Football Season Guide

Wycombe Wanderers continue one of the most bizarre phases of their long history. Why Mikheil Lomtadze, a Georgian who has amassed a £6b fortune through his Kazakhstan-based fintech Kaspi, would want to own the football club from a Buckinghamshire market-town remains something of a mystery. The brochure would have you believe the motivation comes from establishing an academy, one which includes his teenage son. The estimated investment currently stands at more than £30m. It’s understood he’s yet to visit Adams Park despite having owned the club for two years. Whilst he controls the purse strings it seems son-in-law Eduard Vishnyakov and former scout Dan Rice are steering the ship. Having fallen out with manager Matt Bloomfield, a relationship which ended after eight months, his successor Mike Dodds would also remain in post for a similar timescale, having proved wholly unsuitable for the job. Mike Duff has outlasted them both as he looks to improve on an 11th place finish. There was a brief moment when the side climbed into the play-off places only to drop straight back out and slide down the table, much to Duff’s frustration. He launched a scathing attack on his players on the penultimate weekend of the season, telling them they have wasted ten-and-a-half months of their lives.” He has spent the summer evolving the squad, with several players leaving the club. Goalkeeper Will Norris has joined Salford City after appearing to endure the most miserable 18-months of his life but he is the only regular to have departed. Conor Hazard has signed from Plymouth Argyle and will be looking to establish himself as No.1. The biggest problem facing the Chairboys is scoring goals. The loss of Richard Kone almost 12 months ago continues to be keenly felt. Striker Emre Tezgel has signed on a season-long loan having shown some promise whilst on loan at Crewe Alexandra, but it remains an area that needs strengthening. There’s an abundance of talent in the middle of the park, although Duff complained last season that were all similar types of player. An exception is the experienced Josh Scowen, who returns having missed most of the last season with an ACL injury and will be looking to lead by example. Steve Cook also brings leadership qualities with him after signing from Queens Park Rangers.