Michael Edwards is back in a new project with the former Liverpool manager
Michael Edwards has decided not to sign a new contract with Liverpool
Liverpool FC Sporting Director Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards returns to sport after resigning as Liverpool’s sporting director.
According to The Athletic, the 44-year-old will join former Reds director of research Dr. Ian Graham, who will join as chief executive of Graham’s new Ludonautics company.
The revelation sees a temporary end to speculation linking Edwards with a return to football after he steps down from his role at Anfield in 2021 to take over from Julian Ward.
He arrived at Liverpool in 2011 after spells at Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth, and after deciding not to continue in his role on Merseyside, Edwards was tipped for senior roles at Newcastle United and Manchester United, which never materialised.
Both Edwards and Graham were present during Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool success, helping them reach the pinnacle of English and European football in 2019 and 2020 – winning the Champions League and then the Premier League. It has been said that Edwards’ new role will not prevent him from securing a permanent role. According to the report, the company is likely to start operations in 2024 and Ludonautics plans to offer its skills and experience to teams, with current and potential club owners interested in the venture.
The company sees Graham’s focus on data, which Edwards says is essential for training managers and hierarchies to incorporate these methods.
Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, repeatedly tried to convince Edwards to stay with the Reds as they played a role in their success. Instead, the director took a year off from the sport and helped Ward transition into his role – after the Southampton-born boss was replaced as assistant. Dr Graham only left the Liverpool post at the end of the season, with plans to leave in November 2022 after 10 years. During his time on Merseyside, he led the team’s data analysis team, with a focus on finding the value of goals – something Liverpool anticipated after some shrewd moves in the transfer market.