I’m willing to give Julian Ward his chance, but Liverpool need him to solve the midfield, contracts and succession problems that have been allowed to linger.

Julian Ward is officially Liverpool’s sporting director again and, if I’m being completely honest, I still don’t know how I feel about it.

There are arguments in favour of the appointment. Ward understands Liverpool, he understands FSG, he knows the recruitment structure and he has spent more than a decade working within the club’s football operation in various roles. FSG clearly trust him enormously, and Mike Gordon described him as the “ideal candidate” when Liverpool confirmed his appointment.

I understand all of that.

But there is another side to this. Ward has been here before. He has been involved in Liverpool’s recruitment structure before. This feels like his third crack at the job in one form or another and, after the last few years, I’m not sure returning to somebody already inside the FSG ecosystem was necessarily what Liverpool needed.

Maybe I’m being unfair. Maybe continuity is exactly what we need after Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards have moved on. But my initial feeling is more nervous than excited.

Now Ward has to prove those doubts wrong.

Ward Has Some Huge Decisions Waiting

I don’t want to blame Julian Ward for every transfer decision Liverpool have made during periods when he has been involved with the club. That would be ridiculous. Recruitment doesn’t work like that.

But I also can’t completely absolve him of everything because, as Ward himself acknowledged after taking the job, he has been part of Liverpool’s football operation for more than a decade.

The good news is that we don’t have to spend months debating his previous record. We can judge what happens next.

There is plenty to sort out.

Rio Ngumoha’s contract situation needs clarity. We need decisions over Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker. Liverpool still need to address the midfield, and I think there are questions at full-back as well.

That midfield issue is the one I keep coming back to.

Trey Nyoni has been excellent when given opportunities and I desperately want to see his development continue. But his emergence shouldn’t suddenly convince Liverpool that another midfielder isn’t required.

For me, January remains an opportunity Liverpool should use.

And if you give me a choice between Lamine Camara and Aurélien Tchouaméni, I’m taking Camara.

I’d Choose Camara Over Tchouaméni

The Tchouaméni links are interesting because Ward was an admirer of the Frenchman before his move to Real Madrid. Reports this week have suggested that Liverpool could revisit that interest following Ward’s appointment, although Tchouaméni’s long-term Real Madrid contract would make any deal extremely difficult.

I’ve always liked him.

If Liverpool signed Tchouaméni, you certainly wouldn’t find me complaining. But I don’t know whether Real Madrid have any intention of selling him and I don’t know how realistic that conversation actually is.

Camara feels different.

Liverpool’s interest has been reported previously, Monaco were prepared to discuss a sale during the summer and the player himself has spoken about remaining focused on performing and earning another opportunity after his proposed move to Chelsea failed to happen.

That’s the move I’d be looking at.

I think Camara fits what Liverpool need and I think there is a realistic deal to be explored. I’m not interested in signing somebody simply because they are the biggest name available. Give me the player who best suits what Andoni Iraola is trying to build.

We’ve spoken repeatedly about the balance in this midfield. We’ve tried Mac Allister with Szoboszlai, we’ve discussed Wirtz, Gravenberch hasn’t convinced and Nyoni is still developing.

Get Iraola another proper option.

If Liverpool can do that in January rather than waiting until the summer, even better.

Van Dijk And Alisson Cannot Become Another Saga

Ward also inherits something Liverpool have become far too familiar with.

Contracts.

I’m tired of reaching December and January with hugely important Liverpool players approaching the end of their deals and everybody wondering what is going to happen.

We’ve been through it with Trent Alexander-Arnold. We’ve been through it with Ibrahima Konaté. Now we’re talking about Virgil and Alisson.

At some point, Liverpool need to get ahead of these situations.

I understand there will be complicated factors involved. Maybe Alisson wants another experience before his career ends. Maybe Virgil has his own ideas about the future. We don’t know what either player is thinking privately.

But from my perspective, I’d absolutely be having the conversation with Van Dijk.

Personally, I’d look at something along the lines of another year with an option.

The reason isn’t nostalgia. It’s succession planning.

Jeremy Jacquet has been brilliant and clearly loves playing alongside Virgil. Giovanni Leoni has huge potential. But asking young centre-backs to suddenly replace one of the greatest defenders Liverpool have ever had, while also becoming leaders of the defence, is an enormous responsibility.

If Van Dijk is leaving, Liverpool need an experienced centre-back coming through the door. Somebody around 25 to 27 who can immediately take responsibility.

With Alisson, I’m slightly more open-minded.

I love the man. He has been an extraordinary goalkeeper for Liverpool and replacing him like-for-like is probably impossible. But perhaps the next Liverpool goalkeeper doesn’t have to be another Alisson Becker.

The question is whether Giorgi Mamardashvili is that man. I’m still not completely convinced. He’s a very good shot-stopper, but there are other aspects of his game where I still have questions.

Liverpool also have exciting young goalkeepers coming through, but potential and being ready to start every week for Liverpool are very different things.

That’s why Ward needs to provide clarity.

Liverpool Need Stability Behind The Scenes

Ultimately, my biggest concern with Ward isn’t really about Ward himself.

It’s about stability.

Liverpool have had too much change behind the scenes. Sporting directors have come and gone, responsibilities have shifted and now there is the wider question of what Liverpool’s ownership structure might look like in the future.

The last thing I want is Ward being appointed now, only for another ownership group to gain greater influence and decide in six or 12 months that they want somebody else.

If Julian Ward is Liverpool’s man, back him.

Give him the authority to make decisions and give him enough time to implement them.

And Julian, prove people like me wrong.

Sort the midfield. Get the contract situations under control. Give Iraola the squad he needs. Make sure Liverpool stop reaching the end of transfer windows with obvious holes still sitting there.

I don’t need the sporting director to win the transfer window on social media. I need Liverpool to have a balanced squad capable of competing for everything.

Ward knows the club. He knows how FSG operate and he knows exactly what expectations come with the position.

That removes any settling-in period.

I’m not jumping for joy about the appointment, but I’m also not writing him off before he’s started.

Now comes the important bit.

Show us why Liverpool were right to go back.

Much Love.