It seems that the club establishment has been a little rattled by yesterday's events and the fact they they were televised. Their statement is just a tilt at trying to regain some dignity in the face of the bad publicity that came their way.
I believe that the time for talking has long gone. It has never been their intention to enter into a dialogue with the fans. Katrien has told us that we are weird if we feel that we feel we have anything to offer regarding the way the club should be run. She has told us that Roland is the owner and what he says, goes: full stop.
Suggesting that we should be prepared to talk if Katrien is moved on is missing the point. It is Roland who calls the shots. If Katrien were to go she would only be replaced by some other lickspittle to carry out Roland's instructions. Katrien had nothing to do with Standard Liege but they ended up hating Roland for what he was doing to the club. Chris Powell has told us that it was Roland who was the one who tried to tell him who to pick for the team.
We are in a fight for the very existence of Charlton as a club that we would recognise and support and I suggest that it is a fight that can only be settled with either he or us going. Katrien is an irrelevance; she is merely playing an SS officer to Roland's Hitler.
Read a club statement in relation to events at The Valley during the match against Middlesbrough on Sunday afternoon
The club is extremely saddened by the situation which has led to supporters demonstrating ahead of, and during, the match against Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Every supporter has the right to voice their opinion and we are determined to do everything we can to work together with supporters to build our relationship with them and make sure they remain at the heart of this club.
We would like to thank supporters for getting behind the team today as we picked up a valuable three points in our fight to stay in the Championship.
risible, utterly beyond parody. Making a statement that says nothing at all but yet again demonstrates the total absence of comprehension of any aspect of the matters at hand. I think we'll find out pretty quickly how badly the comms chief thinks she needs this job
Lets face it this is a statement for the press. Ever since Katrien realised, or was told, that her name was dirt amongst the supporters she vanished. All we've had since is a few press releases.. That's the entirety of the fan engagement on offer.
Just like Murray's bullshit statement which was a Q&A where he not only wrote the answers, but the questions too. The questions which were totally unrelated. He's yet to make another statement as that failed.
So they brought Roland in. He did his peacemaker impression and vanished as though his job was done. A peacemaker impression that was full of yet more platitudes.. Ones that wouldn't work for the fans but sure as hell contained a press bite or two.
Today they've been utterly embarrassed on Sky. On Social Media we were buzzing and trending - the club don't even attempt to get that kind of activity with their own hash tags anymore! We've demonstrated that we're louder than they are and have a lot of the press on our side now.
No. That statement was probably wrote on Friday evening by Mel before she packed up for the weekend and posted after the media guys conducted their interviews. Lets be honest - today was always going to be painful for them, the only positive was they got to quickly tack on a sentence about gaining 3 points.
I expect Katrien will have a very awkward phone call with Roland coming, first the protests leaked to his local STVV and now they've made a spectacle of a televised football match complete with social media commentary. I expect he may have had a surprise himself today unless he really is so blissfully arrogant that he knows the full circumstances at SE7.
Meanwhile, Mel will log on here tomorrow and make a note on the little notepad she keeps next to her laptop on her desk: "statement didnt work with fans, but forward to press".
Today was good, but the statement means nothing. We go again.
Duchatelet doesnt care a hoot....he has an ulterior motive.....Im sure all will come clear as time passes, we just need to keep up the pressure. The game against Boro was a big win for the fans let alone the result.
Unfortunately I think you may be right. I guess, rather optimistically, I'm clinging on to the thought that Katrien has played her part of being a "buffer" very well... Too well in fact. That Roland hasn't been made aware of just how severe the situation is, be that due to incompetence or via reporting of deliberately misleading information to him.
If we get to Sheff Weds and everything is the same then we can be under no illusion: Roland is fully aware of the circumstances - his arrogance is such that he stil believes he is in the right, and as such he will continue regardless.
Either way this is a litmus test, and removes any last shred of ignorance as a defence.
Holloway said this on Sky yesterday. Duchatelet is never here so he has to rely on the bias information he's getting from Katrien.
No wonder RD said they weren't planning for relegation, Pinocchio has probably told him the season has been a roaring success and we're in a play-off place.
I can’t see how meeting them changes anything so we should try to do it for that reason. We could turn this around by insisting that given past comments we would be willing to speak to Roland and not Katrien Miere, who we believe has insulted and disprespected fans and should not be doing the job she is. I think it is unlikely the club would agree to this, and we will have taken a further opportunity to make a point.
Maybe extend the fact that the representatives of the fans are willing to travel to Belgium to meet him, so he has no excuse to say that he does not have time to come to the UK. That'll be even more damning in the press.
By refusing to meet Miere, but agreeing to meet Roland or her replacement, I think we would be possibly viewed as making her job untenable, and this would put more pressure on her.
The club must be sold and any talk of reconciliation, or communication is not only a waste of time but It is the wrong option if we are to truly sort this mess out.
There is a great deal of momentum following on from yesterdays protests and we must not slow down now.
About the only thing the club got away with y'day to the wider public was the result. That's it. She absolutely doesn't want to admit that there is a problem. It's as if she thinks if she makes no approach to tackle it head on, it will abate.
Not one to offer advice to her (well other than films about Roland), if she had any gumption, she would come face to face with us. She has slid further and further back in the Directors' area seating over the last few months, mimicking her reduction in time in front of the cameras and general media work as a whole. She is in way to deep and can only stay silent.
I think a very astute tactic from now on would be for supporters to complete blank any attempt at interaction from her if they were to come face to face either through coincidence or at some club sponsored event.
An interesting thing to see will be POTY. Will she be there?
I agree the todays statement is clearly the work of Mel Baroni. At the Bromley meeting I told her KM had made too many PR mistakes and on a personal level this had to stop. In future, I don't think we'll hear much from KM and all public statements will come from Mel.
I agree the todays statement is clearly the work of Mel Baroni. At the Bromley meeting I told her KM had made too many PR mistakes and on a personal level this had to stop. In future, I don't think we'll hear much from KM and all public statements will come from Mel.
We need to stop giving them advice, you don't advise your enemies on the warfield, you fight them. They are our enemies. A tiger's stripes won't change.
Pointless talking to them because the owner has his own agenda and the management team is incompetent. Neither will be changed by talking.
Although I largely agree with your sentiment. There is one point. A meeting with Roland. A meeting with anyone else is totally pointless.
The point of a meeting with him is solely to make sure HE realises how serious the situation is. That we do not believe or have faith in his management team. That the situation has got to the stage that the situation is unreconcileable. Even replacing them with a new management team would not have any effect as it is too late. He has lost a big portion of his customer base and he will lose a huge amount more next year. Most of these will not return. I do not know if he fully gets it or is being told the truth at the moment. I would be happy to go to Belgium to have a meeting with him if he would see me.
Card and Trust need to be careful. They both have a vast majority of fans on their side and prepared to act. To " give in " to KM and RD now by accepting communication, is not acceptable. KM must go, no discussion. RD must demonstrate that his " model/ experiment " is finished. Suitable players, experienced capable managers/ coaches to be employed. No gimmicks, respect for fans and the club. Show ambition for the club- you bought the club RD put money in - or GO.
CARD and Trust have different roles here, even the have many commonalities. CARD by definition should lead protest groups against RD. I believe the Trust have a wider responsibility to communicate. However, I believe they should make it clear that this communication needs to be with Roland before any trust can be established.
Fair point redman. What I was trying to highlight was that at the moment the organised "protest" groups have good support. If the groups are seen to be " co operating" with the regime the current momentum will be lost. I fear communication is RD telling us he owns the club, will carry on employing the coaches that suit his network and the players will be of the standard he feels fit. Also that he believes in KM, and us customers better get used to it. That's why communication is a ship that's sailed, trust can only be restored with action. And action that is to the benefit of the club.
There's nothing wrong with the Trust expressing an interest in communication with the regime; but any communication that is agreed needs to have a clear indication of what is open for discussion, as much as who will be the interlocutors.
One of which, needs to be an explanation of why the Varney approach was ignored; not just Duchatelet's dismissive "interview" comments.
I expect that the regime believes that a bit of PR/window dressing will do the trick.
I have no faith that RD would be any more open to fan concerns than KM has proved to be.
If KM had drafted the message it would have read – Our customers have to start understanding that it is the owner’s club. He always does what he thinks is best for the club and always has its best interests at heart. Customers have to understand their place. I do think that if there is a genuine offer of talks, CARD should consider it though on its terms. I know the club has past up on opportunities to talk to fans in the past, but we should always be willing to listen.
I for one would be a very curious fly on the wall indeed if M. Duchatalet were to be in touch with KM at some point this week. The party line (whether at his instigation or her own initiative) was that everything was fine, there's a few malcontents and rabble rousers but nothing that can't be dealt with. That was very, very publically proven wrong on live national television yesterday afternoon and no matter how imperturbable he likes to act that will have smacked Roly right in the pride.
KM is on the thinnest ice she's been on since her appointment right now I have no doubt of that, whether she gets away with again remains to be seen.
Moshiri, the person just bought Everton has put a message on the Everton website. He says " you cannot buy a club" " you just hope to be part of it." KM and RD listen and maybe learn.
Her smirking when the balls went onto the pitch got my goat. Seriously she really thinks this is funny
Frankly the smirking is great. It's not the genuine smile of someone who is actually happy, it is the contorted grimace of someone who is failing to cope. That smirk gives us two very important messages. 1. We are dealing with a woman who is uncomfortable in her own skin. 2. She doesn't have a clue how to act appropriately. She may think she's putting a brave face on things but in reality she's telling the world how out of her depth she is. Keep laughing, Katy. I do believe that the last laugh will be on you.
This. It's not a smile, not a laugh. It's a grimace, almost a gurn.
She is absolutely wetting herself & doing her damnedest not to show it.
She probably goes home and cries herself to sleep each night. (At least I hope she does).
I certainly agree with all of the sentiment above, with the exception of the fact that is seems to be personal with the new Comms director. What would you have her publicly write on behalf of the club? I've said this before, but she could be asking tough questions and telling tough truths behind the scenes, and it's unlikely we will ever know. The only time she's been engaged directly (that I know of), was at Bromley (I think) and from the accounts on the day she seemed well spoken and open minded. Maybe I'm more empathetic because I've had to put out the company line before (but never without honesty behind the scenes).
Second, call their bluff. I think this is where I disagree with many, and where I admit I am far less experienced in the communication attempts with the regime to start. But reach out to them and force them to show their hand. Try to engage, set specific times, dates, and an agenda. Call them on their bluff, and if it is a bluff, leak it to the press. Two black-eyes in one week for them. If they sit down and talk...leak it to the press and have them turn up and decide for themselves.
I know I'm an outsider looking in and I have not spent the time on the streets that many of you have but I just feel that taking a step back and taking the high road, even if it's begrudgingly , would put tremendous amounts of pressure on them, pressure that is potentially far more public than we're likely to get again anytime soon.
Either way, excellent work today everyone. I don't want to end on in fighting or arm chair coaching. I doff my cap to all of you. Prouder than ever to be Charlton today.
I hope my sentiments about Mel weren't included in that, if so they were definitely not aimed offensively towards the woman!
She's made a career step up and has not only had every detail of her selection picked apart - CV and Salary included - she's actually made an effort with the fans. Her attendance at both The Museum and Bromley was fantastic.
The statement, however, is just one of her responsibilities during the course of her work. Duties that are sadly going to leave her open to accusations and further pedantry.
For what its worth I DO believe the statement is bogus and essentially a repeat of previous platitudes that have never been demonstrated - alas, that's all she's likely got to work with. Our problems are with those that have given her the sole choice of writing a statement that expresses what is ultimately a lie.
It's akin to moaning about Riga not putting some serious firepower up front today - why only Harriott and Lookman? That's what he's been given to work with.
Regarding contact, I believe up until quite recently (certainly recently enough for it to have attracted negative remarks) CAST have tried their best to initiate contact. I tend to agree that a public statement detailing the dates and expressing a renewed interest would be a good move.
That's right. We had some kind of "promise" from KM that a serious discussion would start. Only when it was clear that she was not moving forward with an actual meeting, we reluctantly decided to go round here and approach RD, both directly and via Budapest. He just get delegated the approaches back to KM.
Obviously we are now debating how best to respond, and obviously we would tak into account comments on here. The overall mood though is that we have tried to be reasonable, and willing to engage, when others had already concluded that was pointless; we are not stupid; and we have not had any overtures for dialogue from Ms Baroni.
There's a good argument for the approach @SDAddick proposes, although even this will be criticised by some. And any mail needs careful drafting.
As some have said, what ought to happen is that either KM or Mel Baroni should follow up today with a message to us. Personally though, I would be amazed if that happened.
Squirrel face only comes out with s*** anyway so what is the point.
Mel Baroni was by all accounts told of the depth of the schism between fans and club at the Bromley meeting. However as soon as we get a home win, and are trying to sell season tickets she is responsible for this statement. I am struggling to see why she should be cut slack about her job simply because she is nice, we've already had that trick played on us by Katrien.
Exactly she is employed as the mouthpiece and propaganda machine by Meire and Duchatelet so will be playing to their tune rather than having the fans interests as a consideration if they oppose the regime.
A load of badly spun bollocks as is the case with most corporate PR during times of shit storm.
Her smirking when the balls went onto the pitch got my goat. Seriously she really thinks this is funny
Frankly the smirking is great. It's not the genuine smile of someone who is actually happy, it is the contorted grimace of someone who is failing to cope. That smirk gives us two very important messages. 1. We are dealing with a woman who is uncomfortable in her own skin. 2. She doesn't have a clue how to act appropriately. She may think she's putting a brave face on things but in reality she's telling the world how out of her depth she is. Keep laughing, Katy. I do believe that the last laugh will be on you.
This. It's not a smile, not a laugh. It's a grimace, almost a gurn.
She is absolutely wetting herself & doing her damnedest not to show it.
She probably goes home and cries herself to sleep each night. (At least I hope she does).
And then wakes up and reads emails from idiots asking her if Roland wants to do a film about his life, and being updated on said idiot's online dating escapades
Comments
I believe that the time for talking has long gone. It has never been their intention to enter into a dialogue with the fans. Katrien has told us that we are weird if we feel that we feel we have anything to offer regarding the way the club should be run. She has told us that Roland is the owner and what he says, goes: full stop.
Suggesting that we should be prepared to talk if Katrien is moved on is missing the point. It is Roland who calls the shots. If Katrien were to go she would only be replaced by some other lickspittle to carry out Roland's instructions. Katrien had nothing to do with Standard Liege but they ended up hating Roland for what he was doing to the club. Chris Powell has told us that it was Roland who was the one who tried to tell him who to pick for the team.
We are in a fight for the very existence of Charlton as a club that we would recognise and support and I suggest that it is a fight that can only be settled with either he or us going. Katrien is an irrelevance; she is merely playing an SS officer to Roland's Hitler.
Making a statement that says nothing at all but yet again demonstrates the total absence of comprehension of any aspect of the matters at hand. I think we'll find out pretty quickly how badly the comms chief thinks she needs this job
There is a great deal of momentum following on from yesterdays protests and we must not slow down now.
Not one to offer advice to her (well other than films about Roland), if she had any gumption, she would come face to face with us. She has slid further and further back in the Directors' area seating over the last few months, mimicking her reduction in time in front of the cameras and general media work as a whole. She is in way to deep and can only stay silent.
I think a very astute tactic from now on would be for supporters to complete blank any attempt at interaction from her if they were to come face to face either through coincidence or at some club sponsored event.
An interesting thing to see will be POTY. Will she be there?
The point of a meeting with him is solely to make sure HE realises how serious the situation is.
That we do not believe or have faith in his management team.
That the situation has got to the stage that the situation is unreconcileable. Even replacing them with a new management team would not have any effect as it is too late. He has lost a big portion of his customer base and he will lose a huge amount more next year. Most of these will not return.
I do not know if he fully gets it or is being told the truth at the moment. I would be happy to go to Belgium to have a meeting with him if he would see me.
If the groups are seen to be " co operating" with the regime the current momentum will be lost.
I fear communication is RD telling us he owns the club, will carry on employing the coaches that suit his network and the players will be of the standard he feels fit. Also that he believes in KM, and us customers better get used to it.
That's why communication is a ship that's sailed, trust can only be restored with action. And action that is to the benefit of the club.
One of which, needs to be an explanation of why the Varney approach was ignored; not just Duchatelet's dismissive "interview" comments.
I expect that the regime believes that a bit of PR/window dressing will do the trick.
I have no faith that RD would be any more open to fan concerns than KM has proved to be.
KM is on the thinnest ice she's been on since her appointment right now I have no doubt of that, whether she gets away with again remains to be seen.
KM and RD listen and maybe learn.
She is absolutely wetting herself & doing her damnedest not to show it.
She probably goes home and cries herself to sleep each night. (At least I hope she does).
A load of badly spun bollocks as is the case with most corporate PR during times of shit storm.
Load of wank.