Nika Chanturia, the sporting director of FC Locomotive Tbilisi, was one of the speakers at the Sports Education Forum

Nikoloz Chanturia, the sporting director of FC Locomotive Tbilisi, was one of the speakers at the Sports Education Forum.

Together with Nika Jgharkava, he addressed the audience on the topic of strategic planning and the importance of sports organizations in Georgia.

“In many ways, the pace of football development in Georgia is accelerating. One such direction is the growing opportunity for young people who are retiring from their playing careers to get involved in management, take various courses, and explore different areas.

We are also seeing serious progress in terms of infrastructure. In 2023, we hosted the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, and the tournament brought significant infrastructural benefits to the country. There has also been advancement in coaching licensing.

However, accelerating development in a systematic and strategic way — as is done in Europe’s leading countries — is very difficult, as the financial resources are lacking. Budgets in Georgian clubs are usually planned from year to year. I also understand the club investors, because it's hard to attract private companies to football in Georgia nowadays. That’s exactly when, in the absence of large financial means, a sound strategy can become your competitive advantage. That’s why it’s so important to find the right strategy and identity for a club,” said Chanturia.