Inside Liverpool search for new sporting director and what club are really looking for
At a club with a history of appointments from within, it came as no surprise that Julian Ward succeeded Michael Edwards last summer and became only Liverpool’s second-in-command sporting director.
After rising to the position of Credit and Paths Manager at Anfield Road, Ward saw a post being created for him in late December 2020 when he became Edward’s official ‘assistant’.
It was the beginning of a smooth start towards the eventual role of sporting director himself, one officially handed to him late last season after essentially learning for the past 18 months under Edwards’ tutelage for himself, both with fans and also gained a mythical reputation among players for the way he did business between 2016 and 2022.
READ MORE: How Liverpool could appear in a new formation after four dream summer signings
READ MORE: Liverpool’s final Premier League position clearly predicted as top-four challenge
For a club with a well-established ethos of recruiting from further down the ranks – as epitomized by the legendary Boot Room culture – Ward Edwards’ succession came as no great surprise, although there were many Liverpool supporters who might not be aware of it were how highly respected the Aintree-born analyst was at the time.
However, just months into the role, it was confirmed that Ward would be leaving Liverpool this summer after over a decade. The decision to quit in November caught many both within the club and in Ward’s department itself unprepared, causing both shock and disappointment.
As a result, the search for Liverpool’s third sporting director is now underway in less than 18 months, with the process being overseen by both manager Jurgen Klopp and CEO Billy Hogan. But what exactly is the new Liverpool signing supposed to oversee? And how daunting is the task of making instant returns at a self-sustaining club with such high ambitions, at a time when they are undoubtedly in flux on and off the pitch?
Recruitment is undoubtedly how a sporting director builds his reputation, but a new appointment at Liverpool will not be responsible for overseeing the expected rebuild this summer, that is to be understood.
Anyone signed over the summer will still be recognized as a ‘ward signing’ to simplify things and there is currently a lot of work going on behind the scenes at the AXA center as the Reds remain linked with a host of midfielders.
“I think it’s a really important role and the rest of Europe has embraced it [the sporting director role]’ said Dan Ashworth, who now holds the position at Newcastle United, in Brighton in 2018. “We have set up a course at the FA to try and support the development of the next generation of technical directors.
“The pressure on managers is growing so much that I really think there is a role for someone who understands what’s going on on the football field and in the boardroom. The technical director role is about winning over three, four, five years and the manager’s role is about winning on a Saturday. They work closely together but only on slightly different schedules.”
The interaction between manager and sporting director worked seamlessly between Edwards and Klopp. Under her watch, Liverpool went from building a squad that aimed to finish in the top four in 2016 to a squad that has since won every top-level trophy at its disposal between 2019 and 2022, during Ward’s increased responsibilities of late also helped consider.
Such was Edwards’ reputation during his time at Liverpool that even his peers at other clubs often expressed their admiration for the Reds’ ex-boss during the pre-negotiation small talk.
However, the success of any particular signing should not be laid at the feet of any particular Liverpool employee, no matter how important that individual is. Because of this, Klopp was never overly enthusiastic about the praise that was on his doorstep.
In an open letter on the club’s official website following the announcement of his departure, Edwards wrote: “If I ever meet anyone they invariably ask me about signings or players we’ve sold and I know that transfers are one of the most exciting parts of the game roles I have performed.
“It can be a lot of fun buying and selling and I’ve enjoyed it, especially when players we’ve brought in have made a positive difference. However, as with anything, there is a team of people who have worked with me and their hard work and combined expertise should never be overlooked or underestimated.
“(Head of Recruitment) Dave Fallows and (Chief Scout) Barry Hunter joined Liverpool a year after me and have been instrumental in building a world-class scouting department. For those who don’t know Barry – and there can’t be many – he was a hard-hitting Northern Ireland centre-back whose contact book reads like a who’s who of football. He’s always on the go and could put away more food than the average male elephant. Dave is just Google, I don’t know anyone with a memory like his or the ability to think outside the box when it comes to innovative solutions.”
With the football world becoming more scrutinized over what the sporting director does at elite level, Liverpool fans are understandably desperate to find out who will replace Ward when he starts 11 years at the club in June.
What perhaps benefits those looking to make their way at a top European club is that polished resumes are not always as obvious to the footballing layperson as those that have played or managed, where the perception of success is more simply defined.
“You have this imposter syndrome,” said Stuart Webber, Norwich City’s sporting director. “I did my pro license with Rob Page, Marcel Desailly, Jens Lehman and Didi Hamann. When they say, ‘What did you win? ‘”
The rise of relatively unknown couple Edwards and Ward during their time at Liverpool should at least allay some fears from fans about the potentially lesser-known profile of whoever takes charge later this year. Even if a club’s transfer activity during its previous tenure is dissected down to the smallest detail.
The performances of Ward and Edwards prove that an international-class ex-player’s CV is not necessary to succeed in this role, but one aspect that is particularly important at a club like Liverpool is the ability to deliver the maximum Get value out of these moving out of the club.
While at other top six clubs, notably Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City, it is desirable to generate significant sums for departing players, at Liverpool it is a necessity. Rightly or wrongly, the way the club has to operate demands it.
Selling the likes of Dominic Solanke (£25m), Rhian Brewster (£23m) and Jordon Ibe (£15m) is part of what Edwards has valued so much across football, while his sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £142million looks like the work of Football Alchemy over five years later.
The same goes for Ward, who has been widely praised within the club himself for paying £11m for Xherdan Shaqiri on his move to Lyon. The £17m deal that took Neco Williams to Nottingham Forest also impressed.
It’s possible that Klopp and Hogan will be looking closely at such a skill as they review the runners and drivers for the soon-to-be-vacated role. Monaco’s Paul Mitchell is one who has been linked in recent months alongside former Arsenal boss Sven Mislintat and more recently Bayer Leverkusen’s Tim Steidten. Anfield sources have distanced themselves from all three in recent weeks as the outside search continues.
“I discuss the style of play with the coach and the youth teams will follow that,” Michael Zorc, the man who employed Jürgen Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach, told the Bundesliga’s official website five years ago. “But for our fans it did.” be bold and aggressive.
“The CEO manages the budget you have, but in addition to buying, selling and renewing player contracts, I’m also someone they can talk to alongside the manager.
“I’m always with the team during matches. I attend all the training sessions and often even have meals with the players so they know someone from the club is watching over them. I’m also responsible for the club’s philosophy from youth to the first team.”
Such an assignment was far-reaching for Zorc, and remains so for his European counterparts in general, but for Liverpool, Klopp’s profile and the autonomy his success has bestowed on him mean there will certainly be a degree of acceptance with the next sporting director won’t necessarily be given the same power at Anfield itself.
However, with this summer’s transfer work already being credited to the current regime, Liverpool’s third sporting director will at least have ample time to adjust to the rigors of everyday life at the AXA Center before the January 2024 transfer window offers the first Real Notes for supporters.
CONTINUE READING