So it's finally 'official,' The single most important person at Liverpool Football Club (and you all know just how highly I regard Jürgen), is entering his last 7 months at Anfield.
And what an absolutely fantastic open letter this is that's a mark of the man and top culture at the club he represents-
Michael Edwards has written an open letter to Liverpool supporters following the news he will step down as sporting director at the end of this season.
www.liverpoolfc.com
It's been a heck of a ride and we owe this man a tremendous debt.
From the World envied, performance based, analytical recruitment system he's put in place, through being instrumental in designing the Axa training complex at Kirkby, bringing all levels of the club together under one World class facility, and all points in between, he has
more than played his part in completely revolutionising Liverpool Football Club into one of the Worlds leaders. On and off the pitch.
But the great thing, as sad as having this announcement out in the open now is; is the system he's put in place doesn't rely on one man. It is the archetypal 'sum of its parts.' For all Michadl's brilliance, he's only as good as the top notch team under him compromising ex-Nasa scientists and other such luminary's. With his succession being set out for a good whiles now with his assistant Julian Ward.
This is the
KEY position under the American sports model. The GM. Which, even if not titled that, Edwards effectively is. For he's the one man who oversee's pretty much everything on the sporting side. Coaches and players are expendable and the GM picks and brings in the right ones to fit the clubs philosophy. And in Ward, who's steadily worked his way up through the Anfield ranks, we seemingly have the perfect, in-house replacement, in the style of the arl Boot Room, who is fully onboard with our DNA and how we operate.
So as we enter the final stretch of an outstanding Edwards era, here's to the next 5 years and longer of the Julian Ward one. And who knows? With fresh ideas and subtle tweaks to our system to keep us ahead of the curve, he may even top his successor when it's all said and done.
I'll be saying this again before you finally leave Michael, but thank you, sincerely, for all you've done for L'pool FC. Without you and the outstanding acquisitions you and your team have identified and brought in, Jürgen wouldn't have had the outstanding success he's had. It's been the prefect marriage on and off the pitch and the debt we owe you for your part in returning our club to the very top of the football tree is immeasurable.
www.thisisanfield.com
), saying ‘L’pool are drawing too many games to challenge’, are similarly writing Chelsea off tonight?
