RodneyCharltonTrotta said:So the dust settles leaving the same anti climatic feeling endured in the dawn following a general election, an England World Cup campaign or a Charlton takeover.
Even if the answers would not be forthcoming seemingly, at first glance, the potential was there to ask the questions.
Ok, it wasn’t ever going to the Nuremberg trials but it also it wasn’t intended (from the fans’ perspective) to be a cosy get together in the vein of Bromley Addicks or POTY.
The Board had different ideas and Johnnie Jackson’s presence at the head table signalled this from the off.
A truly confident and capable CEO would neither require, nor perhaps more tellingly, want the assistance of others in such a forum and certainly not playing staff who as we have seen in modern football are as interchangeable and relevant to the long term strategy of a club as the choice of third kit.
But then a truly confident and capable CEO would be accountable to both shareholders and stakeholders, namely “customers”, understanding that by disserving the latter ultimately disserves the former in the long run. Had this been the case the necessity for last night’s rendez- vous would have been redundant.
That is not to do a disservice to Jackson. He is by far my favourite player of a generation, the epitome of what I consider the cliché “Proper Charlton”. From what I see of him on and off the pitch in the media he comes across as a top man whose eloquence and charisma surely indicate future success in the game once his boots have been firmly hung up.
Whilst perhaps not entirely altruistic, with a playing career entering its swansong he will be aware of coaching opportunities at the club he appears to love as evidenced with Euell’s appointments to date, but to give up a Tuesday evening to facilitate questions from a disgruntled audience commands respect.
It still begs the question as to why he was there in any capacity. Was this to bridge the gap between the executive board and the fans? We were told many many months ago this would be Richard Murray’s role.
Regardless, Jackson’s comments are rendered irrelevant. Bar the foolhardy, very few footballers in the twilight of their playing career will publicly criticise the appointment of a new manager whom is giving him precious playing time nor endanger any future employment prospects at the club by openly condemning its leadership despite what their private thoughts may entail. Certainly not those who don’t enjoy the likes of Roy Keane’s wealth and therefore are not afforded the extent of free speech that level of financial security allows.
I deduct from this his appearance was perhaps to provoke a “Let’s not fight in front of the kids” mind-set amongst the carefully selected “random” audience.
Last night’s audience presented a problem but were also themselves presented with a conundrum. The majority of invited attendees appear to hold positions whether it is CAST, Valley Express or satellite Supporters’ groups which all require cordial ongoing working relationships of various degrees with the club’s leadership, whoever that existing leadership may be at the time and regardless of what one’s personal feelings may be about that leadership. This presented a challenge in adequately communicating the sense of dissatisfaction that had warranted the meeting’s occurrence and obtaining satisfactory answers through rigorous inquisition whilst maintaining a level of diplomacy so as not to burn already shaky bridges or those had yet to be built.
The club recognised this and knew there was never any danger of a truly robust interogation or relentless uncomfortable questioning for the fear of jeopardising any future access or accord.
I’m loathe to criticise those in attendance who probably all care about the club more than I ever will hence their involvement in such groups despite me being a devoted supporter of 25 + years. Those in attendance last night and those that take the time and effort to volunatarily lobby for change on behalf of supporters whether as part of the Trust or less formal groups are the ones out there trying to improve things for the club and, one would hope, fan base as a whole. So it is easy to glibly critique their efforts sat on my laptop in my tracksuit bottoms when I haven’t even mustered the enthusiasm to attend a game for motnhs and felt too apathetic myself to attend in person the protest on satruday, instead opting to fully support it from afar. Hypocrityical perhaps but such is my general apathy at what the club has become in my eyes particularly in the past year.
I like to think had I been there I would have bucked the trend and stood up succinctly ranting at Murray and KM to cut talking bollox and sort things out before storming out to rapturous applause and igniting a revolution that would turn the club around in utopian harmony between fan and club. However it is easy to be brave and outwardly enraged behind a keyboard particularly when I don’t have any stake in any club- affiliated groups reliant on input from its leadership regardless of how meagre that may be. It is entirely different to do it face to face when we are increasingly programmed to avoid conflict at all costs and it takes a lot to be the one to be disharmonious especially when fear the repercussions damaging fledgling relations which are apparently already frayed.
However there are many individuals in our fan base who would have happily and confidently stepped up to the plate in that fashion but of course they were never going to be invited in the first place.
If the higher echelons of the club had genuine intentions of resolving the current malaise increasingly evident in SE7 then the invitation would have been extended to the most vociferous and dissenting among the ranks of the Charlton faithful. Not rigged in a manner that would make Putin blush with a relatively safe and tame audience.
They could have even been really constructive and courageous and invited individuals who stood out under the grey skies to express their dissent on Saturday 2.30pm, the same individuals who by association with a minority within the protest were apparently flippantly dismissed by Katrien Meire last night as abusers and not a reflection of the fans.
Instead the club opted for safe bets and an audience largely consisting of truly decent people who would be potentially compromised in future due to connections to club- affiliated groups and a Trust still trying to get a foothold in the door that has been closed to them since day one. Therefore it was unlikely that last night would be the warts n all grilling many of us had hoped for. The makeup of the attendees engendered this would not be the case last night.
At least we can be grateful I suppose that the Board didn’t proceed with its hailed youth promotion policy and fill the audience entirely with keen teenage supporters as with previous episodes when the young lad was drafted in for crisis talks on behalf of the CAFC fan base around the time of the Woolwich meeting.
Why were journalists invited by the club to attend but not invited to ask questions? Their lack of emotional involvement and unashamedly direct questioning ability would have surely got to the root of the issues in a more efficient manner than the emotionally attached attendees seeking to build better relations with a detached ownership. And why was recent vocal champion of Charlton supporters Richard Cawley not in attendance, instead his paper being represented with arguably extensively pro- Board tweeting from colleague Toby Porter. Could this be because the message had already been determined? .....
Comments
(1 ) KM is an untrustworthy witch and we should make it our aim to get her out.
(2) You want a total boycott of the Ipswich game.
Where have you been all my life, Rodney ?
Not arguing in front of the children, was bang on the money.
It was a discussion regarding how the club was run, the future and fan/club interaction.
None of the above would have anything to do with a player.