Topic: The Men in Suits behind the scenes

[Suareznumber7]

I have no idea what Edwards meant by saying Hughes is the right person to make the key decisions. Hopefully it's just for the media.

I think he meant that he's the right person to make the key decisions. 

[Hazell]

I think he meant that he's the right person to make the key decisions. 

Glad that's cleared up, I don't like it when people at the club are all cryptic.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

I think he meant that he's the right person to make the key decisions.

Hopefully not transfer fees.

[Egyptian36]

I think he meant that he's the right person to make the key decisions.

What key decisions tho. I thought Edwards role is to establish or maintain the process of how we identify managers and players and Huges role is to negotiate

[Eeyore]

What key decisions tho. I thought Edwards role is to establish or maintain the process of how we identify managers and players and Huges role is to negotiate

Edwards is the Football CEO.

Yosser is the Sporting Director.

In essence, Edwards is doing Gordon's old job+, whilst Hughes is doing Edwards's old job.

[No666]

I will try and find them and post them later.

Cheers.

[RedG13]

Or 2-3 windows behind in reality. No signings 2019, no CB 2020, no midfielders in 2021 or 2022. We're then playing catch up in the next windows..

Or you maybe a global pandemic changed the plans

[BobPaisley3]

Hopefully not transfer fees.

A lot of us were scratching our heads at the prices we got from Bournemouth for Ibe, Smith and Solanke. The Hughes/Edwards relationship makes it much clearer.

[Garlic Red]

As ever in football, the group moved on but those early bonds survived, especially those between Hughes, Howe and Edwards. Born in Glasgow of Italian heritage, when Hughes was a child his family moved to near Bergamo where he played in the youth team at Atalanta. Much later, after Hughes’ playing career ended, his Pompey team-mate Howe would convince Hughes to work with him in recruitment at Bournemouth, where he was sporting director for ten years.

Competition for Premier League-ready players
Throughout the time both were at their respective clubs and beyond, Edwards (at Liverpool) and Hughes (at Bournemouth) would occasionally compete for the same players. They would make recommendations to the other on targets and discuss what they learned along the way. The possibilities open to Hughes in the transfer market were more modest, although there were successes. The biggest prizes would go to Edwards, who, as he rose to become Liverpool sporting director, could marshal the greater financial advantage and prestige at Anfield.

Slightly worried they’re getting the band back together. Eddie Howe in our dugout would make me sick.

Interesting read regarding Hughes trying to sign a few players we ultimately signed. It’s easy for fans to sneer at some of his recruitment bloopers but it must be so difficult at that level. Just convincing players to come in itself must have been tough, never mind trying to convince them over clubs like Liverpool and I imagine a few others.

Really promising few weeks for the structure of the club.

[Samie]

Howe would not be allowed into FSG airspace never mind inside Anfield.

[mattD]

Liverpool’s Edwards-Hughes axis of power was forged on the south coast – and shared transfer targets
Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have been on the same wavelength ever since meeting two decades ago on a Portsmouth training field

Chris Bascombe and  Sam Wallace, CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER
20 March 2024 • 12:22pm

The new axis of power at Anfield – which will oversee the appointment of Jurgen Klopp’s successor and the new era at Liverpool – was created in the mid-2000s in the unpromising surroundings of Portsmouth FC’s old Wellington training ground, with a meeting between player and analyst.

It was there that a 24-year-old analyst Michael Edwards met Richard Hughes, a midfielder of the same age, and the pair developed a strong bond. Two decades on and Hughes is the new sporting director of Liverpool, appointed officially today by Edwards, who is himself back at the club for a second spell as owner Fenway Sports Group’s chief executive of football. The post-Klopp era will be defined by this pair who emerged from a training ground that was embracing new ways.

They were managed over two spells by Harry Redknapp, a man very much of his era but happy to encourage innovation. Some impressive post-playing careers have developed from that training ground in Hampshire, many of them orbiting around the changes Edwards sought to bring. He would follow Redknapp to Tottenham and then move on to Liverpool, eventually building the first great Klopp team. Hughes became director of football at Bournemouth.

Others from the Wellington days include Eddie Howe, then a Pompey defender contemplating the end of his injury-wrecked career. Also Gary O’Neil, now a Premier League manager for the second time with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

There are others too: Matt Taylor, formerly a manager at Walsall and most recently at Shrewsbury Town, and the Danish defender Brian Priske who is now Sparta Prague coach.

In the first throes of football’s data revolution, Edwards got a receptive squad interested in how that data could reinforce or disprove accepted realities about the game. For the first time, players were also able to watch clips exclusively of their own game involvements. Originally seconded to Pompey by analysis contractors Prozone, Edwards was eventually employed by the club as head of performance analysis.

As ever in football, the group moved on but those early bonds survived, especially those between Hughes, Howe and Edwards. Born in Glasgow of Italian heritage, when Hughes was a child his family moved to near Bergamo where he played in the youth team at Atalanta. Much later, after Hughes’ playing career ended, his Pompey team-mate Howe would convince Hughes to work with him in recruitment at Bournemouth, where he was sporting director for ten years.

Competition for Premier League-ready players
Throughout the time both were at their respective clubs and beyond, Edwards (at Liverpool) and Hughes (at Bournemouth) would occasionally compete for the same players. They would make recommendations to the other on targets and discuss what they learned along the way. The possibilities open to Hughes in the transfer market were more modest, although there were successes. The biggest prizes would go to Edwards, who, as he rose to become Liverpool sporting director, could marshal the greater financial advantage and prestige at Anfield.

Hughes tried to sign Virgil van Dijk from Celtic in 2015, beaten to his signature by Southampton. He was adamant that Mohamed Salah’s failure to settle at Chelsea was an anomaly and a second chance in England would yield more successful results. With his background in Italian football, Hughes was long convinced that Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson was the best in the world and well worth the Ł65 million that Edwards and Liverpool eventually paid for him. Those three would become some of Liverpool’s greatest ever signings.

The two clubs both competed for Hull City’s Andy Robertson, Charlton Athletic’s Joe Gomez, and Fulham teenager Harvey Elliott. When Liverpool were preparing for the 2019 Champions League final Bournemouth beat them to the signing of defender Lloyd Kelly from Bristol City. Edwards called Hughes to concede that his friend had got one over him.

Nevertheless, the signing by Bournemouth of Liverpool academy graduates Jordon Ibe and Brad Smith, at a combined cost of Ł21 million, worked out badly for the south coast club. Ibe, in particular, had played well for Liverpool against Howe’s side three months earlier which may have tipped the scales. Bournemouth could not afford to make those kinds of mistakes. Hughes would later sign Tyrone Mings, Lewis Cook, David Brooks, and Philip Billing, who became key players. The acquisition of Dominic Solanke from Liverpool in 2019, currently tied for third on the Premier League goalscorers’ leaderboard with Salah, offset those two earlier Anfield misadventures. The signing of Nathan Ake was another triumph for Hughes, later sold for twice what he cost.

Either way, Hughes’ habit of identifying those who would make the transition to the top of English football is why he built a natural rapport with Edwards. A football passion and gambler’s eye for the next big thing has become a lucrative profession, and after his retirement as a player Hughes was briefly employed by BT Sport for their Champions League coverage having impressed with his expertise on the European game.

Hughes arrival will accelerate manager search
Edwards has turned to Hughes because he is on the same wavelength and will require no extended introduction to life at Anfield. The trust between the duo will replicate that which existed between Edwards and FSG president Michael Gordon.  Liverpool also know it is fundamental that the sporting director and next manager complement each other as they must instantly forge a day-to-day working relationship.

Edwards and Klopp made that work because – as one senior Liverpool figure put it – “they agreed 85 percent of the time”. That makes the forthcoming managerial interview process as critical as the performance analysis. Edwards and Hughes officially take up their posts in June, but it would be naďve to believe the club is not advanced in its shortlist. The groundwork identifying Liverpool’s next manager began months ago. Hughes’ arrival will accelerate that process.

Some of those under consideration are already known to Hughes. It cannot be insignificant that he was close to appointing Roberto De Zerbi as Bournemouth manager after Scott Parker’s sacking in 2022, with the prolonged takeover of the club by American investor Bill Foley meaning that a verbal agreement could not be developed.

Xabi Alonso is of huge interest, independent of being the fans’ favourite. Liverpool are awaiting guidance about when the Bayer Leverkusen coach may announce if he is considering leaving the German league leaders. Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim is also ranked high among the list of candidates.

As well as world class coaching talent, Liverpool believe Klopp’s replacement must have the courage and strength of character to emerge from his considerable shadow. Liverpool consider Anfield job conditions to be among the best in the world – the club is in a much different place to when FSG were compelled to make three managerial changes over four years in 2011, 2012 and 2015. Anyone worried about the challenge of following Klopp will be struck off the list immediately on the basis of what might be described as imposter syndrome.

“The next manager must have big balls,” is how one Liverpool figure colourfully put it. Edwards helped ensure Liverpool found the new Bill Shankly. Now he has Hughes on board to identify the next Bob Paisley. Rest assured they were already in deep discussion about the next big thing in elite management long before Klopp announced an Anfield vacancy – or indeed they knew they would be the ones filling it.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/03/20/liverpool-transfers-michael-edwards-richard-hughes-axis/

Excellent article to be fair, top notch journalism.

Although the bold section is undoubtedly true ("the next manager must have big balls" and bat off any sense of imposter syndrome), there is a fine line between self-belief and delusion! Some self-awareness goes a long way, there definitely needs to be an element of that to the new manager too.

[redbyrdz]

Excellent article to be fair, top notch journalism.

Although the bold section is undoubtedly true ("the next manager must have big balls" and bat off any sense of imposter syndrome), there is a fine line between self-belief and delusion! Some self-awareness goes a long way, there definitely needs to be an element of that to the new manager too.

Yeah agree, big balls yes, but we also shouldn't forget that last time we famously took the normal one and not the special one.

[itihasas]

With all the signs coming from the top, the youth coming through, the cracking down on financial irregularities and the time Pep has already spent on City I would think Liverpool has a sustained period of absolute dominance coming through

[darragh85]

Big balls? That rules eddie howe out right away

[Pie Eyed]

[quote author=mattD ("the next manager must have big balls" and bat off any sense of imposter syndrome), there is a fine line between self-belief and delusion! Some self-awareness goes a long way, there definitely needs to be an element of that to the new manager too.
[/quote]

Absolutely.

I would 100% rather have a manager with Imposter Syndrome than Dunning-Kruger. 
The 2 are VERY closely related, but one is far more dangerous to us than the other.

[ianburns252]

Edwards is the Football CEO.

Yosser is the Sporting Director.

In essence, Edwards is doing Gordon's old job+, whilst Hughes is doing Edwards's old job.

This - nice and simple, everyone moves up a step and The Demon of the 2004 FA Cup comes in

I've worked in places where processes were not perfect and there were question marks over roles/responsibilities - this will not be the case here, they will have mapped and segregated duties to maximise each persons key strengths and I fully believe it will work - can't replace Klopp but we are doing everything right to mitigate the issue

[itihasas]

This - nice and simple, everyone moves up a step and The Demon of the 2004 FA Cup comes in

I've worked in places where processes were not perfect and there were question marks over roles/responsibilities - this will not be the case here, they will have mapped and segregated duties to maximise each persons key strengths and I fully believe it will work - can't replace Klopp but we are doing everything right to mitigate the issue

Is it? I thought Edwards whole edge was his statistical acumen? That is a different skill-set from being a CEO no?

[Solomon Grundy]

Big balls? That rules eddie howe out right away

 Might be Ange. Hope not.

[mickeydocs]

Is it? I thought Edwards whole edge was his statistical acumen? That is a different skill-set from being a CEO no?

Lots of the articles I've read suggest his 'edge' is an ability to interpret data, along with a strong business acumen that includes an ability to deal with his impressive list of connections in football. These connections have helped in negotiations with the likes of Roma (Becker), as we were aware of financial pressure and took advantage of certain situations.

On TAW yesterday they mentioned the triangle of Edwards, Hughes and the new coach replacing Gordon, Edwards and Klopp. Fundamentally all three being involved in the decision to buy players.

They also speculated that there could be an even stronger focus on recruiting 16-20 year olds in the mould of Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark, to use the momentum that has been gained from the sheer number of academy players that are getting to play for the first team.

[[new username under construction]]

[quote author=mattD ("the next manager must have big balls" and bat off any sense of imposter syndrome), there is a fine line between self-belief and delusion! Some self-awareness goes a long way, there definitely needs to be an element of that to the new manager too.


Absolutely.

I would 100% rather have a manager with Imposter Syndrome than Dunning-Kruger. 
The 2 are VERY closely related, but one is far more dangerous to us than the other.

She was very good in National Treasure though

[Pistolero]

This should give us a boost for the run-in. Players are probably ecstatic.

if the Redknapp / Tindall / Howe / Ibe / Ramsdale /Mings links don't impress them I'm not sure what will....

[Fromola]

Lots of the articles I've read suggest his 'edge' is an ability to interpret data, along with a strong business acumen that includes an ability to deal with his impressive list of connections in football. These connections have helped in negotiations with the likes of Roma (Becker), as we were aware of financial pressure and took advantage of certain situations.

On TAW yesterday they mentioned the triangle of Edwards, Hughes and the new coach replacing Gordon, Edwards and Klopp. Fundamentally all three being involved in the decision to buy players.

They also speculated that there could be an even stronger focus on recruiting 16-20 year olds in the mould of Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark, to use the momentum that has been gained from the sheer number of academy players that are getting to play for the first team.

Always said it's a no-brainer for us to keep doing that when it's developed big money sales like Ibe, Solanke, Brewster who haven't properly broken through (which then provides the net transfer budget) added to the ones who have. That gets you your HG quota as well rather than being quoted fortunes for established players or have clubs reluctant to sell to us anyway, like with Colwill. It also helps pad your squad out when schedules and injuries are relentless these days.

Focus on buying up top young British talent early and sign your established players from abroad. Added to having a stake in another club in somewhere like Portugal to try and get the next Nunez, Fernandez or Caicedo directly from South America without having to pay 100 million quid.

[newterp]

Is it? I thought Edwards whole edge was his statistical acumen? That is a different skill-set from being a CEO no?

Lots of the articles I've read suggest his 'edge' is an ability to interpret data, along with a strong business acumen that includes an ability to deal with his impressive list of connections in football. These connections have helped in negotiations with the likes of Roma (Becker), as we were aware of financial pressure and took advantage of certain situations.

On TAW yesterday they mentioned the triangle of Edwards, Hughes and the new coach replacing Gordon, Edwards and Klopp. Fundamentally all three being involved in the decision to buy players.

They also speculated that there could be an even stronger focus on recruiting 16-20 year olds in the mould of Conor Bradley and Bobby Clark, to use the momentum that has been gained from the sheer number of academy players that are getting to play for the first team.

I thought his main edge was that he has a very slimline laptop. The envy of data nerds everywhere.

[Barefoot Doctor]

Per Joycey, Bournemouth’s chief scout Mark Burchill joining us too. Will work ‘in support of’ Fallows and Hunter. Former Celtic player and a bit of a journeyman in terms of his playing career.

[afc tukrish]

I thought his main edge was that he has a very slimline laptop. The envy of data nerds everywhere.

Has Edwards ever worked with a clunkier, more out-of-date model?

Until then, he's not really endured adversity, has he?

[Eeyore]

Always said it's a no-brainer for us to keep doing that when it's developed big money sales like Ibe, Solanke, Brewster who haven't properly broken through (which then provides the net transfer budget) added to the ones who have. That gets you your HG quota as well rather than being quoted fortunes for established players or have clubs reluctant to sell to us anyway, like with Colwill. It also helps pad your squad out when schedules and injuries are relentless these days.

Focus on buying up top young British talent early and sign your established players from abroad. Added to having a stake in another club in somewhere like Portugal to try and get the next Nunez, Fernandez or Caicedo directly from South America without having to pay 100 million quid.

What happens to your established top players though whilst you are waiting for your young talents to develop? It is very easy to get into a cycle in which your top players basically get fed up with waiting and force their way out of the club. That is what happened with the likes of Torres, Suarez, Sterling and Coutinho.

You simply cannot rely on your academy and have to invest at the top end of the market like we did with VVD and Ali. You have to show ambition and compete in the here and now.

[Samie]

Mark Burchill, who's joining us as a scout from Bournmouth. 

[newterp]

Mark Burchill, who's joining us as a scout from Bournmouth. 

Is he trying to be a model?

[Black Bull Nova]

Has Edwards ever worked with a clunkier, more out-of-date model?

Until then, he's not really endured adversity, has he?

[Fromola]

What happens to your established top players though whilst you are waiting for your young talents to develop? It is very easy to get into a cycle in which your top players basically get fed up with waiting and force their way out of the club. That is what happened with the likes of Torres, Suarez, Sterling and Coutinho.

You simply cannot rely on your academy and have to invest at the top end of the market like we did with VVD and Ali. You have to show ambition and compete in the here and now.

If your HG quota comes from your Academy then you can afford top players from abroad, like Virg and Ali, that's the point. And then you're developing top prospects on top of that.

Key is not letting problems store up. Always strengthen when and where you need to strengthen.

You've also got to be prepared to invest when you need to.

[newterp]

Has Edwards ever worked with a clunkier, more out-of-date model?

Until then, he's not really endured adversity, has he?

He worked with Harry Redknapp. So, yes.

[Draex]

Mark Burchill, who's joining us as a scout from Bournmouth. 

Isn't that Julian Ward?

[tubby]

What happens to your established top players though whilst you are waiting for your young talents to develop? It is very easy to get into a cycle in which your top players basically get fed up with waiting and force their way out of the club. That is what happened with the likes of Torres, Suarez, Sterling and Coutinho.

You simply cannot rely on your academy and have to invest at the top end of the market like we did with VVD and Ali. You have to show ambition and compete in the here and now.

You do both, surely?  Not every youth player works out, but it's usually a gamble worth taking because you can make your money back at worst, usually turn a profit.

The kids coming through now like McConnell, Clark, Bajcetic, etc are all proving wise investments when we brought them in.

[[new username under construction]]

Mark Burchill, who's joining us as a scout from Bournmouth. 

FFS we keep employing people who I signed in football manager years ago :/

[Hestoic]

Best thing about Michael Edwards being back is the memes.

[thaddeus]

If your HG quota comes from your Academy then you can afford top players from abroad, like Virg and Ali, that's the point. And then you're developing top prospects on top of that.

Key is not letting problems store up. Always strengthen when and where you need to strengthen.

You've also got to be prepared to invest when you need to.

That's where the judgment becomes crucial and is seemingly very, very hard.

I think most of us thought we needed an extra senior central defender in the summer but we didn't sign one and Quansah has developed really, really well.  Even those within the club seem surprised at his development, especially considering he'd had nothing more than half a season in League One prior to this season.  That could have worked out very differently though if Quansah had performed more like Koumetio (nothing against Koumetio as he's still very young for a central defender) and we'd now be fretting every week about Konate breaking down.  Phillips and Williams performed admirably in the 2022 run-in but if we're being honest neither is Premier League quality, let alone LFC quality.

Were it not for having so many injuries I'd say this is just about the best squad we've had in the modern era.  Similarly though, were it not for having those injuries then players like Quansah, Bradley, Clark, McConnell, Koumas and Danns would be in the U21s or out on loan.

[killer-heels]

Per Joycey, Bournemouth’s chief scout Mark Burchill joining us too. Will work ‘in support of’ Fallows and Hunter. Former Celtic player and a bit of a journeyman in terms of his playing career.

Fallows and Hunter are the two that are always overlooked when people talk about our structure. Hopefully Hughes doesnt change too much because they have been an integral part of this success.

[Qston]

Mark Burchill, who's joining us as a scout from Bournmouth. 

Very neat hair, although the well kept eyebrows are a concern

[mattD]

Good Celtic boy is Mark!

Jeez, remember him in the Scottish league years back. Always got him mixed up with Chris Birchall who played for Trinidad.

[Eeyore]

You do both, surely?  Not every youth player works out, but it's usually a gamble worth taking because you can make your money back at worst, usually turn a profit.

The kids coming through now like McConnell, Clark, Bajcetic, etc are all proving wise investments when we brought them in.

Being a good investment is a bit of a double-edged sword though. You bring in good young players and they fill squad places or you then sell them on at a profit. The low-risk option is to bring in more young players and a couple of Moneyball signings. You end up with a low wage bill, a low Net spend and you are not reliant on having to be successful on the pitch to turn a profit. If it comes off like it did in 13-14 and you almost win the League and qualify for the Champions League then you have hit the jackpot financially.

The thing is if you want to compete at the highest level then you can't really afford to keep investing in 16-20 year olds and keep waiting for them to develop.

I would say the different paths we took after we sold Suarez and Coutinho illustrates the point.

When Suarez left we took the lower-risk option and spread the money about. We signed eight players and spent a fair chunk on prospects like Markovic, Moreno, Can and Origi.

When Coutinho left we for players who were far more proven like VVD, Ali and Fabinho. For me we need to be careful of falling back into the trap of playing it safe and spreading the money around on prospects. The structure we are setting up massively favours the analytics-recruitment team over a new manager. Personally I think we need to do what you said which is keep on recruiting at all ends of the market.