Here is all you need to know about Julian Ward, Liverpool’s new Technical Director and former Sporting director along with his bio, age, height and signings
The owners of the team, Fenway Sports Group, have named former sports director of Liverpool Julian Ward to a new position.
After Michael Edwards left the position in the summer of 2022, Ward took over as the Anfield team’s sporting director. However, in a move that shocked and disheartened the Reds, Ward quit the team at the conclusion of the 2022–2023 campaign.
He has now been invited back and will replace Edwards as technical director of FSG, which would include Liverpool, on June 1.
Who is Julian Ward as he returns to Liverpool FC as Technical Director, bio, age, height, education and signings
🔴🆕 Liverpool new structure for the new era.
◉ Michael Edwards, new CEO for FSG.
◎ Richard Hughes, sporting director.
◉ Julian Ward, technical director. 🔙
◎ Pedro Marques, director of football development.🇳🇱 All documents are also signed for Arne Slot as new head coach. pic.twitter.com/xuGafXTnEb
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 10, 2024
Richard Hughes, a transfer whiz from Bournemouth, has taken over as the new sporting director, and Edwards, the former director of football, has returned to his role as CEO of Football at FSG.
Who is Julian Ward?
Julian Ward is Liverpool’s technical director and former sporting director who was born in Aintree. He is a master’s graduate from the University of Ulster and to the John Moores University.
Ward’s CV is an impressive one, taking him through Portugal, South America and back to his native Merseyside. As a player, he represented Morecambe, Hyde FC, Kidsgrove Athletic and then Larne and Lisburn Distillery in Northern Ireland with him playing as a central midfielder and studied sports science at Liverpool John Moores University.
He was born on June 17, 1981 (42) in Liverpool with his height at 1.70m.
He left his role as sporting director at the end of 2023, but he was convinced to return soon to rejoin Michael Edwards.
Prior to serving as City’s South American scout for two years, he was employed by the Football Association and Preston North End.
Following his 2012 transfer from Manchester City, he spent around ten years working for the Reds and served for three years on the scouting team prior to the creation of the routes position.
He was promoted from paths and loan manager to assistant sporting director. In the recruiting department, Ward and Edwards start working together even more. The man himself remained somewhat of a mystery until 2018. He didn’t do interviews or appear in public, but he did have a certain kind of profile.
The transfer expert was a professional player for Peterborough United prior to pursuing a degree in informatics. After not being able to succeed as a professional at Peterborough, he moved into the field of football analytics.
Edwards’s major break in football came when he was younger, in 2003, when he was hired by Portsmouth as an analyst by Harry Redknapp. Previous director of football Damien Comolli brought Edwards to Liverpool following a stint at Spurs.
During his tenure, he has generated substantial transfer fees and made astute acquisitions, which have greatly aided the Reds in their success.
Julian Ward’s signings at Liverpool – Calvin Ramsay (£4.2m, 2022), Fabio Carvalho, Cody Gakpo (£35m, 2023), Darwin Nuñez.