Journalist names two things that could save Richard Hughes' legacy at Liverpool

Richard Hughes Liverpool Legacy Could Take Years to Judge After Sporting Director Exit Richard Hughes has left Liverpool, but judging whether his spell as sporting director was ultimately successful may prove considerably more difficult than judging the timing of his departure. That was the assessment offered by David Lynch during his conversation with Dave Davis on Anfield Index's Media Matters podcast, where Hughes' Liverpool tenure came under scrutiny following his move to Al Hilal. Hughes leaves behind a complicated body of work, encompassing a Premier League title, managerial appointments, major transfer spending, recruitment successes and significant mistakes. For Lynch, any definitive verdict right now would be premature. Richard Hughes Leaves Behind Complex Liverpool Legacy Davis introduced the discussion by highlighting the hostile reaction Hughes had received from sections of Liverpool's support. Lynch immediately urged caution. "My personal view is that his legacy is a complex one and I think it'll probably take a little bit of time to judge it." Lynch also pointed towards the dramatic shifts in how Hughes has been perceived. He noted that some of those now most critical of the outgoing sporting director were previously among those offering considerable praise. "The people who swung that hard that way are the same ones who are swinging this hard now. And maybe the truth is probably in the middle." For Lynch, time will ultimately provide the answer. "Maybe we will see over the next couple of seasons what his legacy actually is at Liverpool." His position was unequivocal. "I don't think we can judge yet." Liverpool Mistakes Cannot Be Ignored That does not mean Lynch believes Hughes should escape criticism. Far from it. "Made several mistakes, in terms of communication, in terms of some outright buys have just been poor." "There's no doubt about it." Those shortcomings form part of the judgement Liverpool supporters will eventually make on Hughes. Yet Lynch believes what happens next could significantly alter that verdict. "His legacy could be saved by what happens over the next two seasons under Iraola, who he appointed, with the players who he, for the most part, bought." He continued: "His legacy could absolutely be salvaged by that." That makes the next phase of Liverpool's development particularly important when assessing Hughes. If Iraola succeeds and the squad assembled during Hughes' period at Anfield develops into a successful side, the sporting director's contribution will inevitably be viewed differently. Photo: IMAGO Iraola Era Could Define Hughes Tenure Lynch's argument places considerable weight on decisions whose consequences have not yet fully developed. Liverpool are only beginning life under Iraola. Several players recruited during Hughes' tenure still have considerable opportunity to shape their reputations at Anfield. That is why Lynch believes the judgement cannot be separated from what happens next. He also criticised the nature of Hughes' departure. "I don't love that he was so keen to get to Saudi either, by the way. For me, you know why? It's Liverpool, for goodness sake." Lynch acknowledged the personal considerations involved in accepting another position, but added: "From a purely sporting sense, I don't particularly love it." Again, though, his conclusion returned to the difficulty of delivering an immediate verdict. "I think his legacy is complex and won't be fully able to judge that till a couple of years down the line." Transfer Success Could Change Liverpool Verdict One area Lynch believes could eventually weigh heavily in Hughes' favour is recruitment. During the wider discussion, he highlighted the work involved in completing the Bradley Barcola transfer, stressing that the eventual deal was preceded by extensive preparation. "That was the kind of end result of a lot of leg work done over the previous 12 months." Lynch explained that this was precisely where a sporting director and recruitment department could demonstrate their value. "That's the value of a kind of sporting director and a recruitment staff that works together for these things." His assessment of Hughes therefore contained both sides of the equation. "Definitely some mistakes along the way but definitely some positives, some huge positives." Lynch then identified what could eventually become the defining element of Hughes' time at Liverpool, referring to the success of Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. "If this Barcola, Wirtz, Isak thing kind of works out over the next 12 months, surely we will be looking back and saying actually that was the biggest part of Richard Hughes's legacy and the most decisive one as well." That may ultimately be the fairest way to judge Richard Hughes. His time at Liverpool contained mistakes, significant spending, major recruitment decisions and a managerial change. The consequences of several of those decisions are still unfolding. Success under Iraola could rehabilitate Hughes' reputation considerably. Failure from the players he helped recruit would strengthen the criticism surrounding his departure. For now, Lynch's argument is that Liverpool's former sporting director has left behind an unfinished legacy. The final judgement may belong to the next two seasons.