The one that pays the piper calls the tune – and if Liverpool owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett want to hear Rafa Benitez whistling ‘Dixie’, well, the Spaniard better put his lips together and blow.
That the business world of football is changing is of no surprise to anybody however the speed of the change often catches traditionalists on the hop. For instance who would’ve predicted five years ago that the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, the cream of English football, would be under American and Russian ownership respectively – but it happened and with it has come a ‘new’ set of rules.
The last ten days at Anfield have seen those ‘new’ rules enforced in a soap opera that would’ve put ‘Brookside’ to shame. When Benitez threw his pacifier out of the stroller over the possibility of being denied cash to finance January transfer targets, I’m sure he was thinking that the American duo would wipe it off and pop it back in his mouth. Instead, Hicks and Gillett decided that ‘tough love’ would be the order of the day. Rafa was put firmly in his place and if all reports are to be believed, the man who masterminded the ‘Miracle in Istanbul’ came dangerously close to losing his job after calling out his paymasters in public. I guess you could say that what we have here is a classic case of a failure to communicate that also includes the Chief Executive, Rick Parry.
With all the bluster its sometimes hard to read between the lines but I believe what Rafa basically wants is Javier Mascherano neatly tied up in a bow and sitting under the Christmas tree plus a couple of other inexpensive baubles. The problem that Hicks and Gillett are having is that they’ve already spent a tidy sum on Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres. The thought of spending another $32 million on the Argentine without a guarantee of Champions League football snapped the wallet shut tighter than a gnats chuff. No decisions will be made until the result of the final winner-take-all Group A match versus, Marseille, is known.
Adding to the confusion are rumors that Hicks and Gillett might not be on the same page when it comes to management and that the fans are unhappy with the way the pair have treated the Spaniard.
On the first count, Tom Hicks stated that he and Gillett are still tight and that gossip that he was about to sell up are false. “I am not selling any of my shares to anybody. I’ve not idea why anyone would think that. It was rubbish,” he said while scribbling a SELL order to a minion!
On the second count, the fans certainly spoke during the week marching to Anfield en mass before the FC Porto match and demonstrating their vocal support for Benitez in the way that only Liverpool fans can do. With the players also backing the gaffer, Rafa, can claim to have the hearts and minds of what we’d like to think are the two most important ingredients in any club.
With the owners basically being the absentee type though, there is only ever going to be one factor that stirs their emotions…the bottom line.
Look, as much as the ‘bean counters’ (that’s what hard-nosed businessmen are at the end of the day) profess their love for our sport and clubs, ‘where is the cash’ is the final question. If you really think it’s the welfare of the club that takes precedent, I suggest you jump in the Artic Ocean for a minute or two and wake up.
I’m not sure about Hicks’ devotion to the Reds but Gillett has publicly stated that he fell in love with Liverpool after watching a DVD of that famous night in Turkey when the impossible happened. Did I tell you that the Saints are my favorite NFL team, yeah I had some ‘gumbo’ once at the Farmers market on 3rd & Fairfax. I love the Miami Heat - Rum Runners are delicious. The Yankees are awesome - their hats are cool. What I’m saying is the passion is tenuous – it’s as deep as a paper cut. If a better offer comes along…see yah!
It’s funny because it doesn’t seem that long ago that supporters were lambasting Sir Jack Walker at Blackburn Rovers for changing the rules of the game. At least Jack loved his club. His passion for Rovers was second to none. He never answered to shareholders. Today’s owners are more like the Oakland raiders, Al Davis…’just win baby’
I think what we’re finding out is that the supposed riches these new owners bring come with a price. As ‘Barry the Baptist’ said in ‘Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, ‘when you dance with the devil, you wait for the song to stop.’ My message to Rafa and other clubs under foreign ownership is the following…the music is still going strong, except perhaps there will be a time when it isn’t your favorite tune.
I don't think Rafa is too worried about keeping his job. Liverpool would be in a real bind if they fired him. They'd have to pay him his severance and then pay through the roof to get a Mourinho or regress in the league and CL.
My take is if the only way Rafa has to communicate with the owners is through the media he has to do it. Liverpool desperately need a CB, and if the owners don't know what they are doing in the FREE transfer market then they need to ask for help.
The only thing I have heard from Rafa is that they need to sign Masch and sign some FREE players.
The EPL is about to go through a tough recession as the rest of the western world does also, especially these fake rich Americans, for Liverpool to jeopardize their future w/o a top 5 manager like Rafa, they will be losing money going into the construction of the stadium.
Rafa is irreplaceable. Hicks and Gillette wouldn't fire Rafa without talking to Parry first and Parry knows how important Rafa is to the club and its supporters.
Certainly Liverpool should keep Mascherano, but that decision doesn't have to be made this minute -- especially when the oh-so-lucrative Champions' League knockout stages aren't yet achieved.
I love Rafa, but I don't like the way he's using the press this year. In past years, he seemed to say the right things and let Mourinho make controversy. This year, he complains about scheduling, will not accept any blame for poor performances, and now he insults his employers who have blessed him with the two best additions to any EPL team in the summer -- Torres and Babel.
Even though Jose's comments were often inappropriate, I don't recall him complaining about his squad as much as Rafa. I think Rafa should be thankful to be in charge of the most talented team he's ever coached. And if Liverpool fails at Marseille, he should accept some blame like a true leader. He has plenty of options and plenty of talent to work with now, and Liverpool should contend in both domestic and European competitions.
I think Gillett and Hicks are unaccustomed to hearing coaches complain about the talent level of their teams. Hicks just cleaned house in Dallas, but I never heard public complaints from the Stars' coaches or front office that they didn't have enough money to sign the players they wanted.
The breakdown here is probably a bit cultural. However, I think the American/Canadian attitude of "stop whining and play the game" should be considered good constructive criticism.
Last edited by TheDudeAbides on December 3rd at 3:29 PM.
Nick, go back for some more gumbo - no, make that more rum! Rafa pushes as far as he can get, and usually has good timing. Do you think Rafa was close to losing his job - no way! The absentee owners would then have to spend more time and money for another manager - neither of which they want to part with. Plus, Rafa astutely defused the situation by taking his ego out of it when he said he was doing it for the club.
Gillett/Hicks are experienced owners and probably the best foreign owners/investors you would want.
Of course they will have a different viewpoint at times - all owners do foreign or not. But what this recent ruckus did was reinforce/drive home two points to the owners - both points they freely admitted to at purchase of the club:
1. they are not football experts and will rely on the boys at Anfield to do the thinking.
2. what makes LFC special are the fans and their loyalty (Read: cashflow)to the club.
The other possible benefit from all this (and is Rafa THIS brilliant tactically to pull it off?)is to get more control in purchases to Rafa and Parry. This issue pointed out how absentee owners can hurt the club if they are not in tune with the football calendar. Maybe the owners will realize the hidden "cost" of not letting Rafa and Parry operate. There is no way Parry can go up against them, but Rafa can and indirectly has lobbied for Parry against the owners.
We'll see what happens in Dec. Rafa will not get everything, but he will get alot if he shows he can handle a big roster...and the owners. He surely has mastered the fans and players.
Who will break into the 'B4' and who will avoid the drop. So many questions will be answered over the next nine months because it's back - the greatest show on earth - The Barclays Premier League.
