Meire’s statement just drives division and not unity
My two-pennies worth on Katrien Meire’s statement this past week.
Firstly compared to the old lot, it has been quite refreshing to see the new owners attempt to communicate with the supporters. Katrien appears to be happier in front of fans and her plain speaking and openness has impressed those that have met her.
Meire, a lawyer, has only been involved in football since September and has been the eyes and ears at Charlton since January. Not only is she responsible for the club’s employees but also it’s customers. If I told my clients, far, far less loyal than blindly faithful football supporters, that I was too busy and that I will get back to them in a couple of months I would neither have any clients nor a job.
Meire reports to Duchâtelet, a man that has a skepticism of football fans, a man who doesn’t understand the emotions or passions of the many millions of people that loyally, through thick and thin, support and give their hard earned money to football clubs.
Duchâtelet once publicly questioned why former Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme would travel hundreds of miles to see one of the teams he owns, Standard Liege. We are alien to him.
Duchâtelet talks of customer experience yet there is not one example of where he has had a good rapport with the fans of the clubs he owns. Despite Standard’s success this season, although Les Rouches are still to navigate the dreaded Play-Off’s, Standard’s fans still distrust him.
Interestingly if you read back over old Standard Liege forums, their fans talk of how Duchâtelet divided Standard fans, just like Addicks are now. We don’t need division we need to be united and we need leaders. Maybe Johnnie Jackson can give some lessons.
If Duchâtelet and Meire want to take the emotion and passion out of the business, perhaps they could treat us like clients and not football supporters then?
Telling us that you are too busy and we will get back to you is not the way to treat anyone that is the bedrock and the foundations of a company that you have just purchased.
Yes, Duchâtelet spent £14m and any owner who thinks they can do what they want because it is their company is forgetting about it’s most fundamental constituent.
What Charlton needs is leadership and strategy not arrogance and poor customer service.
Good posting.
Not sure that saying she is too busy to talk to fan’s is communicating, and the last board had a dreadful communication policy with the fans.
Part of modern football is to have a dialogue with fan’s, even when things do not go well on the pitch. A poor season for CAFC, let us hope that they survive in this league. The vision that this current owner has has yet to convince me.
Don’t agree. Why should they have to respond to self appointed fan groups? People who play the game like a bunch of politicians – noting they get together in a pub and request to speak to a board on a public forum. Come on, done in the knowledge a % of our fans will have read it and expect a response.
Purposely trying to trip them up will not endear them to talk things over. In fact, the 21 don’t deserve a meet and greet IMO.
Everyone has their opinion FH and I respect that. But this is not about the 21 or the Royal Oak Group, I as a supporter/customer would like to understand more about Duchâtelet’s objectives. What I have heard so far lacks substance, and reliability.
And, don’t worry M. Duchâtelet can look after himself.
Well as you will be aware, I was one of those Blokes in the pub…… and I am am a member of the trust. I went along as an invitation to speak to a group of fan’s. As I will be doing so at NW Kent addicks this Thursday. It is what I should do, engage with the fan base. Wether I agree or disagree is not the issue. Remember the board are the custodians of the club, and may or may not be here this time next year. Personally I think RD will be? . I am not against everything he does, his investment in the new academy building will be a major part of his vision. But, that is at least 2-3 year’s away. The Planning has not yet even been approved? at least for the latest proposal, and is an ‘update’ of Peter Varney’s design’s and plans. Still the right way forward, but not a magical solution to our current position.
The trust has requested a meeting with the said lady of CAFC. We know her initial response, but will not and have not accepted the’ I am too busy, and I have to focus on a relegation battel’ and pressed her hard, through communication lines to state a date, and not one before the end of season. The G21 may well also be doing this, sorry I have no idea. But as the meeting concluded they may well call for a public meeting. Quite what the mandate will propose? .. remains to be seen.
The current board, have to remember that the trust have over 1,000 paid members, and they committed publicly to work closely with the trust in May of last year. Let us hope that sense prevails, and that the team avoid relegation. Keep the faith, I know at times it is testing but when has it not been as a CAFC fan?
See, but this is it. We bring up Varney (and in a positive way) – but some of the 21 were employed by the club when there was a plan to relocate, possibly in to Kent during the early 00’s, so I struggle to see the motive in ”not knowing the direction” now to some ”knowing the direction” then and failing – or wanting – to take action because they were on the inside?
The thing which I can’t fathom is the 21 wanting to request a meeting with the board to discuss ”the fans” concerns. I haven’t seen any consultation made with the fans, so it’s the fact they are trying to speak on behalf of myself and all of the fellow CAFC fans I know. You might disagree, which is fine, but there has been a whole mightier than thou approach to this whole thing. There are forums full of threads to back this point up.
Obviously we are very much on the opposite end of the totem pole in opinions – I personally think we all need to concentrate our efforts to what is going on on the pitch. There’s plenty of times to request meetings after May 3rd, and by then RD’s vision might become more transparent, for better or worse, but it’s the attitude of ”we have to know now” which doesn’t sit right with me.
For the record, I was pro Powell and even poor communication aside still think TJ/MS did a lot for the club that some quarters don’t give enough credit for. I don’t want to come across as someone who is saying this purely for a reaction, it’s just I think some of the going on’s are coming across as more political than actually looking after the good of the club.
Totally agree. It’s about time certain fans, including Wyn Grant, remove their rose tinted spectacles. We have to date received no credible explanation behind the sacking of Chris Powell; the transfer of Yann; our inability to have brought in reasonable players in the emergency loan window (Obika excepted); or heard with conviction the owner’s real intentions for the future of the Club. He has spoken about his hope the Club stays in the Championship, but I don’t get the impression that this is what he passionately desires. It’s more a case of us being subjected to a “take it – or leave it” attitude that is creating uncertainty and division.
It would help me to know it there is any substance to the rumour that he will save having to pay Jiminez and Slatter the last of the purchase payment of around £4million if we are relegated. The rumour also suggests that it was a clause in the contract inserted by Duchatelet.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but not to question recent decisions he’s taken since January is short-sighted and akin to blind faith. He agreed the transfer of our best player, against all advice. Dale Stephens wanted a move – Yann didn’t. Yann was offered a 2yr contract extension but the owner refused to match Bournemouth’s terms. We are talking Bournemouth here, not the biggest or richest of Clubs. Incredible – unless you think about Yann’s commitment to Powell as a manager and a friend. The Frenchman’s public support for his manager probably upset Duchatalet. I can imagine Yann would’ve spoken his mind directly to the owner – which would have made the Belgian even more determined to sell him. I believe that Morrison would also have gone if a Club had offered money. The owner undermined Chris Powell, and then deceitfully entered into protracted contract talks so as to appear to the press and fans that he genuinely wanted Chris to stay, but then deliberately gave Chris unacceptable conditions that he knew Chris wouldn’t agree to – and promptly “sacked” him. Nice guy this Mr Duchatelet.
So what should his decisions tell us so far? In my opinion the owner has done nothing strategically of benefit to give me any confidence in the Club’s future. No wonder he doesn’t want to be questioned by the fans about his harmful and destabilising decisions – nor his true
intentions.
Spot on, Roberto
Have to agree with FH Addick. Would your bosses drop everything to meet with a few blokes from the pub, including at least one disgruntled ex-employee, to expose their future business strategies? They should be grateful they even got a response at all. Even though the ‘Rabble’ were not roused, as expected and egos would have been seriously dented, a few more fanzines could get sold, so not all bad for some, eh? And I wonder if that lot would have tried this on with Peter Varney?
Oh come on Ken. Calling people like Kevin Nolan, Mick Gebbett, Matt Wright, Richard Hunt and Sue Townsend rabble from the pub does them a complete disservice and is very disingenuous to people who watch and live and breath the football club more than you and I.
That is not my comment, I would not call anyone rabble at that meeting, I in fact know all those people Richard Hunt is a board member like myself………. and he was not even there in person. I think ‘he’ is replying to my original posting?…… just spent two weeks being ‘slagged off’ for going to that meeting on CL.
Ken from Bexley — relax, that comment was directed to Ken Jennings, my fellow expat Addick up in Canada 🙂
Bit like a London bus two come across at once eh?…..
No probs, and thanks for clearing that one up…… By the way Sue Townsend was not there, or Matt Wright, unless they were hiding in the bar around the corner? Steve Dixon came in late, so like me was ‘not driving’ this. I did not even say anything, which for me must be a first!
No, you misunderstand me, Simon. I was not referring to those guys as ‘Rabble’. What I wrote was, “Even though the ‘Rabble’ were not roused, as expected…” because it seemed to me the intent was to ‘rabble rouse’ i.e, the rest of us! Well, you lot, anyway.
Ah! Confusing isn’t it. Anyway the bloke in the pub suits me quite nicely 🙂
I’ll drink to that! 😉
Well said Chicago Addick. The communication may be better than TJ / MS (that is not difficult) but I feel that the communication is of very little substance.
The failure of RD and KM to unite the supporters and address raised concerns will not help the club move forward, those not convinced will fall away. It is not healthy for Charlton to shed supporters given the troubles of the last years. RD and KM should be looking to bring all the Charlton supporters along for the project. It is far easier to loose supporters than it is to win them back. London and Kent are not like Liege where there is much less competition for supporters.
CPRR
Must agree with FH Addick regarding self appointed fan groups and bloggers , RD has taken on a club in a dire financial condition and bottom of the league playing dreadful football and as such tough and unpopular decisions will have to be made .I suggest we have to also look at things from his perspective and It seems to me most fair minded people are willing to wait until the end of the season to discover his objectives and plans , we must give him time to assess what he thinks we need, making “demands” might make some people think they are acting for the good of the club but may have the reverse effect .
Luckily my glass is still 1/2 full.
I’m assuming that you support the ” tough and unpopular” decisions that RD has been responsible for? Frankly I would trade tough and unpopular for considered and intelligent. If I could just pick one tough and unpopular decision as an example of “tough and unpopular” equalling stupid it would be the sale of Yann Kermogant, According to the South London Press this is what Riga had to say on Saturday “we were looking, as were a lot of teams, for a striker which we didn’t find”. Do I really need to say any more? Ok one more thing AFCB were not I believe amongst the many clubs looking for a striker.
The level of engagement under TJ and Co was arguably higher. Since its formulation and a lot of hard work CAS Trust (after signing the joint agreement last year) had been collaborating on a number of areas with CAFC. Since the takeover apart from an initial meeting, that activity has ceased not for want of trying – I am hoping this is a transitional phase.
Regarding the G# they have only done what the Trust has already done, in fact you could argue less, and got a similar response, not detracting at all from them as individuals but it seems now like duplication and without the democratic base the Trust has.
If the Trust is not doing what this group thinks it should be, or the reason suggested: that this action was not appropriate for the Trust – this is something we should look at although I am not sure how either of these can be the case given the actions and responses that have followed.
I think we should all now consider getting behind the Trust to be the starting point for this kind of thing, and yes backed by such distinguished supporters, imagine how much stronger that message would be.
I too am a great believer in unity amongst our fan base, and there is no reason why there shouldn’t be an expanded delegation/discussion, and if possible a public meeting with CAFC on such an important issue in my view.
The future of our club is too important and such communication should not be coveted by one group or another, particularly if our whole community is to buy into any vision or rather address the widespread concerns some of which were expressed in our recent survey.
BR
Well CA you certainly have generated a healthy debate.
Communications from the current board have been a massive improvement on the last, and I am very optimistic about our direction. But to spurn meetings with fans until season end is bonkers. Most companies pay fortunes for customer research – this hands good data to them on a plate. And i don’t really care if the Trust or G21 are in alignment with my views or not – I know that they want the best for our club and dialogue with the owners will hopefully have some benefical influence upon their decision making.
Pembury Addick
I think that whatever the master plan is going forward, it will be directly effected in the short term by what division we start next season in. Maybe the board are waiting to see what way the mop flops before they can outline their strategy, which would Surley be somewhat different if we start 2014-15 in the third division?
My point about tough and un popular choices is exactly to do with Yann , no one wanted him to leave especially me but for the new owners coming in , here is a 32 year old who has scored just 5 goals in 6 months and has been injured for 3 months , has been offered a 2 year contract on very decent wages , but Bournemouth come along, clearly a team now willing to get seriously in debt and he is supposed to offer the same deal , this then becomes a very tough and unpopular decision when he refuses. The little we do know about his objectives , the above scenario is one I can understand .
I know it is, so is mine.
Personally I’d like to have seen a strategy begin in January. Owning football clubs is not new to him but RD has clearly underestimated this division and waiting to see what happens is rubbish planning frankly.
Maybe he has a golden plan (I too have written that the network idea intrigues and interests me) but Katrien saying that RD doesn’t do failure only adds to the feeling that he is arrogant and naive.
I think she also may have forgotten that Sint-Truiden got relegated under his watch…. after he sold their best players.
I am just an ordinary fan who wants to support her Club – but I want to know before I renew my season ticket just what I am buying into. I’m not saying for one minute I am stopping my support – that is far too traumatic for me to contemplate – but I am not prepared to renew until I know what is going on. What happens if I turn up in August and I find myself watching SL reserves? I hate the loan system as it is – are we going to have constant changes as we become a vehicle for getting players fit for SL? Am I paying into Valley Gold so our best youngsters can go off to Belgium? Admittedly I returned my season ticket when we moved away from the Valley, but since returning I have not once questioned renewing. I am now. I don’t care which group of fans asks questions of these people – I’m just grateful there are people who care about my club as I do. I feel it is totally unreasonable to expect us to pay up front when we don’t know what we are paying for. The one thing that is clear to me so far is our new owner is a bully, but I’ll have to live with that.