dailystar.co.uk
LIVERPOOL co-owner George Gillett has re-opened his war with Rafa Benitez.
And he’s blasted the Reds’ boss, who has still not signed a new contract, for the Anfield club’s recent slump.
The American multi-millionaire, who tried last season to recruit Jurgen Klinsmann as a replacement for the Spaniard, launched a bitter attack when talking to the Liverpool supporters’ action group, Spirit of Shankly.
Gillett and fellow owner Tom Hicks, who are barely on speaking terms, were on Merseyside last weekend for the 2-0 win over Chelsea – but sat at opposite ends of the directors’ box.
Yet Gillett agreed to talk to the fans’ organisation after they gatecrashed the Crowne Plaza Hotel where he was staying.
And he didn’t hesitate to pin the blame for the recent slump on Benitez’s controversial outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Reds have seen a seven-point cushion over Premier League champs Manchester United turn into a two-point deficit before last night’s trip to Portsmouth, with Fergie’s wonders winning all five games since Rafa’s rant.
Liverpool, who were held to three draws in a row by Stoke, Everton and Wigan, have also crashed out of the FA Cup at Goodison Park.
It was a disastrous January and start to February in which they won only two matches out of seven – an FA Cup tie at Preston and last Sunday’s win over Chelsea.
Spirit of Shankly’s Paul Rice said: ‘‘I went to walk away and Gillett came after me, saying, ‘A few weeks ago, we were in first position, then a certain individual from the club attacked another individual from another club, and, since then, we have lost form and slid down the league’.
‘‘I was stunned, and asked if he was blaming Benitez as a result, and in saying that, was he not backing the manager?
‘‘Rather than confirm or deny as I expected, he replied, ‘That's your implication’, before I walked away and back outside to the real world.’’
dailyexpress.co.uk
Rafa Benitez has to win the Premier League title to save his job after co-owner George Gillett criticised the Liverpool manager.
Gillett let it be known on a rare visit to Merseyside last weekend that he blamed Benitez for Liverpool’s indifferent form.
He told Anfield insiders during his flying visit that he had been dismayed at Benitez’s recent attack on Sir Alex Ferguson – insisting that it had destabilised the club and given Manchester United greater incentive to retain their title. Gillett, who refuses to bow to Benitez’s demands for complete control over transfer policy before agreeing to a new four-year contract, also believes that the Liverpool boss likes to be constantly linked with other big jobs.
It’s one of the reasons, according to Gillett, why last season the club had talks with Jurgen Klinsmann. It was done, he says as a contingency measure in the growing fear that Benitez was going to move on.
Benitez ended up knocking back overtures from Real Madrid – the club closest to his heart – who Liverpool meet later this month in the Champions League.
There is talk once more of Benitez’s name being on a Bernabeu shortlist if former Spurs manager Juande Ramos doesn’t have his contract extended beyond the summer.
In a meeting last week with fans’ action group Spirit of Shankly, Gillett again appeared to pin the blame for the recent slump on the manager.
Spirit of Shankly’s Paul Rice said: “He said ‘A few weeks ago, we were in first position, then a certain individual from the club attacked another individual from another club, and, since then, we have lost form and slid down the league.’
“I was stunned, and asked if he was blaming Benitez as a result, and in saying that, was he not backing the manager? Rather than confirm or deny it, he replied ‘that’s your implication’, before I walked away and back outside to the real world.”
Gillett’s warring co-owner Tom Hicks is a Benitez supporter although it’s understood that he has also privately questioned some of his manager’s recent actions.
It was telling that he left Merseyside last week after his own visit to the club without finalising Benitez’s new contract.
And with the expectation having been at fever pitch amongst the red half of Merseyside about Liverpool collecting their first league title since 1990 there is now concern amongst some fans that Liverpool are imploding and that the manager who The Kop have idolised is losing the plot.
Against a potentially hostile background with Gillett’s anger growing with every Premier League point dropped it appears that only the first Liverpool title in 19 years could prevent Benitez being dumped five years after his arrival from Valencia.
