24 Sep 2026 07:05:17
Hi Ed's, any truth to Julian Ward. Becoming our new Sporting Director?
If so what are your thoughts on this. I recall you saying Hughes and Edwards would be a disaster hopefully if Ward is true you have a more positive outlook?
{Ed001's Note - I am not sure how anyone would know if Ward was the choice. There would be no secret meetings to be spotted or anything as Ward is already there in regular meetings! The choice of Ward would mean probably one of two things.
Either it is a stopgap as they are intending to sell up sooner rather than later and hand over to the new consortium to bring in their own long term solution to the club's set up.
Or they are reverting to a system where the manager/head coach has more control over transfers.
Either way it should be a major step forward over the Edwards/Hughes era, Ward will listen to Iraola and I doubt he will be looking to buy for his ego with big money star players over building a balanced squad. He certainly didn't do so when working with Klopp, he worked towards what Klopp wanted, with choices discussed and approved together. So any unbalance at that time was down to Klopp rather than him and he was not driven by his ego to want signings to make himself look good by bringing in superstars over what the manager felt he needed.}
24 Sep 2026 19:47:58
Julian Ward was reportedly one of the most vocal figures within the club regarding Arne Slot's reluctance to utilise academy talent.
It is understood that these concerns emerged relatively early in the season, with Ward questioning whether Liverpool's growing focus on recruiting elite young prospects was aligned with a first-team environment where pathways for youth promotion appeared limited.
The concerns were reportedly raised with Michael Edwards, with the argument that significant investment in young talent would become increasingly difficult to justify if opportunities at senior level remained scarce.
This was reported on the Anfield voice back in June.
25 Sep 2026 00:19:42
It appears the triumvirate of Slot/Edwards/Hughes was toxic.
25 Sep 2026 05:06:54
What toxin was it they used?
25 Sep 2026 07:49:00
Definitely didn't use laughing gas.
25 Sep 2026 08:56:14
I used laughing gas to get me through last season.
25 Sep 2026 11:56:18
Whoever comes in has a clear set of objectives.
1) Rio, Virgil, Alisson contracts
2) Figuring out the midfield and right-back puzzles
3) Selling those players Iraola doesn't want to use
4) Figure out how to give the young talent we have invested in a pathway to the first team.
25 Sep 2026 09:52:53
U would be happy enough with ward then ed1?
{Ed001's Note - yes, I think so. There is no perfect option out there, but I believe he will work well with Iraola and also he very much champions the youth players. That is important to have someone who will take the time to look and see what we have there before spending 100m on our 9th left winger.}
25 Sep 2026 15:16:03
Ed, it'd be cool to know what you'd have done prior to summer 2025 with the transfer outlay. I'm not asking you to be a sporting director and explain who you would have gone for etc, but rather which of the signings would you not have gone for? I know you were a big fan of Wirtz at the time (as was I and still am), but how about the rest?
I was a big fan of Isak but the price was silly.
Frimpong was a confusing signing I still don't understand. Ekitike is a good player but, again, we spent a huge amount on him. Leoni could turn out to be a fantastic signing, but again he wasn't cheap. Kerkez I was happy with but I'd have preferred a slightly more two-footed player.
{Ed001's Note - I would have gone for Kayode rather than Frimpong and I wouldn't have signed Isak, even though I rated him. To be fair I probably would not have gone for Ekitike either, which looks like I would have been wrong about, but I would have gone for strikers who press. Leoni and Kerkez I was very happy with personally, though I did have worries about Kerkez's fitness as he was always going down with cramp near the end of games. There is not a lot of left-back options though, it is a very small pool for those!
I didn't understand the signing of Frimpong, though I do think he comes across as a lovely lad and he did win me over with his obvious desire to play for us. He had barely ever played at right-back or as a right-sided forward, so it was a strange signing to take on a specialist wing-back when we don't play with them.
My biggest issue was always the prices paid. Everyone was top dollar, which made it impossible to bring in everything needed. Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture and we needed a rebuild, you can't do that when every player is top end cost. You have to have your Andy Robertsons to balance it out when you build a side, but we just bought big names at top prices. It is not a good way to work.}
25 Sep 2026 16:16:40
Its good to know ed you wouldn't have gone for isak.
I still can say this drop isak and we will see the best from wirtz.
{Ed001's Note - I would also drop Isak. But he scores goals so I can see why he plays,
25 Sep 2026 17:04:36
Fantastic, Ed. Thanks.
{Ed001's Note - very welcome mate.
25 Sep 2026 17:09:02
Thanks for the reply ed, it sounds like Ward would be a sensible choice.
{Ed001's Note - it certainly looks that way.
25 Sep 2026 18:05:11
I can't argue with that ed001. He indeed has scored goals but he stiffles out so many of our moves. i'd rather unleash barcola and gackpo from flanks and play wirtz like bobby.
And shore the midfield with 3.
But isak has a price tag and i guess very difficult to bench him. But he definitely comes in the way of how iraola would want this team to play.
{Ed001's Note - I would give Koumas a chance, but understandable that he will instead be a regular sub.}
26 Sep 2026 05:54:17
Isaks goal last night is why he plays.