Wrexham fans’ minds are set on the new players we’ll attract this Summer, but we might have already brought in our most important long term recruit.
Michael Williamson has been appointed as our CEO, and even before his arrival you could detect his imprimatur in some of the things the club did.
His CV is profoundly impressive, and has already been scrutinised by all and sundry as they seek parallels with the priorities he will inherit in North Wales.
He has experience at D.C. United, Internazionale and Miami FC, as well as fulfilling the role of co-CEO of the San Siro, fabled home of both Inter and AC Milan.
Naturally, attention has been drawn to his role in the renovation of the San Siro, as well as his experience in leading the process of developing a new training ground for the Serie A giants. Less discussed is his input on the building of a football-specific stadium for DC United.
With Wrexham’s owners battling British bureaucracy as they look to fulfil their goals of redeveloping The SToK Cae Ras and constructing a new training ground, Williamson’s experience in getting similar major projects over the line looks likely to be valuable.
while developing new and exciting ways to connect with our fans, partners, and this amazing Miami Community.”
-Michael Williamson, October 15, 2020
He talked about telling the stories of the fans and celebrating their successes, while bringing them closer to the players and inside the club, building on the innovative ideas he had in Italy.
“Welcome to Wrexham” has already brought such ideas to fruition; Williamson is clearly going to be sympathetic to the show’s importance in growing the club. He’ll bring new ideas to the table and help us to make the most of the its success.
He also led the creation a new analysis system at Inter. He’s clearly used to leading projects which strive to bring those little advantages which can give you the edge over your competitors.
A bespoke data analysis system is the sort of thing that gives you a head start on League One clubs, many of which will rely on buying into a generic scouting system. Being innovative and empowering talented people to come up with their own solutions is the sort of ambitious, original thinking which our owners hope will make the difference for us.
Certainly, within the club there is a positive view of what Williamson will bring to the club. They feel he’s the sort of person who can support their work and get results.
Perhaps most crucially though, Williamson often had to work with UEFA while he was at Inter. You need a particular set of skills to deal with the sort of people who work in football’s bureaucracy, so Williamson should be well-suited to the most important part of our CEO’s job: dealing with Shaun Harvey
