Martin van Geel was still sick of Willem II’s relegation. The general manager spoke to the press on Wednesday afternoon and discussed the consequences of the relegation for the club. There was good news to report about the staff, but of course he sees the income falling.
“It came in like a sledgehammer”, Martin van Geel expresses his feeling briefly but powerfully. Even a few days after the final seal of the relegation, the general manager is having a hard time.
“We called everyone together again on Monday with Brabant sausage bread. If you are successful, everyone will participate, but even now you want to keep the entire organization together. That includes everyone. Also the 22 people in the office.”
“Of course you go back in turnover, but that is not at the expense of our staff”
Van Geel had good news for the office staff. “They are all going to stay. I gave that signal weeks ago. I then heard in the corridors that there was some doubt. Of course you go back in turnover, but that is not at the expense of our staff.”
What will shrink is the player budget. Willem II already had a nice player budget, so lowering that part does not mean that the Tilburg club cannot take a shot at promotion. “I can’t concretize it with numbers yet, but despite the fact that we are reducing the player budget, it is still high enough to play in the top of the Kitchen Champion Division.”
“Many sponsors remain loyal and are already inventing activation campaigns”
The CEO counts on the support of the public and sponsors. The signals that Van Geel receives are therefore good. “I get quite a few apps from supporters about when the season ticket campaign starts (Monday ed.) because they would like to extend. Many sponsors also remain loyal and are already working on activation campaigns. Of course there are also some sponsors who look at it more businesslike. They wonder how much exposure they still have in the First Division.”
“I’m not going to let this club down”
Finally, Van Geel never hesitated to step down after the relegation. The general manager has put all his heart and soul into the club in recent weeks and will certainly not leave the Tilburgers.
“I am responsible for the office side. Only a new situation arose with the resignation of technical director Joris Mathijsen. Because of this I also had to take on part of the football business. I worked hard on that seven days a week. I am a real Willem II’er so I had no choice. I have taken responsibility and that has resulted, among other things, in the appointment of a new technical director (Teun Jacobs ed.). But quit? No never. I will not abandon this club.”
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