Puppet Departs, What Of The Puppet-Master?

Right to the bitter end she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. “I believe I need a new challenge”. We believe you Katrien, nothing to do with the prospective sale. The news that Ms Meire “has decided to stand down” and will leave our club at the end of the month is of course going to be welcomed by the vast majority of Addicks. Indeed, assuming that the end of the month means 23.59 on Sunday, the entire country will join us in counting down her final moments of involvement with Charlton, Big Ben may chime, followed by howls of joy and fireworks to mark the moment of her formal departure. Quite a send off.

It is perhaps a pity that her departure is not to be put back by a day, to give a Valley crowd the opportunity to say goodbye, even a formal presentation. I thought that the burnt embers of a sofa would have been appropriate. No matter. No doubt there will be some sentiments expressed in any event, maybe even the opportunity for some tribute photos in the programme to mark her time with us, involving some people wearing masks and a certain bedsheet being moved along the West Stand into position. And perhaps it is better to wait for the real celebration, when there is confirmation that we have new owners, when the puppet-master departs rather than just the puppet.

Let’s get one thing straight though. There is absolutely nothing personal in any of this. I’ve never met her, she may be absolutely charming, kind, considerate etc. She is clearly intelligent and, as long as she cuts the apron strings, will presumably go on to have a rewarding career. It is that she had no experience or understanding of what it would take to succeed as a CEO of a football club (and made no attempt to learn), and that her incompetence would have resulted in any sensible owner replacing her before long such that her stubborn retention only served to strengthen the view that the best interests of our club were not what motivated Duchatelet. A trustworthy sycophant was the requirement of the job and she made that bargain. And any periodic sympathy for her plight went out of the window as she either oversaw another gaffe or insulted fans with her statements.

Meire’s departure is good in itself for the club but obviously the fact she is not being replaced can I think be seen as a fair indication of how advanced the takeover talks have become. If the stumbling block is as indicated elsewhere the asking price, I just hope that for once business sense will win out. The fact that Duchatelet paid well over the odds for us when he did is no-one’s fault but his own. If he is trying to secure a price that enables him to claim he has not lost out, why bother? We will never know the full terms of any deal. Claim you made a small fortune, just please don’t let it get in the way of a sale. Meire’s time is up – and should have been a long time ago. Same applies to you.

For me personally the window of opportunity, to be able to return to The Valley 

in the near future at least, has closed. For reasons that have nothing to do with 

football, on Monday I have a train to Lyon and no return ticket. The plan is for 

three months but what happens after that is unclear: return to London, stay in 

Lyon, or try to split the time. We shall see. So my intention was in any event to 

mark the end of the year with a hearty Bonne Année to all Addicks 

everywhere. That stands. And who knows? Perhaps I won’t be the only one 

claiming a love of Charlton taking the Brussels Eurostar on Monday. Now that 

would be funny. 

Celebrations Still On Ice

Into December and no confirmation of a sale. I suspect I’m not the only Addick who was hoping that a deal would be struck, at least in principle (and announced), before the Back to The Valley anniversary. That would have enabled all of us to celebrate a wonderful day in the history of our club (and enable many of us to drone on endlessly about what a day it was) and to look ahead to a bright future under new owners (of course there are one or two assumptions here, given that we can be sure that Duchatelet is not going to be bothered who he sells to if the price is right for him). That is not to be. No matter, it is only a question of time.

That does leave the question of whether to mark the anniversary by attending the Portsmouth game; indeed, whether there is a sufficient case for shelving non-attendance. I did note a recent piece on Doctor Kish attributed to The Godalming Gourmet. I kept a part of it: “Why wouldn’t true, but presently absent, Charlton supporters, want to be part of all that when it could lead to us playing at a higher level next season? Forget for the time being any existing animosity one might have to our owner – he’s still bankrolling the club and does not ... appear to be interfering in Robinson’s plans, more encouraging them I would say. Come back and see and feel again, the atmosphere of a packed Saturday afternoon at The Valley, or a Tuesday night under the floodlights. These are exciting times at Charlton – be part of it!”

I don’t know the source but it’s a reasoned appeal and one that deserves consideration by all of us who are staying away, one that should not be influenced in any way by a subsequent dip in results/performances. Personally I did give it a lot of thought. No question we all want to see us promoted, little doubt the chances of that are improved if The Valley is regularly packed and behind the team. And it would be churlish to suggest that nothing has changed vis-a-vis the regime. Meire is keeping her mouth shut and we have a manager who at least for now seems able to maintain good relations with the regime while keeping it at arm’s length as far as matters on the pitch are concerned. I suspect there are a number of reasons for that, including the line that Duchatelet has sold himself: that he is far too busy to devote the time to making a success of us, time to leave it to others. It’s nonsense of course, self-delusion, but if that means he is prepared to leave things to people who have some idea of what needs doing (a group which does not include Meire), so much the better.

To the mix has to be added the credible rumours of a sale, encouraged by the most recent garbled comments from our owner. There’s no point in repeating them here, but the tone of the remarks can I think be taken as confirmation that the club is up for sale. In my experience once you start to consider seriously a sale you have already crossed the Rubicon and it’s down to the details. I’ve no idea whether anything will be confirmed shortly (and as ever have no inside information), or whether the current interested parties will walk away over price or terms. But I’d be surprised if Duchatelet was still our owner at the end of the season and before year-end – to allow new owners the January window – would be a deadline of a sort. Duchatelet bought us in early January 2014 and three/four years seems to be his maximum tenure when it comes to football, the sort of timespan for him to try his brilliant ideas, see them fail, for animosity towards him to have the draining effect, and for him to come up with a silly line of argument which he can use to justify to himself a sale.

That in turn leads back to: if we’re confident that Duchatelet is about to exit left why not end boycotts now, in light of the above (ie the promotion imperative)? I have to admit the argument is not, for me, that far short of sufficient – and I have no truck with anyone who finds it compelling (or indeed with others who have already returned). After all, stubbornness is not a good reason to continue if the campaign has already been won (and if Duchatelet sells nobody can realistically say that CARD was not instrumental and successful).

Nevertheless, for me it’s still a ‘no’. Some time back (I think at the start of last season) among others I outlined what would persuade me to return: the departure of Meire (basically nobody who has the best interests of our club at heart could retain her) and an apology to the fans for the series of unacceptable and unwarranted insults (never mind the damage to our club’s standing under his tenure), at a time when daddy was unhappy at the naughty behaviour of one of his children. Alternatively, a clear declaration of an intent to sell the club. Arguably we’re close to the latter but there’s no sign of the former.

So I’ll be foregoing the coming anniversary celebrations, or rather keeping them on ice. It might sound a bit French Revolution, but one way for me to square the circle is to consider that the Charlton calendar stopped when Duchatelet bought the club, it is frozen at 3/1/14. When he sells the clock starts ticking again, which means that a little less than four years after that day we can properly celebrate our return to The Valley.

I shall nevertheless raise a glass tomorrow in memory of the day and hopefully on Saturday meet up with other Addicks before the game to talk about that great day. In fact one of them over the weekend circulated a video of us on the march from Woolwich, arriving at the ground, having a glass before the game etc. I was struck by how little I’d changed in the intervening years (although this does not seem to be the consensus view) and kept wondering why I was doing some sort of Harpo Marx impression: I kept appearing but saying and doing nothing (in contrast to my compatriots). I think I spent the entire day – aside from howling inside the ground – in a kind of blissful fug with a daft grin on my face. What a day indeed. 

Roland, Be Gone

It is of course much too soon to be breaking out the bubbly – and please don’t look here for any inside information, I have none. No chance of any comment from the regime and there’s been no change of wording on the Australian Football Consortium site. Suffice to say that if the Voice of the Valley scoop proves to be correct and we have new owners in the near future, no-one will be happier than me. And as for many others, there will be a pledge to fulfil as regards attendance at our beloved Valley.

I don’t want to speculate at this stage how it might feel to be back to us all focusing on the team, complaining now and then about the manager and urging a sane owner to pour every penny he or she has into providing us with what we want. Or not having to look at nonsense written about who is and who is not a true Addick (the more the merrier). Just too soon to be contemplating a return to life as normal.

It is perhaps worth reiterating that when Duchatelet bought our club he was welcomed (don’t take my word for it, check the posts at the time). There was initial cause for concern, given reports from Belgium about his character. But he kicked off by making it clear that there were no plans to move away from The Valley and that he considered Sir Chris to be a good coach (he should have said manager but let’s not split hairs). That goodwill went out of the window before too long, for good reason, not because supporters suddenly changed but because of the decisions taken by the regime. Hopefully soon we can think about this period (which if it ends soon will be roughly the same length of time that he owned Standard Liege) in purely historical terms, perhaps with a lengthy debate over whether Duchatelet is the worst owner we have ever had, whether perhaps Mark Hulyer edges him out (at least his heart was in the right place).

Also, if we are indeed bought by the Aussies there are bound to be some concerns, on issues which any sensible owner would quickly provide reassurance. First and foremost would be The Valley, just confirmation that new owners’ plans do not include any new stadium. There is after all no need for a new stadium and we do have a fine pitch (I actually hope they rename it the ‘Roland Turf’, to serve as a permanent reminder for us of the only decent thing he ever did for our club). Also, given the team’s start to the season there surely wouldn’t be anything to gain – and potentially a fair bit to lose - from a change of manager and his staff. Hopefully there won’t be any impact on the team from the uncertainty that potential change inevitably brings. But you’d have to say if a deal happens small price to pay.

Rather than the immediate uncertainty I’d focus on the very real prospect of a boost to crowds and a strengthened drive to get us promoted. And although we can have no confidence in Duchatelet wanting to sell the club to a fit and proper new owner, there has to be comfort taken from the fact that no outfit buying our club can be ignorant of the events of the past few years (and of course the Back to the Valley campaign). Buying Charlton on the basis of taking an underperforming club back up is hardly compatible with moves that would alienate the fans from the off.

I really don’t care if Duchatelet comes out of it all with a profit, or what he might say to try to justify a sale (to himself and those around him). We will know the truth, that he proved himself to be an unfit custodian of our club.

Luzon Is Utterly Deluded

It’s always difficult to post something after a long break. There’s an understandably desire to say something original, insightful, or at least funny. But perhaps it’s best just to dive back in and take things from there. So we have to start with thoughts on the season so far.

There’s no denying that the last result, before the international break, was a setback regarding hopes and expectations for the full season. But it’s still early in the campaign and far too soon to see it as anything more than that. Far too soon to be writing off any thoughts of promotion or to turn against the manager. There’s the opportunity of a home game up next to get things back on track. And for all we know Rodez may end up running away with the league - although the norm for this division seems to be for things to stay tight all the way through.

That certainly seemed the case a few games into the season. As was the case last season, a strong start saw Lyon Duchere top the league (National, France’s third division) as they rattled off wins in the first two rounds. They then stuttered a little with a draw and a defeat in the next two, only to arrest the decline with a 3-2 win away at Concarneau. Two 1-1 draws were to follow, then in round eight Duchere came through 1-0 winners at home to lowly Avranches. Along with other results, that set up a situation of five or six teams tied at the top, two being Duchere and their next opponents Rodez. With their game put back to Saturday (most games take place on a Friday evening) and none of the others at the top managing to win, both teams knew that a victory would send them a couple of points clear at the top. That proved to be Rodez (2-0), with Duchere left in sixth place on 15 points (from nine games), only one less than the teams in second and third (Laval and Beziers).

Now I say that Duchere have a home game coming up next. Strictly speaking that’s true, but it is listed to be against a team called Exempt. Before turning to Wikopedia to try to find which corner of France has a town called Exempt it was worth taking a look at their season so far: played nine, won none, drawn none, lost nine. But a goal difference of zero. So I’m inclined to assume that for some reason this season only 17 of the 18 teams in the division made it to the start line and that rather than promote someone else there is a blank space, with each team scheduled to play the missing one given the points (and lowly Avranches would be in an even worse position had they not been given three of their four points). So unless I’m very much mistaken Duchere will register a ‘win’ on Friday and sit back to see whether that proves sufficient to take them back to the top.

My next Lyon trip will be some time in November, but I’m going to struggle to take in a game. Duchere are at home to Grenoble (something close enough to a local derby) on 4 November, but I can’t be in two places at once and my partner Suzanne is scheduled to be in London then. There’s another blank weekend after that (internationals again I suppose) before on 17 November Duchere nearly come to the UK with an away game at Dunkerque. Might have to give that a miss. So unless my trip happens a good deal later than I expect it will be stocking up at wine fairs for me rather than braving the elements at Stade de Balmont.

And what about Charlton you may ask (if you’ve got this far)? For me, plus ca change. I think CARD has taken a sensible decision to hold off from any protests inside the ground for the time being. Balancing ‘support the team, not the regime’ has to involve a bit of ebb and flow so as not to alienate supporters and we all want to get out of our own third division asap (in the right direction of course). Yes, we’ve been here before but the yardstick is surely that in my lifetime we’ve never spent more than three seasons in the third flight. Roland apparently likes to think that he breaks the mould, but if he sets a record for seasons outside the top two divisions we will find ourselves in a truly desperate state, however many ‘stars of the future’ we have been able to catch a glimpse of in the meantime.

Nothing fundamental has changed, but of course some things have improved. Basically Duchatelet, having persuaded himself that he just doesn’t have the time to divert his genius in our direction, is at least staying out of the way. Meire seems to be gagged, which is to be welcomed. But they are both there. Duchatelet has not apologised for his insulting of the fans and for the failures under his ownership, most apparent in the retention of a CEO who should never have been appointed. Have they really learnt anything material? If they had one would be working somewhere else and the other would be actively finding a buyer at a realistic price.

The most important change, which is to his credit, is that Robinson is so far proving adept at keeping Duchatelet at arm’s length and at least getting in players he wants to have (albeit not enough of them). He may sound daft but these are achievements that have been beyond his predecessors. It remains to be seen whether results will deteriorate and he will end up like the others, whether he himself will run out of patience with our owner’s seemingly endless desire to pursue incompatible goals (breaking even and getting promoted). But for now he seems to have assembled a group of players which with a fair wind could be in the mix for promotion, while the elevation of Jackson has further sidelined the regime and its cohorts and seems to have strengthened team spirit.

Any rational person might, based on the evidence, draw the obvious conclusions regarding the reasons behind the improvement in our situation. But I doubt that Duchatelet is capable. If we go on to win promotion the praise will be rightly go to Robinson and the players, while there might be a grudging acknowledgement that for the first time the regime hasn’t managed to screw things up. If we don’t, the clock really will be ticking as we look ahead to that fateful third season and draw our own conclusions.

And here probably lies the real motivation for the post. Luzon always had a slightly crazed look about him and his suggestion in the News Shopper piece that Addicks will be won over and start to love Duchatelet if we are promoted puts him in the ranks of the absolute barking. Is he angling for another network job? Or did the regime’s PR team use him to test the waters now that protests have been put on ice? Suffice to say that there is more chance of Brexit, if it happens, having some positive results, or me having a drink is a Weatherspoon’s pub. 

There's Always Next Season

Comes a time every season when you have to acknowledge that the fat lady has indeed sung, that the orchestra is across the road in the pub, and that all we are left with is either the elation of success, the disappointment of failure, or something in between, a sense of ‘fair enough, let’s go again in August’. For us it is failure, on and off the pitch as Duchatelet is still in situ. For our near neighbours it is something more than success. Palace somehow remain in a division well above their status, Millwall inconceivably will find themselves in the second flight. The world is indeed upside down. It will right itself sooner or later. But for those looking for an inspiring miracle from across the Channel. I’m sorry to say that Lyon Duchere didn’t quite manage to secure promotion to France’s second division.

Going into the final round, Duchere needed five results to go their way in order to move up from seventh to third and go into a play-off against the team finishing third-bottom in Ligue 2. One of the five was not surprisingly them winning their final game, away at Epinal. That didn’t happen, Duchere going down 1-2 against a team which needed to win to have a chance of avoiding relegation. Seems it was goalless at half-time, when the Duchere players perhaps saw how other games were going and accepted the inevitable. Epinal scored first, Duchere equalised, but Epinal scored another to secure the three points. It did them no good. With Pau winning 3-0 away at Concarneau – a team which earlier in the season looked like running away with the league only to fall apart – Epinal managed to get above Bastia but still ended fourth-bottom and drop into a regional fourth division. I hope the Duchere and Epinal players shared a glass or two in mutual commiseration.

With their victories in the previous round of games, Chateauroux and Quevilly Rouen had already guaranteed that they would take the top two places and automatic promotion. Seems they hadn’t stopped celebrating as the former only scraped a 1-1 home draw with lowly Les Herbiers to end the season while Rouen got turned over 4-0 away at Chambly, who like Duchere went into the final round with a chance of that third spot and promotion. As a result of their home point Chateauroux – who had defeated Duchere in the penultimate round – take the title of champions, but you get the impression that neither they nor Rouen could give a toss about that – and may still be celebrating.

So Chambly did what they needed to do. So did Marseilles Consolat, who beat Bastia 3-2 to consign them to relegation. And so did Paris FC, with what looks like a comfortable 2-0 home win against Creteil (which for the record meant that so far of the five games that Duchere needed to go their way four had not). The team that really blew it was Dunkerque. A victory at home to Boulogne would have ensured third place for them. But in what looks like the game of the round they went 0-2 down in the first 30 mins. They got back on level terms by the 72nd minute only for Boulogne to score again in the 79th minute. Dunkerque drew level again six minutes later, but couldn’t find the winner that would have lifted them from sixth to third. Consequently it will be Paris FC who go into the play-off for the chance to get up into the second division alongside Chateauroux and Rouen, despite managing only 30 goals in the 34 games (they conceded just 18).

In the play-off Paris FC will face Orleans, who went down 1-4 away at Le Havre in the final round but still finished above Red Star, who went down 0-1 at Auxerre (who could themselves have dropped into the play-off spot if they had lost and Orleans won). But the media not surprisingly focused on the top of the table, which truly went to the wire. Six teams going for two automatic promotion places and a play-off spot, with little between them. The stats will show that all six of them won their games. But even the BBC picked up on what happened, as Amiens scored a 96th-minute winner to move back up from sixth to second place. They go up with Strasbourg, leaving Troyes in the play-off place.

So La Duche have to content themselves with a first season in France’s third division which they surely would have taken when the season started. In terms of attendances and resources they are punching some way above their weight, over-achieving. They were top of the league early on and always in with a shout of promotion. At half-time against Dunkerque they were sitting second, with three-and-a-half games to go. But they just fell short, lost their last three games (and actually lost five of their last eight, winning only two). No matter, it was a fine campaign. They can consider themselves as a club on the rise. What I wouldn’t give to be able to say the same about us this time next year. 

Duchere: It Ain't Done Yet

To those of you looking for solace in the wake of confirmation that thanks to Hull’s capitulation the English football world will remain upside down next season, first the good news. Going into the final round of games for National, France’s third division, Lyon Duchere still have a chance of promotion. But I’m sorry to say that’s about as far as it goes. If you get to the bookies ahead of Friday’s matches you would get pretty decent odds.

Having in the previous round slid on the banana skin that was away at Chambly, Duchere last Friday went down 0-2 at home to Chateauroux. It was always going to be a tough ask, with their opponents occupying one of the two automatic promotion spots. I don’t have first-hand details of what happened, but they’ve managed to get highlights of the game up on the official Duchere site rather sooner than usual, so the pain can be witnessed. Looked like a tight first half with little in the way of chances in a game which Duchere really had to win. Then on 50 minutes a decent cross from the right was met with a deft glancing header from a Chateauroux forward, with the ball going in off the far post. That probably knocked the stuffing out of La Duche and nine minutes later the game was effectively over as a bit of trickery down the left side sucked in defenders and when the cross went to the far post their guy was unmarked and headed in. Looks like after that Duchere could have conceded more before a couple of late opportunities from low crosses went begging.

As a result Duchere have fallen back to seventh. With the other top-four clash seeing Quevilly Rouen beat Dunkerque 2-0, Rouen and Chateauroux are now sure of the top two places and automatic promotion, both on 58 points, with Rouen first on goal difference. With Duchere and Dunkerque both losing, the way was clear for Paris FC, the form team, to come through. But they lost 0-1 away at relegation-threatened Bastia, while Marseille Consolat were beaten 3-2 at bottom-placed Belfort. Now those results have some significance for Duchere as a win for either of those two and the fat lady would indeed have sung. As it is, it’s stretching a point to say that there’s still all to play for in the final round, but it ain’t done yet.

It is still possible for Duchere to get back up to third and take the play-off spot (against the team finishing third-bottom in Ligue 2, currently Orleans). All that needs to happen is first, that Duchere win away at Epinal, who themselves need to win to have any chance of avoiding relegation (they sit second-bottom). That would take Duchere up to 53 points. Second, that Dunkerque do not win at home to Boulogne (OK, it probably requires them to lose as a draw would put Dunkerque also on 53 points and at present they have a goal difference of +14 against Duchere’s +4, so we’d need a sizeable swing). Third, that Paris FC, currently on 51 points, do not win at home to Creteil (who are safe from relegation and may already be on their holidays); a draw would be good enough for Duchere to be able to overtake them. And fourth, that Marseille Consolat, also on 51 points, do not win at home to Bastia (who need to win to be sure of avoiding relegation). Oh, and fifth, that Chambly, now a place above Duchere on 51 points, do not win their final game, at home to Rouen (who do still have the incentive of the title of champions to go for).

A long shot? You could say that. I am trying to persuade my partner Suzannne that it is still possible. But being French she thinks it’s all done if you’re 0-1 down with 20 minutes to go. It talk to her (at length) about a game that ended 7-6, one at Wembley when a team was behind three times and emerged winners, one when on a dark night in Birmingham a team scored twice in the final seven minutes of extra time to come from behind. Blimey, I even stretched to being 0-3 down at home to Barnsley and coming out 5-3 winners with Steve Dowman scoring twice; but by then even I was aware it was all getting a bit esoteric. Suffice to say that come the end of this week I expect to be telling the tale of how Duchere somehow made it into the play-off and after that how they saw off Orleans to take their place in France’s second division.

Mon Pauvre Duchere

You may infer from the headline that this is not going to be a tale of glorious success for my adopted French team, Lyon Duchere. Going into last night’s round of games they were in third place in National, France’s third division, with three games to go, with the top two getting automatic promotion and the third-placed team going into a play-off with the third-bottom team from the second division. And effectively there were five teams competing for the places. All five had what looked on paper like winnable games; three of them were to achieve victory and two were defeated. Regrettably Duchere were one of the two.

I’ve no details on the game but Duchere went down 1-2 away at Chambly. The other losers were league-leaders Quevilly Rouen, 1-2 away at Beziers. Before the previous round they were six points clear at the top with four to play but have now lost successive games. Of the others involved, second-placed Chateauroux beat lowly Pau 1-0 at home, Dunkerque – who Duchere had beaten 4-1 in the previous round of games and had as a result slipped to fourth – won 2-1 at home to Les Herbiers, and Paris FC – who had been coming up on the rails – secured a 1-0 home win against bottom-placed Belfort. As a result Rouen are now only top on goal difference from Chateauroux, both on 55 points with two games to play. Dunkerque have moved back up to third, on 52 points, Paris are up to fourth on 51, while Duchere have dropped to fifth on 50 points.

It isn’t yet game over for Duchere. But now it would appear they have to win their final two games and hope for some other results to go their way if they are to get back into the top three. Those who have been following avidly news of La Duche will be aware that in the next round they will host Chateauroux, while Rouen are at home to Dunkerque. Now well and truly in the mix, Paris will be away to relegation-threatened Bastia. Basically Duchere have to beat their promotion rivals and hope that Rouen beat Dunkerque and that Paris do not win their game.

That combination of results – not an impossible one but something of a best-case scenario – would see Rouen promoted with a game to spare on 58 points, Chateauroux second on 55, Duchere up to third on 53, with Dunkerque and Paris below them. In that event Duchere would know that a victory in their final match, away to Epinal (currently in a relegation spot), would put them into the play-off (as things stand against Orleans, who have moved above Red Star in the second division), with a remote chance of securing second, which requires Chateauroux failing to win at home to Les Herbiers (if it came down to goal difference Duchere would be above them).

At least for Duchere it is clear: anything other than glorious victory next Friday evening and it’s almost certainly done (you can come up with some very unlikely combinations if it’s a draw, even a defeat). Whatever happens it’s been a splendid first season in the third flight for Duchere; but we’re not ready to call time on it yet.