Clearing the air at Liverpool

Rafael Benitez wants answers and he wants them now. The Liverpool manager hopes to talk with the club's owners and board after hearing that Rick Parry was at the infamous meeting with Jurgen Klinsman last year, along with Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. The Spaniard would love to get them all in the same room, but is probably too nice to want to see them squirming in their seats. AOTG is making you the chairman of this meeting. What agenda would you put in place?

Would you give Benitez the floor so he can let rip at the Americans and Parry? Or should the besieged chief executive have first say - after all, the owners seem to be doing their level best to destabilise the club during a critical period? Maybe Hicks is playing the most sensible game in the long term by placing his cards on the table. We said maybe. How would you stop this meeting from coming to blows. Over to you and the best of luck.

Comments

[Wale Shoyinka]

The problem is that the American does not know how to manage a football club. They are too arrogant to learn. All we need from them is to keep the club’s discussions in the board room. They should make their intentions known or else get the hell out of the club. This side shows does not help the club.

[G Martin, Dorset]

Rafa doesn't need to contribute himself to the meeting, he can just be present. In this format the owners need to demonstrate to him that they work together for the club. As Ricky Parry should. All the board need to resolve difficulties with immediate effect. The main items on the agenda would be:

1. Allow Hicks to explain his decision in releasing information to the press all season long which has been damaging for the club, putting additional pressure on the manager and the players. As an owner of the club and the tradition he inherited with it, why has he felt this was an acceptable why to behave?

2. How he will work in the future to not allow it to happen again.

3.A pledge by Hicks that he has the best interests of the club at heart, as at present on-one believes he does.

The supporters have made it clear they don't like Hicks and they don't want to read about this sort of stuff about Liverpool in the papers, they want it sorted out in-house, likes it always been.

The Premiere league is very very hard to win these days and more so as more money is pumped into the top clubs, Liverpool Football Club doesn't need the handicap of having a loud-mouth owner who is picking fights with the other board members publicly. You never used to see it at Liverpool and the fans won't stand for it. If you want to build a strong club, the whole club has to be united - players, and owners. Everyone moving in the same direction, its the only way. But then when your investing tens of millions of pounds in players and the prize money at stake for getting into the champions league, why would you do it in any other way? Lucky for Liverpool they have a top manager and they are in that position again this year, but Liverpool fans want more. And being the best fans (obviously!!), they deserve it.

Sort it out Hicks, and everyone at the top start working together, NOW!!!

[Felix Wong]

To G&H - what have you both done to make the the fans believe in anything you say or promise? We are still no nearer to a new stadium and we also have debts placed on the club which they had originally said they would not do when they took over.

[JohnNelson]

Raffa some advice to you friend,yes you have done wonders for our club,but you still have alot to learn and given the right time and investment imsure you will get it right but as fans we want the premership to win this raffa you have to play your top players in every premership game at a high tempo,you also need to get a proper number 2 in at the club so that he can assist you in the day to day mangement of the club.Raffa please dont take sides in this dispute betwen the carpetbeggars,neither of them have the clubs interest at heart if you have any influence with Hicks advise him to sell up now

[Jeremy]

I support the fellow who would have one question to Rafa: Whether he wants to stay on at liverpool! If yes, then the rest (Parry, Gillet and Hicks) have to promise to support the manager. They might be the owners but they make their money from the fans who support the team. Its plain and simple, Rafa has done wonders in a few years, what else do they want from a manager???

[peter riley]

When Raffa came to Liverpool FC he was quick to throw away what was left of France, even the young FRENCH kids

Was he right to do so?

Now Raffa is in the same position, given the new owners can get rid of Raffa, or what was left of the Moores legacy, at any time.

Except for the following

Today is not the day given it is a day that will be etched on the faces of many a Liverpudlian till the day they die.

Still they Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart And you'll never walk alone.

[andrew]

In Rafa we trust. He can not be allowed to leave!!

Parry out once the americansare gone!!

[rouman]

SORRY rafa, we all made great mistakes. we have lost your trust,and the fans surport. please forgive us you can have 70 mil t0 spend. and parry and hicks have offerd there resignation. and here is a 5 year contract.total control over transfers, is now yours. oh and here,s a watch cartier. for the wife...

[camagedon]

EAmon, I disagree with you, its not their club I believe as it has been said they are only the custodians of the club.I believe that the club is more the banks club as they seem to have the most money invested.

[Bhajan Mann]

On behalf of the board we wish to appologise to Rafa for the false promises we have given since you joined us. Yes we accept that there were shortcoming on our part in negotiating new players, some time we were slow to act and at times short of money which is why we had to bring in new investor so you could be equipped with the cash required to mount a serious challenge for the league title. The new stadium is paramount for our future revenue and we do admit that we had not maximise our commercial revenue potential from our vast fan base in the far-east. The truth we screwed up big time and we sincerely apologise to you and the fans and we will resolve our crisis one way or the other. We know you love Liverpool through and through. We will pass the minute of this meeting to the press.

[Eamon]

To the guy who has been a supporter since 66.
Its not your club. Its thier club. They can do what they want to their club and their manager.
Try keep up

[You'll never weep alone]

A plague on both their houses.

[Greg Moulsdale]

As the chair of this meeting my only rule is this--whatever is said in this room STAYS in this room. Anyone who violates this rule will be locked in a windowless cell with Andy Gray for one year. Rafa, you are allowed this one question--'Do you want me to continue as Liverpool manager?' Anything less than a 100% 'Yes' vote and you walk, immediately. Otherwise, go back to Melwood and George, Tom and Rick promise not to bother you until after the CL victory parade. The rest of you stay here until you fix your mess, you get 10 minutes every two hours for refreshments and the loo...

YNWA And All That

Greg M

[James]

The main agenda for the club has always been how to create and maintain long term success. Benitez has consistently put forwards his plans and demonstrated great improvements in the team and squad during his tenure. The focus should thus be on how the owners/Parry intend to bring about the same aim of long term success by running the club off the pitch. If there is no answer (as there probably wont be) then an agreement must be reached whereby the club can enter a position that is viable for building success.

[Ber]

Guillem, I find it hard to believe that Rafa didn't know that Parry was at that meeting, it was public knowledge that Parry was in the States a few months ago and once the Klinsmann story broke, it wouldn't take a genius to put two and two together.

But even so, does it really matter that much to Rafa? With everything else that's going on, it just seems trivial to me. Is Rafa playing games? I wonder.

[Colin Blues]

Agenda for meeting

1. Apologies for Absence, Parry, Hicks, Gillet.
2. Items for next meeting, New Manager, New Chief Executive, New Owners
3. End of meeting

[V Aryan]

Here's your shortlist for possible new managers

1. R. Benitez
2. Rafael Benitez
3. Senor Rafa Benitez

[roy ronning]

i have been a proud liverpool supporter since 1966,i am disgusted by the way those yanks have treated my club and its manager.benitez is a great manager and a great man.if he is lost to the club,i fear that liverpool will take many years to recover.every thing americans touch,well you only have to see the state of world at moment to get my drift.

[Tony]

the club administration is fragile. If I were Parry, I would speak - directly or indirectly - to the owners and get them to agree to speak on their behalf. Tough but feasible.
Then he should be the club's spokesperson with Rafa.
If Liverpool wants to keep Rafa, then clear the air and give him a vote of confidence.

Parry needs to hear Rafa's rantings - which will be plenty - and deal with them...It is his job after all.

[Amar Purohit]

1. Questions from Rafa for Hicks, Gillette and Parry.
2. Parry’s excuses for the last 10 years followed by resignation
3. Strategy for advertising for new CEO
4. Hicks and Gillette kiss and make up
5. Shortlist possible new managers ‘just in case’
6. Any other squabbling.