Maybe my mental faculties are fading but I am struggling to understand what this CEO is actually trying to achieve.
For a person purporting to be a CEO why would you come out with this stuff at this stage of a) the season b) the "project". It lacks thought, offers no clarity, no conviction, no vision and crucially no leadership. In effect it suggests we will bumble along our merry (or not so merry) way doing our best with what we have until possibly, maybe something better comes along.
For a regime which has shown it is clearly careful with its spending why would you make any reference to entering the transfer market in January where the norm indicates it is the most expensive and stressful time to try to bring in players. For a financially prudent organisation why would you even plan to do any meaningful business in such an environment.
I continue to be left with the impression of a scenario where the business is running the executive rather than the executive running the business.
Duchatelet has consistently positioned himself as an "investor". In such a position he will merely respond to the "investment propositions" being put forward by the club executive.
The club executive is Katrien Meire.
As no doubt an extremely talented young woman I find her understanding of her role troubling. I have no doubt about her ability to "manage the household budget", the upgrades to the stadium and plan for the new training and academy facilities.
Others will have a more pertinent view of her abilities in delivering organisational and operational excellence.
However her ability to set the agenda, the vision and the policies to achieve such vision must be viewed as questionable. As a CEO you do have to sell your vision to your "stakeholders", the investors, your customers and your employees.
Her pronouncements carry all the conviction of someone still unsure of the nature of the job. Repeatedly her inexperience in a commercial role gives the impression of someone always playing "catch up" while constantly looking over her shoulder.
If you have a vision to build the infrastructure of the club to the point it is able to viably and consistently compete successfully at the highest levels of the national game then say so each and every time you get the opportunity to do so. Be proud of it, stress its long term value explain why you see as the best way forward.
It is a tough vision to deliver so explain the strategies and policies you are pursuing to fulfil that vision. Inform and reiterate how progress is being made with strategies and policies. There will be successes. There will be failures.
There will be many who will disagree with every strategy, every policy and indeed every word you say. Many will be critical of every decision you make. It comes with CEO territory. It comes with the football industry. It matters not.
If you are intent on delivering value to this club please, please show some leadership.
I believe people over state Katrien Meire influence, Duchalet calls the tune and she has to dance to it. She is the acceptable face of his ownership and puts the spin on his actions or lack of with regard to the club.
The same meaningless line was deployed in support of John Fryer and the move to Selhurst Park in 1985. We all invest in the club, financially, emotionally and in terms of our time. The idea that we are precluded from even having an opinion about the way it is run because we don't own the shares belongs to the 1950s.
But the reality is that our opinions do mean nothing, and until a supporter stumps up and buys the club our 'business' opinions will continue to mean nothing.
Again, you can make the same argument about Selhurst Park. The fact is that the resistance of supporters to the owners' plan did contribute to the outcome. It's not as if Martin Simons, Richard Murray and Roger Alwen just decided one day to get involved. They were clearly influenced by the momentum and substance of the campaign. If all fans had passively accepted their lot, which don't forget was top flight football until 1990, it's unlikely they would have acted.
You can also make a case about Standard Liege, where the supporters may have had an influence on RD's decision to dispose of the club.
Possibly RD thinks the business of football can be run without taking any account of the "customers" because he can be successful trading players. I think it's more complicated than that, but treating supporters as an obstacle to be overcome or replaced is a peculiar approach that seems unlikely to yield results.
I really don't understand the mentality of our fans. I remember a few years ago when we were really struggling quite a number of people on here were all saying "I don't really want us to get into loads of debt to chase the PL dream, I'm happy to be comfortably mid Championship level". So we have that and a club that is run prudently and now people bemoan the lack of spending to chase PL promotion.
Can someone explain to me what the hatred is about at the moment? I really don't understand it.
Its the regular busy body keyboard business men, who think the internet gives them a right to tell a highly successful multi millionaire how to run his businesses. It always makes me laugh, 'RD should spend XX Million on XX player, X Million on the ground, oh yes and we want more chips' - its comical.
But it's ok for keyboard football managers to give their opinions on the game that has just gone, or are able to judge weather a football player is shit or not for example Callum Harriott!, even though they are no professional themselves. What gives the right to question a manager or pro footballer.
Don't understand RD....over 70 and not going to be around too much longer so with all his money he might take a shot and take us to the promised land! But no.....
I'm starting to wonder if Roland is Benjamin Button?
I really don't understand the mentality of our fans. I remember a few years ago when we were really struggling quite a number of people on here were all saying "I don't really want us to get into loads of debt to chase the PL dream, I'm happy to be comfortably mid Championship level". So we have that and a club that is run prudently and now people bemoan the lack of spending to chase PL promotion.
Can someone explain to me what the hatred is about at the moment? I really don't understand it.
How do you know it is being run prudently? Spending money on playing and non playing staff that are not up to the job eg the CEO, the managers, the majority of the signings, as one example, is not prudence surely. Just a big debt being built up again that somehow will have to be repaid to The Belgian.
Well given that we are spending within our means and not at the levels of debt other clubs in our league are in and also the wage bill. True I'm not privy to the inner financial workings at the club but on the surface it seems we are living prudently. On your other point. Why isn't KM up to the job? The managers? Personally I'd say GL is up to the job but unfortunately we don't quite have the depth of squad needed to break into the top 6. The majority of the signings? Personally I'd say the majority have been decent, true some have been bobbins but then that same accusation can be labelled at our club since it's existence and likewise at every other club.
The same meaningless line was deployed in support of John Fryer and the move to Selhurst Park in 1985. We all invest in the club, financially, emotionally and in terms of our time. The idea that we are precluded from even having an opinion about the way it is run because we don't own the shares belongs to the 1950s.
But the reality is that our opinions do mean nothing, and until a supporter stumps up and buys the club our 'business' opinions will continue to mean nothing.
Hear what u say Greenie, but to say that a substantial wedge of positive income that comes from an engaged fanbase means nothing just doesn't add up. Ignore that and you get less loyalty, more apathy, lower spend, lower gates.
This isnt just a view of trust people, its common sense, and a view shared by more enlightened people in the game.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
I have devised a new Hysteria, Drama and Negativity Score known as the HDNS and calibrated on a scale of 0 to 17. 0 being all is good and 17 being entire global meltdown.
I'll grade threads as they develop based on their negativity and hysteria naturally but also taking into account bed wetting and real life importance.
I really don't understand the mentality of our fans. I remember a few years ago when we were really struggling quite a number of people on here were all saying "I don't really want us to get into loads of debt to chase the PL dream, I'm happy to be comfortably mid Championship level". So we have that and a club that is run prudently and now people bemoan the lack of spending to chase PL promotion.
Can someone explain to me what the hatred is about at the moment? I really don't understand it.
How do you know it is being run prudently? Spending money on playing and non playing staff that are not up to the job eg the CEO, the managers, the majority of the signings, as one example, is not prudence surely. Just a big debt being built up again that somehow will have to be repaid to The Belgian.
Why isn't KM up to the job?
I could spend hours listing the specific reasons, but, in short, she's in charge of a business which is losing customers and therefore losing money, many of the customers that she's still got are unhappy with the way the business is being run. By her own admission, most of the correspondence she receives from customers is some form of complaint and she continually refuses to engage with those customers to improve the situation. Doesn't matter whether it's Charlton Athletic or Tescos - that's a CEO who's not doing a good job.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
I don't think anyone is seriously saying that we aren't allowed an opinion. However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?". I agree with you though that the most successful period was when fans and owners worked together. However, given the constant negativity around a vast number of our support I can't see it ever working. Investments made around the Valley people say what's the point? Players brought in and they are immediately written off, the same goes for managers. Staff depart and the club is becoming less "Charlton".
Seems many want to know the ins and outs of every little thing that is going on at the club, that just isn't going to happen and very few fans of any club around the world know that information either. Fortunately/unfortunately it will be on RD's terms, he has that right since he owns the club. Some people need to recognise this and just accept it.
Can someone explain to me what the hatred is about at the moment? I really don't understand it.
It's just frustration. In pre-season, Luzon himself said we need 2 or 3 players more. We did not get any of them. Exactly the same thing happened the year before. You're aware of Einstein's definition of insanity, aren't you?
It wouldn't be so bad, but our paper-thin squad seems to contain a lot of players who can get a hammy just stepping off the club coach.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
I don't think anyone is seriously saying that we aren't allowed an opinion. However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?". I agree with you though that the most successful period was when fans and owners worked together. However, given the constant negativity around a vast number of our support I can't see it ever working. Investments made around the Valley people say what's the point? Players brought in and they are immediately written off, the same goes for managers. Staff depart and the club is becoming less "Charlton".
Seems many want to know the ins and outs of every little thing that is going on at the club, that just isn't going to happen and very few fans of any club around the world know that information either. Fortunately/unfortunately it will be on RD's terms, he has that right since he owns the club. Some people need to recognise this and just accept it.
Why do they need to accept it? And I'm sure if the owner wanted to work closer with supporters he would find them more than reasonable - the approach needs to change from RD. The fact that you can't see it ever working is more a slight on his methods than supporters who I would say over the years have been more realistic than most and have a history of close working with the club. You would think their is a common objective. Of course it is unreasonable to expect all the detail, but an indication of what the plan is and to be listened too, whether what was said is taken on or not is not!
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
Oh because you underlined it I suppose I should answer.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
Oh because you underlined it I suppose I should answer.
Your choice of word mate, I was just wondering if you could back up your comment with a well-reasoned, considered defence of RD's strategy. Apparently not.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
Oh because you underlined it I suppose I should answer.
Your choice of word mate, I was just wondering if you could back up your comment with a well-reasoned, considered defence of RD's strategy. Apparently not.
I could but really what's the point? It's not going to make you suddenly decide that he isn't the Antichrist so we would just go back and forth over what we think is and isn't good for the club and not really get anywhere.
For the record I'm not pro RD. I am however not anti RD, some here think that just because you aren't one you are automatically the other. I can see some of the good things he has brought to the club but then like many I'm frustrated that we aren't spending lots on players. It's what we have and we have to deal with it. Throwing toys out of the pram won't achieve anything.
The same meaningless line was deployed in support of John Fryer and the move to Selhurst Park in 1985. We all invest in the club, financially, emotionally and in terms of our time. The idea that we are precluded from even having an opinion about the way it is run because we don't own the shares belongs to the 1950s.
But the reality is that our opinions do mean nothing, and until a supporter stumps up and buys the club our 'business' opinions will continue to mean nothing.
Hear what u say Greenie, but to say that a substantial wedge of positive income that comes from an engaged fanbase means nothing just doesn't add up. Ignore that and you get less loyalty, more apathy, lower spend, lower gates.
This isnt just a view of trust people, its common sense, and a view shared by more enlightened people in the game.
I understand Razil, but if 30% of our fanbase left cos we were all pissed off because of poor comms from the club, and then RD got us in the Prem the loss of those fans to RD ( I am of course speculating here) would be inconsequential because new fans would pay to see prem games, so in the great scheme of things we are as loyal fans redundant.
Let's face it we're currently very dull and will continue to be a very dull treading water nothing club under RD
Our pleasure has to come from someone else's pain , step forward millwall and their wankiness making last season a great season but the yang to that ying is we have palace doing great things and that hurts
luckily for me i can deal with that
but woe betide that boring belgian if the scum rise from the ashes and start knocking on the premierships door , as we yo yo from 14th place to the heady heights of 12th in the championship , that wont be good enough !!
The issue for me is that I see absolutely no evidence of any "Prem Dream". The more she says, the more it reinforces my view posted a week or so ago on another thread, i.e.:
It seems to me that this might be another clue as to the long term intentions of RD and KM. And I do mean LONG term because I believe that those of us/you who are hoping that the Duchatalet era will be relatively short-lived are in for a disappointment.
The biggest clue must surely be in RD's willingness to invest millions in our academy whilst keeping the purse strings tight in respect of transfers, wages and other operating costs. I believe he is quite content to do just enough to keep us in the Championship, using the occasional profit on player sales to help keep operating losses manageable. Creating a state of the art training and fitness complex and gaining category one status is crucial to his strategy. That, together with academy graduates standing a higher chance of breaking into the first team at Championship level than in the Premier League, will (he believes) attract top youth talent from the UK and elsewhere in the EU. Some, like Gomez, will receive accelerated development and then be sold to finance the club and, hopefully, enough talent will be retained, blended with younger, more experienced players from overseas to give us a chance - eventually - of getting promoted ourselves.
KM's disregard of our history and in particular the apparent contempt for the older fans (which she must surely understand currently form, like it or not, the core of our support) is indicative of a single-minded focus on the future. Never mind the past, never mind the older fans - they are changing the paradigm. Over time, a new model will be established, a higher calibre team will gradually be created, a new, younger fan base will be grown. If the current fans are pissed off along the way, so be it. Gates might drop a bit, but a new generation of fans will emerge as the strategy starts to bear fruit.
A lot of conjecture on my part, granted, but after 20 months of hoping and looking for more positive signs this is settling into a pretty compelling scenario to me. The big question is, what will happen when Roly decides to retire? I believe he is 69 years old in November and has stated somewhere that he has another 6 years or so to go (I stand to be corrected on the detail of this). The strategy is unlikely to be successful (if at all) in this sort of timescale so what then? Perhaps he will pass the baton on to a family member to continue the "project". Perhaps he will seek to sell and reflect the academy investment in the asking price. Whatever, I can't help thinking that RD at least is here until at least he reaches 75 unless he pops his clogs before then. As for Katrien, who knows? My guess is that her managerial shortcomings will be overlooked/forgiven by RD as long as a) Championship status is preserved, b) the operating budget is met and c) the conveyor belt of successful academy graduates keeps producing.
Unlike some on here, my love for Charlton has not diminished over the years (although when my kids were young and I had loads of DIY to do, my attendance waned) and I find it very hard to imagine becoming so disenchanted with the club that I will stop going to games or avidly following all the news, rumours and debate. I suspect I will continue to get excited by the occasional quality performance and victory, the run of good form, the new signings, the latest academy graduate debut - all the things that have kept me going since the takeover. I also suspect I will continue to take pride in our history (even if RD and KM don't) and in the great work of the Community Trust. But I honestly can't say that it feels quite the same. If my long history with Charlton Athletic Football Club was a marriage, it would most certainly currently be regarded as going through quite a prolonged bad patch.
This, I fear, is as far as their strategic vision goes. I would love to be proved wrong, but I won't be holding my breath.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
Oh because you underlined it I suppose I should answer.
Your choice of word mate, I was just wondering if you could back up your comment with a well-reasoned, considered defence of RD's strategy. Apparently not.
I could but really what's the point? It's not going to make you suddenly decide that he isn't the Antichrist so we would just go back and forth over what we think is and isn't good for the club and not really get anywhere.
For the record I'm not pro RD. I am however not anti RD, some here think that just because you aren't one you are automatically the other. I can see some of the good things he has brought to the club but then like many I'm frustrated that we aren't spending lots on players. It's what we have and we have to deal with it. Throwing toys out of the pram won't achieve anything.
Agree with that generally, but I think it's incorrect to say that there's no constructive anti-RD input. I've seen plenty on here.
The same meaningless line was deployed in support of John Fryer and the move to Selhurst Park in 1985. We all invest in the club, financially, emotionally and in terms of our time. The idea that we are precluded from even having an opinion about the way it is run because we don't own the shares belongs to the 1950s.
But the reality is that our opinions do mean nothing, and until a supporter stumps up and buys the club our 'business' opinions will continue to mean nothing.
Hear what u say Greenie, but to say that a substantial wedge of positive income that comes from an engaged fanbase means nothing just doesn't add up. Ignore that and you get less loyalty, more apathy, lower spend, lower gates.
This isnt just a view of trust people, its common sense, and a view shared by more enlightened people in the game.
I understand Razil, but if 30% of our fanbase left cos we were all pissed off because of poor comms from the club, and then RD got us in the Prem the loss of those fans to RD ( I am of course speculating here) would be inconsequential because new fans would pay to see prem games, so in the great scheme of things we are as loyal fans redundant.
But spin that the other way round (to make it a fair argument), if we lose 30% of our fanbase and then we get relegated and lose a further big batch, RD would essentially have no steady income (the only real steady income is what he makes off of us). The fact of the matter is his tactics are bringing the club nearer to L1 than they are to the Prem, maybe only a few acquisitions away from pushing nearer the Prem than L1 but those acquisitions aren't ones he is making or planning to make.
As anti-RD as I seem, and obviously am, I do like to look at the bigger picture, I don't like his like it or lump it attitude, it doesn't sit well with loyal fans.. he is not the devil, but the lack of clarity amongst many other things make him easier to dislike than like. I do respect that it's his business and he can do with it as he will, we don't have the right to tell him where to spend his hard earned, nor have I done so, but we do have the right on an opinion on the way he runs things.
If we are not allowed to comment on what we think should be done, what are we doing on a football forum? When you buy a football club, you know that supporters are part of that. They are a source of revenue, but also support - hence the word supporter. It seems to me that the most successful period in the clubs recent history was when it worked well with supporters. It is true that the owner can do what he wants with his club, but it is our club too. We put money into the club - apart from being a season ticket holder when really there is no advantage to me, I also support valley gold for instance, to help the club fund youth development. I don't do that with Tesco or BP for example. If supporters can't express a view on a forum, we might as well all pack it in!
However, what I would say, the people that are currently against RD and his methods rarely have any constructive input. It's usually "spend money and buy better players" or "how can they let someone go who has been at the club for x years?".
Rarely have any constructive input?! Leave off. Perhaps you could constructively explain to me the positive elements of RD's ownership, aside from the one indisputable positive which as that we're very unlikely to go into administration under his ownership.
Oh because you underlined it I suppose I should answer.
Your choice of word mate, I was just wondering if you could back up your comment with a well-reasoned, considered defence of RD's strategy. Apparently not.
I could but really what's the point? It's not going to make you suddenly decide that he isn't the Antichrist so we would just go back and forth over what we think is and isn't good for the club and not really get anywhere.
For the record I'm not pro RD. I am however not anti RD, some here think that just because you aren't one you are automatically the other. I can see some of the good things he has brought to the club but then like many I'm frustrated that we aren't spending lots on players. It's what we have and we have to deal with it. Throwing toys out of the pram won't achieve anything.
Agree with that generally, but I think it's incorrect to say that there's no constructive anti-RD input. I've seen plenty on here.
I didn't say there was no constructive anti-RD input I said rarely.
I think it is wrong to say criticism isn’t constructive. The mere fact that it is criticism may make it seem that way, but most people seem to me to be stating what should be done – which is constructive surely.
It could be and is argued that providing constructive criticism to somebody who isn’t interested is pointless. But those that make it should not be criticised. If you think RD is doing a great job, then great. But your criticism of those who do not is not constructive.
Comments
For a person purporting to be a CEO why would you come out with this stuff at this stage of a) the season b) the "project". It lacks thought, offers no clarity, no conviction, no vision and crucially no leadership. In effect it suggests we will bumble along our merry (or not so merry) way doing our best with what we have until possibly, maybe something better comes along.
For a regime which has shown it is clearly careful with its spending why would you make any reference to entering the transfer market in January where the norm indicates it is the most expensive and stressful time to try to bring in players. For a financially prudent organisation why would you even plan to do any meaningful business in such an environment.
I continue to be left with the impression of a scenario where the business is running the executive rather than the executive running the business.
Duchatelet has consistently positioned himself as an "investor". In such a position he will merely respond to the "investment propositions" being put forward by the club executive.
The club executive is Katrien Meire.
As no doubt an extremely talented young woman I find her understanding of her role troubling. I have no doubt about her ability to "manage the household budget", the upgrades to the stadium and plan for the new training and academy facilities.
Others will have a more pertinent view of her abilities in delivering organisational and operational excellence.
However her ability to set the agenda, the vision and the policies to achieve such vision must be viewed as questionable. As a CEO you do have to sell your vision to your "stakeholders", the investors, your customers and your employees.
Her pronouncements carry all the conviction of someone still unsure of the nature of the job. Repeatedly her inexperience in a commercial role gives the impression of someone always playing "catch up" while constantly looking over her shoulder.
If you have a vision to build the infrastructure of the club to the point it is able to viably and consistently compete successfully at the highest levels of the national game then say so each and every time you get the opportunity to do so. Be proud of it, stress its long term value explain why you see as the best way forward.
It is a tough vision to deliver so explain the strategies and policies you are pursuing to fulfil that vision. Inform and reiterate how progress is being made with strategies and policies. There will be successes. There will be failures.
There will be many who will disagree with every strategy, every policy and indeed every word you say. Many will be critical of every decision you make. It comes with CEO territory. It comes with the football industry. It matters not.
If you are intent on delivering value to this club please, please show some leadership.
You can also make a case about Standard Liege, where the supporters may have had an influence on RD's decision to dispose of the club.
Possibly RD thinks the business of football can be run without taking any account of the "customers" because he can be successful trading players. I think it's more complicated than that, but treating supporters as an obstacle to be overcome or replaced is a peculiar approach that seems unlikely to yield results.
May as well close this forum now.
It's a lack of leadership and an inability or unwillingness to consistently articulate a positive vision.
Yes, she is tied by what Roland wants but part of her role has to be to fight Charlton's corner in Liege not just accept every decision from RD.
As Grapevine says tell us again and again what the vision and the plan is and use your own comms.
I'm starting to wonder if Roland is Benjamin Button?
This isnt just a view of trust people, its common sense, and a view shared by more enlightened people in the game.
I'll grade threads as they develop based on their negativity and hysteria naturally but also taking into account bed wetting and real life importance.
This one gets * HDNS 11/17 * at present.
Trolls can score 1 to 5 on the P scale (persistence/desperation to get attention) and 1 to 5 on the L scale (loser)
Current score is PL54
Seems many want to know the ins and outs of every little thing that is going on at the club, that just isn't going to happen and very few fans of any club around the world know that information either. Fortunately/unfortunately it will be on RD's terms, he has that right since he owns the club. Some people need to recognise this and just accept it.
It wouldn't be so bad, but our paper-thin squad seems to contain a lot of players who can get a hammy just stepping off the club coach.
You're just a loveable rogue to me though PL
For the record I'm not pro RD. I am however not anti RD, some here think that just because you aren't one you are automatically the other. I can see some of the good things he has brought to the club but then like many I'm frustrated that we aren't spending lots on players. It's what we have and we have to deal with it. Throwing toys out of the pram won't achieve anything.
Our pleasure has to come from someone else's pain , step forward millwall and their wankiness making last season a great season
but the yang to that ying is we have palace doing great things and that hurts
luckily for me i can deal with that
but woe betide that boring belgian if the scum rise from the ashes and start knocking on the premierships door , as we yo yo from 14th place to the heady heights of 12th in the championship , that wont be good enough !!
It seems to me that this might be another clue as to the long term intentions of RD and KM. And I do mean LONG term because I believe that those of us/you who are hoping that the Duchatalet era will be relatively short-lived are in for a disappointment.
The biggest clue must surely be in RD's willingness to invest millions in our academy whilst keeping the purse strings tight in respect of transfers, wages and other operating costs. I believe he is quite content to do just enough to keep us in the Championship, using the occasional profit on player sales to help keep operating losses manageable. Creating a state of the art training and fitness complex and gaining category one status is crucial to his strategy. That, together with academy graduates standing a higher chance of breaking into the first team at Championship level than in the Premier League, will (he believes) attract top youth talent from the UK and elsewhere in the EU. Some, like Gomez, will receive accelerated development and then be sold to finance the club and, hopefully, enough talent will be retained, blended with younger, more experienced players from overseas to give us a chance - eventually - of getting promoted ourselves.
KM's disregard of our history and in particular the apparent contempt for the older fans (which she must surely understand currently form, like it or not, the core of our support) is indicative of a single-minded focus on the future. Never mind the past, never mind the older fans - they are changing the paradigm. Over time, a new model will be established, a higher calibre team will gradually be created, a new, younger fan base will be grown. If the current fans are pissed off along the way, so be it. Gates might drop a bit, but a new generation of fans will emerge as the strategy starts to bear fruit.
A lot of conjecture on my part, granted, but after 20 months of hoping and looking for more positive signs this is settling into a pretty compelling scenario to me. The big question is, what will happen when Roly decides to retire? I believe he is 69 years old in November and has stated somewhere that he has another 6 years or so to go (I stand to be corrected on the detail of this). The strategy is unlikely to be successful (if at all) in this sort of timescale so what then? Perhaps he will pass the baton on to a family member to continue the "project". Perhaps he will seek to sell and reflect the academy investment in the asking price. Whatever, I can't help thinking that RD at least is here until at least he reaches 75 unless he pops his clogs before then. As for Katrien, who knows? My guess is that her managerial shortcomings will be overlooked/forgiven by RD as long as a) Championship status is preserved, b) the operating budget is met and c) the conveyor belt of successful academy graduates keeps producing.
Unlike some on here, my love for Charlton has not diminished over the years (although when my kids were young and I had loads of DIY to do, my attendance waned) and I find it very hard to imagine becoming so disenchanted with the club that I will stop going to games or avidly following all the news, rumours and debate. I suspect I will continue to get excited by the occasional quality performance and victory, the run of good form, the new signings, the latest academy graduate debut - all the things that have kept me going since the takeover. I also suspect I will continue to take pride in our history (even if RD and KM don't) and in the great work of the Community Trust. But I honestly can't say that it feels quite the same. If my long history with Charlton Athletic Football Club was a marriage, it would most certainly currently be regarded as going through quite a prolonged bad patch.
This, I fear, is as far as their strategic vision goes. I would love to be proved wrong, but I won't be holding my breath.
As anti-RD as I seem, and obviously am, I do like to look at the bigger picture, I don't like his like it or lump it attitude, it doesn't sit well with loyal fans.. he is not the devil, but the lack of clarity amongst many other things make him easier to dislike than like. I do respect that it's his business and he can do with it as he will, we don't have the right to tell him where to spend his hard earned, nor have I done so, but we do have the right on an opinion on the way he runs things.
It could be and is argued that providing constructive criticism to somebody who isn’t interested is pointless. But those that make it should not be criticised. If you think RD is doing a great job, then great. But your criticism of those who do not is not constructive.