Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Jorg Schmadtke as the club's new sporting director.
A no-nonsense, straight-talking former goalkeeper, Schmadtke has been out of work since leaving his post at Wolfsburg in January. The 59-year-old spent five years at the Volkswagen Arena - one of which resulted in Champions League qualification.
Liverpool chiefs have hunted far and wide for a director of football since news broke that Julian Ward would leave this summer. The 41-year-old will depart just 12 months after replacing Michael Edwards.
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Schmadtke, familiar with Jurgen Klopp due to his time in Germany, will be taking up his first role at an English club. It is an initial short-term deal, with the potential for it to become long term.
Previous spells at Hannover 96 and Wolfsburg earned the ex-goalie an explosive reputation when dealing with managers - an assessment he denies. And here, we profile Schmadtke’s best quotes ahead of his Anfield move...
Refuting the reputation
Schmadtke has refuted suggestions he can be difficult to work with. As Liverpool are about to appoint their third sporting director in 12 months, stability is needed.
Edwards’ six-year stint saw the Reds return to the summit of English football and the club's owners FSG will be hoping to strike gold again. At 59, Schmadtke has almost 20 years on his two predecessors, with experience likely a factor in his potential appointment.
The Dusseldorf native previously claimed he is “not as big an ass” as his reputation makes out. He said: “I have no problems with anyone. There are even people who want to see me again and have a coffee or a beer with me. I'm not as big an ass as people might think."
Eager beaver
Just days after leaving Wolfsburg this year, Schmadtke flirted with an immediate return to football. While his other half was on the wrong side of the joke, his comments also hint at a relentless work ethic Liverpool fans will be glad to hear.
"But it might be the case that, after three months, I can't take it anymore,” he said. “Or even worse, my wife chases me out of the house again. A lot of things happen on the job. In the end, it's all about the job.”
Lessons learnt
One of Schmadtke’s biggest blunders at Wolfsburg was allowing Victor Osimhen to leave for just £3million. The Nigerian - signed as a 17-year-old - was rarely given a chance and failed to score in 16 appearances.
Since then, Osimhen has developed into one of Europe’s deadliest strikers, firing Napoli to their first Serie A title in 30 years. Manchester United are reportedly among the clubs considering a staggering £100million move for the goal machine.
Schmadtke accepted responsibility for Osimhen's exit once he exploded at Lille. Judging by his comments, he has preferred to view the situation as a lesson for the future.
“The most important lesson is that you have to be patient with some transfers,” Schmadtke said. “You can't say, ‘we'll sign you up, provide board and lodging, and then it'll work’. The importance of patience is sometimes underestimated.”
*A version of this story was originally published at the start of the month.
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