Rich people don't as a rule brag openly about their wealth. They don't talk about it, and will even go as far as to plead poverty, as in all those C&W songs by rich singers about being poor. And Oxford alumni don't talk like IA about Oxford. He is just demonstrating that his online personae are pure fantasy.
Anyone who works for this regime is an apologist as far as I'm concerned. After my many years away from Charlton (early 1980's to mid 2000's) when I finally got my first season ticket again and was reminded how much I had missed the place, I vowed to myself that I would never walk away again. For better or worse on the pitch, I would take my seat for home games for the rest of my life, for as long as I was able. At that time, I never imagined a situation like we have today. And now I'll admit for the first time in those 11 seasons that I've been back, I am seriously considering not renewing my ST next season. I am sick to death of RD and the dead hand of his soulless regime. There are no protests anymore, the only option left is to follow the example of so many others, and stay away. Keith Peacock has his own reasons for doing what he does, and I have my own reasons for putting money in RD's pocket by buying a ticket. But perhaps my reasons are no longer as important as how I feel - a feeling that grows rather than diminishes as time passes. Sorry for going a bit off-topic... ...that's IA's fault as well!
Tough. CP worked for the regime, JJ works for them now. I'm perhaps playing devils advocate, but there are always circumstances. I feel a lot of the current first team have an affiliation to CAFC, and thats why we are having success on the pitch. So I wouldn't deem them as apologists.
Chris Powell was employed by the Club before the current regime took over. None of us at that time knew what RD was about to begin doing, so nobody would expect Powell to resign in protest as soon as the Club changed ownership. He was ditched quickly enough though, as was his successor, when they refused to do as they were told. The vast majority of our first team squad have no emotional attachment to the Club at all - certainly not a fraction of the bond that exists between the fans and the Club. The only two exceptions at Charlton are Chris Solly and Johnnie Jackson; they probably do feel genuine pride wearing our shirt, but they are part of a dying breed now - dying even faster under Duchatelet's ownership. But I would not expect players to care as much as fans. They are professionals plying their trade, not connected to the politics or the morality of the way the owner treats the rest of the Club. Basically they are mercenaries. Ex-players (especially those who hail from before the 'mercenary' era) who continue to interact with the owner out of choice, are a different matter. Coaching the first team is something I can understand an ex-captain wishing to do, and as far as I am aware JJ has not been involved recently in any 'self-promotional' activity by the regime. Two years ago I was dismayed to see him sitting next to Meire and other members of the regime during meetings concerning the protests. I assume he was instructed to be there, and I assume that the other times JJ has been used to promote the Club (regime) in recent years have been events he was required to attend rather than choosing to do so freely. I hope the day never comes when Johnnie Jackson chooses to voice support of Duchatelet or Meire, or what they are doing to Charlton Athletic. Anybody who does work for this regime in an 'ambassadorial' role - entertaining VIP guests or sponsors at functions - is not merely an apologist, they are choosing to collaborate with what Duchatelet is doing to Charlton Athletic. They may be doing what they do out of a life-long love for the old pre-Duchatelet Charlton, but they must have very few if any reservations about the direction the Club is being taken in (or else they are being charmed and hoodwinked by the regime as it knows their value to it) Otherwise they would not continue to give their support.
Mr Lardiman, I agree with the majority of your excellent posts. However, I agreed with all of the above until the final paragraph. My question to you is "Where does that leave Keith Peacock?" I concede he has been sat next to the squirrel but please show me any quotes from him supporting this shower of s***. He is Charlton to the core.
Keith Peacock himself would have to explain why he chose to sit next to Katrien Meire in the directors' enclosure. Perhaps he felt obliged to, as he may be too much of a gentleman to personally 'snub' KM by refusing such an invitation. As you say, he is Charlton to the core. That has probably made his relationship with the Club pretty complicated in the last few years. I don't envy him. The last thing I would want to do is to call Keith Peacock an apologist or a regime collaborator. And I have not heard any statements supportive of the regime attributed to him. Like JJ, I hope I never do. Super was right of course; my original statement (that anybody who works for the regime is an apologist) is too sweeping. There are always explanatory circumstances, some of which we may never know.
I do believe at the time that I said the Douche was a wrong 'un.... I couldn't understand why a successful Belgian businessman wanted to own a Championship Club who were losing £7m a season... the only reason I could see is that he wanted to increase leverage using the Club's assets. The plan for a umbrella of European Clubs (to reduce costs) could work if the people at the centre understood how football works and if he understood how football works... unfortunately for the Belgian neither was the case.
I was a bit worried I remember, but I only began to have serious misgivings when Powell was sacked. Back in those days I was much less aware of the political side of the running of the Club...
In order'ish The polish dude and chums come in Peeters instead of Riga The Dublin interview with squirrel face Luzon and the work visa Watford 5-0 Karel Fraeye The Liar bedsheet Watford 5-0 was the start of the protests, then Karel Fraeye insured the Belgians had lost the supporters.
I had no initial misgivings when these people arrived, and even the CP sacking didn't push me too far as both results and performances had been dire. I was unhappy about Riga but he turned out to do a job, and I was much more unhappy about his leaving tan Powell if I am honest. From there though, it went down hill fast. Karel Fraeye was the pinacle of the regime's incompetence, but there were so many error, and for me, there is no learnng curve here - RD has walked away in all but name and cares noting about events at Charlton, while KM has been gagged. A new owner could be worse, but things are far from perfect now.
Like Ken, the sacking of Riga exposed to me that KM's statement "He does it his way and the fans have to accept it" was a very bitter pill to swallow. He seemed a perfect fit, and got the results to boot, the fans wanted him, he wanted to stay, but he was replaced with Millwall Bob. It confirmed to me that the sceptics were right.
Peeters was always going to get the job. My thinking was it was a contractural thing with the spanner and he had to wait till the summer.
Starting to think the nobhead is going round the twist. On and on and on and on with the denials. He probably practices them in the mirror before he posts his twaddle. His obnoxious posts are just so unbalanced and repetitive I'm starting to feel sorry for him. He really is unhinged.
Very well put. If Nigella was to say face to face what he puts on a keyboard people would shake their head and laugh at the individual.
Years ago I knew a man who talked to people like that, especially when he'd had a few. He regularly got beaten up. I saw him once get knocked down by a normally placid man, and he was still mouthing off while lying on the pavement.
The eminent Nigel quoted Rossini's Barber of Seville on ITTV this week. It went down like a hog roast at a bar mitzvah.
