Topic: The Men in Suits behind the scenes

[MBL?]

There’s no decent sources on this fella to Liverpool is there? Just seems like an obvious guess.

[Suareznumber7]

https://twitter.com/dankennett/status/1620350761250193410?s=61&t=PLHvIByHKXwlpcOkFZHRWQ

I really hope this isn’t true.  Doesn’t seem like a great idea to me. 

[newterp]

https://twitter.com/dankennett/status/1620350761250193410?s=61&t=PLHvIByHKXwlpcOkFZHRWQ

I really hope this isn’t true.  Doesn’t seem like a great idea to me. 

But to FSG it sounds like a great idea!

[robertobaggio37]

https://twitter.com/mikeverweij/status/1623069684676325402

Mike Verweij on Twitter ‘NEWS: Julian Ward ( #Liverpool ) key candidate to become director of football affairs at #Ajax 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 NEWS: Julian #Ward ( #LFC ) leading candidate to become technical director at Ajax’.


Yikes 😬

[Dim Glas]

https://twitter.com/mikeverweij/status/1623069684676325402

Mike Verweij on Twitter ‘NEWS: Julian Ward ( #Liverpool ) key candidate to become director of football affairs at #Ajax 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 NEWS: Julian #Ward ( #LFC ) leading candidate to become technical director at Ajax’.


Yikes 😬

it isn’t the greatest look for Liverpool if people are choosing to leave and immediately taking a ‘lesser’ job as it where.

[skipper757]

https://twitter.com/mikeverweij/status/1623069684676325402

Mike Verweij on Twitter ‘NEWS: Julian Ward ( #Liverpool ) key candidate to become director of football affairs at #Ajax  NEWS: Julian #Ward ( #LFC ) leading candidate to become technical director at Ajax’.


Yikes 

Everyone thought that Ward wasn't happy with Lijnders and the coaching staff having more say, but it's all a grand scheme.  Ward goes to Ajax and then sells us their best players.   

[Zlen]

Who gives a fuck.
Left us. We can manage without him. Fare thee well. You impact was lukewarm.

[I've been a good boy]

it isn’t the greatest look for Liverpool if people are choosing to leave and immediately taking a ‘lesser’ job as it where.

Wouldn't consider Ajax that much of a step backwards. Maybe he fancies the thought of living in Amsterdam and sampling the coffee shops.

[Midget]

Who gives a fuck.
Left us. We can manage without him. Fare thee well. You impact was lukewarm.

It's not nothing. He isn't leaving us to take a break as Edwards did (at least officially) and is taking a similar job with presumably a lesser salary.

It's not a good look on us and reinforces the feeling of disharmony behind the scenes.

[Dim Glas]

Wouldn't consider Ajax that much of a step backwards. Maybe he fancies the thought of living in Amsterdam and sampling the coffee shops.

Ajax are a great club with, indeed a proper European club! But of course going to the Dutch league is a big step down.

[Ghost Town]

It's not nothing. He isn't leaving us to take a break as Edwards did (at least officially) and is taking a similar job with presumably a lesser salary.

It's not a good look on us and reinforces the feeling of disharmony behind the scenes.

Seriously, who gives a fuck about 'look'?

Things happen, we get on with it

[ianburns252]

it isn’t the greatest look for Liverpool if people are choosing to leave and immediately taking a ‘lesser’ job as it where.

I get where you are coming from there, but if we take the "emotional" side out of football then it is quite common in the real world for people to "drop down" a level for an exciting project.

I am seeing it in the audit work where many people are leaving the Big 4 for smaller firms where they will have more autonomy, or want to help shape a growing culture, or the firm just has a really exciting project on the horizon.

It could simply be that he sees Ajax's reputation for player dev and wants to test himself in that environment?

[Dim Glas]

I get where you are coming from there, but if we take the "emotional" side out of football then it is quite common in the real world for people to "drop down" a level for an exciting project.

I am seeing it in the audit work where many people are leaving the Big 4 for smaller firms where they will have more autonomy, or want to help shape a growing culture, or the firm just has a really exciting project on the horizon.

It could simply be that he sees Ajax's reputation for player dev and wants to test himself in that environment?

oh for sure!  And it would be a great club to go to.

But it’s just the fact he left so quickly after getting the job at LFC.

Anyway, of course, not hugely important I guess, but with all that’s been going on behind the scenes as well as on the pitch, it is something that could raise an eyebrow!

[killer-heels]

oh for sure!  And it would be a great club to go to.

But it’s just the fact he left so quickly after getting the job at LFC.

Anyway, of course, not hugely important I guess, but with all that’s been going on behind the scenes as well as on the pitch, it is something that could raise an eyebrow!

There is some evidence that its Klopp’s influence that means Ward has decided to quit isnt it?

[CraigDS]

There is some evidence that its Klopp’s influence that means Ward has decided to quit isnt it?

You could argue that, or you could argue he maybe felt he wasn't up to leading that side of a club our size, or didn't like the pressure of being that main man, etc. etc. etc.

[RedBec1993]

Ward leaving with no explanation, just adds to the list of people who have left and we have no idea why.

Seems he’s going to Ajax but highly doubt that was his plan. We are a mess behind the scenes.

[Samie]

Fuck off already so we can announce Paul Mitchell.

[killer-heels]

You could argue that, or you could argue he maybe felt he wasn't up to leading that side of a club our size, or didn't like the pressure of being that main man, etc. etc. etc.

Just going on whats been reported, seems more than a coincidence that Ian Graham leaves as well. Either way if its a choice between Klopp and some nerd who nobody can pick out, its Klopp all the time.

[Mighty_Red]

Thought he was supposed to be leaving for 'family reasons'? It's a massive red flag - he knew what the Liverpool job entailed when he took it last year, he didn't come in from outside. Things changed enough for him to want to move on so quickly.

It's not a great look to be honest, regardless of his capabilities or potential new role.

[killer-heels]

Also shouldnt he be sorting out our summer transfers?

[JonnyCigarettes®]

[Zlen]

It's not nothing. He isn't leaving us to take a break as Edwards did (at least officially) and is taking a similar job with presumably a lesser salary.

It's not a good look on us and reinforces the feeling of disharmony behind the scenes.

Oh yea?
I’ll forget about him in a day. He didn’t leave any deep mark here and who knows if his departure is a loss or a gain.  No major impact in reality.

[Samie]

It's not nothing. He isn't leaving us to take a break as Edwards did (at least officially) and is taking a similar job with presumably a lesser salary.

It's not a good look on us and reinforces the feeling of disharmony behind the scenes.

We have someone already lined up.

[jooneyisdagod]

Thought he was supposed to be leaving for 'family reasons'? It's a massive red flag - he knew what the Liverpool job entailed when he took it last year, he didn't come in from outside. Things changed enough for him to want to move on so quickly.

It's not a great look to be honest, regardless of his capabilities or potential new role.

Pretty much. An internal promotee leaving six months into a job and then taking on a new role at another pedigreed organisation is a massive red flag and a clear sign of organisational dysfunction.

[killer-heels]

Pretty much. An internal promotee leaving six months into a job and then taking on a new role at another pedigreed organisation is a massive red flag and a clear sign of organisational dysfunction.

I think its quite clear there id dysfunction behind the scenes, not sure this news is anything to confirm it.

[amir87]

From the reds to the red light district. Ah well.

[Ghost Town]

My e-reader stopped working earlier. It's not a great Nook, to be honest

[MBL?]

Fuck off already so we can announce Paul Mitchell.

Don't want him. He’s an absolute chancer. I can see why you do though.

[Dim Glas]

There is some evidence that its Klopp’s influence that means Ward has decided to quit isnt it?

Has there? Not really read up on it.

I find the whole idea that he wants to be more hands on and influential with transfers really odd, just goes against his whole career to date, like a complete character shift, really strange if that is what has happened.

[Samie]

Don't want him. He’s an absolute chancer. I can see why you do though.

He's the favourite for the job and was at Anfield before the World Cup. 


He's worked at Monaco and Leipzig mate. The French youth set up is second to none and they are churning out Midfielders and Defenders like confetti currently.

[afc tukrish]

Seriously, who gives a fuck about 'look'?

Things happen, we get on with it

 

Ghost Town, bringing it home...

[Dave McCoy]

Why isn't Ward on gardening leave and we're bringing someone else in? Instead the guy has one foot out the door and we're just going to wait around for the other foot to finally make it's way out? We need to be reinforcing that things are good and fine here by hiring someone to work with Klopp and get things moving. Instead we're just going to have Ward work on our summer targets while he also is going to probably be working on what he would need to do at Ajax because that's just the nature of people? This is where I keep banging the drum that Hogan and Ward should have to answer some questions on how this is supposed to work.

I mean there is no realistic way to spin this as good in that Ward supposedly gets his dream job as anybody in that line of work would view Sporting Director of a club like LFC as a dream job to then just walk away. Not only then walk away but actually leave the country for probably less money to work at Ajax? Seriously there should be red alarm bells flashing all over this. It's just not normal. Can anyone find another example of this?

The Gakpo transfer and supposed Nunes deal just have me thinking that we're in a spot where without someone at the helm we're going to make bad decisions and we really can't afford that right now.

[Ghost Town]

Tried reading am airport novel today. It's not a great book to be honest

[Suareznumber7]

Why isn't Ward on gardening leave and we're bringing someone else in? Instead the guy has one foot out the door and we're just going to wait around for the other foot to finally make it's way out? We need to be reinforcing that things are good and fine here by hiring someone to work with Klopp and get things moving. Instead we're just going to have Ward work on our summer targets while he also is going to probably be working on what he would need to do at Ajax because that's just the nature of people? This is where I keep banging the drum that Hogan and Ward should have to answer some questions on how this is supposed to work.

I mean there is no realistic way to spin this as good in that Ward supposedly gets his dream job as anybody in that line of work would view Sporting Director of a club like LFC as a dream job to then just walk away. Not only then walk away but actually leave the country for probably less money to work at Ajax? Seriously there should be red alarm bells flashing all over this. It's just not normal. Can anyone find another example of this?

The Gakpo transfer and supposed Nunes deal just have me thinking that we're in a spot where without someone at the helm we're going to make bad decisions and we really can't afford that right now.

Think I read that Klopp and Hogan are going to be the ones to find the new sporting director but not until the summer.  Obviously, Klopp can't spend a lot of time on that right now as he's in the middle of the season.  Ward is apparently helping to work on summer transfer targets.  None of it really makes a lot of sense to me.   

[Sharado]

Seriously, who gives a fuck about 'look'?

Things happen, we get on with it

Things happen that have made us be fucking shite for most of this season. Things like this. Our football operation is broken. That's a part of why we've been so crap.

I mean, I guess we can all 'get on with it', but if we applied that to most threads RAWK wouldn't even exist would it. And we are where we are.

[Ghost Town]

Things happen that have made us be fucking shite for most of this season. Things like this. Our football operation is broken. That's a part of why we've been so crap.

So what matters is fixing it, not what it 'looks' like. The club need to get on and deal with it. What it 'looks' like is irrelevent. Who is looking? Who's opinion is so important to you that you care? People who dislike or take the piss out of LFC will do so anyway, regardless. People who have skin in the game - agents, players etc will be interested in what solutions are enacted, not what it 'looks' like. And who gives a fuck what anyone else thinks?

I mean, I guess we can all 'get on with it', but if we applied that to most threads RAWK wouldn't even exist would it. And we are where we are.

One for the bingo card, that

[mickeydocs]

Michael Edwards was DoF. Ward is the current DoF. My understanding is that the DoF is responsible for pretty much everything to do with the playing side of the club, from the manager right through to the medical staff.
Funny how Edwards and Ward receive very little criticism for the number of dysfunctional areas within the club. It's almost as if he only role was to add players to the squad.

[newterp]

Michael Edwards was DoF. Ward is the current DoF. My understanding is that the DoF is responsible for pretty much everything to do with the playing side of the club, from the manager right through to the medical staff.
Funny how Edwards and Ward receive very little criticism for the number of dysfunctional areas within the club. It's almost as if he only role was to add players to the squad.

But he is still working on adding players ...for Ajax.

[Eeyore]

Interestingly, according to the Echo, Ward's deal prevents him from joining another club for 12 months. Perhaps that is why Edwards hasn't joined another club.

[Fromola]

You could argue that, or you could argue he maybe felt he wasn't up to leading that side of a club our size, or didn't like the pressure of being that main man, etc. etc. etc.

Could be the Peter principle. We've seen it with the likes of Ian Ayre or Parry in the past where they do a certain job relatively well and they get promotions and more influence and can't handle it. Edwards leaves very large boots to fill and I doubt Ward built up that same relationship and trust with Klopp and he was only in the job 5 minutes before spewing it.

It could just be a case of Edwards tapping him up and keeping him on the same salary but with less headaches (i.e. working in tandem with him).