This is a genuine question. What exactly impressed you when you talked to Fraeye? Can you be sure that you would not have been equally impressed if you had met the 4 previous managers for a similar chat?
I recall that a couple of Lifers were "impressed" with him when they met him doing his job in the stands under the last Powell months. I guess he is a personable guy who is ok talking one to one with fans. Many good managers are not.
Ithe question I'd ask KM is, what is it that Fraeye does better than the previous four, that means he should not be sacked when they were? Patently, the answer is not "winning more football matches than them"
Since KM currently does not wish to answer the question, would you like to have a go?
This is a genuine question. What exactly impressed you when you talked to Fraeye? Can you be sure that you would not have been equally impressed if you had met the 4 previous managers for a similar chat?
I recall that a couple of Lifers were "impressed" with him when they met him doing his job in the stands under the last Powell months. I guess he is a personable guy who is ok talking one to one with fans. Many good managers are not.
Ithe question I'd ask KM is, what is it that Fraeye does better than the previous four, that means he should not be sacked when they were? Patently, the answer is not "winning more football matches than them"
Since KM currently does not wish to answer the question, would you like to have a go?
I was one of those that had a reasonably long chat with Fraeye in the directors lounge. I was impressed also in his manner and by what he said. He came across as a genuine football man and decent bloke.
That I'm afraid doesn't qualify him to be manager of CAFC. I think the results prove that.
I saw the players on the pitch after the final whistle yesterday and the reaction of Solly when he was moved into central midfield.
From what I saw it didn't look like the booing of Fraeye would harm them, quite the opposite in fact.
In my opinion the guy has no idea what he's doing. We had no idea of how to score a goal in the first half yesterday - there was no route to goal whatsoever.
Bringing on a left footed left back to play right back when he only has Vaz Te in front of him was a recipe for disaster and therefore he must take some responsibility for THD's sending off.
Taking Ba off at half time when Jackson was clearly already injured was a dumb move and the decision to move Solly into midfield was clearly just a case of moving our best player into a gap that needed filling.
I know you've spoken to him and heard what he's got to say @Desperate_Pete and you were obviously impressed. Well actions speak louder than words and I've seen the way he sets his team up and his reactions to the play and I'm distinctly unimpressed.
Combine that with the fact that he's nowhere near qualified to be anywhere near the club in any capacity apart from his aptitude to towing the party line and you can see why he's not particularly popular surely?
Clear response tricky and I thank you for that. So the points you mentioned. Okay the booing of KF may or may not harm the team. I would say that the team is set up firstly on the basis of who is fit enough and secondly tactically and 'no doubt' Jason has an opinion as well. JBG coming on in the second half was I suspect always planned remembering that he is coming back from injury and this improved the attacking aspect immensely I think. THD coming in to play on the right side - well he has played to good effect on this side before although I agree that Vaz Te gives little protection (he is not really fit is he, yet he is talented and can score so...). He is young and stupid to do what he did after being booked once but he will learn from this. I think that JJ is sensible enough to say if he is injured and perhaps if he did at half time then Ba may have not been the one substituted to bring JBG on. If Fox was not to be substituted and he had a reasonable game then it could be argued that playing THD on the right would be okay and Solly has played in midfield before. The point is there are only a limited number of players that are available or good enough (Moussa and Berdich we can forget about) so any substitution is not necessarily going to make us play better..... I understand that peoples opinions on the way KF (and Jason does have an opinion) sets up his team is open to criticism - but when was it not thus? And yes I was impressed by my meeting with Karel and I have also been to the training ground and seen how hard the team work on the field (they looked happy to me by the way). I hope that he gets a little more time to see what he can achieve with a decently sized squad of players but sadly I fear that he will be made the next scapegoat of this ridiculous regime.
DP good response, and indeed you may yet know some secret the rest of us don't.
However forgive me, did you watch Chris Solly when he was moved to midfield? Not that he was a disaster, not that he didn't try, but seriously did you watch him, his facial expression, his body language his demeanour? I hardly know much about much, but I would swear to anything that Solly was both bewildered and angry. You say in your post that Solly has played in midfield before. well I can't really remember when, or the circumstances, but if Karel moved him in a 'hope for the best' impulse it isn't saying to me it's the action of a mastermind.
Collective responsibility I get, but to invoke Jason Euell to share some of the approbation is misguided.
Jason was happily doing his thing developing players to excellent effect in the academy/U21 set up, he was minding his own business and getting on with it. Karel however, who has been sniffing around the job since the days of Powell, finally gets it (after all he was the mastermind behind Jose Riga), and I am afraid there are no excuses available to him in my eyes.
It is Karel Fraeye who carries the responsibility, maybe the unknown coach he has with him possibly, but not Jason Euell.
I bet if he is in charge, and by some miracle we stay up, I bet he won't say that really Jason Euell masterminded it all.
I'm sure the ballkids at Wimbledon are equally impressed when they get a quick word with the Duke of Kent on his way to present the trophy. The difference is the Duke could do a better job coaching Charlton. And Fraeye has no trophies.
I saw the players on the pitch after the final whistle yesterday and the reaction of Solly when he was moved into central midfield.
From what I saw it didn't look like the booing of Fraeye would harm them, quite the opposite in fact.
In my opinion the guy has no idea what he's doing. We had no idea of how to score a goal in the first half yesterday - there was no route to goal whatsoever.
Bringing on a left footed left back to play right back when he only has Vaz Te in front of him was a recipe for disaster and therefore he must take some responsibility for THD's sending off.
Taking Ba off at half time when Jackson was clearly already injured was a dumb move and the decision to move Solly into midfield was clearly just a case of moving our best player into a gap that needed filling.
I know you've spoken to him and heard what he's got to say @Desperate_Pete and you were obviously impressed. Well actions speak louder than words and I've seen the way he sets his team up and his reactions to the play and I'm distinctly unimpressed.
Combine that with the fact that he's nowhere near qualified to be anywhere near the club in any capacity apart from his aptitude to towing the party line and you can see why he's not particularly popular surely?
Clear response tricky and I thank you for that. So the points you mentioned. Okay the booing of KF may or may not harm the team. I would say that the team is set up firstly on the basis of who is fit enough and secondly tactically and 'no doubt' Jason has an opinion as well. JBG coming on in the second half was I suspect always planned remembering that he is coming back from injury and this improved the attacking aspect immensely I think. THD coming in to play on the right side - well he has played to good effect on this side before although I agree that Vaz Te gives little protection (he is not really fit is he, yet he is talented and can score so...). He is young and stupid to do what he did after being booked once but he will learn from this. I think that JJ is sensible enough to say if he is injured and perhaps if he did at half time then Ba may have not been the one substituted to bring JBG on. If Fox was not to be substituted and he had a reasonable game then it could be argued that playing THD on the right would be okay and Solly has played in midfield before. The point is there are only a limited number of players that are available or good enough (Moussa and Berdich we can forget about) so any substitution is not necessarily going to make us play better..... I understand that peoples opinions on the way KF (and Jason does have an opinion) sets up his team is open to criticism - but when was it not thus? And yes I was impressed by my meeting with Karel and I have also been to the training ground and seen how hard the team work on the field (they looked happy to me by the way). I hope that he gets a little more time to see what he can achieve with a decently sized squad of players but sadly I fear that he will be made the next scapegoat of this ridiculous regime.
[...]
However forgive me, did you watch Chris Solly when he was moved to midfield? Not that he was a disaster, not that he didn't try, but seriously did you watch him, his facial expression, his body language his demeanour? I hardly know much about much, but I would swear to anything that Solly was both bewildered and angry. You say in your post that Solly has played in midfield before. well I can't really remember when, or the circumstances, but if Karel moved him in a 'hope for the best' impulse it isn't saying to me it's the action of a mastermind.
[...]
I think that well respected tactical genius Bob Peeters (who had Harriott playing as a striker) put Solly in the midfield a couple of times.
I saw the players on the pitch after the final whistle yesterday and the reaction of Solly when he was moved into central midfield.
From what I saw it didn't look like the booing of Fraeye would harm them, quite the opposite in fact.
In my opinion the guy has no idea what he's doing. We had no idea of how to score a goal in the first half yesterday - there was no route to goal whatsoever.
Bringing on a left footed left back to play right back when he only has Vaz Te in front of him was a recipe for disaster and therefore he must take some responsibility for THD's sending off.
Taking Ba off at half time when Jackson was clearly already injured was a dumb move and the decision to move Solly into midfield was clearly just a case of moving our best player into a gap that needed filling.
I know you've spoken to him and heard what he's got to say @Desperate_Pete and you were obviously impressed. Well actions speak louder than words and I've seen the way he sets his team up and his reactions to the play and I'm distinctly unimpressed.
Combine that with the fact that he's nowhere near qualified to be anywhere near the club in any capacity apart from his aptitude to towing the party line and you can see why he's not particularly popular surely?
Clear response tricky and I thank you for that. So the points you mentioned. Okay the booing of KF may or may not harm the team. I would say that the team is set up firstly on the basis of who is fit enough and secondly tactically and 'no doubt' Jason has an opinion as well. JBG coming on in the second half was I suspect always planned remembering that he is coming back from injury and this improved the attacking aspect immensely I think. THD coming in to play on the right side - well he has played to good effect on this side before although I agree that Vaz Te gives little protection (he is not really fit is he, yet he is talented and can score so...). He is young and stupid to do what he did after being booked once but he will learn from this. I think that JJ is sensible enough to say if he is injured and perhaps if he did at half time then Ba may have not been the one substituted to bring JBG on. If Fox was not to be substituted and he had a reasonable game then it could be argued that playing THD on the right would be okay and Solly has played in midfield before. The point is there are only a limited number of players that are available or good enough (Moussa and Berdich we can forget about) so any substitution is not necessarily going to make us play better..... I understand that peoples opinions on the way KF (and Jason does have an opinion) sets up his team is open to criticism - but when was it not thus? And yes I was impressed by my meeting with Karel and I have also been to the training ground and seen how hard the team work on the field (they looked happy to me by the way). I hope that he gets a little more time to see what he can achieve with a decently sized squad of players but sadly I fear that he will be made the next scapegoat of this ridiculous regime.
[...]
However forgive me, did you watch Chris Solly when he was moved to midfield? Not that he was a disaster, not that he didn't try, but seriously did you watch him, his facial expression, his body language his demeanour? I hardly know much about much, but I would swear to anything that Solly was both bewildered and angry. You say in your post that Solly has played in midfield before. well I can't really remember when, or the circumstances, but if Karel moved him in a 'hope for the best' impulse it isn't saying to me it's the action of a mastermind.
[...]
I think that well respected tactical genius Bob Peeters (who had Harriott playing as a striker) put Solly in the midfield a couple of times.
And there was plenty of scepticism when he did it too... making a decision that definitely didn't work when someone else (someone with more experience and a better record than you) did it is lunacy.
JBG was clapping the fan's all throughout the booing of Fraeye. And against Wolves it looked like JJ waited for Fraeye to leave the pitch before clapping anyone
For all those going to Colcheter make sure we give it to Carol big style, the man is a looser a fraud and a complete cretin, he has to go.
Good point. Would be good if a few of you could be there when the coach (that's the one with 4 wheels, not our interim manager with no brain) arrives and the players and Carol get off. Shouldn't be that difficult at a small club like Colchester to get fairly close. Then when you do, give Carol absolute pelters.
Not sure what that will achieve apart from self gratification - we need to get someone (a journalist) to put KM on the spot as to when an interim managers record is such that it clear that they need to be replaced. If KM/RD continue to ignore the press I hope they are smart enough to realise that the press reaction will not be pretty. Time for the SLP to grow a backbone?
I think Euall gets to have input in setting up the team and mostly has done an exceptional job bringing the right players through. Unfortunately KF has too much say am during the game and so when we need a sub either because:
1) we got the initial set up wrong 2) they sussed us and we need a change 3) we get an injury and need a change
KF seems to make the change. The chant 'you don't know what you're doing' is being polite here. I'm no tutt-tutt and neither is my 5 year old but either of us could make better subs.
This is a genuine question. What exactly impressed you when you talked to Fraeye? Can you be sure that you would not have been equally impressed if you had met the 4 previous managers for a similar chat?
I recall that a couple of Lifers were "impressed" with him when they met him doing his job in the stands under the last Powell months. I guess he is a personable guy who is ok talking one to one with fans. Many good managers are not.
Ithe question I'd ask KM is, what is it that Fraeye does better than the previous four, that means he should not be sacked when they were? Patently, the answer is not "winning more football matches than them"
Since KM currently does not wish to answer the question, would you like to have a go?
Prague, I understand that you are saying that because someone impresses one that that does not mean they will be good at their job. I have obviously not met the previous 4 managers but one would not have to meet Chris Powell to be impressed but then he is an exceptional man. On a personal level Karel Fraeye impressed me with his enthusiasm for the game, his obvious zeal to succeed with Charlton and his views on the squad which were much in line with mine but with most interesting and illuminating insights (which will remain confidential). On top of this he is a very friendly and has an engaging personality. I have little idea like all of us as to what goes on in KM’s mind…… The reasons the previous managers were sacked are open to question but you asked me a question and I will give you my interpretation. So I would say that whoever is really in charge of team management affairs (cannot really believe it is KM is any meaningful way) is impressed by Karel’s persona, his assessment of the squad and his ability to see the real value of the staff (hence the promotion of Jason and JJ becoming more prominent) who is good for the team and who should leave etc. He tries different options on the pitch but is of course hampered by who is available. He has brought players back from their loan periods because they are good for the squad and has brought to the first team young players like Lookman that are ready for the first team (although they have been used more than he would prefer because of the small squad). He knew many weeks before that English championship players were needed to bolster the squad and perhaps the penny has now dropped and he/she/they agree with him……..He is a very hard worker! So this is my opinion and I also think that he will get us out of the current mess with the reinforcements that he and Jason have targeted but if RD does not change tactics/visions then the problem will occur again.
Sometimes self gratification is all one has left. There is a place for venting, a bit of red raw emotion shown may not be such a bad thing.
Don't get mad - get even. My experience of Belgians in business is that raw emotion is something that they hardly ever experience and hence they will just probably ignore it. Shaming through a hard cold analytical case - especially if it involves costs and money - is something that is that is far more likely to be effective, especially if they can be given a way to take credit for the change of direction.
Problem is, however impressive/genial/likeable he is, the fact remains he is out of his depth and that is clear for all to see. You could stick a impressive/genial/likeable petrol-pump attendant in to run BP and the odds are he would quickly come unstuck.
I was fortunate enough to have a couple of long chats with Les Reed when he was coach under Curbs and a nicer, more knowledgable man you couldn't wish to meet. Bloody disaster as a Manager though.
He would benefit from playing a football manager game (even Fifa2016) for around three hours. He may then understand the basics of player positions, squad formations and the requirement to fit the two together.
Maybe we should send him a copy for PS4 along with £80 of squad improvement vouchers and then challenge him to a game.
One of the many things I find strange about the Belgians is why they have adopted the Continental head coach model but without appoint the Director of Football that usually goes with that model - with the result that we probably have a CEO/interfering Chairman trying to fill that role as well as the normal duties such as running the stadium/handling the legal/finance side/ running the bars and restaurants. Perhaps, if they recognised that there needs to be some change in the structure then there would be hope - Curbs as Director of Football with Jason Euell/some other up and coming young coach with knowledge of the championship as Head Coach could be an inspired and probably not too expensive move if KM/RD were to realise it.
RD and KM are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sack Fraye and they will look as if they are giving in to the "customers". Keep with him and we will get relegated. A situation of their own making!
Actually they aren't. They don't have to "sack" him as he's only interim. They could appoint someone permanent this week, and thank Fraye for his efforts while they were looking for the right man.
Whether you'd believe them or not, it's a perfect get out clause.
This is a genuine question. What exactly impressed you when you talked to Fraeye? Can you be sure that you would not have been equally impressed if you had met the 4 previous managers for a similar chat?
I recall that a couple of Lifers were "impressed" with him when they met him doing his job in the stands under the last Powell months. I guess he is a personable guy who is ok talking one to one with fans. Many good managers are not.
Ithe question I'd ask KM is, what is it that Fraeye does better than the previous four, that means he should not be sacked when they were? Patently, the answer is not "winning more football matches than them"
Since KM currently does not wish to answer the question, would you like to have a go?
Prague, I understand that you are saying that because someone impresses one that that does not mean they will be good at their job. I have obviously not met the previous 4 managers but one would not have to meet Chris Powell to be impressed but then he is an exceptional man. On a personal level Karel Fraeye impressed me with his enthusiasm for the game, his obvious zeal to succeed with Charlton and his views on the squad which were much in line with mine but with most interesting and illuminating insights (which will remain confidential). On top of this he is a very friendly and has an engaging personality. I have little idea like all of us as to what goes on in KM’s mind…… The reasons the previous managers were sacked are open to question but you asked me a question and I will give you my interpretation. So I would say that whoever is really in charge of team management affairs (cannot really believe it is KM is any meaningful way) is impressed by Karel’s persona, his assessment of the squad and his ability to see the real value of the staff (hence the promotion of Jason and JJ becoming more prominent) who is good for the team and who should leave etc. He tries different options on the pitch but is of course hampered by who is available. He has brought players back from their loan periods because they are good for the squad and has brought to the first team young players like Lookman that are ready for the first team (although they have been used more than he would prefer because of the small squad). He knew many weeks before that English championship players were needed to bolster the squad and perhaps the penny has now dropped and he/she/they agree with him……..He is a very hard worker! So this is my opinion and I also think that he will get us out of the current mess with the reinforcements that he and Jason have targeted but if RD does not change tactics/visions then the problem will occur again.
Ah. The football giant brain speaks with an unknown fan and spills the confidentiality of ? With him.
RD and KM are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Sack Fraye and they will look as if they are giving in to the "customers". Keep with him and we will get relegated. A situation of their own making!
Actually they aren't. They don't have to "sack" him as he's only interim. They could appoint someone permanent this week, and thank Fraye for his efforts while they were looking for the right man.
Whether you'd believe them or not, it's a perfect get out clause.
Anyone know if he's relocated to London? That would be a tell-tale move. His job at his old club has certainly been filled.
Yes, it would be like a restaurant owner giving its customers food they want to eat, or a cinema chain putting on films they want to watch - using the same anology used by our CEO.
I never got her analogy really.
To sum up some of my experiences at the Leeds match; I left the stand to grab some food immediately at the half time whistle, by the time I'd managed to navigate the queue and get served I could hear the players coming out on the pitch.. great, I've spent 15 minutes just getting to the front of the queue.
I ordered a Chicken Balti pie and a cup of Bovril; there was no point trying to down a pint with the match kicking off as I ordered. I was told there was no Bovril left, so opted for a hot chocolate. I was then told there was no Chicken Balti pies, only one steak pie and the rest where cheese and onion. I opted for the last steak pie.
I stood in the concourse, listening to the match echo down the staircase.. eating a lukewarm (bordering on cold in places) pie, and a chunky hot chocolate which hadn't even been stirred.
In short, I waited for 15 minutes to get served, missed some of the action I'd paid to come and see, and was served substandard food (which I didn't even want, but had queued up for so long I felt I might as well have bought something) for a pretty horrific price (£2 for a bottle of water?!)..
If that kind of service had happened in a restaurant I think I probably would demand to see someone higher up, and I sure as hell wouldn't expect to be paying full price for that total disaster. Unfortunately, this has echoed my experience every time I've sat in the Upper West: and let's face it, we're hardly pulling in full crowds at the moment.
Feeling mugged off by the CEO during the pre-match protest didn't exactly add anything to my experience either. I was quite glad I'd forgotten to get cash out on Saturday as it meant there was no way on earth I'd be giving more of my hard earned cash to the club just because it felt convenient to grab some half time grub.
It amazes me that people don't boycott the catering at the Valley solely on the basis of the dreadful service, extortionate prices and rancid quality - never mind what the Belgians are doing.
I thought the catering was one of the things that had supposedly improved under this mob. I bought a coffee and a hot chocolate. Both tasted like hot water. The burger that I bought at the Bolton game was almost cold in the middle. Appalling.
Like Desperate_Pete I have had a relatively lengthy conversation with Karel Fraeye, albeit some two years ago. I actually agree with DP that I was impressed with his enthusiasm for the game, and also a pretty impressive knowledge about the state of affairs in football broadly. I reported all this at the time I met him.
I was also struck by his preparedness to be totally loyal to Roland Duchatelet.
I have spoken to Katrien Miere a few time too. nearly every time I found her to be good humoured and charming, very easy to like. Indeed if ever we were to encounter each other in a situation nothing to do with football or anything I reckon I would still end up quite liking her. However.
I was also struck by her preparedness to be totally loyal to Roland Duchatelet.
Desperate_Pete says at the end of his post, and I think it deserves pointing out in his defence, he said: 'but if RD does not change tactics/visions then the problem will occur again'. This is the central point isn't it? Roland Duchatelet is the big cheese, he is the grand fromage in all this. When push comes to shove he calls the shots. Just as Katrien says the major shareholder has the last say compared to the fans/customers, well Roland has the last say compared to Karel and Katrien...or Richard or Jason Euell or Jacko or anybody.
The real issue is the dynamic between Roland and his overseas coterie, and every morsel of evidence suggests total loyalty towards Roland from Katrien and Karel, indeed they look welded.
On the subject of Solly playing in midfield. I think he could be an excellent midfielder if it wasn't for his dodgy knees. He has great vision, is tenacious in the tackle and can pick a pass. I seem to recall him coming on as a sub in midfield for his debut? at Orient and scoring a very well worked goal.
Forgive me if I'm wrong @Desperate_Pete, I'm not looking to dig you out on your opinion, but many of your comments suggest that you've had ongoing contact with Karel since that first encounter. Either that or you got to know him extremely well from one or two discussions! Maybe I'm reading too much into what you say.
You also suggest that KF had something to do with the promotion of Jason Euell - hardly something an "interim" head coach would have the opportunity to do. Again not a dig at you Pete, but another indication that KM and Roland have been trying to pull the wool over our eyes!
On the subject of Solly playing in midfield. I think he could be an excellent midfielder if it wasn't for his dodgy knees. He has great vision, is tenacious in the tackle and can pick a pass. I seem to recall him coming on as a sub in midfield for his debut? at Orient and scoring a very well worked goal.
Fair comment but saying '... if not for his dodgy knees' begs the point that his knees ARE dodgy, and frankly seem likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. So he is in fact very unlikely to make more than a makeshift job of that midfield role no matter how we wish otherwise.
The thing is - I said to my brother at the time - he doesn't have midfield cover on the bench and we know Jackson is unlikely to last 90 minutes. If we can see it, the manager should!
The fact that we didn't have centre half and midfiled cover explains one of the big problems we have with the owner and his approach btw. If we had an injury who would play centre back? You can't run a club like this and expect not to struggle. It isn't rocket science. This isn't KFs fault, although he did say he was happy with the squad!
The bloke is clearly out of his depth. We need to bring in a manager with champ experience, it's the only way we're going to stay up. We can all see it, shame the f@cked up board have other ideas!
Comments
This is a genuine question. What exactly impressed you when you talked to Fraeye? Can you be sure that you would not have been equally impressed if you had met the 4 previous managers for a similar chat?
I recall that a couple of Lifers were "impressed" with him when they met him doing his job in the stands under the last Powell months. I guess he is a personable guy who is ok talking one to one with fans. Many good managers are not.
Ithe question I'd ask KM is, what is it that Fraeye does better than the previous four, that means he should not be sacked when they were? Patently, the answer is not "winning more football matches than them"
Since KM currently does not wish to answer the question, would you like to have a go?
That I'm afraid doesn't qualify him to be manager of CAFC. I think the results prove that.
However forgive me, did you watch Chris Solly when he was moved to midfield? Not that he was a disaster, not that he didn't try, but seriously did you watch him, his facial expression, his body language his demeanour?
I hardly know much about much, but I would swear to anything that Solly was both bewildered and angry. You say in your post that Solly has played in midfield before. well I can't really remember when, or the circumstances, but if Karel moved him in a 'hope for the best' impulse it isn't saying to me it's the action of a mastermind.
Collective responsibility I get, but to invoke Jason Euell to share some of the approbation is misguided.
Jason was happily doing his thing developing players to excellent effect in the academy/U21 set up, he was minding his own business and getting on with it.
Karel however, who has been sniffing around the job since the days of Powell, finally gets it (after all he was the mastermind behind Jose Riga), and I am afraid there are no excuses available to him in my eyes.
It is Karel Fraeye who carries the responsibility, maybe the unknown coach he has with him possibly, but not Jason Euell.
I bet if he is in charge, and by some miracle we stay up, I bet he won't say that really Jason Euell masterminded it all.
The difference is the Duke could do a better job coaching Charlton. And Fraeye has no trophies.
1) we got the initial set up wrong
2) they sussed us and we need a change
3) we get an injury and need a change
KF seems to make the change. The chant 'you don't know what you're doing' is being polite here. I'm no tutt-tutt and neither is my 5 year old but either of us could make better subs.
Shocking.
On a personal level Karel Fraeye impressed me with his enthusiasm for the game, his obvious zeal to succeed with Charlton and his views on the squad which were much in line with mine but with most interesting and illuminating insights (which will remain confidential). On top of this he is a very friendly and has an engaging personality.
I have little idea like all of us as to what goes on in KM’s mind…… The reasons the previous managers were sacked are open to question but you asked me a question and I will give you my interpretation. So I would say that whoever is really in charge of team management affairs (cannot really believe it is KM is any meaningful way) is impressed by Karel’s persona, his assessment of the squad and his ability to see the real value of the staff (hence the promotion of Jason and JJ becoming more prominent) who is good for the team and who should leave etc. He tries different options on the pitch but is of course hampered by who is available. He has brought players back from their loan periods because they are good for the squad and has brought to the first team young players like Lookman that are ready for the first team (although they have been used more than he would prefer because of the small squad). He knew many weeks before that English championship players were needed to bolster the squad and perhaps the penny has now dropped and he/she/they agree with him……..He is a very hard worker! So this is my opinion and I also think that he will get us out of the current mess with the reinforcements that he and Jason have targeted but if RD does not change tactics/visions then the problem will occur again.
Maybe we should send him a copy for PS4 along with £80 of squad improvement vouchers and then challenge him to a game.
Whether you'd believe them or not, it's a perfect get out clause.
I already like him even less.
I was also struck by his preparedness to be totally loyal to Roland Duchatelet.
I have spoken to Katrien Miere a few time too. nearly every time I found her to be good humoured and charming, very easy to like. Indeed if ever we were to encounter each other in a situation nothing to do with football or anything I reckon I would still end up quite liking her. However.
I was also struck by her preparedness to be totally loyal to Roland Duchatelet.
Desperate_Pete says at the end of his post, and I think it deserves pointing out in his defence, he said: 'but if RD does not change tactics/visions then the problem will occur again'. This is the central point isn't it? Roland Duchatelet is the big cheese, he is the grand fromage in all this. When push comes to shove he calls the shots. Just as Katrien says the major shareholder has the last say compared to the fans/customers, well Roland has the last say compared to Karel and Katrien...or Richard or Jason Euell or Jacko or anybody.
The real issue is the dynamic between Roland and his overseas coterie, and every morsel of evidence suggests total loyalty towards Roland from Katrien and Karel, indeed they look welded.
You also suggest that KF had something to do with the promotion of Jason Euell - hardly something an "interim" head coach would have the opportunity to do. Again not a dig at you Pete, but another indication that KM and Roland have been trying to pull the wool over our eyes!
The fact that we didn't have centre half and midfiled cover explains one of the big problems we have with the owner and his approach btw. If we had an injury who would play centre back? You can't run a club like this and expect not to struggle. It isn't rocket science. This isn't KFs fault, although he did say he was happy with the squad!