Julian Ward stepping down at the end of the season due to "personal reasons"

[Hansern]

I quite like the Sporting Director model and it would be a shame to let the setup that's brought us success fall by the wayside.

None of us have any insider info but it's almost always concerning (in any organisation) when key people leave in quick succession.

That depends on the strategy and way forward though. Graham gave notice in June so we have clearly been working on that for the last 6 months.
The Ward news must have taken us by surprise but we have another 6 months to get the set up right.

 

[peekay]

Or maybe they’re completely unrelated and just a complete coincidence and we’re reading too much into things.

Edwards was planned and he’s shown no interest in going to work for anyone else.

“Personal Reasons” could be anything.

Edwards has been linked to and most likely offered a job at Chelsea, United, Madrid, RB, Monaco, Newcastle, etc, and turned them all down. Either he is waiting for a call from his dream job - helping Moshiri's merry band of blues and Frankie Lamps to glory in Bramley Dock.

Or maybe he will do what Theo Epstein and some of FSG's original Red Sox analytical group are doing. Form a private consultancy that can advise investors on the best places to invest in sports franchises, help make high-level decisions rather than what players to buy, etc.

 

[localny]

Wait, if he gave notice in June, then Ward is the only surprise no?

Ward could be realizing he can't do a very good job with a bag of Jelly Tots and Jurgen's hugs alone.

I doubt we have many big purchases lined up while the FSG are buying an NFL club, and selling us.

So yes, better to go elsewhere to make your name I guess?

Or we think he's not up to the task.

 

[dogboy]

We are all Hal.

"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do..."

 

[darkstarexodus]

Is the clear plan just to stop purchasing players?

I'm not sure why we decided, all in the same year, to dispense with purchasing players, cease to have a club physician, and wind up the award-winning doping program. *puffs on his Ventolin eight times in a row and runs through a wall head first*

 

[darkstarexodus]

Maybe he’s having an affair with Naby and want to follow him when his contract’s done.

He'd better fuck Naby gently if he doesn't want him to break.

 

[darkstarexodus]

"Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do..."

There are definitely 9000 Hals. Or more.

 

[Hyena]

It's a positive sign. Probably means Elon Musk is buying us.

 

[Hansern]

Mitchell (Monaco) and Freund (Salzburg) could be two potential replacements for Ward according to The Athletic.
Both would be excellent imho.

 

[King Binny]

 

[Judge Jules]

Not sure what I think about this. I get that Klopp worked well with him before, but when he came to the Prem he didn't exactly cover himself in glory at the Arse.

 

[bluebell]

Gomez's replacement?

[article]
RB Leipzig defender Gvardiol: I wanted to play for Liverpool

by Paul Vegasa day ago
SHARE THE LOVE


RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol has talked up a future move to Liverpool.
The Croatia international is a target for Europe's biggest clubs.
But he admits he has long dreamed of a move to Anfield: “From a young age, I watched Liverpool games with my dad and I grew up with just them.
“When I took football more seriously, I started following them, and I definitely want the Premier League and Liverpool move one day."
He has played in both of Croatia's opening two group games at the World Cup.
Gvardiol and his team-mates are now hoping to seal a place in the knockouts by overcoming Belgium on Thursday

[/article]

 

[tomasjj]

replacing matip, then later, VVD

 

[dee]

From the Athletic article when he joined Stuttgart

In a little over a year in London with Arsenal, he oversaw the signings of Aubameyang, goalkeeper Bernd Leno and youngsters Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi.
Mislintat will now work alongside chairman Hitzlsperger, who had until now served as sporting director following the dismissal of Michael Reschke, and head coach Markus Weinzierl, with whom Mislintat completed his coaching badges in 2010/11, as they look to re-establish Stuttgart as a Bundesliga powerhouse.

 

[tomasjj]

Not a shining CV that. I would prefer if it was someone not already chummy with Klopp.
Someone who can represent a view based on the data and scouting, not mixing relations into this.

 

[Hansern]

His record at Arsenal was shocking. Big N O

 

[Hyena]

Not for me.

 

[dmishra]

Not a shining CV that. I would prefer if it was someone not already chummy with Klopp.
Someone who can represent a view based on the data and scouting, not mixing relations into this.

Yup, it feels like the next set of appointments we make are going to be crucial for the long-term future of the club. We can't get it wrong. FSG need to continue with their data and analytics driven model, which has served us very well so far. As much as I love Klopp, his role in selecting a new sporting director should be minimal - that's simply not something a manager can have any expertise over. Klopp should have the final say in player recruitment - I'm very happy with that because Klopp's instincts and knowledge of players are outstanding, but that should be the extent of his involvement in these matters.

The Monaco and Salzburg guys both look like the kind of guys we should be targeting.

 

[juniormember]

Ahem, Liverpool's data-driven ways are set. It's not like we're going to ask him to go scout another Aubameyang on his own.
It's not his football player choices we'd be looking for, but rather his competence in a management position and probably negotiating skills.

 

[peekay]

Yup, it feels like the next set of appointments we make are going to be crucial for the long-term future of the club. We can't get it wrong. FSG need to continue with their data and analytics driven model, which has served us very well so far. As much as I love Klopp, his role in selecting a new sporting director should be minimal - that's simply not something a manager can have any expertise over. Klopp should have the final say in player recruitment - I'm very happy with that because Klopp's instincts and knowledge of players are outstanding, but that should be the extent of his involvement in these matters.

The Monaco and Salzburg guys both look like the kind of guys we should be targeting.

My one concern is that some of these superstar DOFs often are the result of some local advantages - access to top quality youths, favorable visa or tax rules - which might not translate to Liverpool. Everton appointed a two reasonably good profile DOFs - Brands and the one from Leicester and both stunk the place out. Monchi at Roma. We have had our Commolli. Edwards was the exact opposite of this type of appointment - someone grown inhouse, who knew the system, strengths and weakness. I would rather pick someone with that profile from Brighton or other places - who is doing the actual analysis and is responsible for the success.

 

[peekay]

Also want to point out that there is a little bit of a safety in numbers approach to folks like Monchi, the brains behind Monaco, Salzburg, Porto, Benfica,etc. I don't have strong evidence to back this up but my impression is that we are more measured in our youth signings compared to some of these other clubs. We cannot hover up best South American or French talent due to work permit considerations and general difference in our approach.

 

[bluebell]

Also want to point out that there is a little bit of a safety in numbers approach to folks like Monchi, the brains behind Monaco, Salzburg, Porto, Benfica,etc. I don't have strong evidence to back this up but my impression is that we are more measured in our youth signings compared to some of these other clubs. We cannot hover up best South American or French talent due to work permit considerations and general difference in our approach.

We just buy cheap malnourished youngsters who probably never make it to 1st standard. The kid who looks like Sideshow Bob, Kaide Gordon, purchased for £3m, won't break through.
If Brighton and Leicester can find gems, so can we. No disrespect to Saville, but LFC could offer alot more to Monchi than Saville ever could

 

[tombrown]

We just buy cheap malnourished youngsters who probably never make it to 1st standard. The kid who looks like Sideshow Bob, Kaide Gordon, purchased for £3m, won't break through.
If Brighton and Leicester can find gems, so can we. No disrespect to Saville, but LFC could offer alot more to Monchi than Saville ever could

Not sure I'm at all comfortable putting Saville in charge of youth signings

 

[darkstarexodus]

We just buy cheap malnourished youngsters who probably never make it to 1st standard. The kid who looks like Sideshow Bob, Kaide Gordon, purchased for £3m, won't break through.
If Brighton and Leicester can find gems, so can we. No disrespect to Saville, but LFC could offer alot more to Monchi than Saville ever could

But can we offer them the match time that will allow them to progress? Without this, prospects will steer clear. These lower sides operate on the knowledge they offer playing time and profit from selling on. Our model and objectives are very different.

 

[StevieM]

My one concern is that some of these superstar DOFs often are the result of some local advantages - access to top quality youths, favorable visa or tax rules - which might not translate to Liverpool. Everton appointed a two reasonably good profile DOFs - Brands and the one from Leicester and both stunk the place out. Monchi at Roma. We have had our Commolli. Edwards was the exact opposite of this type of appointment - someone grown inhouse, who knew the system, strengths and weakness. I would rather pick someone with that profile from Brighton or other places - who is doing the actual analysis and is responsible for the success.

I think we need to get an analyst in to analyse which analysts would best fit our future analysis team.