Liverpool FC Forum

by **metalhead** » Wed May 14, 2008 12:35 am

This is some bad news nanny

I really hope everything will be resolved soon

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 1:43 am

Benitez left in limbo after Gillett's oversight extends Liverpool turmoil

Independent.co.uk Web
By Ian Herbert
Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Emphasising his dismay at a season without silverware, Steven Gerrard yesterday passed up the opportunity to say he sees himself finishing his career at Anfield. However, the Liverpool captain will be saddened to learn that his manager's hopes of a speedy resolution to the club's boardroom strife appear to have been dashed.

Aware he will have to sell before buying new players this summer, Rafael Benitez expressed his wish last week for a quick end to the struggle for ownership which is limiting the funds at his disposal. But Dubai International Capital (DIC), the Arab consortium seeking a buy-out at Anfield, is now resigned to the fact that Tom Hicks may still be at the helm, come August.

There had been hopes that the expiry of pre-emption rights this month would allow Hicks' co-owner George Gillett to sell his shares to DIC. But an administrative oversight on Gillett's part appears to have prevented that, so DIC is now dependent on Hicks – or his bankers – reaching the conclusion that he has no option but to sell to them.

There is a belief in the DIC camp that Hicks' bankers might ultimately force his hand, though when that might happen is unclear. DIC may have to wait until October, the date Hicks has promised that construction work will begin on Liverpool's new 60,000-seat stadium and which is the acid test of his ability to deliver what he has promised for the club.

Hicks is close to borrowed time where his side's players are concerned. Another season without a trophy threatens an exodus and Liverpool's former defender Mark Lawrenson fears the loss of Gerrard if there is no sense of the club advancing any time soon.

"He [Gerrard] says he wants to stay and can't see himself leaving but would anyone blame him if he felt he was better off out of it?" Lawrenson said yesterday. "That might not seem too much of a problem just now. But if Jose Mourinho takes over at Inter Milan and tells the chairman to get Gerrard for him at all costs, it might just become one."

Gerrard, who needs no reminding that Manchester United now stand only one title away from Liverpool's record of 18, considers it imperative that the club invest seriously this summer. "Other teams are going to strengthen, so it's important we do the same," he said yesterday. "There is a lot of money in the League. To keep doing well in the League and Europe we need to strengthen the squad." Gerrard appeared less than bullish about his side's chances of mounting a title challenge next season. "Obviously I have to be careful that I don't send expectations through the roof again, but I am desperate for [a title]. We need new players, and the manager needs help from the board to make these signings happen. I do expect us to be involved next season."

On reports that a player who was so nearly tempted to join Chelsea in 2005, might see out his career at Anfield, he said: "I'm happy. I am enjoying my football. Obviously I am not happy ending the season without a trophy."

Stadium investment will need to begin any time now, with the hiring of surveyors and contractors and if construction work does not get under way in the autumn Hicks will find himself under huge pressure from Liverpool fans.

He remains upbeat about his prospects and has promised that work on the new stadium in Stanley Park will will start in September, with construction to begin in October and the stadium due to be open for matches in 2011. But Hicks' confidence flies in the face of the credit crunch, which has left Tottenham to consider modifying plans to redevelop White Hart Lane.
------------------------------------------------

I bet it was Coco Parry that forgot to send Hicks a copy of the offer!!!

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 1:57 am

I read the official site earlier, and the Steven Gerrard interview one thing caught my attention.

What has been your personal highlight this season?

I don't really look back on individual things. Obviously I'm happy with all my goals – to get 21 is a good achievement for myself but I'm more interested in where we finish in the league and how we do in the cups.

He could have looked at torres breaking the debut record in the premiership as a newcomer. He could have looked at putting the record straight when it came to Liverpool beating Inter, the last time they beat us they had to cheat but no it was down to what he achieved !? Clever question.

My point being, I take in my own opinion of what gerrard said but somehow the press, regardless take what each individual have said about the season, a game, a sending off and somehow turn into "GILLETT AND HICKS SAY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN !"

Give me strength....

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:07 am

Kharhaz wrote:I read the official site earlier, and the Steven Gerrard interview one thing caught my attention.

What has been your personal highlight this season?

I don't really look back on individual things. Obviously I'm happy with all my goals – to get 21 is a good achievement for myself but I'm more interested in where we finish in the league and how we do in the cups.

He could have looked at torres breaking the debut record in the premiership as a newcomer. He could have looked at putting the record straight when it came to Liverpool beating Inter, the last time they beat us they had to cheat but no it was down to what he achieved !? Clever question.

My point being, I take in my own opinion of what gerrard said but somehow the press, regardless take what each individual have said about the season, a game, a sending off and somehow turn into "GILLETT AND HICKS SAY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN !"

Give me strength....

I'm sorry mate but I haven't a clue what you are on about.

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:11 am

Sorry saint, wasnt the clearest. Generally they have taken what Gerrard has said on the lfc.tv site and taken quotes from his answers and incorporated them into quotes that others has said to create yet another pile of media dross which idiots will believe because it has quotes in it ! you know these little symbols ( " ) therefore grabbing there attention.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:22 am

Kharhaz wrote:Sorry saint, wasnt the clearest. Generally they have taken what Gerrard has said on the lfc.tv site and taken quotes from his answers and incorporated them into quotes that others has said to create yet another pile of media dross which idiots will believe because it has quotes in it ! you know these little symbols ( " ) therefore grabbing there attention.

They have just included what Lawrenson said mate

MARK LAWRENSON: Sort Anfield mess or risk star loss
May 13 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

Liverpool FC club badge (160)

EVERYONE knows the line by now.

Liverpool need to sort out their mess as quickly as possible for the good of the club, etc.

We’ve all been banging on about this for ages but now it’s the end of the season, there’s no excuses.

Benitez needs money to spend but doesn’t know who to ask for it.

The club needs its owners to get together to resolve their differences but they won’t speak to each other.

Hicks says its business as usual, Gillett says no, it’s not because we’re going to buy you out.

It’s a shambles. A laughing stock.

The biggest fear for me though is losing Steven Gerrard.

He says he wants to stay and can’t see himself leaving but would anyone blame him at the moment if he felt he was better off out of it?

That might not seem too much of a problem just now.

But if Jose Mourinho takes over at Inter Milan and tells the chairman to get Gerrard for him at all costs, it might just become one.

DAAILY POST

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:27 am

Benitez needs money to spend but doesn’t know who to ask for it

Surely just the one(s) who put up the money for mascha !

We dont like what is happening behind the scenes buts lets be real, the money has been there and despite the bitterness between and towards the yanks you cannot say the team has suffered. We have spent money on players regardless.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:44 am

Kharhaz wrote:
Benitez needs money to spend but doesn’t know who to ask for it

Surely just the one(s) who put up the money for mascha !

We dont like what is happening behind the scenes buts lets be real, the money has been there and despite the bitterness between and towards the yanks you cannot say the team has suffered. We have spent money on players regardless.

I have never said the team has suffered. My point has always been that they are gambling with the FUTURE of our club. We are now in a situation that if we have a couple of bad seasons and don't qualify for the knockout stages of the CL we may not only have no money for transfers, but have to start selling players to pay the interest on the loans.

David Moores supposedly sold the club to ensure that its future would be assured, not gambled with.

For a number of years under Moores the budget was "built on success". ie we budgeted to qualify for the CL in order to fund transfers. Under the two clowns this is no longer enough, now we have to not only qualify for the CL, BUT we have to reach the knockout stages.

We have all seen what happened to Leeds when they budgeted in a similar way after reaching the semi's of the CL. They failed to qualify the following two years and went into melt down, even though they finished 4th and got a uefa cup place it wasn't enough.

I don't believe that the off field problems have helped us this season, but neither do I believe they have cost us points, unless it was that it took the focus off our league form and placed the emphasis on our CL qualification (Reading game).

My whole problem with the two clowns is they have lied, lied, lied and put the club into more debt than is reasonable.

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 2:48 am

No I was quoting what you put up saint. Wasnt aimed at you.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:05 am

Take a look at Leeds transfers out and then relate them to what could happen to us.

Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Lee Bowyer, Robbie Fowler, Jonathan Woodgate,Harry Kewell,Oliver Dacourt, Nigel Martin, Paul Robinson, Alan Smith, Michael Bridges,Jason Wilcox, James Milner, Dominic Matteo,Nick Barmby,Mark Viduka, Aaron Lennon, Seth Johnson.

Thers a fair bit of talent there mate. Yet even selling all those players still didn't stop Leeds going into administration!

O'Leary's Leeds never finished outside of the top five, but following their appearance in the UEFA Champions League 2001 semi-final against Valencia their fortunes began to change. Under chairman Peter Ridsdale, Leeds had taken out large loans against the prospect of the share of the TV rights and sponsorship revenues that come with UEFA Champions League qualification and any subsequent progress in the competition. However, Leeds narrowly failed to qualify for the Champions League, and as a consequence did not receive enough income to repay the loans. The first indication that the club was in financial trouble was the sale of Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United for approximately £30m. Ridsdale and O'Leary publicly fell out over the sale, and O'Leary was sacked and replaced by former England manager Terry Venables. Leeds performed badly under Venables, and other players were sold to repay the loans, including Jonathan Woodgate whom Ridsdale had promised Venables would not be sold. Tensions mounted between the pair, eventually resulting in the sacking of Venables, who was replaced by Peter Reid. By this time Leeds were in danger of relegation, but Reid saved Leeds from the drop in the penultimate game of the season. During this time Ridsdale had resigned from the Leeds board, and was replaced by economics expert Professor John McKenzie. An unsuccessful start to the 2003-04 season saw Peter Reid dismissed, and head coach Eddie Gray took over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

Gerald Krasner, an insolvency specialist, led a consortium of local businessmen which took over Leeds and under his chairmanship oversaw the sale of the clubs' assets, including senior and emerging youth players of any value. Caretaker manager Gray was largely blameless for the performance of the team during the 2003-04 season as the majority of the squad was sold out from underneath him and despite his best efforts, Leeds were relegated after 14 years in the top flight. Following relegation, Gray's reign as caretaker manager was terminated, and Kevin Blackwell was appointed manager. Most of the remaining players were sold or released on free transfers to further reduce the wage bill. Leeds were eventually forced to sell both their training ground, for £4.2m, and their Elland Road stadium in the autumn of 2004.

The board finally sold the club to Ken Bates for £10m.

by **Reg** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:13 am

And they were leftwith a team of YTS kids.

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:14 am

s@int wrote:Take a look at Leeds transfers out and then relate them to what could happen to us.

Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Keane, Lee Bowyer, Robbie Fowler, Jonathan Woodgate,Harry Kewell,Oliver Dacourt, Nigel Martin, Paul Robinson, Alan Smith, Michael Bridges,Jason Wilcox, James Milner, Dominic Matteo,Nick Barmby,Mark Viduka, Aaron Lennon, Seth Johnson.

Thers a fair bit of talent there mate.

But therein lies the fault of one person. Peter Ridsdale. He trusted O Leary. He demanded cash to build a good team, and make no mistake he did, but he failed to deliver. The chairman should have had a cap on what he spent. The chairman should have, at one point said no, he didnt, and it is leeds who are now suffering. Many references to leeds but in no way at all are the yanks at our club on a par with the foolish decisions o leary and risdale made. We may not like what we have at the minute but at least we are signing players that are quality and not putting our club in ruin, not even the yanks would be that stupid.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:34 am

We owe over double what Leeds owed at their worst moment. We have still to build our new stadium (more debt) we borrowed the whole amount for the purchase of Torres and Babel (something Leeds NEVER did)

We have never made a profit of over £10 million in a season yet are expected to pay approx £30million in interest payments ?

Not even the yanks would be so stupid ?

At least our owners have never been so stupid as to go bankrupt...............................oh wait a minute.........

by **Kharhaz** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:57 am

s@int wrote:We owe over double what Leeds owed at their worst moment. We have still to build our new stadium (more debt) we borrowed the whole amount for the purchase of Torres and Babel (something Leeds NEVER did)

We have never made a profit of over £10 million in a season yet are expected to pay approx £30million in interest payments ?

Not even the yanks would be so stupid ?

At least our owners have never been so stupid as to go bankrupt...............................oh wait a minute.........

Thats just it, they are not bankrupt. They have other businesses. The one thing that sticks in my mind is, why invest in LFC to make a loss, it just does not make sense. What hicks said a while back with regards to making money also goes with Gillett. The only difference is Hicks, the most hated of the pair said what is a fact, we do indeed need more revenue. Advertising whatever, we need to generate more income for this club, a club our size shouldnt be hard to do, one of the most famous clubs in the world and yet we are losing out world wide. Not all of us like the yanks in control but they are not as daft most think they are, they know how to make money.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed May 14, 2008 4:15 am

There are none so blind as those that WILL NOT SEE.

Gillett went bankrupt. He even had to buy his own clothes and his dogs back. Hardly a reccommendation of financial acumen.

They also know how to gamble without any risk to themselves too! Maybe you don't mind them gambling with our club, I and most other supporters do.

No one is arguing that commercially we are well behind, but what the fk has that got to do with the fact that we are now £350million in debt with the chance of being £650million in debt before too long?

They haven't invested in Liverpool to make a loss - they havent invested AT ALL. They arn't gambling with their money they are gambling with Liverpool football club.

As our new financial whizz kid why not explain to the rest of us where and how we are going to get this £650million + interest from ? Or to make things easier just explain where we are going to get the money to pay the interest from? He has already tried every bank and loan company going, now he is trying the hedge funds, who next Carol Vorderman

Consolidate all his loans into one easy to pay loan?

They may know how to make money, but that doesn't mean the companies they buy prosper, it just means they know how to asset strip.

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