This day could turn out to be one to remember for Liverpool fans, with Rick Parry asked to resign from his post as Liverpool CEO, and DIC claiming they have pulled out of their attempts to buy Liverpool FC.
DIC’s CEO, Sameer al-Ansari, said that the problems between George Gillett and Tom Hicks had played a part in their claimed decision to withdraw from attempts to take over at Anfield. In an extract from an exclusive interview with Arabian Business Magazine due out on Sunday al-Ansari said: “You have two partners who do not see eye to eye. And we decided that we pull out completely. Let them sort out their problems.
“We will continue to be interested and would love to own the club but we are not going to put ourselves in a difficult situation where we make the investment but we have no control over the destiny of the club and we cannot influence the success of the club. Unfortunately, the terms that have been put on the table do not allow us to do that.”
Although this could mean DIC feel that their maximum investment in the club would be all but eaten up by paying the price demanded by Gillett, Gillett is the only partner willing to sell. Hicks hasn’t put a serious valuation on his half of the club because he wants to buy Gillett out, take control, and stay with the club until the new stadium is built and beyond. DIC don’t want half of the club, and have no intention of making the kind of offer that would change the mind of Hicks.
Whether this decision to pull out is true, or just the latest in a long line of negotiation tactics carried out using the press remains to be seen.
But Hicks’ determination to make something special of his time at Anfield has seen him write to Rick Parry asking for him to resign.
Parry has refused, saying: “It is my intention to remain focused on the job of serving Liverpool Football Club to the best of my abilities at this very important time of our season.”
Although there are reports that Parry is siding with Gillett in the various attempts at resolving the ownership situation, this is not believed to have been given as a reason Parry should leave his post.
Parry has been at Anfield as CEO for ten years, and in that time there have been many accusations levelled at him from fans, and more that are believed to have come from current manager Rafael Benítez.
His attitude to fans in the wake of the Athens ticket fiasco caused unprecedented anger from Liverpool supporters, stunned at the attitude of the CEO to their concerns that ticket distribution seemed to suggest some tickets had not been allocated to fans. He refused to be drawn into the “numbers game”. This was but one example of where fans felt he had been dismissive towards them.
He has at least two nicknames, either Krusty or Coco, alluding to his perceived ability to make a mess of things somewhat like a clown, amongst other reasons. Prior to the arrival of the current owners Liverpool were offered a chance to buy Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo for a fairly nominal fee, but turned the offer down. The fee wasn’t a problem – it was the wages that Parry said were too steep. Yet those wages worked out at around two-thirds of what was paid to the failed French “Gem” Anthony Le Tallec.
Theo Walcott almost knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League on Tuesday night, but the Arsenal youngster was desperate to play for Liverpool before Arsenal made their interest known, and it was Parry who was blamed for allowing the chance to pass the club by. Again Liverpool could have had him for a fraction of his eventual fee, with Southampton in need of the money, but Parry was said to have refused over a relatively tiny amount of a difference in his valuation and Southampton’s.
Perhaps his indecision helped the club last summer; Florent Malouda’s decision to join Chelsea over Liverpool is believed to have been caused by Rick Parry’s lack of communication with the player. His reputation for switching his mobile phone off when major deals need to be worked on is legendary. He famously went on holiday instead of talking to Steven Gerrard about a new deal after Istanbul, the captain coming unbelievably close to joining Chelsea after being left to think the club didn’t really want him.
But Rafa is believed to have been referring to Parry last summer when he complained about a lack of action in the transfer market. The blame for this outburst later shifted to the owners, as part of the fallout from the infamous Klinsmann revelation, but in reality Rafa was frustrated that transfer deals were failing because Rick Parry was not working on them the way he should have been.
Parry announced in 2003 that Liverpool’s need for a new stadium was essential to their future hopes of competing with the likes of Manchester United. He said it would open in 2006, in good time for the 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations in the city. In 2007 it was still not open, in fact work had still not even started, and by the time the new owners came in they announced that the outdated plans had to be replaced. The “Parry Bowl” was consigned to history.
But finding investors to enable a new stadium to be built wasn’t the only way Liverpool could have made money. From being the first English club to have shirt sponsors back in the seventies Liverpool became the last top-flight club to get a website. Before long the website was renowned as a place to avoid if looking for official merchandise, with constant anger from supporters unable to buy the kit they wanted. It was much the same in the club shops. Fan frustration over tickets isn’t limited to the way the Athens ones were dished out – people have to risk their jobs by spending the whole day with the phone to their ear, hitting redial over and over until they are finally through – at which point they are then in a cue for hours on end. Sometimes they get to the end of that queue without being cut off. Excuses given for the problems with this service have never washed with fans, who are also frustrated at the length of physical queues when tickets are sold at the ticket office windows.
If those basic services are so poorly run, questions must be asked as to how much more income has been missed out on by fans the world over who want to spend anything they can on their beloved Reds. The days of kids getting their mums to sew a home-made number seven on the backs of their red t-shirts should be long gone, but have often shown signs of having to come back.
Liverpool fans themselves have helped Parry to allow the club to remain stuck in the past from a commercial point of view. The outcry when a McDonald’s “M” appeared on the side of the newly-built seated Kop showed that fans weren’t ready for anything too commercial, and many fans still grumbled about having the name of a not-too popular beer on their shirts. But these things make money, and whilst other clubs embraced it and overtook Liverpool, the Reds were left behind.
Of course Parry was always nothing more than the CEO to David Moores post as Chairman, and not all decisions will have been his alone. But his job is to do what’s best for the club, and unfortunately that isn’t any longer in line with what was best for the club ten years ago when he arrived, and it was up to him to make that clear to David Moores.
Parry was in London today with Premier League meetings to attend, and also with Javier Mascherano’s failed appeal taking place. But he will have seen the contents of the letter and will be aware of the reasons that one half of the club’s ownership wants him out.
Hicks, however, is not in a position to sack Parry because major decisions of that nature require both owners to agree. Gillett is hardly likely to agree if the claims he’s been using Parry to help him engineer a hugely profitable sale of his half to DIC are true. But the message couldn’t be clearer. Parry has no future under Hicks. And with DIC planning to install al-Ansari and Amanda Staveley if they did take the club over, it does seem his days at Anfield are numbered one way or another.
Psychic? No. Headache? Yes……..and you’re to blame for that 🙂
The reason why Moore’s needs to speak out is because it is now a battle for public opinion. And given that everyoneelse from the Board has spoken, we needed to hear from him.
Now, my view is clear: the reason why Hicks has up the ante in the last few days is because he’s frustrated with his revenue raising schemes. And he needs Gillett to accept a lower price than he is able to raise (by causing sufficient trouble and making Gillett think he’ll make a profit so just get out of here without damaging his own ‘brand’). Or at least get Gillett to sell him 1% for a majority share.
Hicks is trying to divide and rule the club, the team and the fans. He can’t be allowed to get away with it. Fortunately sufficient numbers of people have seen the extracts from Hicks letter but not been distracted by his lines about ‘Rafa this and Rafa that’ re. Hicks. That’s not clever, from Hicks, and neither is it advisable unless he could Rafa to publicly back him. Whoever advised him there ain’t worth is PR fee.
Anyway, I could go on…….but it’s probably best to leave it to Moores tomorrow. Let’s hope he addresses the issue of the profit he made from the Hicks/Gillett deal and whether some (not all) of that money could be used to get our previously all-singing and smiling friends out of our club!………..
Midlands-red,
The speculation goes on but Gillett is adamant that he won’t sell to Hicks and I for one believe him. And anyway why should he sell to Hicks for a lower price than he could get from DIC who could buy Gillett’s shares If the ” first option” deal runs out in 6 weeks as is rumoured.
All this smacks of desperation on Hicks part.
Moores should now stand up and be counted for all the mess he’s caused.
Sorry Jim Boardman but you long ago ceased to have any credibility for me. I know you like to portray yourself as “objective” but your pro-Hicks rants over the last couple of months have not even been worthy of the brain dead Texan himself and are more like something Joseph Goebbels would have written. Sad…………very sad !!!!
Greed is coming to our rescue. Greedy Gillett won’t sell to Hicks only to see him then get an even higher price from DIC or whoever. Greedier Hicks cant sell to DIC and see the value of the club rocket in the next four or five years. The greed of the big lenders in bringing about the credit crunch is forcing Hicks’ hand as is the expiry of his pre-emption option, if the Echo has it right. Frustration at his inability to force the issue is causing the bullyboy to lash out.
WRITTEN IN CAPS TO HOPEFULLY GET JIMS ATTENTION.
JIM, INSTEAD OF REPLYING TO THE INDIVIDUAL POSTS OF WHICH THERE ARE TOO MANY HERE THIS TIME FOR YOU TO REPLY TO, I THINK YOU NEED TO WRITE AN ARTICLE EXPLAINING THINGS IN A BROADER SENSE…
THE PEOPLE WHO READ YOUR SITE EFFECTIVELY MAKE IT WHAT IT IS (WITH THE IMPORTANT EXCEPTION OF YOURSELF) AND CLEARLY (RIGHTLY OR WRONGLY) WE ARE UP IN ARMS TRYING TO FATHOM WHY YOU ARE APPROACHING THINGS FROM THE ANGLE YOU ARE COMING FROM.
I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN YOU, THIS IS THE BEST SITE FOR DEBATE AND OBJECTIVITY, BUT MAYBE YOU NEED TO CLEAR THE AIR AND EXPLAIN YOUR THINKING SO WE UNDERSTAND, IN THE INTEREST OF YOUR READERS AND THE CONTINUED LONGEVITY OF THEM READING YOUR SITE.
I AM NOT SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD WRITE AN ARTICLE THAT WE ARE CLEARLY GOING TO AGREE WITH, JUST TO CURRY FAVOUR, BUT AN HONEST ADMISSION AS TO WHY YOU FEEL THE WAY YOU DO REGARDING THIS WHOLE SAGA SEEMS NEEDED.
I ALSO GET THE FEELING THAT YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOU ARE PREPARED TO LET ON, SHARE IT WITH US IF THIS IS THE CASE OR DISPELL IT IF IT IS NOT.
THANKS MATE.
Martin – you got it (my attention)!
On the task bar below this browser are 7 open Word documents that all contain half-finished but abandoned attempts at trying to either answer comments, write articles, explain what I think is happening.
I started writing one at around 6.30am this morning, after about 3.5 hours’ sleep. I’ve just seen some attempts I was making at answering questions I’d forgotten I’d started yesterday. Sad as it is to say it, I was writing a long reply just before I went to sleep last night, but decided against posting it as I was so tired and unsure if it was right. By the morning I wanted a fresh start so it’s sitting there now and will probably be deleted later.
I’m answering your comment now because it’s the latest one as I log in and also it’s hurting my eyes. I have a headached remember! 😉
I think you’ve got a good idea there, and it’s one I’ve considered doing already, so – why not!
Just to quickly answer your questions before putting it all into an article…
I think we all need to calm down. Me included. We’re all passionate about our club and I don’t think any of us on here who have supported LFC all our lives are reacting out of anything other than what we feel is what is right for the club. This isn’t a debate about which winger to buy or whether the match programme should be A5 or A4. This is big.
I will try and explain why I feel this way, and hopefully show people that I might not feel the way they think I do. Trying to say it quickly in a rushed fashion in a noisy fast-food place isnt’ a good idea really.
As for knowing more than I’m prepared to let on – well I have this self-imposed rule that if anyone speaks to me it’s all off the record, confidential, between the two of us. Sometimes I’ll see something in a paper that I already knew about and finally I can speak about it. I also consider it acceptable to talk about something if two separate parties confirm it not that this happens much. But unless that happens, my lips are sealed. I’ve not been asked by anyone to leak anything, I’ve not been asked to write anything a certain way, everything that’s an opinion is my opinion.
Some might say this is awful, what right have I got to keep this to mysel? Well what right have I got to expect these various people to trust me with their various bits of information?
So, yes, I suppose I do know more than I’m prepared to let on, but not all of it is particularly big in its own right. But it does help shape my opinions, it’s always likely it would, so perhaps that’s the issue. I suppose I’ve been through a few steps that others haven’t, and perhaps I’m forgetting at times.
I’ll see if I can knock something up then. But don’t hold your breath!
Last word for now – I’m not writing what I write for any reason other than wanting to make sure we all go with our eyes wide open and as well-informed as possible into whatever comes next.
thanks for the link midlands-red… Can’t wait to read the interview… I don’t post here very often but I do read all the articles and comments and its nice to see so many people here who truly care about our club… thanks Jim, John, Martin, midlands-red, Julie and others…
I was on cloud 9 after the game and now I am well and truly back to earth 🙂 All this has dragged on for so long and has been truly emotionally draining.. but I know we will get through this together…
At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark
I know one thing neither RP,GG or TH can be trusted throughout the year all three have told mistruths trying to pull the wool over all our eyes! It will be interesting to see what DM has to say tomorrow. I only hope that TB ask’s the questions that we all want to ask!
Jim thanks for keeping us updated on and off the pitch! Please all remember that and lay off him a bit.
YNWA we must stick together and not be divided in this American soap opera because we all want the best for our beloved club!
thanks Jim. Look forward to hearing your opinion and hopefully it’ll bring some clarity, to your line of thinking at least if not more generally. I’m afraid there are so many problems going on off the field, lies, half-truths, propaganda and misconstrued bits of information that it has become hard to see the wood for the trees so to speak.
anyway, knock back a couple of anadin and get writing tomorrow!
thanks again.
I have no time for supporters of Hicks. He’s a CANCER at our club. I am no fan of Parry’s HOWEVER Hicks has the potential to cause 100 times more damage than Parry ever has. He’s a liar and will tell us whatever it takes to keep himself at the club and make his QUICK BUCK. I’m not fooled by his PR MACHINE nor is the rest of the KOP. Just because chanting and protests have stopped for now doesnt mean its gone away. FAR FROM IT. We’re behind the team and want to focus 100% on the team for now.
And the psychodrame rumbles on … Somehow, the latest developments have not dented the sense of bliss I have been experiencing since Tuesday’s formidable performance vs the Gunners. Parry is right when he says that the club is bigger than the pathetic people squabbling for power. Fernando, Martin, Ryan, Stevie, Javier and all the others will survive the likes of Hicks on Merseyside, and the future is bright with a squad like the one we have provided we add a couple of reinforcements this summer. Loathsome Hicks will be gone by then (though Jim’s belief that he might be in the boardroom for the long term has sometimes shaken my ‘faith’ – only sometimes, only fleetingly!), and glorious nights in Europe will be punctuated by even more glorious afternoons in the Premier League. I agree with Singh that the sweet silver song of LFC’s great history will always prevail over temporary storms. Let us blast Rovers on Sunday, c’mon our Reds!
It’s my gut feeling that Rafa is furious about this.
If you think about Rafa being furious about this, I reckon that a far clearer picture emerges about how things are really happening inside the club.
It seems everyone is furious about this. I hope this fiasco doesn’t drive Rafa and key players away.
Like everyone-else I await Jim’s article on this with interest.
I’ve read been through most UK newspapers – not just for LFC stories I should add! – and various podcasts and I can’t find a single story that suggests Hicks performance this week was at all in the best interests of the Club, Manager or Fans.
If there is ‘balance’ to be brought to this Boardroom nightmare – as referred to by Jim, Texas_Dawg and ModusOperandi – I’m struggling to see that it should involve a fairer analysis of Hicks position than most people contributing to this site have so far expressed.
But bring it on Jim, let’s see what you’ve got to say on developments.
In amongst the bullsh*t, the debts and the ownership issues, there’s another picture that maybe worth considering. Perhaps, coupled with the endless bullsh*t, its this other picture that has some people unsure where to put their support. Consider this.
If Gillett somehow manages to get full control:
CEO: Rick Parry
Manager: Klinsmann? Who knows, but probably not Rafa.
If Hicks gets control:
CEO: Ian Ayre
Manager: Rafa
If DIC gets control:
CEO: Amanda Staveley
Manager: Mourinho? Would they stick with Rafa? Some rumours I’ve heard suggest not.
So while I still stick to my guns and say both Hicks and Gillett need to go, I am also a big supporter of Rafa. Perhaps some people see Hicks as the only potential owner who will continue to back Rafa. And that’s a fair point.
Jim, If you can’t disclose conversations you’ve had, perhaps you can answer this simple question: Will Rafa still be in charge next season, and will he get as much backing in the transfer market in the summer as I know for a fact (can’t disclose how) DIC would give him ? It beggars belief on this point alone that you could be aligning with a man who is struggling to buy out his partner’s share, let alone matching Dubai’s resources or their CEO’s knowledge of the game and support for Liverpool.
A more pressing question is: Will Rafa want to be in charge next season ?
Unless this mess is sorted out soon I think he will be off. He must be fed up to the teeth watching the club tear itself apart.
Here’s the link for the David Moores interview.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2008/04/11/david-moores-speaks-out-over-liverpool-crisis-100252-20753925/
A counter argument to the “Gillett is yesterday’s man” point of view:
The Press Association
Gillett holds key to peace at Anfield
17 hours ago
George Gillett has emerged as the man to bring the civil war at Liverpool to an end as the boardroom battle lines were clearly drawn at Anfield.
Gillett has thrown his weight behind Rick Parry, placing himself in direct opposition to estranged co-owner Tom Hicks, who on Thursday wrote to the chief executive demanding his resignation.
Gillett has further underlined his support for Parry, saying in an interview with the Liverpool Echo: “Rick Parry retains our full support.”
He continued: “Any decision to remove him would need the approval of the full Liverpool board which, it should be remembered, consists of six people – myself, Foster (Gillett’s son), David Moores, Rick himself, Tom Hicks and Tom junior.
“We have not seen the document in question and we were not party to it. We are not able to comment on the detail because we have not seen it. But I would reiterate that Rick retains our full support.”
Parry’s response to Hicks’ three-page letter could not have been more emphatic, the club’s senior administrator describing the Dallas-based businessman’s request as “offensive”.
The spotlight has fallen on Gillett to broker a deal to end one of the most embarrassing sagas in the club’s history.
With Dubai International Capital still waiting patiently in the wings, Hicks is running out of financial options. But Gillett, with his own agreement to sell to DIC, is in a position of power. Sources expect him to begin talks with Hicks to allow the Texan to make his exit with dignity and his honour in tact.
Manager Rafael Benitez called off Friday’s pre-match media conference ahead of Sunday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Blackburn, choosing to speak only to the club’s own television channel.
“I say to the players and myself, we need to be focused on football,” he said. “We have an important game against Blackburn so we want to be concentrated on the game.”
I agree Gillett is the key to what happens next. I think he is a reasonable man who realises he has made a mistake and wants to rectify the situation in the best interests of the club, while at the same time obviously safeguarding his own interests.
There is an undertone in David Moores’ comments suggesting that there is a degree of rapacity and deceit involved that here has appalled him and he has been around business-wise!
He raises the old saw of the “Liverpool Way” again but surely he isn’t saying that it would have been better if all this had been kept behind closed doors? It would have been better if a more thorough due diligence had been done on Gillett’s new partner and indeed Gillett, before handing over the club to them.
I’m appalled at the admission that they knew nothing about Hicks and seemed to have taken Gillett’s word that he was a fit and proper “custodian” of our club. As Doug Ellis said it only took him a phone call and a quick google before showing Gillett the door.
John,
I agree at the failure of Moores to `google’ hicks and gillett is most shocking particularly if he has been around `business-wise’.
I am determined to remain positive and can only view the fall out at boardroom as a good thing insofar as it will speed up the timescales within which stability must be achieved.
The team are coping with the mess off field, to relative degree, they have done so all season and to this end, it is much better (although not forgivable) for the battle for control to take place now rather than in the summer.
I hope my instincts are wrong but I really doubt Rafa will stay beyond this season unless the boardroom get their act together. He will go before he is fired.
Anyway, good luck to the team tomorrow against the Rovers.
Finally, my thoughts are with the families of the Hillsborough disaster victims. YNWA
In the pursuit of balance read this
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/we-thought-they-might-fire-us-it-has-been-a-nightmare-ndash-a-dreadful-year-808222.html
Then consider that in a Liverpool Echo poll 4 out 5 fans polled considered Hicks wrong to write to Parry in that way.
Just read Moores’ interview in the Echo. He thought Gillett was bubbly and enthusiastic and trusted him about Hicks. He trusted these “fellas”. As others have said, he (and Parry), it seems, didn’t check them out. Beggars belief.
And now he whinges in the paper saying he feels shell shocked and let down. David, how do you think we feel????
The Parry article in the Independent is fascinating because what underlies it – I think – is a scenario which hitherto had never been on the agenda. It is no longer inconceivable that Hicks, not Gillett, might be cornered into selling his share in the club. Contrary to what Jim and the Texas dawg/mole have been suggesting all along, it is now near-certain that GG will not sell his half to the obnoxious Texan (this is a point which Julie has made several times). Since Thicks will clearly not work with DIC, it might only be a matter of time until he pisses off to where he truly belongs (Bush country) and leaves the club to DIC, with possibly GG as a minority shareholder. I liked, incidentally, what was said in Football Focus today about LFC being completely unique in English football (which we all know of course, but this makes nice hearing on the beeb) as a club that completely identifies with its fans and its city (compare with the jab in the same programme at Chelski support – I liked that too).
the silence of texas_dawg and modusoperandi suggests they’ve gone back inyo their bunker to think about what to say in the light of moores interview!
and still no sound from jim………………..
one of thought it would take a while midlands for him to get together a reply, expect one about 630! hopefully…
I will be waiting for one of them to give us a rationale for their mentor’s total disregard for the sensibilities of all lovers of this club by plunging us into further controversy in a week when the emphasis should have been on 96 fallen comrades. It could have waited – it should have waited. No excuses about not realising the significance will wash, they have pros to advise them!
Someone said:
“I agree Gillett is the key to what happens next. I think he is a reasonable man who realises he has made a mistake and wants to rectify the situation in the best interests of the club, while at the same time obviously safeguarding his own interests.”
I don’t know if he’s the key but I certainly don’t think he’s a reasonable man, any more than Hicks is. And I definitely don’t think he wants to rectify the situation in the best interests of the club, just in the best interests of George Gillett.
Don’t get sucked in by the spin. Hicks and Gillett are as bad as each other.
If texas_dawg were your average contributor rather than being given a brief to respond on this site, Martin, then yes you’re right.
But you’ll see that he’s contributed at around this time previously.
The point he and Jim will have to deal with is the underlying accusation from Moores of ‘Deceit’. That’s a serious allegation which does untold reputational damage if they wish to invest elsewhere or get more funds from banks.
Was anyone else a bit disappointed with the David Moores interview? Maybe it’s just my hunger for someone to step out of the mire and present himself as the embodiment of integrity (oh, how wishful is that?), but apart from telling us how embarrassed he is, it was a fair (and unfortunately unrealised) expectation to have him thoroughly apologize for selling to G&H in the first place (really, who sells their family business without thoroughly checking into the backgrounds of both prospective owners?). In some ways, the interview raised more questions than it answered, most particularly why Moores was in such a rush to sell to G&H (and so didn’t take the time to research them) when he knew he had DIC waiting in the wings? And, by extension, is it only G&H’s current dysfunctional stewardship of the club that has made him change his mind about DIC?
There are too many independent reports in various media about the lack of success Hicks has had in securing funding to buy out Gillett (and whatever his other numerous faults, I believe Gillett is telling the truth when he says he wouldn’t sell his share to him anyway). Gillett won’t have the money to go it alone, especially if he gets the go-ahead to bring an MLS franchise to Montreal which will cost tens of millions. So that leaves DIC and renewed interest from the Norwegian consortium, plus hopefully ShareLiverpool will be in a position to play a roll as well. This provides hope for change very soon…but also renewed anger at Hicks’s stunt with Parry this week. Whether or not you choose to take on board Jim’s warnings about media manipulations on Parry’s part, the fact is the letter was written and made public when anyone could see it would serve no purpose but to turn off the party lights after Tuesday’s night great victory.
Hop: that’s a really thought-provoking question – the speculation as to who our manager will be next season under the various ownership possibilities. Can I bury my head in the sand and assume it will be Rafa, regardless of the outcome? Guess not…
Hop, you mention the issue of what the management structure might be like under either Gillett or DIC and fear they might not want Rafa as coach. Firstly I don’t believe there is any chance at all of Gillett winding up as sole owner (no matter what he might say) so this is really a red herring. Contrary to Jim’s constant anti-Gillett rhetoric I think there are very few fans who trust Gillett much more than Hicks or want Gillett around after Hicks’s departure. I’m sure most fans are well aware that Gillett has no desire, let alone ability, to buy out Hicks. No one should be fooled by this. It is just a tactic (and a rather silly one in my opinion) to help get rid of Hicks. However the reason why 99% of sensible fans see Hicks (and not Gillett) as the main problem is because getting rid of Hicks means automatically getting rid of both Americans and all the many problems they entail. However it is very clear that the converse does not apply. If Hicks gets sole control of the Club he will (as someone rightly said) take it over the financial cliff and we will (in effect) have a similar situation to the Bush administration in Iraq. The reality is that although Gillett is still an important factor in the outcome the true ownership contest here is between Hicks and DIC.
This brings me to the second point. There is no tenable basis at all to conclude either that DIC don’t like Rafa or that Hicks is right behind Rafa. Hicks’s camp aren’t completely stupid. They know how popular Rafa is and how quickly fans can be distracted from other issues by their emotional attachment to a very popular coach. Sending a few emails praising Rafa costs nothing but is very politically convenient for Hicks at a critical time. Make no mistake, politicial convenience is the reason for Hicks’s recent public U-turn on the subject of Rafa (and make no mistake it definitely is a complete U-turn despite Hicks’s dishonest attempts to pretend otherwise).
Given their completely different long term objectives and personalities (not to mention the immense financial restrictions Hicks’s ownerhsip would place on Rafa) there is no way Rafa and Hicks could ever co-exist together in the longer term. One wants to win trophies for the fans and enjoy sustained success on the field. The other, in total contrast, simply wants to make as much money for himself as possible. Sustained success on the field requires significant ongoing investment over a long period. Hicks does not have the resources for this and, by his own admission, does not consider success on the field important or necessary so long as fans continue to demonstrate “brand loyalty” which (he believes and has stated) does not require sustained on field success.
Compare this to DIC’s record of investing heavily (with their own money) to achieve success in every field they enter. Look at DIC’s record in horse racing for example and then compare this to the long term performance of Hicks’s American sports teams. There is no comparison.
DIC’s admiration for Rafa’s abilities is genuine. It is not based on temporary political convenience but rather on knowing that, if given decent resources, Rafa has the ability to take us back to where we rightfully belong. This is no doubt the criteria Rafa would want to be judged on.
Anfielder, great post and like you I believe Rafa is enough of a political animal to know that he is unfinished business as far as Hicks is concerned. Hicks seemed to be on the high ground until recently and Rafa made the right noises. Hicks is on the wane in power terms so now Rafa holds his counsel. Rafa is running interference on these two for the benefit and protection of the playing side. So far he has done a great job as results recently testify. Whatever DIC’s original intentions, and this applies to any norwegian or other interest, the weight of support from the fans for Rafa gilded by results like the other night, render him untouchable for the immediate future.
Anfielder I was trying to make that point earlier with respect to Rafa & Hicks! (around 2:46 a.m.).
Thanks for expressing it perfectly!
“Given their completely different long term objectives and personalities (not to mention the immense financial restrictions Hicks’s ownerhsip would place on Rafa) there is no way Rafa and Hicks could ever co-exist together in the longer term. One wants to win trophies for the fans and enjoy sustained success on the field. The other, in total contrast, simply wants to make as much money for himself as possible”
Rafas a practical guy ! He knew that he needed to sign Skrtel and learned from the mistakes of Mourinho failing to sign defensive cover last Christmas by pissing off the owner.
I’ve posted elsewhere on my reasoning behind my posts that don’t follow the views of the majority. It’s an attempt at doing so anyway.
John – I think you’ve probably overstepped a mark here:
John Steele // Apr 12, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I will be waiting for one of them to give us a rationale for their mentor’s total disregard for the sensibilities of all lovers of this club by plunging us into further controversy in a week when the emphasis should have been on 96 fallen comrades. It could have waited – it should have waited. No excuses about not realising the significance will wash, they have pros to advise them!
I think that you probably wrote that in anger. I hope so.
This letter appeared on Thursday, and although it’s less than a week before the 15th, it’s over the top to suggest that the timing was insensitive on that basis.
Bringing the 96 into this argument in this way is a disgrace I think. That’s my view, I’m prepared to be attacked for it, but it really is stretching the point.
We’re now on the nearest Saturday to Hillsborough, and the person to speak out today was David Moores. He’s been quiet throughout, and this letter, no matter how much it is exaggerated, was hardly any more significant than other points in this story such as the meeting in Dubai, the public admission by GG that his partnership was “untenable” and so on. They’re all points in what will hopefully be the last saga of this nature in our club’s history, and Moores could have responded to any of them as much as this one. Is anyone suggesting that Moores is ingnorant of the upcoming anniversary? Or that he thought stuff it, my views need to be heard more than we need to think about Hillsborough?
I’ll be more than annoyed if any of those involved in this choose Tuesday as a day to break some news, or worse still, to score points over each other with some underhand tactic or other. I don’t think any of them will, not deliberately anyway, but we’ll see.
But I think linking the two events (the letter and the 15th) in this way is almost as low.
As I say, I’m hoping you posted it in anger.
Just one quick thing I would like to say on who our next manager might be under a change of ownership.
Gillett (unlikely): Not Rafa. Definitely.
Hicks: Rafa. Definitely.
DIC: Unwilling to commit to keeping Rafa, but not ruling out him staying either. Keeping their options open for now.
With Hicks there’s more to it than a few emails keeping in touch. I was surprised when i first heard this, from someone who had been speaking to Rafa. There’s a genuine respect of sorts there between the two.
DIC generally just say they’ll carry out a thorough review of the club when asked about Rafa.
An interesting point to consider is what happens to Parry when this is all over. Hicks clearly won’t keep him on, and Gillett is unlikely to take over anyway, but what about DIC? If they take over, will they keep him on in some capacity? Personally I can’t see both Parry and Rafa surviving at the club at the same time.
(Just to add to the “genuine respect of sorts” thing there, the person who told me was stunned by this. Of course we can still argue that Rafa’s just remembered which side his bread’s buttered on.)
Thanks Jim, for that info relating to Rafa and Hicks
I find it completely bizarre though!
There’s something missing in the “Gillett Not Rafa” statement
because Gillett is now so tightly linked to Parry.
Inevitably it focuses the spotlight firmly on the Rafa-Parry relationship which considering they’re both professionals I
thought that would have been sorted out long ago.
Look at the big picture.
Gillett wants out but, in my opinion will not dump the club in cart in doing so. He will not sell to Hicks whom he rightly loathes.
Hicks wants to own the club (why ?) but has nowhere near the finances to do so and has made so many enemies that even he must be beginning to realise its not feasible.
DIC are waiting patiently in the wings, they must really want the club if they’re still interested after the events of the last year.
But the big question is does Rafa want to stay ? Its difficult enough managing a large club without all this crap going on above him. He must considering his options and who can blame him leaving especially if he gets a good offer from Barcelona or Real Madrid.
And then want happens ? If stability, financial and otherwise, is not restored to Liverpool, what kind of manager would be interesting in coming here ??
THE ONLY THINGS TO BE SEEN COMING FROM THE BOARDROOM OF LFC IS GREED AND PRIDE.
THERE IS ABSOLUTLEY NO THOUGHT OF THE STAFF, PLAYERS, FANS, SUCESS OR FAILURE ON THE PITCH, JUST GREED,GREED AND MORE GREED.
THE LETTER FROM HICKS MAY WELL HAVE SOME RELEVANT POINTS IN IT BUT, ITS REAL OBJECT IS POLITICS TO FURTHER DESTABLISE THE CLUB, IF PARRY IS REPLACED WITH A PRO HICKS MAN, THATS 3 VOTES ON EACH SIDE, INSTEAD OF 2 FOR HICKS AND 4 FOR GILLETT.
LETS NOT LOOSE SIGHT OF THE REAL ISSUE HERE IT IS MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
PLEASE RAFA STICK WITH LFC, IF YOU LOOSE PARRY NOW YOU GIVE THE ADVANTAGE TO HICKS, DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE FURTHER USED BY THESE AMERICAN CON MEN.
IF THE BOARDROOM VOTES STAY AS THEY ARE THEN WITH TIME, HOPEFULLY HICKS WILL BE FORCED OUT BY REASON OF HIS LACK OF CASH.
THESE MEN WERE NEVER RICH ENOUGH TO BE IN CONTROL OF LFC THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES. LIKE IT OR LUMP IT LFC WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITH DIC IF ONLY BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES.