Liverpool staff profiles
Written by Simon Austin — April 1, 2018
Pen pics of Liverpool's coaching, science, medicine and analytics staff. To see staff profiles for other clubs, click here.
FOOTBALL EXECUTIVES
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Michael Gordon
Nationality: American
Conduit between Edwards and Klopp on one side, and principal owner John W Henry and his Fenway Sports Group on the other. Manager Jurgen Klopp has said: “In FSG, he’s the LFC man.” Had announced he would be stepping down from club duties in 2022/23, but subsequently returned.
CEO OF FOOTBALL. FSG
Michael Edwards
Nationality: English
Made an unexpected return to Liverpool in March 2023. His role as CEO of Football involves not only "leadership for Liverpool FC’s football operation" but also supporting the growth of Fenway Sports Group (FSG) in global football "through additional investment and acquisition.” Edwards had originally joined Liverpool from Tottenham in November 2011 as Head of Analytics. Went on to become their Director of Technical Performance, then Technical Director, then Sporting Director. On his watch, Liverpool won seven major trophies, including the Champions League and a first league title in 30 years.
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, FSG
Julian Ward
Nationality: English
Second spell with Liverpool, having stepped down as Sporting Director in summer of 2023. Had joined from Manchester City as European Scouting Manager for Spain and Portugal in October 2012. Promoted to Loan Pathways and Football Partnership Manager in 2015 and to Assistant Sporting Director in December 2020. Stepped up to replace Edwards in top job in summer of 2022. Left a year later but returned in May 2024.
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT, FSG
Pedro Marques
Nationality: Portuguese
Joined FSG in May 2024. Previously Technical Director of Benfica’s Academy for six years. Knows English football (and Ward) well, having been Global Lead for Football Performance for City Football Group from 2014. Regarded as an industry leader in player development, pathways, coaching methodology and performance analysis.
SPORTING DIRECTOR
Richard Hughes
Nationality: English
Joined from Bournemouth at the end of 2023/24. Made 185 appearances for Bournemouth as a player before joining the club’s recruitment set-up in the summer of 2014. Two years later was appointed as their Technical Director. Knows Edwards from his time as a player at Portsmouth, from 2003 to 2009. FSG's CEO of Football was Head of Analysis at Pompey at the time and the duo have stayed in touch ever since.
ASSISTANT SPORTING DIRECTOR
David Woodfine
Nationality: English
Another who returned at the end of 2023/24, having stepped down as Loans Manager in May 2023. Had originally joined the club in October 2014 as Scouting and Recruitment Manager and went on to become Head of Football Projects and Scouting (from October 2017) and Director of Loan Management (from December 2020).
COACHING
HEAD COACH
Arne Slot
Nationality: Dutch
Arrived in June 2024 after three highly successful seasons with Feyenoord. Led them to the league title in 2023 and twice named Eredivisie Manager of the Year. Prior to this, Slot was AZ Alkmaar Head Coach and led them to second place in the table, trailing leaders Ajax only on goal difference when the Dutch season was cancelled due to Covid in 2019/20. Played as a midfielder for FC Zwolle, NAC Breda, Sparta Rotterdam and PEC Zwolle before hanging up his boots in 2013.
FIRST ASSISTANT COACH
Sipke Hulshoff
Nationality: Dutch
Arrived at Anfield in summer of 2024, having been Slot’s number two at Feyenoord since 2022. Also served as Ronald Koeman's assistant with Holland before stepping down from that position in 2024.
FIRST TEAM COACH
John Heitinga
Nationality: Dutch
Won 87 caps for Holland and played for Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Everton, Fulham and Hertha BSC before hanging up his boots in 2016. Then coached at Ajax for seven years, leading their U19s and reserves before stepping up to first-team duties for the second half of 2022/23. Was First Team Coach under David Moyes at West Ham in 2023/24.
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT COACH
Aaron Briggs
Nationality: English
Started his career as an analyst, at Blackpool and Preston, before joining Manchester City. Spent nine years there, progressing to become Senior First Team Performance Analyst. After that moved into more of a Coach-Analyst role, at AS Monaco and then as Assistant at Wolfsburg. Replaced the departed Vitor Matos as Individual Development Coach at Liverpool.
HEAD OF GOALKEEPER COACHING
Fabian Otte
Nationality: German
Knows England well, having been Assistant Goalkeeper Coach under Sean Dyche at Burnley in 2020/21. Was Head Goalkeeper Coach for the USA men’s national team before moving to Anfield and has also worked for Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim and the New Zealand national side.
GOALKEEPER COACH
Claudio Taffarel
Nationality: Brazilian
Won the World Cup with Brazil in 1994 and was runner-up four years later. Brought in by Liverpool in November 2021 as they look to build their “own philosophy in goalkeeping”.
PERFORMANCE
LEAD PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE COACH
Ruben Peeters
Nationality: Dutch
Head of Performance at Feyenoord under Slot for three years before joining Liverpool. Previously worked for Genk.
SPORTS SCIENTIST
Conall Murtagh
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Represented Northern Ireland U21s as a player. Joined Academy July 2012 before being promoted to first team in July this year.
REHAB FITNESS COACH
David Rydings
Nationality: English
Joined in 2011 as part of the club's link with Liverpool John Moores University. Role is predominantly gym based.
HEAD OF NUTRITION
Mona Nemmer
Nationality: German
Worked for German U21s before being hired by Pep Guardiola at Bayern. Spent three years there before joining Liverpool in July 2016.
FITNESS COACH
Jordan Fairclough
Nationality: English
Former semi-pro football who had been an intern with the Reds since October 2017. The former Loughborough University student joined the staff permanently in
CONSULTANT PSYCHOLOGIST
Lee Richardson
Nationality: English
Former pro footballer (with Watford, Blackburn and Aberdeen) and manager, with Chesterfield. Worked with Hull City and still consults with Lancashire Cricket as a performance psychologist. Has been doing three days a week with Liverpool since June 2019 and describes himself as "a resource for the players to tap into".
FITNESS COACH
Ed Harper
Nationality: English
With the club since May 2021.
MEDICAL
DOCTOR
Jonathan Power
Nationality: English
Appointed in December 2022. Previously spent nine years with the Football Association, including four years as England men’s doctor between 2017 and 2021. Was also matchday doctor at Brentford from 2019 to 2021.
HEAD PHYSIO
Lee Nobes
Nationality: English
Joined Liverpool in November 2018 after 11 years at Manchester City. Had been promoted to Head Physio under Roberto Mancini. Originally from Jersey, where he played for amateur side Jersey Scottish.
HEAD OF OSTEOPATHY
Frigyes Vanden Auweele
Nationality: Belgian
Osteopathy is a means of detecting, treating and preventing health problems by moving, stretching and massaging muscles and joints. Vanden Auweele previously worked for Belgian top division side OH Leuven, as well as in cycling, volleyball and private practice. Joined Liverpool in summer of 2022.
SENIOR PHYSIO
Chris Morgan
Nationality: English
Returned to the club in August 2020, having previously worked for them from 2006 to 2016. Had stints at Crystal Palace and Arsenal in between. One of the most experienced medical professionals in English football.
PHYSIO
Joe Lewis
Nationality: English
Initially joined as a sports therapist with the Academy in 2009. Progressed to the first team last year.
PHYSIO
Steve Lilley
Nationality: English
Joined from rivals Manchester City in February 2020. Had been with them since September 2011.
DOCTOR
Sarah Lindsay
Nationality: English
Took on increased responsibilities with the first team when Massey moved to Fifa in March 2020.
ANALYSIS
OPPOSITION ANALYST
James French
Nationality: English
Formerly at Swansea City and Football Association of Wales. Moved to Liverpool in 2012.
OPPOSITION ANALYST
Jansen Moreno
Nationality: Gibraltarian
Joined the Reds in March 2024 after three years with the Gibraltar Football Association, where he was Head of Elite Youth Development. Was born and raised in the territory before attending Liverpool John Moores University from 2008. Went on to become Head of Performance Analysis at Huddersfield Town, as well as working as an analyst at Norwich City and Brighton.
POST-MATCH AND ELITE PLAYER ANALYST
Daniel Spearritt
Nationality: English
Joined the club in August 2014. Promoted from Academy to first team at the start of the 2020/21 season.
POST MATCH ANALYST
Joel Bonner
Nationality: English
Played for Liverpool's Academy from the ages of 12 to 16 before becoming a reserve team player with Shrewsbury Town. Then combined roles of analyst and Individual Coach with Liverpool's U15s and U16s. Promoted to current role in August 2023.
DATA SCIENCE
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
William Spearman
Nationality: American
The Harvard University graduate joined Liverpool in March 2018. Previously senior data scientist with US firm Hudl. Expert in using data to understand passing, space and scoring opportunities, which he gave an insight into HERE. Replaced Ian Graham as Director of Research in February 2023.
SOFTWARE DEVELOPER & STATISTICAL RESEARCHER
Tim Waskett
Nationality: English
Was a quantitative analyst in the energy industry before joining Liverpool in August 2012. In 2019, he delivered a presentation about the club's data science work at the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures.
STATISTICAL RESEARCHER
Dafydd Steele
Nationality: Welsh
Joined Liverpool in September 2013 from an energy company, where he had been a quantitative analyst.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Mark Stevenson
Nationality: English
Joined in March 2017 from Brew Digital for his second stint at the club. Along with Howlett, was transferred from the tech department to research by Graham.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Mark Howlett
Nationality: English
Graham described the role of Howlett (and Stevenson) as “maintaining the database for us, building our research website and so on. They do all the tech stuff and that lets the four of us focus on the data science part of it.”