Liverpool lose key staff member as Robbie Keane poaches former club

Liverpool have lost another important staff member as part of a summer reshuffle, with Robbie Keane’s new club poaching analyst Dominic Price.

This summer has seen a drastic shift for Liverpool off the pitch, as not only has sporting director Julian Ward departed but also director of research Ian Graham.

Graham led a team of data scientists, researchers and developers as part of the club’s recruitment staff, with transfers fronted by Ward and FSG president Mike Gordon.

When it comes to matters on the pitch, the Reds rely upon a team of analysts led by Jurgen Klopp‘s assistant Peter Krawietz.

In 2021, the club lost Mark Leyland, a hugely influential figure who served as post-match analyst, to Newcastle – before another switch to the City Football Group.

Now the man who effectively joined to take Leyland’s place has decided to move on, with Price appointed technical director at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

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— Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (@MaccabiTLVFC) July 3, 2023

His decision to join the Israeli club comes days after Keane’s appointment as manager, the former striker taking his first senior management job.

Price had spent just over a year back at Liverpool, after an initial nine-year spell in the academy setup made way for the role of first-team performance analyst at Blackpool between 2020 and 2022.

According to Maccabi Tel Aviv chief executive Ben Mansford, the 32-year-old will be responsible for “purchasing, performance analysis, sports science and data, as well as interfacing with the medical department.”

It serves as a major step up for Price, then, but also a blow to Liverpool as they once again seek new faces in their analysis staff.

Krawietz, along with his day-to-day duties supporting Klopp, has a strong focus on scouting and analysis, and can still call upon Daniel Spearritt, Greg Mathieson and James French in their roles.

Spearritt operates as post-match and elite player development analyst, Mathieson is head of opposition analysis and French is opposition analyst.

Liverpool have already replaced Ward with interim sporting director Jorg Schmadtke, while Graham’s job has been filled by former lead data scientist Will Spearman.

David Woodfine, director of loan management, has also left and is temporarily being replaced by head of academy recruitment Matt Newberry.