In the company of Ivan Gazidis, Huss Fahmy was able to explain the strategy of Kilmer Sports Ventures around the takeover of ASSE during a conference organized by Leaders. The opportunity to reveal what motivated the choice for AS St-Etienne and to explain more precisely the club's development project.
Huss Fahmy (ASSE Director of Operations): “We looked for two and a half years. We studied 60 to 80 clubs in different countries. What we wanted for this investment was something that we could activate with potential.
There were very few clubs that had within their DNA the ability to compete at the highest national level. It is a mature Football club with infrastructure, a fan base, and a training center.
All these ingredients, if you activate them well, can complement each other and allow you to perform at the highest level. We don't need to create them. After 2.5 years of research, we opted for Saint-Étienne. We then began our reflection on the strategy to follow.
We have a clear strategy, a very clear implementation plan, but when you join a club, you have to adapt it and make it practical and operational. Currently, we are in this phase of determining the delta between our initial idea, which will remain, but which we are adapting from day to day.”
5 or 6 phases of development for ASSE
Huss Fahmy (ASSE Director of Operations): “A plan? We have internal phases, it's just about the development of the club. There are 5 or 6 phases.
We are working towards implementing our plan and seeing how far we can push the club. Football will challenge us. It’s up to us to adapt. We are not naive. We will just develop the club, step by step, and continue to observe. It's a long-term plan. Everything is done for long-term impact, rather than quick adjustments.
Promotion to Ligue 1? I don't think we abandoned the business plan. But everything that happened around the club became more visible and complex. Our plan hasn't really changed, there are just things that have required us to adjust.
Certain elements of the project had to be accelerated. Some elements of the project had to be slowed down. There was an impact. I think time will tell whether it's positive or negative. But we always want promotion. It’s a good thing for the club and for the city.
We know that if you are not pragmatic and flexible, it will not work. Promotion happened last season, there are going to be things that happen game after game, season after season. I think our plan is very flexible, but we know where we want to go.”
Fahmy:We have an idea behind the takeover of AS Saint-Étienne”
Huss Fahmy (ASSE Director of Operations): “TV rights? We were aware of what was happening, but you never know until you're in place. I don't think our project is dependent on TV rights. We have an idea behind it the takeover of AS Saint-Étienne, and it's not a change in TV rights that changes much.
We do not judge what happens today or yesterday as a factor that determines whether we will succeed or not. France is a very sophisticated country. Football is at the heart of the country. The players are extraordinary, the stadiums are good, and the supporters are very present. The fundamentals are there. Now it’s our job to develop the club.”
