Liverpool close to filling key position within club left vacant since pre-season – The Athletic
Farrell Keeling
An empty Anfield stadium is pictured in the afternoon before the evening kick off of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and West Ham United at Anfield in Liverpool, north-west England on October 19, 2022. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by NIGEL RODDIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by NIGEL RODDIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Liverpool are understood to be close to replacing Jim Moxon’s now vacant former role as club doctor.
This comes courtesy of James Pearce in The Athletic amid a swathe of injuries at the club with the likes of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Arthur Melo all long-term absentees.
Michael Edwards’ former protege and, now, sporting director, Julian Ward, is ‘overseeing the interview process’ with an appointment from outside of the club thought likely.
It’s unclear to what extent the lack of a club doctor has influenced the disastrous luck we’ve had with injuries since the start of the campaign, though it’s difficult to imagine it not playing some kind of role, despite Liverpool’s claims to the contrary.
“Over the past three months, head of academy medical Bevin McCartan and club physician Sarah Lindsay have stepped up to fill the void and senior club sources have dismissed suggestions that the loss of Moxon and the long process of replacing him has contributed to the extent of the injury list,” Pearce continued.
There’s no question that a shorter pre-season than Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff generally prefer will have only exacerbated the fatigue felt by the squad after such a demanding and draining 2021/22 season.
Fingers crossed we can begin to put our struggles in this department to one side after the World Cup (presumably when we’ll have the position in question filled at the latest) and kick on to finish strongly – hopefully, within the top four spots.
