Good flow
“We get good results, there is a good flow around Charlton. People are starting to respect us again and for me that’s the most important thing.”
On Monday night over steak and chips, and no doubt a cold Flemish beer Bob and Roly met to discuss the Addicks season so far and if like me you watched the live You Tube show 1905 yesterday then you would have heard that they are pretty pleased with each other.
Roly as we know is a hands off owner, but came across as reasonably tuned into the happenings at The Valley and in The Championship. We know that Katrien Meire is his eyes and ears and although not the greatest communicator unless there is steak and chips involved, the 1905 interview if hardly ground-breaking was helpful for us Addicks that try to understand his ambitions and persona.
He talked for long lengths about young players and how difficult The Championship is knowing that it can change quickly. Strangely after sacking Guy Luzon on Monday he told us that results are not important. I beg to differ, but I can accept that we are in a long game, which I think to most of us is a more sensible and more satisfying approach.
Clearly Duchatelet is not great in front of the camera, and the questions were kind and a little rehearsed. One comment that I picked up upon was that Roland thought Bob far more demonstrative that he expected, which I liked. Bob and Katrien know that there are other ‘children’ that have to be fed and I want them to be first at their ‘fathers’ door.
I do wonder if Duchatelet respects or scorns contention. I don’t know all of the coaches in the network, but Luzon, Riga and Fraeye all come across similar in nature. Bob less so, but Duchatelet puts great stock in his relationship with his coaches.
Putting two and two together a clear debate is new player additions. One would think, and expect knowing Bob, that over the apple pie and custard the head coach pushed him hard on squad additions especially with the injury situation, which Duchatelet did allude to.
In the 1905 interview there was no commitment though to add new signings before January, just a lot of talk about giving young players the chance and if you listen to Bob’s interviews, him and his boss are very much in sync with this mantra, at least publicly.
Onto Fulham tonight, which I hope to watch here. It is right to rest-up Igor, and I’d love to see George really come into his own. No Gudmundsson or Buyens also. Solly should play though and that will leave a midfield I would expect of Wilson, Jackson, Cousins, Bulot and Moussa in a more advanced role. I hope these five have the tools to keep Fulham’s young players and Scott Parker in check.
As time passes, it was 12-years ago now, I find myself at peace with Scott Parker although it did take me a while. He has gone on to make a very good career for himself albeit not with one of the big clubs, which I think his talent deserved, although injuries did play havoc with him.
There were rumours that he may come our way in the summer and I think I would have loved that. On the eve of tonight’s game he talks about his time with Charlton fondly.
If I were there tonight I’d give him a clap after, although I hope that we are clapping our boys off the field much more loudly.
Come on you Addicks.
Chicago Addick 
Well, any communication has to be an improvement on the previous regime, so far that it is welcome, but as you state yourself the questions were were ‘kind and a little rehearsed’, which I guess is to be expected with this type of communication. What Roland could have let us know is a start date for the Academy, and a projected completion date, as it is obvious that his manager and ‘vision’ in structured around that part of his yet to be fully explained ‘vision’.
A recent FOI request has hinted at a revision to the plans, and hopefully the financial structure is in place to secure this vital resource. This of course may take a year or so to come fully on stream, perhaps even a little longer? Planning applications of this type are not alway’s straightforward. The financial backing even more difficult to secure. The promising young players are a talented bunch, and hopefully this will be at the forefront of Roland’s plans.
However with the excellent pitch that he has provided and the ‘value the Valley’ scheme which all addicks must surely acknowledge, will secure not only a base for good football , but players capable of playing at least at this level for the future. I also saw the broadcast and in fairness it has not been a year since he took charge, so perhaps a little patience is required.
Although in football that is alway’s in short supply!
The thing that bothers me is that increasing the size of the squad to a minimal acceptable level of twenty, seems to be viewed as a reward for the league position in January. Unless this is just a motivational tactic.