Oliver Kay: the final word

Two down, one (or is it two?) to go. First, Thaksin Shinawatra faced up to facts and sold up at Manchester City. Then Mike Ashley announced last night that he is looking to sell Newcastle United. All it needs now is for that pair of cowboys at Liverpool to be chased out of town and the Barclays Premier League will have the early-season hat-trick it wanted.

Thaksin’s departure, or at least his reduction to the status of minority shareholder, will not be mourned and nor will Ashley’s. The best thing either of them did for their clubs was to face up to their respective circumstances – a corruption case in Thailand here, a credit crunch there – admit that they lacked the resources to deliver their promises and, after minimal soul-searching, agree to sell. And, yes, they will expect to make decent profits for doing very little, but that, sadly, is what businessmen do.

All of which brings us to Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr at Liverpool. It has become clear, just as at City and Newcastle, that these owners cannot and will not deliver their promises or live up to their hype. The men who talked the talk on arrival at Anfield have been overcome by paralysis since being asked to walk the walk. To a proud club built on stability and family values, their crass squabbling, which means that they are estranged from each other, has brought nothing but embarrassment.

Gillett let it be known on Saturday that he is baffled by the perception that he and Hicks have failed to deliver on their promises, so let us go back to February 2007, when they persuaded David Moores, the chairman at the time, that they were the ideal custodians – and how he regrets that now. Those pledges in full?

To build, “as soon as reasonably practicable”, a new stadium (construction has been put back indefinitely); to support Rafael BenÍtez in the transfer market (continually questioning his judgment, vetoing the signing of Gareth Barry); and to support the existing management structure and provide stability (where do you want to start, George?).

Hicks and Gillett know that their time is up and, whatever their denials, are looking for a way out. They have, through intermediaries, informed Sheikh Mohammed, the billionaire ruler of Dubai, that they are willing to sell at a certain price and are merely waiting for him to pay it. Until then, the club will continue to limp on without leadership, without direction, without a proper business plan and without any hope of the new stadium that is so fundamental to their long-term financial growth.

Nice work, guys. Close the door behind you when you leave, won’t you?

Comments

[DR]

Greg P

I understand the point about Parry, and if you are right about his motivation then that makes him and even bigger disgrace.

Liverpool have been lulled into the thinking perpetuated by the likes of Alan Hansen that to win the title, you need to spend tens of millions. It is not true.

To win the title, you have to win about 27 of your 38 games, so you need to beat at least half the division home and away and stand your corner in the games against the teams you are competing against.

The caution of Benitez and his reluctance to create a framework that allows individuals to become matchwinners is far more relevant than any amount of money to spend.

This thinking led Liverpool to go after an unrealistic stadium plan which gave Hicks and Gillett the chance to acquire the club. Hicks has been involved in losing franchises in American sport and Gillett is a previous bankrupt. They should never have been allowed within 100 miles of Anfield.

As for Bill Dykoff's point, maybe he'd care to look at Arsenal who did complete their stadium on time and within budget.

Liverpool should scrap the stadium idea, concentrate their resources into an academy, network and coaching structure that will allow them to develop and sustain excellence without being at the mercy of the transfer market and the insanity perpetuated by Chelsea and the Manchester clubs.

Thers's nothing wrong with Anfield, it is an emotional passionate arena that has served a great club well.

[Seán]

I agree that Parry and Moores have to bear most of the responsibility for the mess at Liverpool Football Club. It seems to me that both sold for the wrong reasons to DIC. Parry seems to have wanted to keep his 'job' as CEO. Moores, it seems, wanted to maximise his profit. G & H are not up to raising what LFC need. I'd have Moores and Parry fired by the new owners if they are still messing up

[G Milton]

Great article. Keep them coming, as Im online every day looking for good news!

From what I have seen and read about him, Sheikh Mohammed is a class act who is purely motivated by sporting excellence (as his Racing CV shows). DIC would have had to make a profit, and while they would be far better custodians than G&H, Sheikh Mohammed is the ultimate best result for the club.

I for one would trust him to restore the LFC name, and cant see him riding in to town in the same crass manner as the new Man City owners have. I work in overseas property, and it would have to be Dubai over Abu Dhabi any day!!!

I just hope POGO_POOL is right, and H&G dont scare him off with a ridiculous price tag and he chooses to go elsewhere. Then they really will have killed an institution!

[Nishanth]

c.mon.....If dic takes over....we will get d bst players in d world-
robben
villa
quaresma
sergio ramos
sneijder
who r all in Benitez's wishlist......believe me.....this is what he submitted to Parry and thw owners last year!

[bill dykoff]

prehaps the americans realized what they got themselves into. building in a country which is incapable of completing a project on time and on budget. if wembley is any indication, anfield will stand at least another hundred years.

[Greg P]

DR,

You're quite to blame Moores for choosing the Yankee dollar in the first place, but Rick Parry deserves to be held even more accountable. From what I can tell, he backed the option that would benefit him (remaining as C.E. ) rather than the club.

The reason the fans were behind the G&H when they first arrived was based on what they had 'promised' - the new stadium and funds for players, specifically. Once the truth about them began to be revealed the fans have turned against them, and quite rightly.

Keep the pressure up, Oliver. Your good work is greatly appreciated by us Kopites.

[DR]

What is happening at Liverpool and Newcastle is simply proof of how gullible some football fans are.

I have no sympathy for Liverpool. The greed of Moores made him sell to these 2 cowboys. He should have copied Doug Ellis who refused to sell Villa to Gillett as he was going to put the club in debt and took less money personally to hand it on to Lerner who is one of the few responsible owners in the PL.

I also have no sympathy for their fans. These are the same fans who were cheering the 2 American fans loudly against Barca as their shining knights and are prepared to do no more than go on a couple of marches.

Here's a better idea. How about those Liverpool fans mobilise a nationwide or indeed worldwide solution where they raise the money themselves, buy their club back and invite from that membership applications for a 2 year Presidency.

As long as they go to Anfield, spend their money and do nothing but grumble a few songs they'll achieve nothing. When they find the cojones to leave Anfield empty when Everton or Chelsea are in town, the owners will appreciate they mean business and not before.

[Anthony Wood]

Good article. Agree with the views. It seems that too many monied people buy clubs without knowing what they are doing - except trying to ride fame and make money. In G&H's case at LFC the unfortunate truth is they are trying to make money and will hold out to get a good price with no thought or care for the club. In the mean time their inadequacies at all levels ruin a succesfull institution and hurt football in general.

[Ben]

Keep the pressure up Oli, good work lad.

[Saranya]

Will believe it when i see it. If the Sheikh is serious about buying the club why hasn't he bid for it?

Hick and Gillett know they don't have the cash to take the club forward so i just can't for the life of me understand why they are keeping hold of the club.

[Pogo_Pool]

I'm sure you know Oliver, but just wanted to say how appreciated your pieces on the situation at Anfield are by Liverpool fans.

I am crossing my fingers that you're right and maybe that the Sheikh just bites the bullet and pays to get Hicks and Gillett out. Although it sickens me that they would come away from this debacle with a profit, it would be worth it, for the sake of the club's future, just to get them out.

There's no danger of Sheikh Mo being tempted to give up on Liverpool and turn his attentions elsewhere, like the North East, is there?

[max]

Please please let that be true!