“I've not received any offer to purchase the club (Liverpool) from #### or anyone else, much less accepted any such offer. Nor do I have any intention of doing so.”

The above quote was Liverpool FC co-owner, Tom Hicks, shooting down rumors that he intends to sell his share in the club. The club he so proudly purchased less than 12 months ago. Despite Hicks’ denial of the impending sale, this whole tawdry affair has got me hot!

Even though I’m not a supporter of the Reds, I am a proud, committed supporter of English football and I have a quote for Mr. Hicks and his like “take your money, take your profits and take your greed and never ever look at another football club on these shores again. Your behavior and attitude for one of my countries proudest, most historic institutions has been nothing short of shameful, sir. You have embarrassed, cheapened and degraded something that is special to the hearts of millions. Liverpool FC is not a toy like your Texas Rangers it is for many a way of life. You have opened up a Pandora’s Box that you just may find very difficult to close, sir.”

The outrage on Merseyside has been predictably hysterical in nature with yet another protest is in the works and scheduled for Monday when Aston Villa, ironically owned by another American, Randy Lerner, visit Anfield. Hicks will be well advised to stay Stateside as the faithful will be intent on venting their fury. In fact Hicks will in all likelihood have to take the same precautions as the Glazers of Manchester United do when they visit Old Trafford - he’ll have to be smuggled in and out of the ground making sure not to visit any local restaurants or clubs to sample the local hospitality.

I’m sure some of you are wondering just why the fans are in uproar and seemingly on the verge of meltdown when a few months ago the American was seen as the key to Premiership success. I’ll try and explain with the help of a little analogy.

Imagine that I’ve come into many hundreds of millions (not likely on what FSC pays) and I’m looking to buy something, anything. I decide on a whim the Chicago Cubs, one of America’s most storied institutions however please remember that I know nothing about basketball…nearly got ya – baseball. At the press conference to announce the purchase I make all the right noises about my love for the Cubs and proudly boast how much money I’m going to invest in players, a new stadium and how I’m going to bring back the World Series to Wrigley Field – you’re impressed right?

Of course you’re not, you’re su####ious, you’re angry and you’re highly dubious of my claims because it’s obvious that I’m not a baseball man. Imagine then that my next step is to undermine the coach and General Manager, in this case Lou Pinella and Jim Hendry, when it comes to trading players – chaos is ensured. I’m not finished yet though because Pinella has been talking to the press about this lack of support so I go and speak to Joe Torre about taking your position.

At this point you’re probably, if you’re a Cubs fan, ready to burn effigies. Just who is the English twit messing around with my traditions, my history and the club that I love. Well folks, that’s how Liverpool fans are feeling about now.

Sure, you could say that Liverpool was too quick to say yes to the almighty dollars that they thought would transform the club but you have to put that down to Rick Parry and David Moores, not the fans. The CEO and ex-owner must now be having many uncomfortable sleepless nights and wishing they could turn the clock back. Maybe they’ll be saved by ####, maybe they won’t, but it’ll surely be a lesson to other clubs thinking about American owners…are you watching Arsenal!

At the end of the day I don’t begrudge anyone making money and if Hicks and Gillett do sell up to #### they are rumored to be making a profit of $150 million each. Not bad money if you can get it however I do think it’s a disgrace to make money while messing with hearts and minds.

English people on the whole are a forgiving lot but our stiff upper lip will only quiver for so long and then it’ll be a case of the old Marquis of Queensbury.

Until then, get the beers in.

 

 

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.

Until then, get the beers in.