Richard Hughes’ life in football to date has been an intriguing old affair. Despite being raised in Italy due to his father’s job, he was born in Glasgow yet never once appeared on the radar of any clubs north of the border.
A youth player with Atalanta after being scouted by AC Milan, he was signed by Arsenal after moving to England and deemed good enough to pull on a Scotland shirt on five occasions. But his name and face would still draw blanks from most members of the Tartan Army.
The truth is that despite a stellar career on England’s south coast with Bournemouth and Portsmouth, the 44-year-old became more conspicuous in the game once his boots were on the peg.
Having joined the Cherries’ recruitment team under Eddie Howe, Hughes’ profile rose in tandem with that of the team. By the time Bournemouth had completed their astonishing ascent to the Premier League, the Scot had risen to become their technical director.
Front of house, Howe, understandably, took most of the credit. But in the boardrooms up and down the land, Hughes’ part in one of the great success stories of the English game this century was noted.
Ex-Scotland defender Richard Hughes (centre) will be the new sporting director at Liverpool
Hughes enjoyed a stellar career on England’s south coast with Bournemouth and Portsmouth
‘I’m hopefully loading his gun to fire as many good bullets as possible,’ he said after Bournemouth completed their meteoric rise to the top. ‘That’s what I see my main job as.’
Tipped to be part of the support network at Celtic in 2021, Hughes was denied the chance to work at the home of his boyhood heroes when Howe backed out of negotiations and Ange Postecoglou got the job instead.
Hughes remained at the Vitality Stadium until leaving his role in November last year but on Wednesday it was confirmed that he is to become Liverpool’s new sporting director.
A position that comes with huge responsibility at the best of times, Hughes’ first priority is to source Jurgen Klopp’s successor. No pressure, then.
While his elevation to one of the most coveted positions in the game has been mooted for some time, Hughes seemed an unlikely mover and shaker as he wound down his playing days.
Although a deep thinker and someone with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, he seemed to have had his fill of day-to-day football when he called it quits at Dean Court 10 years ago.
Between…