In an exclusive interview with This Is Anfield, Liverpool FC chief executive Billy Hogan discusses Arne Slot‘s arrival, FSG’s new structure and plans to purchase further football clubs, and plenty more.
Hogan, who joined the Reds 12 years ago, initially as the club’s commercial officer before being promoted to chief executive in 2020, is part of the club’s pre-season tour in the United States.
Incredibly, it’s the first time Liverpool have visited the USA in five years, due to two pandemic-disrupted summers and then two consecutive summers in Asia.
“We had a tremendous experience the last time and we’re expecting a similarly great experience this time,” says Hogan. “From an overall club perspective, the opportunity is first and foremost about the team getting the opportunity to get in shape and and get their fitness up. But it’s also an opportunity for us to bring the club out to our supporters, it’s the only time we have the opportunity to get outside of the UK or Europe.”
Hogan is one of the club’s representatives on the tour which includes six former players, when we sit down with the Reds’ CEO it’s after he and the club’s commercial director, Ben Latty, had joined Sami Hyypia in a football clinic for young children run by the LFC Foundation.
Earlier in the day, Hyypia joined John Barnes, Ian Rush and Gary Mac Allister at a local children’s hospital.
Similar events like this will take place later in the tour in Philadelphia and Columbia, South Carolina. What’s great to see is the amount of Liverpool jerseys worn. “It’s a chance for us to engage with our supporters around the world,” says Hogan.
“It does give you a sense also the responsibility of working for and representing a truly global club and how important it is that we get the opportunity to try engage with our supporters around the world whenever we can.”
Arne Slot settling in at Liverpool
A lot has changed in the five years since Liverpool last visited North America, and this summer marks a new era for the club. We ask Hogan about how Arne Slot is settling in.
“So far, so good,” he says. “Obviously any time you come from one club to another, there’s always going to be tremendous changes.
“And in this case, coming from one league to another. So there’s, another significant change.
“I think the challenge that he has in this case, obviously given the fact that we’ve got a number of tournaments going on over the course of the summer means that the players are coming back, sort of trickling back in as opposed to everybody being back in on sort of day one.
“So that’s a challenge, of course. But I think overall it’s really been about getting settled. And the time that I’ve spent with him I’m really excited about the future, looking forward to it.”
FSG’s plans for purchasing clubs “separate and distinct from Liverpool”
Liverpool are currently based in Pittsburgh, a city with a rich sporting history often known as the City of Champions. It’s also home to the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team, who Fenway Sports Group purchased in 2021.
What then of FSG’s plans to purchase further football clubs, after recent talks with French club Bordeaux ended this week?
“I think it’s really going to be down to a case by case basis,” says Hogan.
“In this case, obviously the Bordeaux situation, to use an overused line ‘it is what it is’ – and I wouldn’t say anything other than the statements that have put out from from FSG.
“Anything that happens from an FSG football standpoint, it’s going to be separate and distinct from Liverpool, obviously.”
No further Anfield expansion plans
This summer will also mark the completion of the delayed Anfield Road Stand expansion, taking Anfield’s overall capacity close to 61,000.
As ever with football supporters, that has inevitably led to questions over what next for the club’s stadium, will there be further expansion? Some have speculated that the Sir Kenny Dalglish Stand or The Kop could be next.
“We’ve run into a number of different challenges, everybody’s well aware of that,” admits Hogan with the Anfield Road Stand expansion.
“We appreciate everybody’s patience over the course of this past season and ultimately getting to a place where by the end of the season we were almost fully operational. We will be fully operational as the season begins which is exciting.”
Final works currently being undertaken include the back few rows of the lower tier of the stand, cladding work being completed internally, and sections of the roof being replaced. There’s also the internal fan park to be completed.
But once the Anfield Road Stand is finished it will mark the completion of phase two of FSG’s original plans for Anfield’s expansion, which were first unveiled back in 2014.
“Really at this point, there’s no plans to continue expansion at Anfield,” says Hogan.
“We will look at as we continue to, life cycle improvements and always looking at how we can improve the fan and supporter experience, whether that be inside or outside the ground.
“But, there’s no major plans for further expansion at this point.”
Liverpool’s new structure off the pitch
While there has been plenty of change in the coaching staff this summer, there’s also been major changes to Liverpool’s structure off the pitch.
Hogan is keen to point out that while he is “incredibly excited” to have Michael Edwards back involved, Richard Hughes is Liverpool’s sporting director and it is he who works alongside Slot to make decisions on the playing squad.
“Michael has great history with the club, and we’ve enjoyed tremendous success,” says Hogan. “He knows better than anybody the responsibility that that comes with the football operations side at Liverpool.”
Edwards’ official role is that of CEO of Football for FSG, not Liverpool FC. Hogan mentions Edwards’ “ability with FSG football to explore whatever the future might hold as it relates to that,” referring to the potential purchase of further football clubs for FSG.
“As we point toward this new era, we’ll continue to see him [Edwards] evolve,” says Hogan.
“I think it’s important to emphasise that Richard, as the sporting director, will be closely working with Arne to make sure that as we make those decisions, going into next season in terms of squad etc., that those two are going to be vital in terms of ultimately working with Michael as well.
“It’s been a lot of changes, but in this case all really positive and something we’re incredibly excited about as we look towards the future.”
This Is Anfield will have more throughout Liverpool’s pre-season tour. Make sure you’re following us here, and you can further support our independent coverage of the Reds with a premium membership. Add us on WhatsApp for updates direct to your phone.