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Partnership agreement for Feyenoord Football School in Gdansk

Partnership agreement for Feyenoord Football School in Gdansk

Feyenoord Rotterdam and The Academy Poland have signed a partnership agreement for the start of a commercial Feyenoord Football School in Poland with the first centre to open in Gdansk in the North of Poland. Pre-opening activation and marketing events are well under way with full activities due to commence in September 2018, ready for the new season, and are aimed at expanding the Feyenoord brand throughout Poland while bringing Feyenoord know-how to the country that is currently ranked #10 in the FIFA-ranking.

Under the agreement, Feyenoord coaches will now also travel to Poland a couple of times per year to train local coaches and teach them the training methods used at the Feyenoord Academy in Rotterdam. The final objective of the new partnership is to open several Feyenoord Football Schools across Poland. The first steps are to be taken in Gdansk.

‘Together with Tom Gibney of The Academy we have been organizing football camps in Poland for two years now’, said Feyenoord’s international relations manager Gido Vader. ‘It is time to take it to the next level by having a permanent presence in Poland. It is a country rich in talent with a population nearly twice times the size of The Netherlands, and we do think that Feyenoord can add significant value by the way in which we develop young players.’

Tom Gibney, CEO of The Academy, explains why he chose to partner up with Feyenoord: ‘My first training and coaching experience with Feyenoord was nearly 3 years ago and what enlightened me most was the professionalism in how their coaching staff conducted themselves. Their approach to educating and coaching children was refreshing and without the usual “you must win attitude”. It is well known around the world Dutch football methodology and philosophy is 2nd to-non, and portraits quality and excellence. Feyenoord concepts teach young players how to deal with all kinds of challenges while educating players true values like respect, social responsibility, effort, ambition, unity and humility. I truly believe the Feyenoord way in Poland will provide a welcome change to traditional styles.’

The partnership agreement in Poland is a further addition to Feyenoord’s international programs. The club is now structurally active on four continents. Feyenoord has a large partnership in China (Feyenoord Viva Football Academies), has opened Football Schools in Egypt and will open soon in the UAE. The club also has partnerships with two clubs in the United States (St Louis Scott Gallagher and Tennessee SC). This summer Feyenoord will again work with Shell in Nigeria and football camps and clinics will be held in Lithuania, Poland, South Africa and Canada.