Monday 20 March 2017

The last to know

I have given up on listening to Karl Robinson. Frankly, nothing he says has any continuity from one press opportunity to the next. He talks in constant cliches and contradictions. I have long-since seen through his die-for-the-club, kiss-the-badge nonsense. These are things to do from the heart, not from the mouth. 

However, it's hard to escape his soundbites and headlines because they are touted at you from so many directions. Among the latest is the fact that he has actually spoken with Roland via the medium of telephone and has wondered what his future might hold given all the speculation and evidence that the club is being prepared for sale. Unsurprisingly, Roland has told Blabbermouth that there is no truth to it and he is now very predictably putting Roland's message out there.

Sometimes Karl, you need to think for yourself. Where are these rumours coming from? Why was Ronnie Rosenthal taking in his first Charlton match last week as a guest following rumours he was involved in negotiating a sale? Huge coincidence that his wife is a friend of Daisy and he happens to have made his way to the Valley for the first time in three years. Without his wife.

A secure data room being set-up at the Valley? What do you reckon Karl? Have they hidden it from view? Why is everyone talking about it and the fact that a female lawyer (not Daisy) is employed to oversee it and access to it? Karl, you must also have seen and heard other activity that supports a sale?

So, is Karl just fulfilling his contract and saying what Daisy wants him to? No prospective seller wants to advertise the fact that they are pulling out. It does nothing for the sale price or their leverage.  It frightens potential investors and might scare players into short-term decision mode. Given we are slipping into a relegation battle in the third tier of English football, a sale also trumpets a massive failure on Duchatelet's reign as owner. The wealthiest owner in our history who posts the most unsuccessful spell both commercially and in footballing terms that we have ever known. A club diminished in stature and actual size on whatever measurement you choose to use. Revenues shrunk and the cupboard laid bare. He doesn't do failure apparently!

Meanwhile, Karl was very pleased with his side's showing in defeat at Bramall Lane on Saturday. He said "if we can get this team fitter and stronger, we will certainly be a team to be reckoned with next season, 100%." Only 100% Karl? Not 110%? Fitter and stronger? Has that been the problem then since you arrived? Fitness? In true Robinson fashion, he went on to say he will be bringing in 10 or 11 new players next season! The bloke's a fantasist and a dreamer. He didn't get who or what he wanted in January, why does he think he will get 10 or 11 players he wants in the close season? It's not Fantasy Football Karl. 

In any event, even if Duchatelet hasn't been able to get a deal acceptable to him during the next three months, he's not going to suddenly start spending like  never before. Past performance is usually a reliable indicator of future behaviour Karl. Duchatelet not only hasn't done it here, but he hasn't done it anywhere else. Based on past performance, Robinson will be sacked at the end of next month after a worse set of results than Slade managed and so that Duchatelet and Meire can sell their dream to another Desperado, in the extremely unlikely event that the club isn't sold for whatever reasons. My biggest fear is that Duchatelet is so naive and ignorant of what's happened to the club since he bought us, that he refuses to be remotely realistic about the terms of any sale and no-one buys us. 

In that scenario, Groundhog Day starts again. The only difference is smaller and smaller home gates as the club slowly dies. This also means a smaller and smaller value Roly when you are eventually relieved of your disastrous stewardship.

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