On Friday, Liverpool were rocked by the news that Michael Edwards has left his role as CEO of Football with the Reds’ owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
The Merseyside club’s former sporting director took up his position with the Boston-based firm two years ago but has now departed with 12 months remaining on his contract, a decision he had seemingly been planning for some time.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY
The Times‘ northern football correspondent Paul Joyce has explained what led the 47-year-old to resign, and outlined what LFC’s plans are in the wake of that exit.
Why has Edwards left his role with FSG?
Edwards first signalled his intentions to leave FSG last autumn, having grown frustrated at the lack of progress in acquring another European club, which was understood to have been his primary motivation for taking on the CEO of Football role in 2024. Those plans were ultimately abandoned earlier this year.
The American ownership had unsuccessfully sought to persuade him to remain on board, with FSG president Mike Gordon now set to take over the daily running of football operations.
Internally, he and Edwards are ‘united in the belief that the work undertaken in recent years means that ways of working, philosophy, culture and processes are all in place that will allow Liverpool to kick on’.
Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Edwards’ exit adds to mood of uncertainty around Liverpool
This news adds to the sense of uncertainty at the highest level at Anfield, with Edwards’ exit coming amid recent reports that sporting director Richard Hughes is expected to leave for Al-Hilal in the near future.
The mood of trepidation now is in stark contrast to this time last year, when Arne Slot had just led Liverpool to a 20th league title and the club was embarking upon an unprecedented spending spree in the transfer window.
For Edwards, the frustration at multi-club ownership plans being shelved ultimately proved a tipping point, even though the engagement of such a model would likely have antagonised much of the Reds’ fan base.
The 47-year-old may feel that he has no reason to stay on now that the goalposts of his original remit have shifted significantly, but as James Pearce observed for The Athletic, it doesn’t look great for FSG that he has walked and Hughes could soon follow him out the door.
The stability that Liverpool had at the turn of the decade, when Edwards was thriving as sporting director and Jurgen Klopp was leading us to major trophies in sumptuous style, seems a world away from the current mood of uncertainty and apprehension about what might come next.
I don’t think this is any surprise. When the multi club model was shot down, you would already have anticipated his exit. And they knew since last year. Hughes is also flirting around with Saudi club. Fsg should just revert back to the traditional football manager model. Trust iraola and let him do his job including transfers.
All the media are making out that he has jumped ship, when everyone (except the media) knew he was leaving after FSG withdrew from the multi club plan. Hughes will take up a position in Saudi before the new season commences, again not breathtaking news. Background plans have been taking place for months regarding a re structure which again is not surprising news to people at LFC.
I suppose the media have to make their headlines as sensational as possible to attract clicks.
Overrated bureaucrats experimenting with the fate of our beloved Liverpool. Good riddance.