Hicks backs Benitez
and has no plans to sell
LONDON, Jan 27 (Reuters) -
Liverpool joint-owner Tom Hicks put his full support behind manager
Rafael Benitez on Sunday, saying he expected the Spaniard to remain
in charge for the remaining two years of his contract and maybe
beyond.
Hicks and fellow American
George Gillett had a falling out with Benitez last year after the
manager criticised them over their financing of transfers but both
sides have since said they are now on good terms.
'We have a great manager who
has our support,' Hicks told BBC Radio 5-Live on Sunday.
'We had a lot of
consternation about Rafa. After our meeting of Dec. 16, where he
really showed his real strong intent to do the right thing with us
and by the club, he's been a gentleman ever since.
'We've had much better
communication and he's got my total backing. We funded transfer
requests in January, we are talking about more in the summer. We've
never turned down Rafa's request for money for any player he's
asked for.
'He's got a contract for two
more years and hopefully longer than that.'
Hicks and Gillett completed
a re-financing deal on Friday that should allow them to go ahead
with the building of a new stadium and said they did not expect any
investment from Dubai International Capital (DIC), after the group
declined the chance to become a minority owner.
Asked if he planned to sell
the club to the DIC, Hicks said: 'Absolutely not. That was never a
serious possibility and certainly isn't today. I can't think of a
price that I would think of having any interest in selling at
all.
'I did talk to them once
about a 10-15 percent participation. We gave them a valuation we
would accept a minority investor at but they thought the valuation
was too high.
'There is no question in my
mind that I will still be an owner of Liverpool Football Club in
five years.'
Liverpool
are planning to
build a new stadium on parkland adjacent to their current Anfield
home, though the plans have changed and been delayed several
times.
'I'm really excited about
the future of the club, it will be the finest stadium in the world
and everyone in Liverpool
should be very
proud of it,' Hicks said.
Hicks also owns NHL team
Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers baseball club and said he had a
'real passion' for all three clubs.
'I want to win the support
of our fans with my actions and get out of the tabloids,' he
said.
'I think it's a great
long-term way to invest my money with what I believe is going to
happen with global TV and internet growth of teams.
'I love baseball, I love
hockey and I love English football.' I'm a big fan. I watch every
game on TV and wish I could come over to every game but it's a long
way, though I hope to come to more.'
Of Liverpool's current situation, where
they trail leaders Manchester United by 14 points and struggled to
get past minor league Havant and Waterlooville in the FA Cup on
Saturday,' Hicks said:
'We could do better, the
players know that, Rafa knows that. It's all about how we play and
it's time for this club to win.
'But we are
on our way, we are going to build the greatest stadium, we have a
great manager, we have great fans. It's time to put the press
frenzy behind us and move down the road.'
