Dan Rice once again came across as a very measured and calm individual. Very corporate (a compliment) in the way that he looks at our club and its future.
Interesting comment about Birmingham and their signings. Not paraphrasing but along the lines of we could sign the same players but we are doing things differently. Terrifying statement on one level as to where we are.
Great run down! I wonder how they are going to improve football in Kazakhstan with no academy there? Maybe just by osmosis, as the citizens avidly watch every Wycombe game?
Lommy's always been clear that we are the Kazakh academy. Probably a good idea as he wouldn't want any of the neighbouring 'Stans spying on his activities using drones and stuff. Actually, eagles with GoPros attached would blend in better in the Central Asian skies.
After receiving consent from the English Football League, Mikhail Lomtadze (@m_lomtadze) became a member of the board of directors and partner of the English football club Wycombe Wanderers, on the basis of which a world-class football academy with branches in Kazakhstan and England will be established within 3 years. The total amount of investments in Kazakhstan will be more than 10 billion tenge.
Mikhail commented: "It is my personal dream to create a professional world-class children's football academy in Kazakhstan and England, where the best and most talented young football players and future stars can be brought up. Training at the academy will be completely free, and young athletes will have the opportunity to study with the best coaches of our country and the homeland of football - England.
Football is the most popular and spectacular sport with great potential for improving sportsmanship, and is a source of pride in many countries. I am sure that our football can be raised to a new level using my experience in creating an innovative business, using the most modern technologies and artificial intelligence capabilities. I hope that we will be able to bring up world-class stars for Kazakhstani football.
For students of any football academy, the dream is to be able to play in the main team of the football club. And that's why the academy without a football club has no chance of success. In simple language - you train and improve at the academy, and there is no opportunity to play in the main team of the club. I plan to change it, because the club will be aimed at creating opportunities for our graduates and will become a window to big football for them.
This post from the Kazakhstan Football Federation in May seems to confirm that Kaspi are co-funding an academy. Perhaps there will be no connection between the two academies, hence Dan not knowing anything about it last night.
Comments
Draft Minutes now published on Trust website https://wycombewandererstrust.com/
Might as well use this thread if anyone if listening tonight
I'm planning on attending. Be nice to see Dan in person
Much more focus on on-pitch things than the outgoing regime, and no shouting at the fans for asking questions (yet.)
Highlight of the meeting was the couple forgetting they weren't on mute and having a proper shouting match.
Classic trust meeting behaviour !
Webinars people - webinars.
CBS have signed a contract with the EFL to show 250 games this season.
These games will NOT be broadcast on club TV channels.
... in the US.
Any summary from those in attendance?
Yeah, point being we won’t be able to watch them on Wanderers tv. Or at all come to that.
Did I misunderstand?
I think you'll need to join us in Vipienne.
https://www.efl.com/news/2024/july/18/cbs-sports-announces-multi-year--multi-platform-rights-agreement-with-english-football-league/
8pm kickoffs to match US timezones?
Dan Rice once again came across as a very measured and calm individual. Very corporate (a compliment) in the way that he looks at our club and its future.
Interesting comment about Birmingham and their signings. Not paraphrasing but along the lines of we could sign the same players but we are doing things differently. Terrifying statement on one level as to where we are.
Any way we can listen back on this?
New CFO appointed a couple of weeks ago. Tim Davie (?) Ex Oxford.
New Academy head close to being appointed
No academy in Kazakhstan (not sure where this came from but not from anyone at the club)
Progress on road but no timescales
Got the impression that stadium development has gone down the priority list
An indoor training dome is planned for Harlington
No future plans to leave AP
Work is being done with local stakeholders re visibility of WWFC in the town. Pretty sure the train station was mentioned
I’m even more excited about the development and academy. I don’t think we will see fruits for a number of seasons but it’s gonna be special.
Are you not a trust member?
Great run down! I wonder how they are going to improve football in Kazakhstan with no academy there? Maybe just by osmosis, as the citizens avidly watch every Wycombe game?
More progress made on the new road then. But no timescales.
Would be interesting to know what the actual ins and outs are, as the impression was that "progress" had been made for the last couple of years too.
Tim Davies, ex CEO of Leicester City as well
Are you sure, he is currently CEO of Oxford United?
Send them any videos there are of Noel Ashford playing for Wycombe and be done with it.
Lommy's always been clear that we are the Kazakh academy. Probably a good idea as he wouldn't want any of the neighbouring 'Stans spying on his activities using drones and stuff. Actually, eagles with GoPros attached would blend in better in the Central Asian skies.
It’s this guy https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/2018/october/tim-davies
That’s what was said, ex Lawn Tennis as well.
Think Tim Williams is Oxford Utd CEO
That's right, Chris, Dan Rice mentioned him having been at the LTA, as well as Oxford and Leicester.
I thought that the "academy in Kazakhstan" stuff came directly from Lomtadze himself, in an interview. Have I misremembered that?
You’re correct, this was the interview:
After receiving consent from the English Football League, Mikhail Lomtadze (@m_lomtadze) became a member of the board of directors and partner of the English football club Wycombe Wanderers, on the basis of which a world-class football academy with branches in Kazakhstan and England will be established within 3 years. The total amount of investments in Kazakhstan will be more than 10 billion tenge.
Mikhail commented: "It is my personal dream to create a professional world-class children's football academy in Kazakhstan and England, where the best and most talented young football players and future stars can be brought up. Training at the academy will be completely free, and young athletes will have the opportunity to study with the best coaches of our country and the homeland of football - England.
Football is the most popular and spectacular sport with great potential for improving sportsmanship, and is a source of pride in many countries. I am sure that our football can be raised to a new level using my experience in creating an innovative business, using the most modern technologies and artificial intelligence capabilities. I hope that we will be able to bring up world-class stars for Kazakhstani football.
For students of any football academy, the dream is to be able to play in the main team of the football club. And that's why the academy without a football club has no chance of success. In simple language - you train and improve at the academy, and there is no opportunity to play in the main team of the club. I plan to change it, because the club will be aimed at creating opportunities for our graduates and will become a window to big football for them.
This post from the Kazakhstan Football Federation in May seems to confirm that Kaspi are co-funding an academy. Perhaps there will be no connection between the two academies, hence Dan not knowing anything about it last night.
https://kff.kz/en/news/25784
Full report from last night's meeting now published in our draft minutes
https://wycombewandererstrust.com/2024/07/trust-membership-meeting-thursday-25th-july