Frédéric Bulot Leaves Standard Liège for Charlton on Loan Amid Coaching Rift
Frédéric Bulot has completed a loan move from Belgian side Standard Liège to English Championship club Charlton Athletic, ending a turbulent two-year spell with the Belgian giants. The Franco-Gabonese midfielder struggled to establish himself in the Liège first team and has now opted for a fresh start in England.
Bulot’s departure was confirmed amid speculation of a fallout with Standard’s coach, Guy Luzon. Speaking to La Dernière Heure, Bulot sought to clarify the reasons behind his exit, insisting that the widely reported narrative of poor form did not tell the full story.
“I want to explain my departure from Standard, not to criticize the club but to give my side of the story,” Bulot said. “Many reports mentioned that my departure was due to a bad season with only one league goal, but if you look at the full picture, I had a promising start with three goals and six assists before a knee injury in the Europa League group stage.”
The midfielder revealed that Standard struggled to manage his knee injury, forcing him to seek treatment in Barcelona, after which he noticed a change in his standing at the club. “When I returned, I felt the coach had something against me. My playing time was limited to small appearances, and the atmosphere shifted, especially during the playoffs.”
Bulot recounted a telling incident in a playoff match against Genk, where he scored his fourth goal of the season but received no congratulations from the coaching staff. “I can’t say exactly what caused the breakdown, but it was clear to me that the relationship was fractured. The club can tell their version, but I maintain I’m not at fault.”
Though initially hesitant about moving to England’s second tier, Bulot accepted Charlton’s offer after Standard insisted on a loan move that would relieve financial pressure. “I had offers from French clubs where I knew the coaches and systems better, but they couldn’t meet my salary demands, and Standard wouldn’t cover part of it. Charlton was pushing for promotion to the Premier League, so it made sense.”
Bulot also revealed a tense relationship with the Standard coach upon arrival. “I was in the squad for the first league game, but he played younger players to pressure me into accepting Charlton. Despite this, I trained well, and the coach wanted to move past it, but I refused to play because I felt disrespected.”
Consequently, Bulot was sidelined from team training for two weeks before completing his move to Charlton. On arriving at his new club, he expressed optimism about the challenge ahead. “The staff and facilities impressed me. Standard made a financial effort, and I thank the chairman for trusting me. I’m happy here and ready to repay that trust.”
Bulot’s move represents a fresh chapter in his career, as he aims to revive his fortunes in the competitive environment of the English Championship.
