Roland: the football business doesn't suit me

Roland Duchatelet has admitted in an interview with a Belgian publication that the football business does not suit him. It is too irrational. Investing in football was the mistake of his life.

Roland draws a parallel with his unsuccessful venture into politics, saying that in both politics and football emotions outweigh logical thinking. An alternative explanation is that Roland is not the visionary he thinks he is.

Certainly his later remarks about teachers and Portuguese who lay cobbles in Belgium would suggest this is the case. He is someone who has made a lot of money in business who thinks he can then sort out everything else.

Thanks to a translation by Heather McKinlay you can read the whole interview here: Roland's big mistake

Chris Powell thought that Roland would have gone by now

Chris Powell thought that Roland's reign at Charlton would be over by now: Anticipated new owners

The Addicks faced Powell's Southend at Roots Hall on Saturday.

Josh Cullen joins on loan

Josh Cullen has joined Charlton on a season long loan from West Ham United. Fisherman Lee Bowyer did not think he would be able to land the midfielder: Bowyer surprised

Cullen, 22, has made nine appearances for the Hammers since his debut against FC Lusitans in 2009. He has since had two loan spells with Bradford City and spent part of last season on loan at Bolton Wanderers.

It's a happy Valley, insists Roland

Roland Duchatelet has told a Belgian publication that his employees 'have no complaints' - just as 'unscrupulous' English newspapers disclose that Charlton staff are in open revolt.

Protesting Charlton supporters 'do not know what really happened' claims Duchatelet. Rick Everitt notes that this is a man 'who has not attended a Charlton match in England since 2014 and did his most recent UK interview in early 2016.'

VOTV editor Everitt comments, 'At the heart of Duchatelet’s argument is always the same big lie - he was undone by a powerful conspiracy of supporters (and now media) and a raft of people who let him down from Chris Powell onwards, all pushing a separate agenda. He is just a victim.'

Eunan O'Kane won't drop down to League One

Leeds United midfielder Eunan O'Kane has stated that he will only accept Championship loans and will not drop down to League One, hence he will not be coming to Charlton: Loan blow

Richard Cawley reckons that there will not be decisions on other loans until Wednesday or Thursday with the parent clubs holding back.

The peasants' revolt

Despite brutal cost cutting and a refusal to listen by Roland Duchatelet Charlton fans will not give up the fight at The Valley declares the Daily Mail. The article, which is almost as extensively illustrated with good photographs as Richard Redden's history of the club, makes an analogy with the peasants' revolt at Blackheath: Charlton fans fight on

The article says that what is holding up the takeover is the question of the price. Roland wants £35m, the Australians want to pay a realistic £25m. This is consistent with information I have received from other sources.

The situation at Charlton has now had sympathetic and extensive coverage in the national media. Roland is no doubt impervious, although the one or two articles in the Belgian press may have had more impact along with the recent leafleting of Sint Truiden.

Crossbar challenge was the highlight

A fan winning £5,000 in the crossbar challenge at half time was the highlight in this afternoon's 0-0 draw with Fleetwood Town at The Valley. It was certainly the nearest an Addick came to scoring.

Charlton (just about) held the visitors at bay, but the front men got poor service and very few chances were created. Taylor also kept being hauled down. We often seemed too slow in getting to the ball.

The game which was held up in the first minute as home fans threw packets of crisps onto the pitch in response to barmy Belgian owner Roland Duchatelet' latest cost-cutting measures. There was a short report about this on Radio 5 on Sunday morning when it was dubbed 'Crispgate'.

Once the action resumed, the two sides produced plenty of endeavour but few chances. The hosts started brightly and Lyle Taylor went close when he tested Fleetwood keeper Alex Cairns after 17 minutes with a shot from outside the box which was well held. The keeper had a curious habit of waving at his players so the Bloke Beside Me (Paul from Bexleyheath) started waving back.

The visitors earned their first chance after 35 minutes when a Ched Evans shot was deflected across the face of goal, following a cut-back from Wes Burns. Burns nearly opened the scoring just before the break when his shot from six yards out was cleared off the line by Patrick Bauer.

The best chance of the match came after 57 minutes, when Dillon Phillips brilliantly kept out a header from Ashley Hunter. He received a score of 8 from the Football League Paper. Charlton should have taken the lead with 13 minutes remaining when Joe Aribo volleyed wide from eight yards after a good cross by Chris Solly.

Igor Vetokele came on a sub, but made little difference.

Can anyone explain what a Fleetwood player meant when he shouted, 'Open up the pitch!'

Charlton remain in 14th place. Saturday's attendance of 8810 v Fleetwood was the lowest Saturday league gate at The Valley since the visit of Watford on 1/10/1994.

The report from Louis Mendez can be found here: Stalemate played out