Liverpool FC Forum

by **Scottbot** » Sat May 29, 2004 5:56 pm

Woth Houllier's release and the speculation surrounding Morgan and the Tai buy-in this has been the most turbulent time on Anfield for many years. The next 2 weeks are perhaps THE MOST IMPORTANT in the club's recent history. Is this really the time for our chief-excec Rick Parry to take a break!?

I know this isn't a decision to be rushed but the waiting is killing me! i'm counting the days till he gets back.

I'm not saying the guy doesn't deserve a break and i guess he's got his laptop an mobile with him but i would be much happier if he was out there actively pursuing candidates to be our next manager. It seems Mourinho is Chelsea bound, O'neil is inexplicably not even in the picture while the whispers around Anfield indicate Benitez is the hot favourite. I don't know what contact has been made with Benitez but i gather the Valencia board are now desperately trying to secure his services for a few more seasons. If Benitez is the number one target we should be going after him now, not pussy footing around and giving Valencia the opportunity to tie him to a new contract.

I am seriously worried we will end up with the board's 3rd or 4th choice manager. Someone like Strachan (stuff of nightmares!) because Parry/Moores weren't decisive/aggressive enough.

So please Rick, get your arrse back here quck smart. If you want Mourinho then go after him. If Benitez is the man then do something about it! the guy will have to buy a house, move his family, meet the team when they finally get back from the Euros and then bang, the season has started again.

Walk on...

by **jonnymac1979** » Sat May 29, 2004 6:03 pm

I think Parry's holiday is a smokescreen.

Let's not kid ourselves people. Chief Executives do not go on holiday for a fortnight when s.h.i.t hits the fan like the way it has this week. Maybe a weekend, not a fortnight.

Parry:

1. either knows who our next boss is because the deal is already tied up months ago and isn't worried.

2. or he is now using the term "holiday" as a decoy because he is chasing our new manager as we speak.

It's time for a bit of optimism people. The evidence is, no matter what we all say on here, when Houllier needed to go, our board thanked him and showed him the exit door. How many of us, myself included, thought he would still be here for another season after finishing fourth? Maybe the board are more shrewd and less spineless than we give them credit for.

Why would Parry go on holiday when this is the most important close season I can remember in years for Liverpool?

by **JBG** » Sat May 29, 2004 6:11 pm

I find Parry's behaviour a bit strange.

Its like as if he's thinking "Christ, I've had to sack my mate Houllier: I'm bloody knackered and need a break" and then disappears off into the sun.

Meanwhile a lot of clubs across Europe have sacked their managers (Madrid, Juventus, Bayern, and Chelsea "de facto" have) and the competition for the best managerial candidates is red hot.

What does Parry do? He goes off on holidays.

This leads me to a number of conclusiosn:

1. A deal has already been done for a new manager and Parry has disappeared for a well earned break. I don't think thats likely. Parry has always been good to Houllier and we have already learned that Mourinho was knocked back when his agent enquired because Houllier was still in a job.

2. Parry THINKS he has a deal for a new manager. He may have some oral agreement with Benetiz, and goes off for a well earned break. Meanwhile Valencia offer Benetiz a new contract and the guy decides to stay in Catalonia.

3. Parry is knackered and decides to say sod it all, I'm going away to chat some rays in the sun.

4. Parry's holiday story is a smokescreen and he's secretly going around Europe trying to broker a deal.

Number three is very disturbing if true, although in fairness Parry has a phone with him and there could be a lot of negotiating going on per mobile. Alex Ferguson signed some players last season over the phone while he was off an holiday (although in hindsight look at what happened with some of those signings!).

Its a very frustrating situation and ideally Parry would sort out the new manager and then go on holiday. I just hope he hasn't put himself first at a crucial stage in the club's history.

by **Scottbot** » Sat May 29, 2004 6:16 pm

I hope your both right and that the deal is either in the bag already or Parry is wandering around with a wig an fake mustache securing our fututre manager.

The silence is absolutely killing me!

by **woof woof !** » Sat May 29, 2004 9:03 pm

Whatever his reasons he couldn't have picked a worse time to leave Anfield unattended. I think it says more about his disregard for the fans than any plan he may (or may not) have.

Personally I feel he's running away from questions by the press and us.
When he gets back he figures we'll all be distracted by euro 2004 and he can go about things out of the spotlight.

by **greenred** » Sat May 29, 2004 9:37 pm

There is not a cat in hell`s chance that Parry has a cast in stone deal with Benitez.The Spaniard is under contract to Valencia and couldnt sign anything that ties him to Liverpool at this stage.It is entirely possible that he has a verbal agreement with Liverpool,but its also entirely possible(likely) that he is using Liverpools interest as a bargaining tool in his negotiations with Valencia.Anyone remember Eriksson doing the same thing to Blackburn a few years ago?

by **Bring Dalglish back** » Sun May 30, 2004 11:17 am

Rick Parry treats a football league season like an acadamic school year because thats how long a campaign lasts (begin August/September time and break up in May).

For Parry, it's his school summer holidays now - time for him to play out with his mates. Little does his know that, in reality, he has a big important business to run. I think the word is what a 'plonker'.

by **BOODIDDY** » Sun May 30, 2004 8:49 pm

He must have some sort of verbal agreement with Benitez. However, if he hasn't and we end up losing him to a new valencia contract or inter etc, then maybe we'll have to take the boards third or fourth choice but the fans' majority favorite, Mr O'neill! This break could be a blessing in disguise as far as im concerned

by **Scottbot** » Sun May 30, 2004 9:30 pm

I see where your coming from Ant, i would also love O'neil in the hot seat but it seems apparent that several of the board members do not want O'neil. Lets say Benitez and who ever else says no, would O'neil come to the club knowing he was never 1st or even 2nd choice? I don't think so. It's a shame.

by **azriahmad** » Mon May 31, 2004 7:54 am

Parry is on holiday in Barbados, Liverpool does not have a manager yet. This article in the Guardian is worrying me:-

Owen to be consulted over coach
David Plummer
Monday May 31, 2004, The Guardian

Alan Curbishley has not had a "secret meeting" with Liverpool, Rafael Benítez is not on the way to Anfield and Kenny Dalglish can carry on honing his golf game. Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry claims he has not yet approached anyone to replace Gérard Houllier.
While the press has been parading a queue of candidates for the manager's job - and while Valencia have offered Benítez a new contract and Chelsea have closed in on Jose Mourinho - Parry has been holidaying in the Caribbean. "We can't rush into making the wrong appointment," he told BBC Radio 5 from Barbados.

"We did not want any of the muddying of the waters or the indignity of clandestine talks taking place while Gérard was still around, so we start now. One of the advantages of spending a few days away is that I get a clear head and perhaps a bit of time away from the phone to think it through."

Reports that he had offered Benítez a four-year contract were false, he claimed. Asked if anyone had been "sounded out" for the job, he maintained: "Not at all. It's one step at a time and the process starts now."

He dismissed reports that he had approached Curbishley after Charlton's 1-0 win at Liverpool on April 12. "That is probably the most bizarre story of the week and there have been some pretty bizarre ones," Parry said. "I don't think I saw Alan Curbishley at all that day, apart from looking down at him on the touchline with some dismay."

The Liverpool chief executive is confident he can find a new manager within a month. "We don't have a lot of time on our side but I think within that sort of timescale we will be a few steps along the way," he said.

His first step on his return will be to talk to leading players such as Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard. "I think there will be some dialogue with senior players," he said, "not so much in terms of do you like this individual or that individual, but in terms of what they see being the qualities."

According to Parry, he has not secured anybody yet, but still he prefers to go on holiday...

by **JBG** » Mon May 31, 2004 12:08 pm

Parry says he is in Barbados for a long standing commitment to take part in a "Masters" game of footie...

He also gave an interview with the Sunday Times yesterday.

He said the next managerial signing for Liverpool will be a big one that will make the fans crazy with excitment. He said there will be no "safe" or "mediocre" managerial appointments, that it will be a big name.

The Sunday Times hinted that it will be Benetiz and Benetiz has already been informally contacted by the club. The paper said that the Liverpool board were astonished by Benetiz' knowledge of the club, and he even apparently asked questions about some of the youth team and reserve team players.

The paper also said that the club approached Alan Curbishley but were not impressed with his ideas for the club.

I normally don't trust the tabloids but the Times usually are more right than wrong: last week they said Houllier would be sacked last Monday and they were right.

Parry also said, realistically but disturbingly, that if Steven Gerrard wanted to join Man UTD there would be little the board could do to stop him if Gerrard reallywanted the move.

by **simic_ie** » Mon May 31, 2004 1:52 pm

To be hosest with you I'd be surprised and a wee bit digusted to ind out that Parry left on holidays with the whole thing up in the air. I can't say for definite but I remember Parry saying the day GH was sacked that the seach starts today.... I would hope and imagine that there has been some contact between LFC and a suitable candidate at this stage

by **greenred** » Mon May 31, 2004 1:52 pm

Parry also said yesterday to the BBC that he hasnt contacted anyone in connection with the Liverpool job.Benitez hasnt been spoken to or Mourinho.He said he laughed when he heard Liverpool had met with Curbishley.I get the feeling we are all barking up the wrong tree.The new man may be someone none of us expects.

by **JBG** » Mon May 31, 2004 3:35 pm

You could be right, GreenRed, chances are it could be a complete surprise.

However, often there is no smoke without fire and the speculation about Benetiz has to come from somewhere, especially given some of the more respectable newspapers are putting their reputations on the line for it and the bookies have pretty muched stopped taking odds.

Obviously all of those people could be wrong, but someone somewhere must have leaked something from the club about Benetiz for all this hysteria.

by **Dalglish** » Mon May 31, 2004 10:37 pm

Tell you what lads ? Go and TRY and put a BET on Benitiz becoming the Next Manager of Liverpool in the bookies around Liverpool

Bottom line is you won't get odds and miost bookies are refusimng Bets so what does that tell you ? Newspapers sell their copies on the back of rumours but bookies make their money on you and me getting it wrong !!!!!!

The fact they are refusing to take bets speaks for itself ....

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