Monday 15 February 2016

Varney makes it crystal clear

Peter Varney has responded firmly to Roland Duchatelet's unconvincing attempts to distance himself from the highly embarrassing email trail between him, Katrien Meire and Varney.

The former Charlton CEO scoffs at Duchatelet's suggestion that the investment mentioned in the original email might have been for an advertising hoarding. In that email, Peter Varney offered to meet Duchatelet in Brussels, which might have suggested he had more on his mind than placing an advert at the Valley. He also referenced the financial wealth of his existing employers and his personal credibility as a previous CEO which would have made the approach interesting to anyone other than the Belgian electronics businessman or his London-based assistant, who, to be fair, could be forgiven for misreading Varney's email based on her general level of competence.

There was another twist this weekend when Meire approached Rick Everitt before the match and, in response to Rick's question about why she had failed to meet Varney, she said that there was no point as the club wasn't for sale. The first time we have heard this view from Meire, whom Duchatelet also said he had delegated the matter to on receipt of the first email (possibly because he did somehow think it was for a trivial investment in an advertising hoarding and, therefore, more in line with Meire's pay grade and abilities). The obvious question at this point is why waste Varney's time, stringing him along for several appointments you had no intention of meeting? We could just put it down to her general level of incompetence but I suspect there might have been a little bit of perverse enjoyment taken by Meire in messing about her predecessor who she knows presided over years of success with a highly motivated and dedicated workforce (in direct contrast to her own management). You know, a bit like sneering and photographing protesting customers or believing them to be weird because they have an emotional attachment to a football club - something you just can't comprehend because for you it's just a job. Not something you could ever accuse lifelong Charlton fan Peter Varney of, eh Katrien?

Hardly surprising giving the original email trail but depressing nonetheless that they can't even be bothered to get their stories straight after all this time. Yet again the sheer arrogance of the Belgians is breath-taking.

PS - I have a theory on Saturday's 'surprise' encounter between Meire and Everitt. I don't believe it was a surprise at all. Meire made the unusual approach from Ranson Road as I understand it, coming through the railway tunnel and accosting Rick where he was selling the Voice. This way she avoided the walk down Floyd Road which she usually takes from the station. I believe that's because she is likely to face abuse from angry customers who know she used to do this every home game. Instead, she may have been dropped off on the Lower Road and had the short walk up Ransom Road to where she knows Rick is usually positioned. I say this because I noticed an unusually large number of the heavy squad Stewards in Harvey Gardens outside the club shop before she appeared. One or two were using headsets and they were clearly waiting for something or someone. Perhaps the goon show gave her the confidence to ask Rick if he was scared of her? 

2 comments:

  1. Dave, she did indeed come through the tunnel as I was one of the two guys stationed there with stickers and masks (I was completely incognito as I was wearing one of the masks). She took one of each from us and had them with her when she apparently went on to exchange pleasantries with Rick Everitt. The exchanges between Ms Meire and us were terse but quite cordial. Whatever her reasons for taking that route, at the time and now I hope she feels confident to be able to walk around and not feel in any way threatened. It is absurd that she was put in the job and remains in it, but this is just a symptom of the disease that is our owner.

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  2. She was obviously wanting an encounter that showed her as the hard done by ceo and fully expected (and hoped) it would turn nasty. Hard luck lady.

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