dear god... hicks : we lined up klinsmann

[Johnny]

Weren't they going to sack him if he didn't qualify for the CL? He was right throwing the Reading game then!

We should have breezed the CL group.

[DannyMan2006]

Simply outrageous. We're slowly becoming a classless laughing stock.

It's blatantly clear that Hicks is using the press to undermine the manager even further.
Sure, clubs often have back-up plans in place should a manager leave/be pushed, but when have you ever heard a chairman discuss it IN THE PRESS when the present manager is still in the job? It beggars belief.

This is the kind of car-crash that happens at clubs like Spurs, Villa and Newcastle. It's a hugely embarrassing circus now. No doubt the media find this completely

Agreed. Personally I would like to know when they lined Klinsmann up, was it in after the bust up in the press? Or was it before then?

Anyhow, Rafa has come out often enough in the press to show where his loyalties lie so now I guess it's up to the Yanks.

[Guest]

Can Hicks have won here?

If he'd lied and denied it all, you wouldn't believe it.
If he'd said nothing, you'd complain that the club hasn't said anything.
Now he's admitted that they had a contingency plan, he's still getting it in the neck.

Can we await the full article before making too many rash comments....

It's a PR disaster, a complete joke !

I just can't see myself believing what Hicks is saying. It's just not rational Disco. The arrow has been pointing to Rafa's dismissal since the beginning of it all. We sure don't know why, but it's certainly not for footballing reasons.

[Bob]

5 Live are now running this as their lead sports sotry....oh dear...

I hoped, perhaps naively, that this would all go away rather quickly. **** this is embarrassing. Shameful even.

Hicks should get ****ing dogs abuse the next time he sets foot anywhere near our club. CUNT!

[Dhav]

Can Hicks have won here?

If he'd lied and denied it all, you wouldn't believe it.
If he'd said nothing, you'd complain that the club hasn't said anything.
Now he's admitted that they had a contingency plan, he's still getting it in the neck.

Can we await the full article before making too many rash comments....

Regardless if the full article puts Hicks in a better light, coming out and saying that Rafa's job was being discussed with other candidates is not on, irrespective of the circumstances.

I've seen enough of the yanks to know that they're betraying the ethos of the club- they've turned us into a circus.

[Johnny]

Can Hicks have won here?

If he'd lied and denied it all, you wouldn't believe it.
If he'd said nothing, you'd complain that the club hasn't said anything.
Now he's admitted that they had a contingency plan, he's still getting it in the neck.

Can we await the full article before making too many rash comments....

It`s much more fun watching the lemmings head for the cliff.

[Scratch]

He must know, that even if the fans are beginning to question/doubt Rafa, that we'd rally round him in these kind of circumstances?

Damn shrewd move then, releasing a statement at a time when some fans were starting to question Rafa and his tacics. Now the public support will be at its highest again for Rafa and for the team, and hopefully that euphoria will reflect upon the results to come.

[Guest]

It`s much more fun watching the lemmings head for the cliff.

Be civil.

[Sarb]

Tom Hicks: We lined up Jurgen KlinsmannJan 14 2008




EXCLUSIVE by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo


TOM Hicks and George Gillett held a secret meeting with Jurgen Klinsmann to line him up as the next manager of Liverpool FC.

Hicks today insisted the talks would not have resulted in the immediate dismissal of Rafael Benitez and that Klinsmann was only "an insurance policy."

He told the ECHO: "We attempted to negotiate an option, as an insurance policy, to have him become manager if Rafa left for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the UK press.

"Or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason."

The ECHO can also reveal:

* Had Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League the club’s owners would have tried to replace Benitez.


* A deal was almost agreed for Dubai International Capital to buy a minority share in the club in the autumn, only for talks to collapse over the valuation of the club.


* Hicks is hopeful for a financial restructure and that plans for the new stadium will be released by the end of this week.


For the full story, see today's Liverpool Echo.

Worst part of this article. These two are a ****ing joke. I remember when there were people on here who used to slate Parry and Moores for being so ****ing clueless. Then people would fire back talking about how much Moores loved the club

To be brutally honest, Parry is a useless **** who saved his own job but sold the club to the wrong people. Moores refused to deal with Morgan and the rest and in a panic after the DIC farce sold out to these two ******s.

LFC has turned into a right joke over the past couple of months. The club has imploded and the season ruined. We were still in touch in the league until all this uncertainty and refusal to back the manager.

Before people start slating me or agreeing with what I say I feel the club is bad top to bottom. What's the point in giving Rafa £300m to spend on top quality when he believes in rotating in form players and putting in **** like Voronin too.

The last couple of months have turned into a nightmare. The stadium issue has been rumbling on for 10 years. Can't believe Parry was given a £500k bonus. Useless ****er

[Skillz]

I do respect the fact Hicks has settled this. I said yesterday it had to be put to bed. The fact they have, in person does in fact deserve some credence.

Terribly sad though that they needed to.

[disco]

Regardless if the full article puts Hicks in a better light, coming out and saying that Rafa's job was being discussed with other candidates is not on, irrespective of the circumstances.

I've seen enough of the yanks to know that they're betraying the ethos of the club- they've turned us into a circus.

I can't help but feeling that the full article will explain it.

I can't help also feeling that there's more to it, do you really think Rafa hasn't explored his own options despite his 'I love the club' statements?

[captainfog]

H&G out

sack parry

[Elvis]

It`s much more fun watching the lemmings head for the cliff.

Are you religious? Ignoring the evidence is what religious people are renowned for......

[Imy]

H&G out

sack parry

Now send one of those snazzy emails a la like you've done at work to get this sorted.

[dww]

Can Hicks have won here?

If he'd lied and denied it all, you wouldn't believe it.
If he'd said nothing, you'd complain that the club hasn't said anything.
Now he's admitted that they had a contingency plan, he's still getting it in the neck.

Can we await the full article before making too many rash comments....

I'm sure he couldn't have. However he has come up with the worst possibly solution.

Admitting he was looking for an alternative further undermines Rafa's position and hence our chances of success this season. If as he would seem to want us to believe he was behind Rafa but covering his back he should have looked at giving him more money for players or a new contract in order to keep him first.

Revealing a back-up plan was terrible PR at the moment we need it least.

Regardless if the full article puts Hicks in a better light, coming out and saying that Rafa's job was being discussed with other candidates is not on, irrespective of the circumstances.

I've seen enough of the yanks to know that they're betraying the ethos of the club- they've turned us into a circus.

I'm not sure that they have gone as far as you suggest but I am increasingly disliking their public pronouncements. They really need to learn a great deal about the traditions of the club and the British press if they are to move the club forward in the ways and in the style we all desire.