Tony Barrett
Last updated at 12:01AM, November 6 2014
John W Henry, Liverpool’s principal owner, has travelled to the Middle East to build business contacts in the region as the club continue to seek ways of maximising their commercial offering.
Henry had been expected to attend Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu on Tuesday night but cancelled those plans to meet key industry leaders in Dubai.
The American’s fact-finding mission continued yesterday when Henry took in the UAE Arabian Gulf League game between Al-Wasl and Ajman, accompanied by Rick Parry, the former Liverpool chief executive, who is known to have strong contacts in the Middle East.
Henry has a number of personal business interests that he is also likely to explore, but Parry’s presence indicates that football, and Liverpool in particular, is the priority at a time when the club are looking to attract a naming-rights sponsor to part-fund the redevelopment of Anfield’s main stand.
Liverpool are also ready to test the water for shirt sponsors with their agreement with Standard Chartered due to expire at the end of the 2015-16 season. The timing of Henry’s visit to Dubai is therefore significant and shows that while Mike Gordon, of Fenway Sports Group, oversees the day-to-day running of Liverpool, Henry remains the club’s driving force.
Liverpool have instigated another revamp of their domestic scouting operation by relieving three of their English-based scouts of their duties. Mike McGlynn, the club’s long-serving assistant chief scout, Mel Johnson, who covered the southeast, and Alan Harper, the first-team scout, have all departed in recent weeks.
In an unconnected development, Paddy Riley has also been allowed to move to Aston Villa to take up a role as head of recruitment. The changes mean that the influence of Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s head of performance and analysis, Dave Fallows, their head of scouting, and Barry Hunter, the chief scout, has been strengthened.
Last updated at 12:01AM, November 6 2014
John W Henry, Liverpool’s principal owner, has travelled to the Middle East to build business contacts in the region as the club continue to seek ways of maximising their commercial offering.
Henry had been expected to attend Liverpool’s Champions League fixture against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu on Tuesday night but cancelled those plans to meet key industry leaders in Dubai.
The American’s fact-finding mission continued yesterday when Henry took in the UAE Arabian Gulf League game between Al-Wasl and Ajman, accompanied by Rick Parry, the former Liverpool chief executive, who is known to have strong contacts in the Middle East.
Henry has a number of personal business interests that he is also likely to explore, but Parry’s presence indicates that football, and Liverpool in particular, is the priority at a time when the club are looking to attract a naming-rights sponsor to part-fund the redevelopment of Anfield’s main stand.
Liverpool are also ready to test the water for shirt sponsors with their agreement with Standard Chartered due to expire at the end of the 2015-16 season. The timing of Henry’s visit to Dubai is therefore significant and shows that while Mike Gordon, of Fenway Sports Group, oversees the day-to-day running of Liverpool, Henry remains the club’s driving force.
Liverpool have instigated another revamp of their domestic scouting operation by relieving three of their English-based scouts of their duties. Mike McGlynn, the club’s long-serving assistant chief scout, Mel Johnson, who covered the southeast, and Alan Harper, the first-team scout, have all departed in recent weeks.
In an unconnected development, Paddy Riley has also been allowed to move to Aston Villa to take up a role as head of recruitment. The changes mean that the influence of Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s head of performance and analysis, Dave Fallows, their head of scouting, and Barry Hunter, the chief scout, has been strengthened.
