Tahnoon Nimer issues statement that he is still a Charlton Athletic director and wants removal of Matt Southall
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Tahnoon Nimer has issued a statement saying he is still a director of Charlton Athletic – but will remove funding until he is able to make changes to the club’s hierarchy.
The Addicks had put a statement on their website saying that the Syrian businessman had resigned from the board with immediate effect.
But Nimer has used his Instagram account to spell out that he is not walking away – but wants to remove certain individuals from their posts at the Championship club.
His company – Panorama Magic General Contracting LLC – owns 65 per cent of the shares in Charlton Athletic Football Company.
“It is now clear that our interest and the current chairman’s [Matt Southall], with regards to the club’s future are different and irreconcilable,” said Nimer. “We have retained distinct legal counsel from that of the club’s and will shortly take the necessary measures to remove the persons responsible from the club and appoint a new chairman to lead the club.
“Until such time comes, Panorama will suspend any capital contribution and I will remain in my position as club director.”
Nimer has claimed that the club missed a deadline of March 4 to send back documentation which saw the EFL board impose a transfer embargo and “refuse an application to register a new player filed two weeks’ ago”.
“Our aim at Panorama was to give a full restart to Charlton Athletic on all sides,” said Nimer. “With the main goal of returning to the Premier League within the next three years.
“Our commitment to Charlton Athletic and all of the people behind this historic club, whether they are on the pitch, in the bleachers or in the terraces still stands and we are ready to honour it more than ever.
“For this reason, we have tried for the past week to reach an amicable solution regarding the club’s management until summer, thought an interim management, in order to achieve our short term objectives – lifting the transfer embargo and ensuring we have a fighting chance in the 2020-21 season.”
The South London Press has seen a letter from Nimer in which he states that he wants Claudiu Florica to take on the role of chief executive officer and run the club.
Clear as mud! Are both parties lying?
Too many questions to be answered here. But for one, why would Southall issue his statement if it was not the full story ? Surely, he is the one that is liable to be dismissed, not Nimer, so Southall would appear to be walking on eggshells at the moment. At the very least, there appears to be a complete breakdown in communication regarding funding, the direction in which to take the club etc, etc, I can only hope that Nimer is sincere in his statement, us poor long suffering Charlton fans need re assurances, not hot air and instability. This needs sorting immediately and not allowed to drag on.
I have an inkling this has been smouldering for a while and just maybe why the lads have not been performing 100% at times on the pitch. Perhaps now this is in the open, in a strange way, it may inspire them to put in the required performances to reach safety. Stranger things have happened !!
Who appointed Matt Southall? Tahnoon Nimer and/or his Board? Yep I agree someone is being economical with the truth or plain lying!!
Once again we are being made a laughing stock of by owners who have no interest in the great name and heritage of this club.