Exactly my thoughts. I hate to say it - the endless posted open letters are probably what @PL54 refers to when he describes the 'look at me' culture on here. Maybe it's cathartic, but there are so many now that it has become a little bit of a pissing contest over who has been hurt the most by this regime.
Does anyone actually expect anyone at the club of any note to read and respond to their letter?
That is not to say that sending the emails is pointless in itself, I think that there is something to be said for the impact caused by an overwhelming general weight negative correspondence.
...We want to keep on developing and playing Academy talent because it’s something this club has a proud tradition of. It’s why we are investing in the training ground and Academy – we want to keep on attracting the best talent. And we want that talent to first and foremost be having long and prosperous careers with Charlton. Some players do move on, some of their own choosing, but it’s why we have worked hard over the last couple of years to get our young talent on long-term deals...
They want to do something because of tradition? More lies! Meire has told us she doesn't care about history, and just about everything they've don't has been about alienation of the established supporters who bring a sense of tradition in a hopeless attempt to bring in sofa-sitting, house-loving, cheerleader-led tourists. Charlton had many proud traditions, one of them being to field a competitive football team. Why have these traditions not been pursued?
As for the "please consider our plans below" line. All that follows is a list of things that you'd like the fans to believe. There's no evidence that they are doing them. An no talk of how they could possibly be achieved. They are no more plans than some four year old kneeling at their bed and murmuring 'god bless mummy, god bless daddy and please let me got to Disneyland'.
Who are the people on the 'The Supporters Relations Team'!
Why not make this information known. Only names on the CAFC website are: vera.lazellari@cafc.co.uk for Disability, and lisa.squires@cafc.co.uk for Mascot packages.
I appreciate that generic emails are given out for departments, but why the lack of transparency, and a name given for the head of department, such as press.
I do tend to find a name is more appropriate in dealing with issues and questions, than a generic email.
I am still waiting for a list of the press contacts\communication, from the start of the season myself, despite two phone calls to the club myself requesting this information, and an email to the generic 'press' email?
Who are the people on the 'The Supporters Relations Team'!
Why not make this information known. Only names on the CAFC website are: vera.lazellari@cafc.co.uk for Disability, and lisa.squires@cafc.co.uk for badge & scarf removals.
I appreciate that generic emails are given out for departments, but why the lack of transparency, and a name given for the head of department, such as press.
I do tend to find a name is more appropriate in dealing with issues and questions, than a generic email.
I am still waiting for a list of the press contacts\communication, from the start of the season myself, despite two phone calls to the club myself requesting this information, and an email to the generic 'press' email?
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
You yourself weren't on this board as Belgiumbun at that time. Can you give any examples of the disgusting treatment?
Better communications with the fans like Richard Murray Q & A and Roland's videos? Murray told us we were panicking about relegation and it was all bad luck due to injuries but with January investment and recoveries we would stay up. Roland, on the other hand, issued his rant against the best advice of his new Head of Communications who promptly resigned (constructive dismissal case surely). Yeah, dream on The Supporters Relations Team.
We need to stop giving Murray/Duchatalet credit for taking part in Q&As. They were not. They were press releases disguised as Q&As. No senior official has actually faced proper questions since the shit hit the fan. Given all that is going on, both on and off the field, that is extraordinary, as is the fact that the club's CEO has been in communication lockdown for months.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections with the club.
"We want to keep attracting the best talent" - when have you attracted that so far?
"And we want that talent to first and foremost be having long and prosperous careers with Charlton." - so how does that fit with the "Premier League stars of the future" philosophy?
"Some players do move on, some of their own choosing" - and some are pushed out of the door because a semi-conductor manufacturer thinks he knows best...
I have some sympathy with the people having to reply to emails. Clearly, this system was set up by Mel (before she realised she had joined a lunatic asylum) with the aim of resuming some form of communication with fans. Her departure left them having to respond to a large number of unhappy fans with a script obviously scripted from questions put to Roland and Squirrel Face and then given a PR gloss so it reads better.
Those sending replies have their hands tied by the fact Roland is a control freak and Daisy is utterly out of her depth. So there's not much they can say other than utter platitudes and repeat stock phrases.
I suspect that this fans@ email will be gently left to rot over the summer, with the excuse that something new and dynamic will replace it (yup, another CAFC lie) and that too many people were picking replies to pieces.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
You yourself weren't on this board as Belgiumbun at that time. Can you give any examples of the disgusting treatment?
Exactly my thoughts. I hate to say it - the endless posted open letters are probably what @PL54 refers to when he describes the 'look at me' culture on here. Maybe it's cathartic, but there are so many now that it has become a little bit of a pissing contest over who has been hurt the most by this regime.
Strangely intolerant and divisive post. If you're not interested in fellow fans' communication with the club and any response, you might want to consider avoiding a thread titled 'Letter to Charlton and response'.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
So glad the response mentioned the 'scoreboard'. Eight months to take action and even then it wasn't great - thought they would have kept quite about that one. Again a poorly constructed and grammatically incorrect document. I realise I am a stickler for grammar and punctuation and appreciate not everyone finds it easy or important. However this is supposedly an official document and should be perfect. One bright point the sign- off "The Supporter Relations Team" does indicate to me they acknowledge Charlton does have only one supporter left so perhaps CARD are getting through to them
I would have thought a stickler for grammar and punctuation could have spelt quiet correctly. Comma after 'again'. Comma after 'however'. Comma after 'one bright point.' Colon after 'the sign-off'. Full - stop at the end of last sentence.
I have some sympathy with the people having to reply to emails. Clearly, this system was set up by Mel (before she realised she had joined a lunatic asylum) with the aim of resuming some form of communication with fans. Her departure left them having to respond to a large number of unhappy fans with a script obviously scripted from questions put to Roland and Squirrel Face and then given a PR gloss so it reads better.
Those sending replies have their hands tied by the fact Roland is a control freak and Daisy is utterly out of her depth. So there's not much they can say other than utter platitudes and repeat stock phrases.
I suspect that this fans@ email will be gently left to rot over the summer, with the excuse that something new and dynamic will replace it (yup, another CAFC lie) and that too many people were picking replies to pieces.
Mel was being overlapped with Phil Dorman, who was there before her, and is there now. The email system may not have been Mel's idea, maybe Phil's or maybe a joint enterprise.
Since Mel's departure I suspect Phil has the job of overseeing the emails.
It is clear from the responses that there are consistent themes arising such as repeating that Roland has no plans to sell, or that the big screen is a positive move by the regime, or that young players need to be attracted and played, or that there is a cheap area in the ground. There has also been a pattern of vague platitudes about sorrow, hope, hard work, and wanting.
These responses in their various mix and match clusters have been the approach of this regime throughout, now dressed up into emails by Phil at the regime's behest. There is certainly no autonomy in the replies, and whoever is constructing the messages may well disagree with them, and see the absurdity of the message they are obliged to sell.
There is no credible route forward suggested in any of the responses as far as I can see.
One may well ask why Mel left after 46 days. I was sceptible about her early on, but she was reportedly charming at a supporters event at the training ground, visited the museum, went to the Bromley meeting, and exhuded all the signs of somebody getting into her new job. Then she left.
If Mel's 46 days were for her a simple fact finding mission to find out if she wanted the job at Charlton, and then she decided she didn't want it after all, then OK. Mind you Mel would have had three months anticipating her new job at Charlton to at least partially suss out what it might be like, Mel arrives and less than seven weeks later she goes.
It is a screamingly obvious conclusion for me to reach that the Roland statement is the specific reason Mel left, or indeed technically that statement forced her out. There may be more in this story to come.
All this brings me back to the email exchanges. I wonder if Phil has a kind of integrity related breaking point and says sod this for a game of soldiers. I can't help thinking of Phil like those fecking cold caller employees who tell you to apply for injury compensation or PPI money. The phone dudes know it's a scam, they know they're duplicitous, yet keep on doing it, either for the money, or because they see the people as mug punters, or both.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
That doesn't surprise me although I didn't know until now.
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
Exactly my thoughts. I hate to say it - the endless posted open letters are probably what @PL54 refers to when he describes the 'look at me' culture on here. Maybe it's cathartic, but there are so many now that it has become a little bit of a pissing contest over who has been hurt the most by this regime.
Strangely intolerant and divisive post. If you're not interested in fellow fans' communication with the club and any response, you might want to consider avoiding a thread titled 'Letter to Charlton and response'.
So people are now meant to avoid threads where they disagree with either an outcome or reaction? Or, to be more accurate, where someone may feel empathy with people at lower levels within the club who have to carry out a lose-lose situation?
Furthermore, you missed out the part of his post where he said he agreed with writing letters:
That is not to say that sending the emails is pointless in itself, I think that there is something to be said for the impact caused by an overwhelming general weight negative correspondence.
We are all upset, most, if not all of us want change. But we cannot criticize the regime for not listening to outside opinions when we ostracize our own who have even a slightly different perspective on dissent.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
That doesn't surprise me although I didn't know until now.
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
If the club are going to set up an email for communicating with the fans, they should expect to receive an email or two given the current situation. They were asking for the absolute pelters they are getting.
What is getting up everybody's nose is the fact they are making a total arse-party of responding (I'm still waiting for an answer to a perfectly reasonable question after two weeks). They are not answering questions properly and trotting out the party line over and over. The exercise has just made the non-communication issue worse and further damaged the relationship with fans (if that was even possible!)
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
That doesn't surprise me although I didn't know until now.
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
If the club are going to set up an email for communicating with the fans, they should expect to receive an email or two given the current situation. They were asking for the absolute pelters they are getting.
What is getting up everybody's nose is the fact they are making a total arse-party of responding (I'm still waiting for an answer to a perfectly reasonable question after two weeks). They are not answering questions properly and trotting out the party line over and over. The exercise has just made the non-communication issue worse and further damaged the relationship with fans (if that was even possible!)
Do you expect Katrien, Roland, or Richard Murray to be responding to these emails? I've already written in this thread to the original poster that while I understand his anger, and genuinely empathize with his desire to explain why he feels his club is being ruined, I can't think of any football club, let alone any decently sized business, where, if you wrote them an email criticizing the leadership, that you would get an honest assessment back from said leadership.
By all means, express your anger, outrage, frustration, and hurt. Explain what this club means to you. But the club not responding to individual emails is, in my opinion, pretty far down the list of things they've done wrong.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
That doesn't surprise me although I didn't know until now.
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
If the club are going to set up an email for communicating with the fans, they should expect to receive an email or two given the current situation. They were asking for the absolute pelters they are getting.
What is getting up everybody's nose is the fact they are making a total arse-party of responding (I'm still waiting for an answer to a perfectly reasonable question after two weeks). They are not answering questions properly and trotting out the party line over and over. The exercise has just made the non-communication issue worse and further damaged the relationship with fans (if that was even possible!)
I wonder if some of the delay is caused by the need for every reply to be signed off by someone senior? It's the only reason I can think of that such formatted responses take so long to emerge.
The difference in the Slater letter is not just the honesty of the content. It is written in an adult to adult tone of voice, not in a condescending and patronising way to a stupid child who just refuses to accept what he/she is repeatedly being told.
It was disgusting how some treated Slater on this board. Some were calling for a season ticket boycott against them as well. Maybe the money would not have run out so quickly had Slater and Jimi not been treated so shabbily by fans with more than football on their minds.
Oh dear...
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley would help.
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections.
To be fair, Jimenez never said a single thing until he sold the club and the communication from that regime post Varney/Kavanagh was pretty much non-existent. TJ/MS had zero interest in the views of Charlton fans. But I can't say I recall any call for a season-ticket boycott against that regime. Indeed, I'd be pretty confident that never happened.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
That doesn't surprise me although I didn't know until now.
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
If the club are going to set up an email for communicating with the fans, they should expect to receive an email or two given the current situation. They were asking for the absolute pelters they are getting.
What is getting up everybody's nose is the fact they are making a total arse-party of responding (I'm still waiting for an answer to a perfectly reasonable question after two weeks). They are not answering questions properly and trotting out the party line over and over. The exercise has just made the non-communication issue worse and further damaged the relationship with fans (if that was even possible!)
Do you expect Katrien, Roland, or Richard Murray to be responding to these emails? I've already written in this thread to the original poster that while I understand his anger, and genuinely empathize with his desire to explain why he feels his club is being ruined, I can't think of any football club, let alone any decently sized business, where, if you wrote them an email criticizing the leadership, that you would get an honest assessment back from said leadership.
By all means, express your anger, outrage, frustration, and hurt. Explain what this club means to you. But the club not responding to individual emails is, in my opinion, pretty far down the list of things they've done wrong.
My point being, they have set themselves up to fail. They are bombarded with angry emails that they don't have the resources to respond to, or the answers that anybody wants to hear. Its yet another example of the current management's inability to do anything properly, even when they are trying to do the right thing.
They are responding by proxy. It is clumsy but all they can do at the moment. Don't know why it is so haphazard, there's nothing else to keep them occupied.
They are responding by proxy. It is clumsy but all they can do at the moment. Don't know why it is so haphazard, there's nothing else to keep them occupied.
Thinking about it, I am not sure it's worth contacting the new email address any longer ... trite cut and paste responses, which avoid Daisy and co's email boxes being clogged up, so more of an advantage for them than us. Perhaps time for an email blitz on her email again.
Who are the people on the 'The Supporters Relations Team'!
Why not make this information known. Only names on the CAFC website are: vera.lazellari@cafc.co.uk for Disability, and lisa.squires@cafc.co.uk for Mascot packages.
I appreciate that generic emails are given out for departments, but why the lack of transparency, and a name given for the head of department, such as press.
I do tend to find a name is more appropriate in dealing with issues and questions, than a generic email.
I am still waiting for a list of the press contacts\communication, from the start of the season myself, despite two phone calls to the club myself requesting this information, and an email to the generic 'press' email?
I can't find out who is on the team, but have found their HQ.
I remember that letter coming through the door so clearly. Looking back with hindsight, they did EXACTLY what they said they would do. No matter what people thought of the regime in general, they did invest in the players required to get out of League One and put faith in a manager that delivered for them.
Better communications with the fans like Richard Murray Q & A and Roland's videos? Murray told us we were panicking about relegation and it was all bad luck due to injuries but with January investment and recoveries we would stay up. Roland, on the other hand, issued his rant against the best advice of his new Head of Communications who promptly resigned (constructive dismissal case surely). Yeah, dream on The Supporters Relations Team.
We need to stop giving Murray/Duchatalet credit for taking part in Q&As. They were not. They were press releases disguised as Q&As. No senior official has actually faced proper questions since the shit hit the fan. Given all that is going on, both on and off the field, that is extraordinary, as is the fact that the club's CEO has been in communication lockdown for months.
Absolutely right. I still don't think they've coughed to who the 'fans/partners' were who were supposed to have met with Roly. My money says that he didn't meet anyone other than Mare and Muzza.
Comments
Does anyone actually expect anyone at the club of any note to read and respond to their letter?
That is not to say that sending the emails is pointless in itself, I think that there is something to be said for the impact caused by an overwhelming general weight negative correspondence.
As for the "please consider our plans below" line. All that follows is a list of things that you'd like the fans to believe. There's no evidence that they are doing them. An no talk of how they could possibly be achieved. They are no more plans than some four year old kneeling at their bed and murmuring 'god bless mummy, god bless daddy and please let me got to Disneyland'.
Why not make this information known.
Only names on the CAFC website are: vera.lazellari@cafc.co.uk for Disability, and lisa.squires@cafc.co.uk for Mascot packages.
I appreciate that generic emails are given out for departments, but why the lack of transparency, and a name given for the head of department, such as press.
I do tend to find a name is more appropriate in dealing with issues and questions, than a generic email.
I am still waiting for a list of the press contacts\communication, from the start of the season myself, despite two phone calls to the club myself requesting this information, and an email to the generic 'press' email?
Can you give any examples of the disgusting treatment?
If you are trying to be funny, a smiley
As far as I am aware, Slater and Jimenez never had enough money to run the club without third party backers, unlike a certain Belgian visionary.
However, equally unlike a certain Belgian visionary, they understood football and football fans. They were also capable of constructing public statements that would not shame a 5 year old (again in stark contrast to a certain Belgian multimillionaire). Take a look at the Jimenez article from the Huffington Post http://huffingtonpost.co.uk/tony-jimenez/charlton-athletic-sold-tony-jimenez_b_4536064.html and compare that to any of the Duchatelet regimes's club statements.
But, anyone who is a fan of this club (as you have claimed to be) will be fully aware that being a Charlton fan is so much more than just sitting and watching the football. We have a greater sense of belonging, precisely because of our history, than that - even those, like me who have never lived anywhere near The Valley and have no family connections with the club.
"And we want that talent to first and foremost be having long and prosperous careers with Charlton." - so how does that fit with the "Premier League stars of the future" philosophy?
"Some players do move on, some of their own choosing" - and some are pushed out of the door because a semi-conductor manufacturer thinks he knows best...
Those sending replies have their hands tied by the fact Roland is a control freak and Daisy is utterly out of her depth. So there's not much they can say other than utter platitudes and repeat stock phrases.
I suspect that this fans@ email will be gently left to rot over the summer, with the excuse that something new and dynamic will replace it (yup, another CAFC lie) and that too many people were picking replies to pieces.
As it happens, the 2011 Slater letter was my idea and I wrote it!
Comma after 'again'.
Comma after 'however'.
Comma after 'one bright point.'
Colon after 'the sign-off'.
Full - stop at the end of last sentence.
Sorry.
Since Mel's departure I suspect Phil has the job of overseeing the emails.
It is clear from the responses that there are consistent themes arising such as repeating that Roland has no plans to sell, or that the big screen is a positive move by the regime, or that young players need to be attracted and played, or that there is a cheap area in the ground. There has also been a pattern of vague platitudes about sorrow, hope, hard work, and wanting.
These responses in their various mix and match clusters have been the approach of this regime throughout, now dressed up into emails by Phil at the regime's behest. There is certainly no autonomy in the replies, and whoever is constructing the messages may well disagree with them, and see the absurdity of the message they are obliged to sell.
There is no credible route forward suggested in any of the responses as far as I can see.
One may well ask why Mel left after 46 days. I was sceptible about her early on, but she was reportedly charming at a supporters event at the training ground, visited the museum, went to the Bromley meeting, and exhuded all the signs of somebody getting into her new job. Then she left.
If Mel's 46 days were for her a simple fact finding mission to find out if she wanted the job at Charlton, and then she decided she didn't want it after all, then OK. Mind you Mel would have had three months anticipating her new job at Charlton to at least partially suss out what it might be like, Mel arrives and less than seven weeks later she goes.
It is a screamingly obvious conclusion for me to reach that the Roland statement is the specific reason Mel left, or indeed technically that statement forced her out. There may be more in this story to come.
All this brings me back to the email exchanges. I wonder if Phil has a kind of integrity related breaking point and says sod this for a game of soldiers. I can't help thinking of Phil like those fecking cold caller employees who tell you to apply for injury compensation or PPI money. The phone dudes know it's a scam, they know they're duplicitous, yet keep on doing it, either for the money, or because they see the people as mug punters, or both.
Do you really want this gig Phil?
What it does do, however, is pose the question (not to you specifically Airman) why are fans so put out by the current emails coming from a team opposed to an individual.
Also, in the club's defence, does anyone genuinely believe or expect (demand) that their email reply be hand written and specific to them personally? This would be a little unrealistic in most situations but when CARD and others are encouraging all fans to email in it must be virtually impossible to hand write hundreds (if not thousands) or replies.
Furthermore, you missed out the part of his post where he said he agreed with writing letters:
That is not to say that sending the emails is pointless in itself, I think that there is something to be said for the impact caused by an overwhelming general weight negative correspondence.
We are all upset, most, if not all of us want change. But we cannot criticize the regime for not listening to outside opinions when we ostracize our own who have even a slightly different perspective on dissent.
What is getting up everybody's nose is the fact they are making a total arse-party of responding (I'm still waiting for an answer to a perfectly reasonable question after two weeks). They are not answering questions properly and trotting out the party line over and over. The exercise has just made the non-communication issue worse and further damaged the relationship with fans (if that was even possible!)
By all means, express your anger, outrage, frustration, and hurt. Explain what this club means to you. But the club not responding to individual emails is, in my opinion, pretty far down the list of things they've done wrong.