General More news re; stadium/training ground, thoughts?
- Thread starter uptheus
- Start date
greatunclekip
Level: Steve Basham
(189 Apps, 51 Gls)
Well, thats a pretty "nothing" interview right?! No real progress other than a will to move elsewhere, and not sure the financial issues wont recur.
Not saying its a negative one, but probably the most pointless.
Colin B
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
Oh come on, do you really have to turn everything into a negative (or claim it's "pointless")?!?!?!
There's a lot going on behind the scenes regarding our long term future, particularly the stadium. Tiger, Zaki, Horst, and Anan were all over last week. They weren't here just for the game. If they didn't come over, or if they said nothing, they'd get criticised, but when they do come over and say something (and it actually was something quite specific if you care to read it properly) you still criticise. Short of giving fans minutes of every confidential meeting, I really don't know what you expect?
Just because an announcement regarding land hasn't (yet) been made doesn't mean nothing is going on. But I guess that doesn't fit your agenda of negativity.....................
Last edited:
they certainly picked the right week to all be here with our results on the pitch and will show them the potential this club has.
exciting times
Training ground will happen.
Water Eaton to follow.
Water Eaton to follow.
Manorlounger
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
I certainly welcome the apparent commitment to moving away from Grenoble Road. Having the timescale mentioned also underscores the urgency of the situation. Horst Geike wanting to meet with "people" is essential given the political nature of any land development around Oxford. (The green belt situation will make things all the more difficult but, not insurmountable)
It would be interesting to see how much support he can garner from the City and County authorities.
It is clear that the day to day operation of the club is in Tiger's hands and the onus is on him to ensure that no repetition of last years financial embarrassments are allowed to reoccur. However, this also means that the club's day to day operations must be self financing and therefore mention of the January transfer window and retaining players is perhaps a worry. We can but hope that the offers that will inevitably come in for our better players are not attractive enough to prise them away!
Mention of on field success raising enthusiasm could be linked, if I am inferring correctly, to enthusiasm for the club in general and a heightened profile of the club as a part of Oxford and Oxfordshire. The potential for a Championship football club pushing for Premiership could prove very attractive when negotiating a land deal.
It would be interesting to see how much support he can garner from the City and County authorities.
It is clear that the day to day operation of the club is in Tiger's hands and the onus is on him to ensure that no repetition of last years financial embarrassments are allowed to reoccur. However, this also means that the club's day to day operations must be self financing and therefore mention of the January transfer window and retaining players is perhaps a worry. We can but hope that the offers that will inevitably come in for our better players are not attractive enough to prise them away!
Mention of on field success raising enthusiasm could be linked, if I am inferring correctly, to enthusiasm for the club in general and a heightened profile of the club as a part of Oxford and Oxfordshire. The potential for a Championship football club pushing for Premiership could prove very attractive when negotiating a land deal.
yeah the bit about january window is a concern, especially if we lost someone like Brannagan, but unfortunately that’s where we’re at and players like him are always going to stand out and attract higher clubs.
i wonder if kassam would be flexible at all (don’t laugh) as with the lease running down, say we had land available but would still be some years from having a new stadium, would a shorter deal be possible (yearly or something)
kassam gets his land back and we get new stadium???
interesting times ahead it seems?
can 'someone' (re)educate our board members on how to communicate and engage with supporters though ? .... I accept to monied board members that, in business-speak, being financially involved with a L1 EFL football club is , to them percieved as, an investment .... however, reading the OM piece/ interview, Horst mentions /refers to OUFC as 'an investment ' twice, granted its probably just me but, the word 'investment' just doesnt sit right , not in an interview talking about MY team/club!
with the money at all our board members disposal cant they employ a PR guru/spin doctor type to school them on terminology more 'user freindly' -than refering to my football club as an investment for example!- for football supporters?
ZeroTheHero
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
If the stadium deal runs out in 2026 (presumably at the end of that season) we have 6 and a bit years to sort this out. That's actually not a huge amount of time, given that the training ground is seemingly the priority ("We want to secure the training ground... Then you can tackle the stadium idea."). There is a lot to do and many hurdles to jump before the first foundations are dug. I say that because the clear implication from that interview is that we will be moving rather than buying the current place.
I doubt Kassam would do a year-by-year lease extension deal at anything approaching a sensible amount of money, so let's hope that significant progress on the stadium - or the land for it - is being made behind the scenes. After all we have already been assured that we will know "100%" what is happening by the end of the season.
I doubt Kassam would do a year-by-year lease extension deal at anything approaching a sensible amount of money, so let's hope that significant progress on the stadium - or the land for it - is being made behind the scenes. After all we have already been assured that we will know "100%" what is happening by the end of the season.
Very interesting and good to hear from 2 different directors for once. I wouldnt be surprised if we start seeing more and more of these articles re: training ground and stadium popping up closer to Jan onwards.
what’s the relationship like with kassam at the moment?
now the service charge has/is being sorted, i guess all involved have met with him.
as usual he’s going to be having a big say in our future
now the service charge has/is being sorted, i guess all involved have met with him.
as usual he’s going to be having a big say in our future
Seems to be improving, Zaki in regular contact with him. Maybe one for the FF tomorrow.
https://www.Oxfordm**l.co.uk/news/17940984.oxford-united-set-take-training-grounds/
One down, one to go.
Manorlounger
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Well, I think it would be correct to say that our directors know how to manage a fair bit of spin and media!
As Horst Geike was quoted,
"We want to secure the training ground. It would put us literally on more stable ground. Then you can tackle the stadium idea."
I'll bet the "people" he wanted to speak to have already had that conversation.
This gets ever more interesting.
- Year of First Game
- 1980
It is a concern, but I think I'd be much more concerned if we had no players at all that could attract interest. Goes with the territory of having talented players I guess.
Part of taking on the leasing includes the additional expectation that the club will:
- Provide free nutrition classes, fitness classes for vulnerable groups and mental health workshops.
- Have literacy/numeracy classes with combined training sessions led by their players.
- Hold football sessions for people experiencing homelessness
- Hold all school football finals at the grounds, organised and run by OUFC as well as two football festivals and a kwik cricket festival a year
- There will also be access to the grounds for community use, with the exception of Sunday mornings when the Youth Academy runs. A requirement of the contract and funding that OUFC receives from the English Football League (EFL) is that there are no other users on site at the same time.
werthersoriginal
Level: James Constable
(280 Apps, 106 Gls)
Sounds like good community outreach and beneficial for growing support, but expensive to fund- do we have to pay for new posts?
ZeroTheHero
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Seems great to me - exactly the type of things a 'community' football club should be doing. It will also help to raise awareness of and contact with the club across the city/county.
Manorlounger
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Presumably offset against no longer paying Fusion to manage the site?
Manorlounger
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Not nit picking but, it may be time to change your tag line!
ZeroTheHero
Level: Les Phillips
(224 Apps, 15 Gls)
Great minds - just have!Not nit picking but, it may be time to change your tag line!
The training Ground, as far as I can see, should now cost us much less per year. They have a load of astroturfs which should be a money spinner.
Don't see the cricket pitches making too much, and astroturfs alone more than likely won't be enough to make the owning of the training ground "profitable", but without Fusions cut I can see this being very good news.
| Astroturf - 5 a side | £45.00 | £40.00 |
|---|---|---|
| Astroturf - 7 a side | £65.00 | £60.00 |
Don't see the cricket pitches making too much, and astroturfs alone more than likely won't be enough to make the owning of the training ground "profitable", but without Fusions cut I can see this being very good news.
MarkG
Level: Steve Basham
(189 Apps, 51 Gls)
Well I can't spot an obvious way for a land grab as this is a lease, rather than giving the club the freehold of the land.
I wonder what has changed as previously I thought when the club wanted to run the training ground, one of the council's criteria was that the operator had to have relevant experience?
I wonder what has changed as previously I thought when the club wanted to run the training ground, one of the council's criteria was that the operator had to have relevant experience?
Marked Ox
Level: Mickey Lewis
(351 Apps, 7 Gls)
I like that list as it is things we should be looking to do anyway.
Itsthehopethatkillsyou
Level: Jack Midson
(68 Apps, 15 Gls)
No offence but If your name ain't ECyellow your prediction means squat! Lol #allhailthedivinesoothesayerECyellow!
TailsWeWin
Level: Dave Roberts
(176 Apps, 8 Gls)
Not just you, Sarge. Absolutely agree.
MarkG
Level: Steve Basham
(189 Apps, 51 Gls)
Where does this come from?
Wonder what happened with Fusion to make them walk away from the 25-year lease after just over a year? Perhaps it wasn't as profitable as they expected...
LondonRoader
Level: Andy Crosby
(122 Apps, 13 Gls)
So the club want to take on a new training ground, they are still looking to move out of the kassam and get a new ground, but can't guarantee the same financial issues that blighted us earlier this year will not happen again.
