Liverpool’s Premier League title win has been well-deserved, and the plaudits have been flooding in for boss Jurgen Klopp.
The German has worked wonders at Anfield, gradually taking an under-performing Brendan Rodgers side to eventual Premier League, European and World champions.
Klopp has united the team and the fans behind his approach and tactics, and Liverpool fans will have real hope of a dynasty under his stewardship.
Key players like Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah have received praise too, but the man who deserves a huge slice of the credit is Michael Edwards.
Unsung outside of Liverpool circles, Edwards has played a vital role in their rise. The sporting director has kept a low profile throughout the rise under Klopp, but his importance cannot be overlooked.
A former IT teacher who cut his teeth in football data analysis with Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth, Edwards has had a long, winding road to calling the shots at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
He followed Redknapp to Spurs, then Damien Comolli took him from Tottenham to Liverpool in 2011 – and the Liverpool Echo note that Daniel Levy was ‘furious’ that he was leaving the club.
Edwards has justified Comolli’s faith and Levy’s anger. After some questionable early signings, Edwards has completely revamped the Liverpool squad with clever moves – both in and out.
He stuck to his guns with Alisson and Van Dijk, playing a waiting game with them rather than moving on to backup targets – and they have been absolutely crucial to their success.
Edwards is also credited for pushing deals for Andrew Robertson and Roberto Firmino as well as Mane and Salah. Without his meticulous, analytics-led approach, Liverpool may not have had the success they’ve had under Klopp.
It’s also important to note the difference between Liverpool and Edwards’ former club. Tottenham have been a little directionless in the transfer market for years now, and went 18 months between February 2018 and the summer of 2019 without making a signing.
There is no clear middle man between Levy and the manager at Tottenham, which seems to hamper them in the transfer market.
Edwards could have been that man, but he chose a move to Liverpool instead. Whilst Tottenham try to find their identity again and hunt for bargains, Edwards has been the quiet mastermind behind Liverpool’s rise – and how Levy would surely love to have him back now.
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