Feb 28
It was little over a week ago now since Roland Duchâtelet announced in front of a large audience that he was discussing Chris Powell’s contract “for the coming years.”
That night Powell and Alex Dyer cancelled an appearance at Bromley Addicks, probably to avoid difficult questions from an audience as fans assumed that negotiations were ongoing. That was Thursday.
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“Since being a player at the club in 1998 and since I have come back, we never do well in the cups. It is almost a running joke at Charlton.”
Well, well, well. What an incredible 72 hours to be an Addick. I was otherwise disposed during the game at a dinner and managed to avoid slipping off to the loo to check my phone until just after the final whistle text’s in capital letters came through from family and friends that told me all I needed to know.
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“This is the benchmark for what is to come over the next 17 games, I will make sure of that.”
There are very few moments in life when a wave of happiness can be brought about in a split second like there is at a football match. With the whole Covered End stood for the remaining couple of minutes after Johnnie Jackson had headed in an impossible goal, I had to sit down for fear of passing out!
I think I am safe as my other half doesn’t read my blog, but at that moment at around 4.45pm yesterday I don’t think I could have been more impassioned. I was a shaking, starry-eyed mess. And I’ve been doing this sh**t for 40 years. They do that to you don’t they?
Sounds as if we may see Marcus Tudgay tomorrow. Nothing official but Tudgay himself tweeted: “On route for new challenge #cafc for the rest of the season.”
In a season full of bad jokes, maybe Marcus is also taking the pee out of us, but one would assume that the comms team will burst into life at some point and confirm the loan signing of the Forest striker.
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Those of you that followed today’s press conference would like me have had an overwhelming postive yet anticlimatic feeling by the end of it. The actual conference itself only lasted a little more than 15 minutes and this was followed by journalists questions that weren’t captured by the Official Site, but some of which were relayed on Twitter by journos in the room.
Duchatelet again spoke about the history of the club and the importance and attraction of the youth set-up as well as making the supporter experience at The Valley better. The Belgian is a big believer in Financial Fair Play and Richard Murray again said that finally the club is on a sound financial footing.
RD said there were no plans to leave The Valley and that the pitch would be replaced at the end of the season. Category One status for the academy is also under consideration.
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Anyone else notice the growing articles on Roland Duchâtelet’s ownership of the club? I don’t know if our stop-start FA Cup run has brought it to the media’s attention or whether he has a press secretary pushing it to the forefront of journalist’s subconscious. Not forgetting that tomorrow Roland faces the British media, and if nothing else it will be interesting to see which national media outlets deign to show up.
In a Guardian article Duchâtelet says he regrets what happened between fans and himself at Standard because “I am the one who caused it.” (more)
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So because of a Champions League match taking place in Piraeus between Olympiacos and Manchester United, Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday have to play their FA Cup game on a Monday night. And because the allotted amount of live televised games for the 5th Round has been met, the game at Hillsborough won’t be on the telly either. And all those parents desperately trying to keep their kids occupied in bad weather during half-term would now have to take them out of school to watch, what is to many, the biggest game of the season. And the bloody Barnsley game is off, when I planned to be in town. And I can’t get to Sheffield because I have to work on the Monday, any other day I would’ve been scurrying up the M1.
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And the final piece on my 2013 Top 5’s. Charlton’s defining moments could mean pretty much anything, but I have attempted to pick five that stood out in my mind from last year as particular landmarks to me.
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Music is next up on Chicago Addick’s 2013 Top 5’s. I have been a regular buyer of albums since my early teenage years and 2013 was no different.
There were a number of good listens, but after some consideration, here are my Top 5 Favourite Albums:
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Next up in my last year’s Top 5’s are my Top 5 Favourite Restaurants.. Five were hard to pick but pick I did, all five from North America as well.
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I hadn’t gotten around to posting my final 2013 Top 5’s, so I am going to bombard you with the final ones in the next few minutes starting with the best places I got to see last year.
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Another postponement as Hillsborough succumbed to the dreadful British winter (photo).
I would think the majority of travelling Addicks were already en route when they heard about the result of the 10.30am pitch inspection. It’s a shame, because the FA Cup is all about Saturday afternoon’s and the list of games we have ‘in hand’ is lengthened.
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Operation Massive, a welcome distraction from the trials and tribulations of our very displeasing Championship season.
2,000 Addicks will make their way up to Hillsborough to cheer the Addicks on in the 5th Round of the FA Cup. Yes, if you have been living under a rock since the turn of the year, Charlton Athletic have made it to the last 16 of a cup competition, the first time since the 1940’s when we were at Wembley pretty much every year. Well, at least it seems like that long ago.
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Exciting foodie news in Bermuda yesterday with the Hamilton Princess announcing that celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson will create the hotel’s new restaurant as part of the $70m renovation of this famous landmark property.
I am a big critic of the restaurants in Bermuda, particularly Hamilton, not necessarily because of the food but what has always annoyed me is the complete lack of any innovation or creativity with one or two exceptions.
Menu’s rarely change, service is mostly lacking and I invariably leave Hamilton’s restaurants after paying more than New York prices cheated, uninspired and apathetic.
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Belgium newspaper ‘Le Soir‘ is reporting that Roland Duchâtelet is in possession of a €50m bid from a foreign investment fund for Standard Liege.
Duchatelet is said to want €60m, particularly since Standard’s stock is currently so high. Nevertheless after buying the club for €40m in 2011, €50m would still represent a 25% profit.
Duchâtelet threatened to sell the club last summer after Standard fans interrupted a board meeting and invaded his office, this followed the sacking of popular manager Mircea Rednic.
Things have calmed down though in Liege, as they ride high at the top of the Belgium Pro League 10 points clear of nearest rivals Club Brugge and although Les Rouches have to navigate an end of season play-off system, one would have to think that a Champions League spot beckons.
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Does anyone listen to 5 Live’s Monday Night Club? I am a regular podcast listener and the show accompanies me to and from work in the early part of the week and it is usually a very enjoyable indepth conversation. It’s just that last night, the studio which included regular host Mark Chapman, Ian Dennis and Steve Claridge broke away from banging on about Leeds’ woes for a minute and started talking about the Addicks.
Claridge mentioned that “someone got a text from Chris Powell the other day and said that he and the people that are bringing the players in are not in complete harmony.” Claridge has a big mouth although he patently stops himself from continuing the story. Clearly CP needs to be careful who he texts, then again if he fears for his job, which he must do, what does it really matter?
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The rising stars of Charlton’s U18 squad are the latest to have to suffer The Valley pitch. Tonight’s 5th Round FA Youth Cup tie has been postponed and will now be played at Ebbsfleet’s ground on Friday 21st
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After two weeks away from home today we are back on the ‘rock.’ I can’t remember the last time I had two consecutive weeks away from home, and although I was working – 6am starts in Colorado, and 7am in Miami and every night was a late night – it was enjoyable, particularly as I had my family with me.
I’m not going to pull the wall over anyone’s eyes, I am very lucky. Working from 6-10am and then again in the evening but in-between the Colorado mountains calling you to play outside or in a windowless conference room in a Miami hotel from 7am to 6pm with very demanding clients, whilst all the while Miami South Beach’s temptations lie await for later, is nice life, as long as one is prepared to think about little else but work save for the odd bad dream about football!
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“We had to involve them (the new players) in everything we do. They have to get used to us and the way it is in the Championship if they want to add their qualities to the squad and get into the swing of things.”
Chris Powell talks as if his boss has foisted his three sons and a long lost cousin won in a bet on him.
These are very trying times for all of us, and the positivity barometer is not far from rock bottom. I saw Birmingham play us in November and the Blues were terrible, afterwards I had them down as a team we should finish above, 15 0games on and they are 9 points ahead of us and I think we are running out of teams that we can finish above. It is a sorry state and the Powell-out crowd is growing.
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“Charlton wanted to show people they had tried to do something when in reality they had done nothing special. Even a little offer. They never came back to me or my agent even with something very very low. They could have said they would give me a little bit more – maybe I would have accepted”.
Yann Kermorgant has given a pretty damming interview to Richard Cawley from the SLP (it was only in the published edition, but the guys from Charlton Life have seen it), which further darkens the last few days of the transfer window for us Addicks.
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In a warm Miami this morning after a journey back from a very snowy Colorado yesterday evening.
In the last three days we were in Beaver Creek 36 inches of snow fell, the most at this time of many years. This had caused earlier airport issues with a bountiful of cancellations and the tiny Eagle airport near Vail was stretched to breaking point yesterday, as was my patience.
Our flight had a weight problem, so they had to throw a few fatties off and some luggage which caused a lot of consternation and an hour delay all the while after I had to push a wheelchair, carry 7 bags, and herd a 4-year old.
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Gut wrenching and of course the internet is full of people who didn’t go castigating Powell for team selection, substitutions and general tactical uselessness.
I’d rather listen to those that got off their backsides and travelled to support the club, when they most need it. Strangely they seem to see it a bit different.
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Sarasota, Florida
