plan was to get you home safe or would you say "it's his ship and he had painted the deck so I'll just not ask any questions".
I don't want RD, KM or GL out but I do want to now where they are steering the good ship Addick.
But I think either CE is right in that the plan isn't very palatable or RD doesn't care what we think.
You used the example of a friend losing millions in a failed venture.
But here the venture is your football club, my football club. He may be able to walk away and count his losses. I can't, neither can CE or I suspect can you.
We're on a bad run so all this comes up again but I was asking the same questions from before RD bought OUR club.
Injuries always seem to be more troublesome when a team is losing.
When players are confident and the team is winning, they are far more able to play through the pain barrier.
I suppose, it's a bit like, when we feel "under the weather/poorly". If you like your job, you're more likely to go to work, than if you don't like your work/you're unhappy at work.
Feels like I've never been away. Sorry for you guys and guyesses, but I reckon having Colin as your resident comic is a plus point. Best I can do is to say that Lourdes is just 6 Km down the road :-)
oh Colin you are a joker you wrote about the 12 injured on Sunday morning but make a list from before Saturday's match in which 3 played without anyone commenting on their infirmities and one has never started for the 1st team and you ignore my question as to where you obtain your information.
Comments
There's got to be a balance between having a thin squad that gives youngsters and loanees a chance whilst ensuring essential cover for injuries, loss of form and suspensions. The championship season is a long one. The balance in the squad is not right at the moment to cope with it.
Another worry is why we have so many injuries. I don't honestly know whether we get more than other teams. But it seems it to me, maybe that's because I pay more attention to us. The problem here is definitely exacerbated by the thin squad though, because people end up playing when not fit, turning in poor-performances whilst risking further injury. If we are to have any more than a relegation dogfight on our hands, we definitely need more investment in the squad.
A definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.
It's only meaningless because you don't like the answer and predictable because they are some of the real truths.
It's odd, from most, I hear very little praise for RD when it's going right ie first few games (it's down to the coach, Phil Chapple etc) but when we have Injuries that wreck the squad, yes it's a thin squad but ultimately it's his toy that he is gonna play with and experiment with.
RD is an extremely wealthy man and I think that he doesn't really give a toss what we think! So he tries a few new football business model, maybe they don't work, he loses a few quid , so what. A client of my friends(ahem) just lost millions on a business venture, oh well, we move on was his answer, because he can afford to lose it!
If they thought the fans would like the plan, they wouldn't be able to tell us quick enough.
Many fans will now say why are all the moaners, starting up again.
The reason of course, is that the moaners understand, that the hidden plan is a sham and that talk is cheap.
When we win a few games, the discontent gets surpressed, but once we start losing again, the underlying discontent resurfaces.
PS has Phil Chapple gone or is that a joke ?
1 point from 15 very attainable points is absolutely dire. If players are going through the motions then the fans will only do the same, and a couple of poor results over the next 2 weeks could see the Valley slip back into a poisonous atmosphere.
I do feel for Luzon as I think from what I've seen and the way he talks about the game, he's an excellent young coach with good ideas. The signings he's been excited about have impressed in patches, which by my standards is more than acceptable as they've had little time to adapt.
I can't get behind RD or even KM at the moment tho. As someone that's always tried to give them the benefit of the doubt or support their ideas, they've just gone quiet and cold. Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted with the new training ground plans and the upgraded facilities but if you ask fans like Nicholas or hundreds of others that travel miles and spend fortunes, it's on the pitch that it really matters. After a good start and hope that lessons from last year were learnt, it's all a bit dejavu. At the moment it's just not good enough and the January transfer window must seem like an age away for fans and Luzon.
I hope the fans to stick by Luzon because he's been badly let down by his bosses.
Only Blackpool fans have gone that far.
I'm not going to cut my nose to spite my face because of the two clowns running/ruining our/my club.
The rubbish Meire comes out with about supporting Charlton, don't make me laugh.
Never heard of us until on the payroll.
More players have left than have come in, and younger (cheaper?) players have been promoted.
There is supposedly a big investment in the academy.
If the Joe Gomez money was huge, then maybe there is an argument that we should be spending more, there is also the past mistakes to pay for to soak up the dosh.
It may be that we have to accept that RD is a money tree, but not a money tree that can be harvested daily, and he actually means the bits that he says about reducing losses.
We have the set up we have, and the thin squad will have to manage, as will Luzon, unless there RD has lined up a magician, a miracle worker out there, who can make lots of silk purses out of sows ears.
On the one hand developing the academy, having a route through for our young players to the first team, and having our younger players play rather than indifferent loanees is not the worst idea in the world, but the current results are worrying.
The argument that relegation would be costly is obvious, also that promotion would be bountiful, but RD is more likely to avoid gambling (as in Delort and Henry), and make haste slowly.
I hope we have enough to stay up, but morale throughout is pretty low. We need some leadership and oomph from some quarter at the club, but I can't see where that's coming from.
Grande huevos needed. Cojones.
Maybe RD plays on our love for the club.
So like him or loathe him, he's the captain of the good ship Charlton.
Choppy waters or plain sailing ahead!
I guess if you think the only thing that matters is developing and trading players then you may get away with that, but you are going to create a lot of unnecessary discontent and some lost revenue in the meantime.
I don't want RD, KM or GL out but I do want to now where they are steering the good ship Addick.
But I think either CE is right in that the plan isn't very palatable or RD doesn't care what we think.
You used the example of a friend losing millions in a failed venture.
But here the venture is your football club, my football club. He may be able to walk away and count his losses. I can't, neither can CE or I suspect can you.
We're on a bad run so all this comes up again but I was asking the same questions from before RD bought OUR club.
When players are confident and the team is winning, they are far more able to play through the pain barrier.
I suppose, it's a bit like, when we feel "under the weather/poorly". If you like your job, you're more likely to go to work, than if you don't like your work/you're unhappy at work.
you wrote about the 12 injured on Sunday morning but make a list from before Saturday's match in which 3 played without anyone commenting on their infirmities and one has never started for the 1st team and you ignore my question as to where you obtain your information.