I honestly thought this was made up, like my first reaction to the Roland statement.
However she said it it seems.
So much to chew on here (she said it in a public forum so reacting to it is fair enough), but one thought I have had is about her support network and who is suggesting stuff to here. Given the nature of the conferences she is so fond of, including hosting a women in football event at the Valley, and given the nature of the support from Jo Tongue, I can easily see the thought process that goes
I am a young woman in sport. It is a sexist world. They get at me because I am a woman. It is a racist world. Non white people get it because of their race, just as I get it because of my gender. To attack me is sexist, which is akin to racist, so those who attack me are also racists to all intents and purposes.
Katrien is wrong. She is attacked because she is destroying Charlton Athletic.
P.S. The stuff about children resonates with a lifer being told by Cojones that it was their six year old that the club want to attract, and also resonates with other stuff the regime have been initiating in trying to get children attached to the club.
The regime is waiting for all us old sexist racists to die basically.
Who do they think is going to take these children to the games? Are they going to rock up on their own?
She's clearly wanted to get something out since the last Belgium trip on 23rd April - it must have been really tough for her to keep her big gob shut all that time with it all bubbling under - and then suddenly today someone released the pressure valve and whoosh....off went the helium balloon. I must admit, that she has done well to keep it under wraps that long - i'm not sure i could have done the same.
In fairness she might have thought it advisable to bring up her parents on the basis that it has been criticised on here. Its ironic though because even though I was adamant that it was the wrong thing to do I don't have any empathy with or sympathy for her.
She just seems unable to avoid controversy when she speaks publicly away from Charlton. I thought after her performance in Dublin that she was trying to 'pick a fight' with the fans and let them know that she will stand her ground and 'punish' them for having the nerve to stand up to her. Since then the balance has changed and she must know that she is both in the wrong and fantastically unpopular. This outburst and the lack of intelligence and awareness that is shows makes me question if she, actually, passed a degree in Law and is even qualified to practice it at all.
I know there are different levels of competences in all walks of life but she doesn't seem to have the basic intelligence that I would expect as a minimum for anyone to be allowed to practice law, or fry a Big Mac for that matter. She has looked out of her depth for a long time but now she is starting to look a little thick. even a most emotional person would think about the consequences of what they are going to say and any lawyer doesn't lose their self control like she must have done to spout the things she has. It all points to the suggestion that she deliberately chose to say the things she did and that shows such a staggering lack or awareness or intelligence.
Time will tell but this last twelve months might well have ensured that when Roland tires of her she will be unemployable, not just in a senior position but in any job.
I struggle to recall a more adolescent or juvenile outburst from any employer, employee or student during a 40yr working career.
For a CEO (her words not mine) to make such a statement at an industry forum confirms the delusion of this woman. In her own mind she simply cannot even contemplate the idea she has done anything wrong. No wonder Duchatelet is so out of step with our circumstances if this his source of information.
Every failure is positioned as no more than part and parcel of an industry variable, conveniently ignoring such variables occur due to the incompetence of the personnel involved.
To again laud the investment of £30mn while being relegated merely serves to reinforce the perversity of her logic. Any fool can spend money yet know it is the results such expenditure achieve which matters - relegation on such a basis is a cataclysmic failure.
Having frittered away £30mn of the clubs' money (it is the THE CLUBS debt) she having dumped on 6 coaching appointments, the Royal Mail, the University of Greenwich students, the fans, the Head of Communications, the local constabulary, the players, now positions her difficulties as the responsibility of the media (you really want to attack the media?) and blames industry governance for failing to protect her from the direct consequences of her own actions.
Truly everybody else has got it wrong. Everybody else is overreacting. How dare they be so upset? How dare they be so really mean?
The rather unfortunate challenge is, of course, the one common denominator through all of this is ..... Katrien Meire. Just who on earth does she think she is? She carries the title of a CEO of a failing mid corporate football business. Will this delusional self importance never end?
Once again she speaks in generic terms. I am indeed distressed the lady has been subjected to criminal acts. Please specify the details. Were such acts reported to the police? Did the police deem them serious enough to expend their valuable time and resources to pursue? Has anyone been charged with any offence? I suspect not.
The delusion extends to the eradication of foul and abusive language. It speaks to the complete ignorance of the origins of professional football in the UK. The game was spawned in the industrial heartlands of the country. It was a working mans' game played by working men watched by working men coming off of their Saturday morning shifts.
It is a working mans sport. Most professional sport has similar origins. It is not meant for the faint heated or the genteel. I concede I have little knowledge of provincial sport in Belgium but in the grown up world of professional sport across the globe foul and abusive language is commonplace.
Professional sport is hard, competitive, physically and mentally demanding. Sports people of both genders when competing to the limit of their abilities will on occasion step into areas of physical violence and regularly use such language in the clear presence of any watching audience no matter their age or gender.
It is not unreasonable for such audiences to respond accordingly - no matter the sport - no matter the continent on which that sport is played be it on the Australian cricket fields, the arenas of the NBA, MLB, NFL, the Valley or the genteel world of Wimbledon.
That a small minority take it to excess is regrettable but it is part and parcel of society today. You may as well complain to the Prime Minister as the sports industry governance authorities. Anyone of any maturity and/or not wrapped in their own cocoon would know this.
It has been the same for my entire exposure to professional sport for over 60yrs.
I do not doubt mothers may not wish to expose their children to such industrial language but you have to be extraordinarily naïve not to recognise the little darlings will be subject to far worse in virtually every school playground on the planet.
Provincial Belgium must a little more sheltered than I thought.
This sanitised version of the world speaks volumes to why we are where we are today. The woman has convinced herself of a world of professional sport where you can survive by merely being competitive, where results do not really matter, where the crowd will be made of nice families all out for a "jolly good" match experience, playfully posturing to get a chance to sit on "the sofa".
Against such parameters in her world she of course has not failed. Everybody else really has got it wrong. Sacking coaches does not matter. Failure to engage with supporters does not matter. Communications do not matter. Losing matches does not matter. Falling crowds do not matter. Falling season tickets numbers do not matter. Losing club sponsors does not matter. Wilful spending on excess security does not matter. Relegation does not matter.
People being jolly, jolly rotten to me and my family and saying lots of rude words - now that is serious.
I get it. The regime is always right. Even when they are wrong they will learn from their mistakes so the mistakes do not really matter. The regime is always right. The regime cant explain it. The regime can't tell us because the regime do not understand why they are right but for goodness sake can we stop being so mean.
Why can us b*****ds not just suck it up?
Please believe me lady, having for a period worked tirelessly for equal opportunities and never hurled an abusive epithet at any woman you are truly one really weird lady............and I really mean really weird.
I don't join in to the 'Katrien is a slapper' chants, and only at the one away game I've been to this season (without my son) have I joined in the 'Hey Roland' chants without modifying the c**t at the end to some normal words.
We could easily make the chants swear free but for goodness sake it's football. Personal abuse happens every game and it is a normal part of the game. While for some, it would be preferable if it were not, for others it would blunt the effect and the force of the chants.
If I were the CEO of a business and I was at a conference where those on stage suggested the club was run badly, I would feel the need to respond. Hopefully, I wouldn't get into that position but if I had, I would not respond in a way that reinforced, in front of everyone in my industry, that I had lost the plot and was losing it more second by second.
Her comments were very ill judged, tried to justify the unjustifiable through weak complaints against the minority of protests that have been close to (but not for many over the wire or over the wire enough).
When she looks back on this, it will be another awful day in a career of awful days.
Katrien, it's time to go. Plucky though you undoubtedly are, you are not experienced enough or sufficiently competent in many areas to do the role of CEO of Charlton Athletic successfully. Not now, nor at any point in the future.
Please find a way out so that you are not further embarrassed.
I haven't read the whole thread. Just want to say that their views on football and fans haven't change one iota even two months has passed since RD put out his own ridiculous statement. They killed our club and they got the nerve to make complaints?! What are these people?!
No matter what manager or head coach they appoint, no matter what they do next season, we see a statement like this and we know won't be fooled, anymore. Fellow supporters, if you have any hesitation in the future about whether to protest against or support this regime, just come back and read this statement along with the RD one. These two statements alone will remind yourselves that our ultimate goal has been and will always be to make them sell up. They will never change so our goal should never change either.
Not the first time the gender card has been hinted at. I remember some bollocks about "I hope the protestors don't have girlfriends or daughters they talk to like that" or something to that effect
I struggle to recall a more adolescent or juvenile outburst from any employer, employee or student during a 40yr working career.
The delusion extends to the eradication of foul and abusive language. It speaks to the complete ignorance of the origins of professional football in the UK. The game was spawned in the industrial heartlands of the country. It was a working mans' game played by working men watched by working men coming off of their Saturday morning shifts. It is a working mans sport. Most professional sport has similar origins. It is not meant for the faint heated or the genteel. I concede I have little knowledge of provincial sport in Belgium but in the grown up world of professional sport across the globe foul and abusive language is commonplace.
Professional sport is hard, competitive, physically and mentally demanding. Sports people of both genders when competing to the limit of their abilities will on occasion step into areas of physical violence and regularly use such language in the clear presence of any watching audience no matter their age or gender. That a small minority take it to excess is regrettable but it is part and parcel of society today. You may as well complain to the Prime Minister as the sports industry governance authorities. Anyone of any maturity and/or not wrapped in their own cocoon would know this.
...
The origins of the game don't matter if someone is being abused in a sexist fashion. The origins of the game were also in all-male bording schools to be a form of "Muscular Christianity," and in part to avoid masturbation. I don't see what that has to do with the game as funded and branded by Sky and owned by a diverse group of peoples in the 21st century.
You have just trotted out well written versions of the sentiment that have kept blacks, gays, foreigners, and women from being allowed into the game for over a century. If you can't be in a public place in 2016 without calling someone a "c*nt" or a "slapper," then you're wrong. And whatever era or social standard you're nostalgic for was wrong as well.
Katrien Meire's comments were silly, and misjudged, but that does not excuse sexism.
Jon Stewart just spoke very well to political correctness and inclusion in society. I'll defer to this as I don't know that I can add anything nuanced.
Not the first time the gender card has been hinted at. I remember some bollocks about "I hope the protestors don't have girlfriends or daughters they talk to like that" or something to that effect
Yep.
Cue a bloke checking on the poor damsal in distress when we were talking outside today. Once again, what seemed perplexing has now been explained by her statement.
What's really sexist about this whole situation is that her gender is even being mentioned, and that she was originally used as an example of a "woman in a mans world"; a narrative that has now declined to hiding behind her gender and relying upon men who feel the need to step to her assistance. (No one in this thread! The example above.)
Much in the same way Powell was pulled out whenever race issues in football management were in the news - as some form of outdated "token black guy", and not as a professional football manager - it stinks, and it undermines the whole argument.
Rather then looking at her gender lets look at her qualifications, achievements and comments. All of which are inappropriate or inexistent.
If we're sexist for disliking someone who we deem to inept, then they're racist for sacking Chris Powell, anti-semetic for sacking an Israeli Jew and xenophobic for continuing to employ Belgian after Belgian. But they're none of those things, and we're not sexist.
My kids are mollycoddled and when they get to Charlton the rules change , daddy may swear a bit , the ten year old will get involved if the younger boys aren't there but he knows that this sort of immature behaviour can not be seen away from the ground We change the words a bit, "doughnut" replacing any bad swear words where the owners are concerned All the football has done this season is bring tears to the kids eyes , the protests have been the best part of this season and taking balloons , beach balls , stickers and badges away have been a highlight for my boys and going round the back to protest as well The sad thing is they used to burst randomly into singing players names and now they burst in to "get out of our club , get out of our cluuuuuub , you Belgian doughnuts ,get out of our club" and impromptu chants of "liar , liar , liar" are made if one of their siblings says something a bit suspect (thanks Kat) These kids are the future and going to school in an area where most kids support , West Ham , Spurs and Arsenal its only gonna get tougher for them and me (to keep their Charlton interest up) as everyone takes the piss out of the crap team they support , I can live with that if there was hope but under this ownership the life has been sucked out of the club. This season my dream of my 4 boys running out to be mascots was cancelled due to my "not a penny more" policy towards these incompetent owners , I will never forgive them for delaying that dream of mine . Sell the club and fuck off home you doughnuts
Not the first time the gender card has been hinted at. I remember some bollocks about "I hope the protestors don't have girlfriends or daughters they talk to like that" or something to that effect
Yep.
Cue a bloke checking on the poor damsal in distress when we were talking outside today. Once again, what seemed perplexing has now been explained by her statement.
What's really sexist about this whole situation is that her gender is even being mentioned, and that she was originally used as an example of a "woman in a mans world"; a narrative that has now declined to hiding behind her gender and relying upon men who feel the need to step to her assistance. (No one in this thread! The example above.)
Much in the same way Powell was pulled out whenever race issues in football management were in the news - as some form of outdated "token black guy", and not as a professional football manager - it stinks, and it undermines the whole argument.
Rather then looking at her gender lets look at her qualifications, achievements and comments. All of which are inappropriate or inexistent.
If we're sexist for disliking someone who we deem to inept, then they're racist for sacking Chris Powell, anti-semetic for sacking an Israeli Jew and xenophobic for continuing to employ Belgian after Belgian. But they're none of those things, and we're not sexist.
Okay, before I respond, are you referring to my post?
Not the first time the gender card has been hinted at. I remember some bollocks about "I hope the protestors don't have girlfriends or daughters they talk to like that" or something to that effect
Yep.
Cue a bloke checking on the poor damsal in distress when we were talking outside today. Once again, what seemed perplexing has now been explained by her statement.
What's really sexist about this whole situation is that her gender is even being mentioned, and that she was originally used as an example of a "woman in a mans world"; a narrative that has now declined to hiding behind her gender and relying upon men who feel the need to step to her assistance. (No one in this thread! The example above.)
Much in the same way Powell was pulled out whenever race issues in football management were in the news - as some form of outdated "token black guy", and not as a professional football manager - it stinks, and it undermines the whole argument.
Rather then looking at her gender lets look at her qualifications, achievements and comments. All of which are inappropriate or inexistent.
If we're sexist for disliking someone who we deem to inept, then they're racist for sacking Chris Powell, anti-semetic for sacking an Israeli Jew and xenophobic for continuing to employ Belgian after Belgian. But they're none of those things, and we're not sexist.
Okay, before I respond, are you referring to my post?
No!!!
That's specifically why I put no one in this thread, I think I even liked your post @SDAddick - as usual you've spoken a lot of sense.
I meant the example above IN my post, the chap who saw Katrien talking to two polite fans but felt the need to give one a shitty look (hence why I took it to heart ) whilst checking she was OK, and that we weren't being mean. I doubt that would've happened to a bloke chatting to two others, or without the sexism she's hinted towards.
I apologise if you misunderstood, but I did specifically say no one in the thread - and pointed towards my example.
Not the first time the gender card has been hinted at. I remember some bollocks about "I hope the protestors don't have girlfriends or daughters they talk to like that" or something to that effect
Yep.
Cue a bloke checking on the poor damsal in distress when we were talking outside today. Once again, what seemed perplexing has now been explained by her statement.
What's really sexist about this whole situation is that her gender is even being mentioned, and that she was originally used as an example of a "woman in a mans world"; a narrative that has now declined to hiding behind her gender and relying upon men who feel the need to step to her assistance. (No one in this thread! The example above.)
Much in the same way Powell was pulled out whenever race issues in football management were in the news - as some form of outdated "token black guy", and not as a professional football manager - it stinks, and it undermines the whole argument.
Rather then looking at her gender lets look at her qualifications, achievements and comments. All of which are inappropriate or inexistent.
If we're sexist for disliking someone who we deem to inept, then they're racist for sacking Chris Powell, anti-semetic for sacking an Israeli Jew and xenophobic for continuing to employ Belgian after Belgian. But they're none of those things, and we're not sexist.
Okay, before I respond, are you referring to my post?
No!!!
That's specifically why I put no one in this thread, I think I even liked your post @SDAddick - as usual you've spoken a lot of sense.
I meant the example above IN my post, the chap who saw Katrien talking to two polite fans but felt the need to give one a shitty look (hence why I took it to heart ) whilst checking she was OK, and that we weren't being mean. I doubt that would've happened to a bloke chatting to two others, or without the sexism she's hinted towards.
I apologise if you misunderstood, but I did specifically say no one in the thread - and pointed towards my example.
Sorry fella, thanks for the clarification. Just had my tea, might have been a bit cranky beforehand .
I'll ask yet again - what extreme and vile personal abuse?!
Well for a start the 'slapper' and 'chlamydia' song; the c-word posted on the comments of the Dublin video. I'm also aware of some particularly nasty emails she's received, a small number crossing the line into criminal transgression.
I'm in no way defending her, and she may have the skin (and hide) of a rhino - but let's not pretend she's not been abused.
I'll ask yet again - what extreme and vile personal abuse?!
Well for a start the 'slapper' and 'chlamydia' song; the c-word posted on the comments of the Dublin video. I'm also aware of some particularly nasty emails she's received, a small number crossing the line into criminal transgression.
I'm in no way defending her, and she may have the skin (and hide) of a rhino - but let's not pretend she's not been abused.
The visiting of her parents was out of order.
The rest she is fair game for and deserves.
F*** her.
If she was smart she would have spoken out about the visitation of fans to her parents straight after it occurred. Even if the statement she produced was as an emotional wreck, she would have gained some amount of sympathy.
She probably only found out about that simple exchange of a leaflet ordeal via Charlton life.
It's all too late as far she, the rant and Murray are concerned. Too much has gone now for them to retrieve the mess over the last 28 months and no one trusts what they say or anything they do anymore.
Grudging admission of mistakes without understanding the need to be accompanied by explanations and apologies.
Not associating herself with the mistakes, and implying they should be accepted as normal and should not invoke passionate reaction from fans.
Bewildered why cash injected to save owners original investment should not be accepted as a bribe in return for dumb loyalty and respect to her and the owner.
Refusal to accept the reality of the situation leaves her no option but to portray fans as first a minority, then irrational, then uneducated and foul mouthed finally criminals and racists.
Not exactly on the path to a truth and reconciliation solution.
Like a poor gambler getting ever more desperate, she stumbles from one bad throw of the dice to another as she tries to reach what is always moving further away - the profile of an intelligent woman, in control running a successful football club for a wealthy owner to be revered as the new Karen Brady.
She has no interest in the club or the fans, only her own self advancement and she is failing miserably.
I've increased my standing order to the protest fund and can only hope we advance her misery even further.
Ok for one thing (now I'm a bit less annoyed) she is not hinting that the fans are raciest. She is mostly just clumsy with words whilst rattled and visibly outspokenly upset (weirdo). Attention seeker - drama. Even though she has already lost before she has even said a word.
What I'd like to know is who the hell was she supporting 15 years ago? Belgian Scumbags FC?
She is obviously rattled. I am interested in psychology. Mostly within animals but humans also, of course it's interesting. Aside from the fact that she's ruining my club, she is somewhat of an interest point because ...
A professional could learn from her personal strange-ness and she is in a high profile position.
I believe she is a sociopath but a non threatening one. That's not a sly dig. She is not a dangerous person so I really don't want to be overly harsh when suggesting something serious but:
1.Pathological liar
2. Not being able to answer questions. Or simply taking the piss, when asked questions. Diving all around them. In-direct.
3. Cannot admit anything is wrong or fully grasp it. She has mentioned things that have gone wrong but just says it happens as in, it's okish. Don't blame me for common occurrences. WRONG
4. Having too much self worth. Where she brings up the community stuff, the academy, the affordable football. She is crushed that side is not frequently praised, even though it's almost non relevant and not that impressive. Those things were already at the club. The club invested in charlton BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS, even as they say.
^She must be told she is great. A sociopath survives on it. She is hurt.
5.She has a little following of worshipers. Ie Mandy. Not that impressive but she is still up her butthole. There will be others too.
6. Constantly in denial anything is wrong. She will get angry if the facts and figures are shown factually that the club has turned sour. Probably wouldn't bear look at it and would get passive aggressive.
7. The sex vid is a bold move that someone with a funny mental disorder may overly approve of. It was not appropriate.
8. She is apparently initially charming and stands out. You know, how some people get jobs.
Those are sociopathic traits and probably more where that came from. However, it doesn't always complete the individual.
She might just about escape being fully branded as a sociopath.
Another way to see it is is she is just playing a game. Given a job because women are good with budgets and allegedly because her dad knows Roland, her boss does not care what she does or what the consequences are as long as she is having fun.
My wife and I have been taking my son to Charlton since he was six. He is been exposed to swearing since that time - I have never had a problem with that - I told him that he will hear it, but it doesn't mean he should repeat it. It has always been my position to reason with him, not pretend people don't use those words. Go to any school and every child will know the swear words so what's the harm in hearing them. My son is now 14 and he never swears. He has told me in the past that it annoys him when some of his friends swear excessively. He is well adjusted and strong both academically and in sports.
I must admit that at an Ipswich match some years ago and our supporters were chanting 'Sheep Shaggers', he asked me what they were saying and I told him 'sheep shearers' because a lot of them live on farms! I suspect Katrien and Roland have been far more responsible for youngsters not attending than any swearing, which has always been a part of football.
As a story this will gone in a couple of days. It would be good to see a response from CARD though to the branding of Charlton anti-Roland fans as criminal mysogonists that need educating.
What Meire's words have done of course is to deepen the divide between the owner and fans, and cause further damage Charlton as a club. This would be a brilliant case study in how to not run a business.
We've been relegated. We've just been snubbed in public by the manager of Northampton bloody Town. We've no manager. It's a critical time for selling and recruiting players. The club is trying to sell season tickets.
Meire then decides that now is a good time to defame the active fan base, rather than trying to build bridges. And says that apart from the managers she appointed and the players, Charton isn't all shit! Great work Katrien.
As a story this will gone in a couple of days. It would be good to see a response from CARD though to the branding of Charlton anti-Roland fans as criminal mysogonists that need educating.
What Meire's words have done of course is to deepen the divide between the owner and fans, and cause further damage Charlton as a club. This would be a brilliant case study in how to not run a business.
We've been relegated. We've just been snubbed in public by the manager of Northampton bloody Town. We've no manager. It's a critical time for selling and recruiting players. The club is trying to sell season tickets.
Meira then decides that now is a good time to defame the active fan base, rather than trying to build bridges. And says that apart from the managers she appointed and the players, Charton isn't all shit! Great work Katrien.
As a story this will gone in a couple of days. It would be good to see a response from CARD though to the branding of Charlton anti-Roland fans as criminal mysogonists that need educating.
What Meire's words have done of course is to deepen the divide between the owner and fans, and cause further damage Charlton as a club. This would be a brilliant case study in how to not run a business.
We've been relegated. We've just been snubbed in public by the manager of Northampton bloody Town. We've no manager. It's a critical time for selling and recruiting players. The club is trying to sell season tickets.
Meira then decides that now is a good time to defame the active fan base, rather than trying to build bridges. And says that apart from the managers she appointed and the players, Charton isn't all shit! Great work Katrien.
As a story this will gone in a couple of days. It would be good to see a response from CARD though to the branding of Charlton anti-Roland fans as criminal mysogonists that need educating.
What Meire's words have done of course is to deepen the divide between the owner and fans, and cause further damage Charlton as a club. This would be a brilliant case study in how to not run a business.
We've been relegated. We've just been snubbed in public by the manager of Northampton bloody Town. We've no manager. It's a critical time for selling and recruiting players. The club is trying to sell season tickets.
Meira then decides that now is a good time to defame the active fan base, rather than trying to build bridges. And says that apart from the managers she appointed and the players, Charton isn't all shit! Great work Katrien.
And a few months ago she was trying to tell us they were all great appointments!!! I think the press need a CARD statement now countering her points and reflecting how she has insulted us.
We are screwed next season if Roland and KM are still running the gaff, they stumble from one disaster to another, without an ounce of apology or responsibility, grow up Katrien.
Comments
She just seems unable to avoid controversy when she speaks publicly away from Charlton. I thought after her performance in Dublin that she was trying to 'pick a fight' with the fans and let them know that she will stand her ground and 'punish' them for having the nerve to stand up to her. Since then the balance has changed and she must know that she is both in the wrong and fantastically unpopular. This outburst and the lack of intelligence and awareness that is shows makes me question if she, actually, passed a degree in Law and is even qualified to practice it at all.
I know there are different levels of competences in all walks of life but she doesn't seem to have the basic intelligence that I would expect as a minimum for anyone to be allowed to practice law, or fry a Big Mac for that matter. She has looked out of her depth for a long time but now she is starting to look a little thick. even a most emotional person would think about the consequences of what they are going to say and any lawyer doesn't lose their self control like she must have done to spout the things she has. It all points to the suggestion that she deliberately chose to say the things she did and that shows such a staggering lack or awareness or intelligence.
Time will tell but this last twelve months might well have ensured that when Roland tires of her she will be unemployable, not just in a senior position but in any job.
It's just staggering!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3587945/Charlton-supporters-crossed-line-criticism-claims-club-chief-Katrien-Meire.html
For a CEO (her words not mine) to make such a statement at an industry forum confirms the delusion of this woman. In her own mind she simply cannot even contemplate the idea she has done anything wrong. No wonder Duchatelet is so out of step with our circumstances if this his source of information.
Every failure is positioned as no more than part and parcel of an industry variable, conveniently ignoring such variables occur due to the incompetence of the personnel involved.
To again laud the investment of £30mn while being relegated merely serves to reinforce the perversity of her logic. Any fool can spend money yet know it is the results such expenditure achieve which matters - relegation on such a basis is a cataclysmic failure.
Having frittered away £30mn of the clubs' money (it is the THE CLUBS debt) she having dumped on 6 coaching appointments, the Royal Mail, the University of Greenwich students, the fans, the Head of Communications, the local constabulary, the players, now positions her difficulties as the responsibility of the media (you really want to attack the media?) and blames industry governance for failing to protect her from the direct consequences of her own actions.
Truly everybody else has got it wrong. Everybody else is overreacting. How dare they be so upset? How dare they be so really mean?
The rather unfortunate challenge is, of course, the one common denominator through all of this is ..... Katrien Meire. Just who on earth does she think she is? She carries the title of a CEO of a failing mid corporate football business. Will this delusional self importance never end?
Once again she speaks in generic terms. I am indeed distressed the lady has been subjected to criminal acts. Please specify the details. Were such acts reported to the police? Did the police deem them serious enough to expend their valuable time and resources to pursue? Has anyone been charged with any offence? I suspect not.
The delusion extends to the eradication of foul and abusive language. It speaks to the complete ignorance of the origins of professional football in the UK. The game was spawned in the industrial heartlands of the country. It was a working mans' game played by working men watched by working men coming off of their Saturday morning shifts.
It is a working mans sport. Most professional sport has similar origins. It is not meant for the faint heated or the genteel. I concede I have little knowledge of provincial sport in Belgium but in the grown up world of professional sport across the globe foul and abusive language is commonplace.
Professional sport is hard, competitive, physically and mentally demanding. Sports people of both genders when competing to the limit of their abilities will on occasion step into areas of physical violence and regularly use such language in the clear presence of any watching audience no matter their age or gender.
It is not unreasonable for such audiences to respond accordingly - no matter the sport - no matter the continent on which that sport is played be it on the Australian cricket fields, the arenas of the NBA, MLB, NFL, the Valley or the genteel world of Wimbledon.
That a small minority take it to excess is regrettable but it is part and parcel of society today. You may as well complain to the Prime Minister as the sports industry governance authorities. Anyone of any maturity and/or not wrapped in their own cocoon would know this.
It has been the same for my entire exposure to professional sport for over 60yrs.
I do not doubt mothers may not wish to expose their children to such industrial language but you have to be extraordinarily naïve not to recognise the little darlings will be subject to far worse in virtually every school playground on the planet.
Provincial Belgium must a little more sheltered than I thought.
This sanitised version of the world speaks volumes to why we are where we are today. The woman has convinced herself of a world of professional sport where you can survive by merely being competitive, where results do not really matter, where the crowd will be made of nice families all out for a "jolly good" match experience, playfully posturing to get a chance to sit on "the sofa".
Against such parameters in her world she of course has not failed. Everybody else really has got it wrong. Sacking coaches does not matter. Failure to engage with supporters does not matter. Communications do not matter. Losing matches does not matter. Falling crowds do not matter. Falling season tickets numbers do not matter. Losing club sponsors does not matter. Wilful spending on excess security does not matter. Relegation does not matter.
People being jolly, jolly rotten to me and my family and saying lots of rude words - now that is serious.
I get it. The regime is always right. Even when they are wrong they will learn from their mistakes so the mistakes do not really matter. The regime is always right. The regime cant explain it. The regime can't tell us because the regime do not understand why they are right but for goodness sake can we stop being so mean.
Why can us b*****ds not just suck it up?
Please believe me lady, having for a period worked tirelessly for equal opportunities and never hurled an abusive epithet at any woman you are truly one really weird lady............and I really mean really weird.
We could easily make the chants swear free but for goodness sake it's football. Personal abuse happens every game and it is a normal part of the game. While for some, it would be preferable if it were not, for others it would blunt the effect and the force of the chants.
If I were the CEO of a business and I was at a conference where those on stage suggested the club was run badly, I would feel the need to respond. Hopefully, I wouldn't get into that position but if I had, I would not respond in a way that reinforced, in front of everyone in my industry, that I had lost the plot and was losing it more second by second.
Her comments were very ill judged, tried to justify the unjustifiable through weak complaints against the minority of protests that have been close to (but not for many over the wire or over the wire enough).
When she looks back on this, it will be another awful day in a career of awful days.
Katrien, it's time to go. Plucky though you undoubtedly are, you are not experienced enough or sufficiently competent in many areas to do the role of CEO of Charlton Athletic successfully. Not now, nor at any point in the future.
Please find a way out so that you are not further embarrassed.
Many thanks
I haven't read the whole thread. Just want to say that their views on football and fans haven't change one iota even two months has passed since RD put out his own ridiculous statement. They killed our club and they got the nerve to make complaints?! What are these people?!
No matter what manager or head coach they appoint, no matter what they do next season, we see a statement like this and we know won't be fooled, anymore. Fellow supporters, if you have any hesitation in the future about whether to protest against or support this regime, just come back and read this statement along with the RD one. These two statements alone will remind yourselves that our ultimate goal has been and will always be to make them sell up. They will never change so our goal should never change either.
You have just trotted out well written versions of the sentiment that have kept blacks, gays, foreigners, and women from being allowed into the game for over a century. If you can't be in a public place in 2016 without calling someone a "c*nt" or a "slapper," then you're wrong. And whatever era or social standard you're nostalgic for was wrong as well.
Katrien Meire's comments were silly, and misjudged, but that does not excuse sexism.
Jon Stewart just spoke very well to political correctness and inclusion in society. I'll defer to this as I don't know that I can add anything nuanced.
Cue a bloke checking on the poor damsal in distress when we were talking outside today. Once again, what seemed perplexing has now been explained by her statement.
What's really sexist about this whole situation is that her gender is even being mentioned, and that she was originally used as an example of a "woman in a mans world"; a narrative that has now declined to hiding behind her gender and relying upon men who feel the need to step to her assistance. (No one in this thread! The example above.)
Much in the same way Powell was pulled out whenever race issues in football management were in the news - as some form of outdated "token black guy", and not as a professional football manager - it stinks, and it undermines the whole argument.
Rather then looking at her gender lets look at her qualifications, achievements and comments. All of which are inappropriate or inexistent.
If we're sexist for disliking someone who we deem to inept, then they're racist for sacking Chris Powell, anti-semetic for sacking an Israeli Jew and xenophobic for continuing to employ Belgian after Belgian. But they're none of those things, and we're not sexist.
We change the words a bit, "doughnut" replacing any bad swear words where the owners are concerned
All the football has done this season is bring tears to the kids eyes , the protests have been the best part of this season and taking balloons , beach balls , stickers and badges away have been a highlight for my boys and going round the back to protest as well
The sad thing is they used to burst randomly into singing players names and now they burst in to "get out of our club , get out of our cluuuuuub , you Belgian doughnuts ,get out of our club" and impromptu chants of "liar , liar , liar" are made if one of their siblings says something a bit suspect (thanks Kat)
These kids are the future and going to school in an area where most kids support , West Ham , Spurs and Arsenal its only gonna get tougher for them and me (to keep their Charlton interest up) as everyone takes the piss out of the crap team they support , I can live with that if there was hope but under this ownership the life has been sucked out of the club.
This season my dream of my 4 boys running out to be mascots was cancelled due to my "not a penny more" policy towards these incompetent owners , I will never forgive them for delaying that dream of mine .
Sell the club and fuck off home you doughnuts
That's specifically why I put no one in this thread, I think I even liked your post @SDAddick - as usual you've spoken a lot of sense.
I meant the example above IN my post, the chap who saw Katrien talking to two polite fans but felt the need to give one a shitty look (hence why I took it to heart
I apologise if you misunderstood, but I did specifically say no one in the thread - and pointed towards my example.
The rest she is fair game for and deserves.
F*** her.
She probably only found out about that simple exchange of a leaflet ordeal via Charlton life.
The sheer arrogance of the woman.
Everyone else's fault but hers.
Grudging admission of mistakes without understanding the need to be accompanied by explanations and apologies.
Not associating herself with the mistakes, and implying they should be accepted as normal and should not invoke passionate reaction from fans.
Bewildered why cash injected to save owners original investment should not be accepted as a bribe in return for dumb loyalty and respect to her and the owner.
Refusal to accept the reality of the situation leaves her no option but to portray fans as first a minority, then irrational, then uneducated and foul mouthed finally criminals and racists.
Not exactly on the path to a truth and reconciliation solution.
Like a poor gambler getting ever more desperate, she stumbles from one bad throw of the dice to another as she tries to reach what is always moving further away - the profile of an intelligent woman, in control running a successful football club for a wealthy owner to be revered as the new Karen Brady.
She has no interest in the club or the fans, only her own self advancement and she is failing miserably.
I've increased my standing order to the protest fund and can only hope we advance her misery even further.
Hopefully she'll retreat into a lair somewhere and slowly disappear, she has problems with reality.
It could transpire that Roland is leading her up to the gallows.
I must admit that at an Ipswich match some years ago and our supporters were chanting 'Sheep Shaggers', he asked me what they were saying and I told him 'sheep shearers' because a lot of them live on farms! I suspect Katrien and Roland have been far more responsible for youngsters not attending than any swearing, which has always been a part of football.
What Meire's words have done of course is to deepen the divide between the owner and fans, and cause further damage Charlton as a club. This would be a brilliant case study in how to not run a business.
We've been relegated. We've just been snubbed in public by the manager of Northampton bloody Town. We've no manager. It's a critical time for selling and recruiting players. The club is trying to sell season tickets.
Meire then decides that now is a good time to defame the active fan base, rather than trying to build bridges. And says that apart from the managers she appointed and the players, Charton isn't all shit! Great work Katrien.