Duchatelet‘s most reprehensible act?
Roland Duchatelet has made some shameful decisions in his time as Charlton owner, but selling our top scorer, and pocketing the £2m, then offloading high wage earners Nicky Ajose and Billy Clarke and allowing just a short term signing of a 28-year old journeyman from Gillingham in the last 72 hours of the transfer window might top the lot.
As our promotion rivals all around us invested heavily we slunked into the background like someone uninvited to the party. If Bowyer and Jackson keep us in contention, Lennie Lawrence’s crown of adversity will have been well and truly topped.
The signing of Jonny Williams was a positive, but replaced an always likely to depart Clarke. Although Williams, like Parker now adds to the list of a squad of players who’s contracts run out in the summer. A classic Duchatelet play. Ben Purrington was a necessity and Chris Maxwell replaced Steer.
Mo Elsa was linked heavily, but it is thought Bristol City would only release the striker if they brought someone in, which they didn’t. Elsa was possibly who Bowyer was talking about. Sunderland were in for him too, but whereas Charlton rumours were scarce, the Black Cats were trying to snap up everyone and anyone.
Welcome Josh Parker, you will get all of our support, but clearly he was a target to replace Ajose. Meanwhile the hole left by Karlan Grant gapes like an open wound tonight with a big bag of salt being poured into it.
Entirely predictable of course.
Steve Gallen and Lee Bowyer would have worked bloody hard to make something happen and Bow sounded particularly pissed off tonight. Now he has to motivate the players. Lyle Taylor, who we really now need to rely on, was one of a few players who spoke out about strengthening the squad in January. Duchatelet’s greed and short terminism has left it weaker.
Just sell the club.
Chicago Addick 
I am guessing that ‘no one saw that coming!’
A nasty old smell has been blown into the Valley again and we know were its come from, don’t we?
Wait for it, we shall inevitably hear that Josh, the best thing since sliced bread, is actually injured and will not be available to be selected for 3 to 4 weeks
Vetokele is apparently starting to train.- good for him. Maybe when he is fit the stinky Belgium will flog him too.
Hang on ‘stinky’ we have some good seats that are not in regular use over – why not pull them up and take them into your wonderful asset stripping pound?
£2 Million for Grant when he had 6 months of his contract left? Do you really think that is bad business? If someone had offered 2 million this time last year, when he was playing in league 2? I also just watched Bowyers interview, and it sounded to me like we had another player lined up and the other team screwed us – 12 players out of contract in the next 6 months and 1 left. I would guess teams sniffed around Bauer etc….
£2m is great business, but where did that money go? The same place at the money from Lookman, Gomez, Konsa, Holmes etc etc
Think there is only one person screwing us..
I don’t disagree that we would be much better off when Duchalet sells up a F’s off – But £2 million for someone who wanted to go and had 6 months left – I’m not sure I blame Roland for that – And if its true how much the club is losing each month, it has to come from somewhere doesn’t it? I’m a Charlton supporter all my life, but if as things are true what I read and we are losing £1million every 3 months it has to come from somewhere doesn’t it? It wasn’t great under the last owners
The Spivs flew by the seat of their pants and clearly were a house of cards. But they did at least have a plan and backed Powell.
But RD’s habitual short termism and incompetence plus a seemingly improbable lack of business acumen and forbearance is utterly beyond me. How the bloke ran any kind of business is a complete mystery.
Who did the ” spivs” sign? out of interest? I’m not a Roland apologist I assure you – But I think he made mistakes and tried to correct them – The previous just wanted to make money – Roland actually spent a decent amount of cash – Nicky Ajose cost £750000 – Its not Rolands faults hie is crap – Nabby Sarr (Decent this season – found his level) £2 million
– I think when he first came in, he didn’t realise how good football was in England – But I genuinely think he tried to sort it out – And clowns like Rick Everett Who obviously has never made a mistake in his life – Just decided to act like twats
Josh Parker was on trial with us a year or so ago and played a few games for the U23s before being released and signing for Gillingham. I think he had just returned from playing abroad and was a free agent. He is ex QPR and is known to Gallen. He is at best a squad player and certainly not a replacement for Grant.
How any one can suggest Roland has tried to correct his mistakes is beyond me, trying to sell the club way beyond what it’s truly worth, replacing sold players continually with loan players, and not forgetting if Bowyer had got Mo Elsa, that would of been another loan player, it’s bloody laughable!.
For an owner who supposedly wants promotion on the basis of putting more £’s in his pocket for the price of the club, is a funny way of showing it. Roland has no more ambition for this club now, then he had when he first brought us, not forgetting of course the only thing missing from Roland’s plans for the club is the “dance Floor”.
It’s unbelievable, that he could not at least of given Bowyer some of the £2 mill from Grants transfer money, to help him buy a replacement, Roland’s bled this club, and will continue to do so until were rid of him.
Say what you want about the ‘spivs’ but they backed Powell and bankrolled our promotion to The Championship, signing: Matt Taylor, Rhoys Wiggins, Dale Stephens, Yann Kermogant, Michael Morrison, Danny Green, Bradlet Wiright-Philips, Danny Hollands, Ben Hamer etc
And when they sold Carl Jenkinson Powell was given the money to reinvest. Unlike RD who just lines his pocket.
Have been reading Brian’s comments with total incredulity. Has he forgotten that Duchatelet is completely to blame for the Club being in Division 1. He hasn’t been prepared to listen to anyone except his inept CEO Meire and that computer whiz kid who suggested Ajose in the first place. Slade was not convinced about Ajose, despite his one season goal scoring record. Slade stated that Ajose was not his choice as he wouldn’t fit into the way he wanted the side to play. As we’ve seen every time, this owner hardly ever backs his coach/manager. It started with Chris Powell and if Brian had read published comments from Slade, Luzon and Peters he would understand their frustration with the owner’s lack of financial support at crucial times. I’m sure the verbal Robinson will also have some words when he is allowed to comment about his time at Charlton. Duchatelet had a personal vision and a formula that defied all logic – namely to run a network of Clubs from different countries and cultures that would all perfectly gel together and, like a pyramid, support each other. His master plan would gain him great kudos and financial success. It has failed – and he knows it. Sure, his mistakes have cost him lots of money – but fans of the Club have suffered worse. He will eventually walk away with financial damage limitation. But it’s us fans who will have to live with the consequences of his madcap vision. Brian suggests the owner has learned from his past mistakes! Dream on Brian!
Does Duchatelet in Belgian translate as Prick in English ?
Well said mate. What happened to consortium(s), any update?
Sorry Dave. I have nothing I’m afraid. Don’t expect anything to happen now until the summer.