José Riga | Chicago Addick

Dec 19

Duchatelet opens his gob again

Tom Rubashow must be rubbing his hands at getting his feet under the desk at Charlton. He is set to start work for the club on January 2nd. If I was him I wouldn’t bother.

The mad crackpot Roland Duchatelet has opened his mouth again:

“He (Chris Powell) is not a clever person and those who think the same are also not clever. In principle we were giving them the advice so they had responsibility and could take responsibility and that is how we work. I find it very stupid that a person who is getting help, an important person for the club, does not accept it. I also find that the activists, some activists at the club, who from their reactions think the coach was right, well they are just stupid people too.”

Dave has it all here.

The video interview is here starting at 1.08.30. Watch him squirm.
Please click for more

May 8

18 Comments

Chris Wilder

Farewell Jose, see you around some time. Possibly after Chris Wilder sticks two fingers up at Roland Duchatelet due to team interference and replacement Nebojsa Vignjevic takes us dangerously close to the bottom four of League One. I’ll put you down for March 2017 Jose.

I know, I’m in that kind of mood.
Please click for more

May 6

2 Comments

Good riddance

The last miserly game of a torrid and destructive football season. Not one Addick will shed a tear when the curtain falls tomorrow afternoon. Burnley fans will be in celebratory mood whilst Charlton fans mischievous and angry.

CARD have been a little bit low key this week allowing the buzz around what may happen on Saturday fill the space and pose questions. I know however there is a lot planned for the watching Sky TV cameras making life once again uncomfortable for Ms Meire, the self-titled Senior Management Team (sic) and that oaf of an owner Roland Duchatelet, up a little bit earlier than normal from his coffin to get his weekly football fix via a dodgy internet feed.
Please click for more

Apr 21

2 Comments

The day after the day after

Whilst relegation has been an obvious outcome to a calamitous season, I am finding it hard to digest. Looking at that League One table and the top of League Two does not scream ‘Ooh a new ground’ it shouts ‘up yours.’

The days after the Bolton game have produced a whole range of stories, with I am sure many more to come. Roland Duchatelet was at The Valley today and meetings continue with what Meire called the Senior Management Team this afternoon in a London hotel. Undoubtedly whilst it should be Meire’s future on top of the agenda I would expect it to be Jose Riga.

It is also understood that Paul Elliott planned to meet with Duchatelet, although there will be no uplifting videos or media meetings. The owner was greeted this morning at The Valley gates by a flashmob of Addicks complete with banners. Good work.
Please click for more

Apr 17

2 Comments

Lennie Lawrence

Lennie Lawrence has watched the last 3 Charlton games, which has fuelled rumours that he is negotiating with the club’s current board about re-joining Charlton in the summer. It is thought that Richard Murray is pushing Roland Duchatelet to embrace a British coaching and management structure with Lawrence as Director of Football supporting a Head of Recruitment and a young Head Coach. Where this leaves Jose Riga is unknown.

Of course, and it is my opinion, that Duchatelet will ignore Murray and simply employ another one of his lackeys with Ujpest coach Nebojša Vignjević in pole position.
Please click for more

Mar 9

3 Comments

Next off the Merry-go-round

Jose Jeunechamps has left the club about a month after he joined. Riga pushed the addition of Jeunechamps, who has little command of English, onto Duchatelet to be his Assistant First Team Coach but he has now departed back to Belgum to join 2nd Division RFC Seraing. Karel Fraeye is at fellow 2nd Division side Lommel. The Charlton Athletic book of “Who” will be a much sought after Christmas present in years to come.
Please click for more

Mar 9

5 Comments

Charlton Athletic 0 Milton Keynes 0

A pathetic and pitiful performance lacking in anything that we have held dear from Charlton sides over the years. There was no passion, desire, urgency or organisation in what was a must win game. We had one shot on goal whilst around us clubs and their British managers show fight and determination, we occupy a world of apathy after having any hope and emotion sucked out of us by an owner and his puppets.

Jose Riga’s team selection and substitutions were baffling edging on the bazaar. I have come to the conclusion that he is just another Roland Duchatelet fraud. Apparently he said that Yaya Sanogo cannot play two games a week. Does our wonderful scouting network have a database of footballers that are only half fit? Anyway problem solved as Sanoga can now put his feet up for 3 games after his idiotic attack on Kay.

I’m not condoning it but if Simon Makienok showed an ounce of Sanogo’s fight then our judgment of him wouldn’t be anywhere near as harsh. The tallest footballer ever to wear the club’s shirt, who cannot win a header. Someone, somewhere in Belgium is laughing at us.
Please click for more

Feb 23

1 Comment

Preston North End 2 Charlton Athletic 1

Another defeat. Anyone surprised?

A very weird line up starting with 6 defenders with Chris Solly in central midfield, Morgan Fox somewhere in there too, and Roger Johnson back after bench sores. No Harriott, who gave Fulham problems on Saturday. We could have been forgiven in thinking that master tactician Karel Fraeye was back picking the team. He wasn’t but Riga is only another puppet with slightly longer strings and a better CV.
Please click for more

Feb 23

3 Comments

Solution or more of the same?

Unless Jose Riga can pull a rabbit out of a hat at Preston tonight I would expect him to start to come under increased scrutiny amongst Addicks. Tonight is Jose’s 7th game in charge and I am starting to wonder if he is not the solution but part of the continuation of the problem.

Riga has been appointed and left/sacked/walked *delete as applicable four times under Duchatelet. He may claim to be his own man, but the facts betray a different image.

Riga was only accepted because he was a known quantity, a decent man, and the best of a horrible bunch of sycophantic no-marks. And frankly Nebojša Vignjević walking into The Valley would have been the end for just about everyone.
Please click for more

Feb 20

4 Comments

Fulham 3 Charlton Athletic 0

I think that is it. 7 points from safety isn’t any different from this morning, but a gutless 2nd half ending in a sixth 3-0 defeat leaves us rooted to the bottom of The Championship and there isn’t a cat in hells chance of us being able to finish above three other teams.

This relegation was totally avoidable but everything points to it being so meticulously planned by Roland Duchatelet and Katrien Meire, with Richard Murray looking on, encouraging the complete dismantling of this once proud football club. Whereas Meire can’t get out of her own way and Duchatelet, he who doesn’t do failure, happy that his experiement is working, Murray should be utterly ashamed of himself.

If Riga, who I am starting to think we gave far too much credit for in keeping Powell’s squad up last time, is banging the nails in the coffin, then it was the clown Karel Fraeye that bought them from Homebase and left them on the side with a hammer.
Please click for more

Feb 1

2 Comments

In Riga we trust

Well what choice do we have? But in a pack full of liars, sycophants and total incompetence Jose maybe the only chance we have and we need him on our side, like he needs us on his.
We are in the last chance saloon and we find the 58-year old in there with us. Siege mentality is what is needed, and trust.

Riga earned our respect first time around. I thought he deserved to continue his work, but he was denied, possibly because he asked for too much self governing, possibly because Roland Duchatelet thought he knew better. I know who I trust.
Please click for more

Jan 24

3 Comments

Charlton Athletic 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

A lot better, but it could hardly have been worse. Just the one goal conceded this week predictably by Jordan Rhodes. But a more combative and hard working performance for sure for Jose Riga to build on and the next two games are huge.
More players are needed though, goals are a problem, in fact with JBG completely out of form, creativity leading to goal opportunities are at a premium.

The squad is so devoid of quality that I really hope that Riga is further allowed to strengthen the squad with some quality and not just padding. It was very noticeable that neither Ricardo Vaz Te, Diego Poyet, Roger Johnson or Rhys Williams were in the starting line up yesterday. Williams and Vaz Te not even in the squad. I would not be surprised if Williams is sent back to Middlesbrough early as I’d imagine Duchatelet would want to see some outward movement.
Please click for more

Jan 22

2 Comments

No more words

Another manic week at work flies by, although I was a little less distracted by Charlton news this week than I was last. I’m sure most working Addicks have not been quite as productive as they should be these last few weeks.

Jose Riga has had a full week with the squad and added to it with the signing of Jorge Teixeira. I think more than a few eyebrows were raised by him signing a 4.5-year contract. He’ll be 30 in August. How is the Naby Sarr 5-year contract working out Ms Meire? I saw Rick Everitt describe Teixeira’s contract length as bonkers. I agree but I expect him to start tomorrow.

One apparent target, Yann Kermorgant, moved to Reading for £500,000, which realized a profit on what the Cherries paid us. Another head shake moment. Charlton were trying to get Yann in on loan, but it is understood that they would not meet the price of a permanent move. I’m personally okay with not seeing Yann again in a Charlton shirt, I’d rather remember him like this.
Please click for more

Jan 16

13 Comments

Hull City 6 (SIX) Charlton Athletic 0

There can’t be a Charlton fan on the planet that expected that. Who an earth loses 5-0 on a Tuesday and then 6-0 the following Saturday? After all that head hanging and soul searching after Huddersfield? Only at Charlton.

I really thought we would at the very minimum fight like our lives depended on it today, but no, another new low. Our biggest defeat in 32 years and we are still waiting on the apology and offers of ticket refunds.

Riga has only been back 5 minutes and I will exonerate him from blame, but although I have been a huge proponent of supporting the team and not the regime, what an earth was that? Where is the professional pride, the self-respect, the ‘oh I need to work my balls off today for the new manager’?
Please click for more

Jan 15

3 Comments

Time to show some pride

Who knows who will be taking the team tomorrow. The club aren’t likely to tell us, but it does look as is Wim de Corte and Jason Euell will prepare and select the team whilst Jose Riga will either sit in the stands or be back in Belgium again packing his toothbrush.

Riga’s appointment, much I suspect to Roland Duchatelet’s surprise, hasn’t had Charlton fans doing back flips, but equally, and I include myself in this, Addicks’ fans are almost entirely wanting Riga to succeed, whereas the baying masses just wanted Fraeye to fall over and clear off, such was his ineffectualness.
Please click for more