Rafa to sue Hicks.....

[kurtangle01]

One thing's for sure. Rafa deserves better!!!

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

That's what I'm thinking. On what grounds could he sue? Surely it's an employers right to find out if there are good enough candidates for certain positions or something like that.

Not that I agree with what Hicks did, especially as he made it so public, but in a case like this the law would see him as being within his rights?

Exactly.

It would be a case based purely on supposition.

And do you honestly see Rafa doing something like this?

The press in this country really are gob****es. We're in the wrong ****in game, they get paid to make **** up, and non-realistic ****e at that. Christ on a bike this one's so bad it's laughable.

[AFII]

That's what I'm thinking. On what grounds could he sue? Surely it's an employers right to find out if there are good enough candidates for certain positions or something like that.

Not that I agree with what Hicks did, especially as he made it so public, but in a case like this the law would see him as being within his rights?

Not if he lied to Rafa when he said that he was safe December 16th. Rafa probably turned down Bayern that day. Bayern contacted Klinsmann December 17th , a coincidence? Not a chance.

[cobain]

This will get blown out of proportion biiiiiiiiiiig time!

[Venton]

Not if he lied to Rafa when he said that he was safe December 16th. Rafa probably turned down Bayern that day. Bayern contacted Klinsmann December 17th , a coincidence? Not a chance.

I don't think so. His contract will have all sorts of clauses in it about the circumstances of his leaving and they will all allow for hefty compensation of Rafa. Don't mistake these kind of contracts as being the same for people like you and me who might get a few grand down the tribunal if they've edged us out.

[kopdan]

welcome Jose

[kurtangle01]

Not if he lied to Rafa when he said that he was safe December 16th. Rafa probably turned down Bayern that day. Bayern contacted Klinsmann December 17th , a coincidence? Not a chance.

That's not FACT though, is it? The FACT is that we don't know all the FACTS and I suppose that Rafa doesn't either.

The only people in posession of all the FACTS are Hicks, Gillett and probably Rick Parry. They would all be singing from the same hymn sheet if Rafa sued and would no doubt back up each others version of events.

[kurtangle01]

welcome Jose

:shudders:

[redblood]

That's what I'm thinking. On what grounds could he sue? Surely it's an employers right to find out if there are good enough candidates for certain positions or something like that.

Not that I agree with what Hicks did, especially as he made it so public, but in a case like this the law would see him as being within his rights?

No it would be seen as constructive/unfair dismissal.

[tomasjj]

welcome Jose

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

welcome Jose

Typical.

[Venton]

Well, as long as our owners keep giving the press stories to write...This isn't the last we've heard of this. It's going to rumble on for a long, long, time.

Agreed . The big fat yap of Hicks is going to give them a feeding frenzy of headlines for weeks. These people only need an inch.

[rage]

what's important here is not whether or not legal action would be successful, its whether rafa is really considering it.

[AFII]

That's not FACT though, is it? The FACT is that we don't know all the FACTS and I suppose that Rafa doesn't either.

The only people in posession of all the FACTS are Hicks, Gillett and probably Rick Parry. They would all be singing from the same hymn sheet if Rafa sued and would no doubt back up each others version of events.

The only FACTS is that Rafa had a meeting with G, H and P the 16th and that Bayern contacted Klinsmann the day after, the 17th. The other part is my weird speculation.

[kurtangle01]

Liverpool manager is furious over talks with Klinsmann

By David Bond

LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez is understood to be considering whether to launch a legal action against the club’s co-owner Tom Hicks after he made the startling admission that he tried to line up Jurgen Klinsmann to replace him.

Although Hicks claims the move for the former Germany manager was an “insurance policy” in case Benitez walked out on Anfield, the Spaniard is now weighing up whether he can sue the Dallas billionaire for constructive dismissal.

He is said to be furious at what he sees as another attempt to undermine his position, which comes just one month after Hicks and co-chairman George Gillett reassured Benitez that he had their full support. But following Hicks’ comments, in an interview with the Liverpool Echo, the Spaniard’s position now looks untenable.

Hicks said: “We attempted to negotiate an option as an insurance policy to have him [Klinsmann] become manager if Rafael left for Real Madrid or other clubs that were rumoured in the press - or in case our communication spiralled out of control for some reason.

“We never reached agreement on an option with Jurgen, and we are both pleased for him that he has a great opportunity to return to Germany and coach a great club team.”

The confirmation that an approach was made to hire the former Tottenham striker, who has now agreed to take over at Bayern Munich at the end of the season, is all the more damaging for Benitez as it was reports linking Klinsmann with his job which prompted the November stand-off with Hicks and Gillett.

Benitez’s attack on the Americans over a perceived lack of support in the transfer market led to Hicks and Gillett slapping him down, telling him to “quit talking about new players”. Since their meeting in mid December, Hicks claims relations have greatly improved with Benitez. He added: “After George and I had our long and productive meeting with Rafa following the Manchester United match, we put all of our issues behind us and received Rafa’s commitment that he wanted to stay with Liverpool. Rafa has both of our support, and our communication has greatly improved.”

But the Klinsmann revelation would appear to confirm Benitez’s fears that he will be sacked at the end of the season. And if he were to be sacked or successfully claim wrongful dismissal then he would be entitled to around pounds 6?million in compensation for the two years outstanding on his contract. The timing of Hicks’ comments is all the more surprising given the financial uncertainty at the club.

A pounds 350?million deal to refinance the Americans’ borrowings used to buy the club last February is still not concluded. But Hicks yesterday insisted: “It’s probably taken two to three months longer than if the markets had been healthy. It’s going to close by the end of the week.”

IF THE breathtaking admission by Liverpool’s American co-owner Tom Hicks Monday that the club tried to recruit Jurgen Klinsmann as a back-up for Rafa Benitez was designed to bring an end to speculation over the Spaniard’s future then it was a spectacular own goal. Benitez, who has tried to distance himself from reports that he believed he was heading for the sack at the end of the season, can be in no doubt now that he is a dead man walking. But the far bigger question is whether Hicks and his co-owner George Gillett will still be around to pull the trigger. A pounds 350?million refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland and American investment bank Wachovia remains unsigned, despite Hicks insisting yesterday that the deal will be closed by the end of this week.

A City source echoed that upbeat view yesterday, telling The Daily Telegraph that the two banks were confident of doing a deal if not this week then by the end of next.

Having put on hold plans to borrow pounds 300?million to finish the new 70,000-seater stadium at Stanley Park, Hicks and Gillett are trying to borrow pounds 350?million to refinance a one-year loan with RBS which paid for their pounds 220?million takeover last February. They also want another pounds 60?million to provide working capital to get the new stadium at Stanley Park under way and pounds 20?million to refinance loans used to purchase players in the summer.

The club’s net debt is thought to be around pounds 270?million but there is resistance from within Liverpool to the owners’ plans to transfer the liability for that from their own personal assets in the US to the club’s own balance sheet.

Talks with the banks also broke down in December amid concerns over the Americans’ ability to put up around pounds 150?million in cash and personal guarantees to secure the new loans.

With less than six weeks before the original loan with RBS runs out, Hicks and Gillett know their grip on the club is under serious threat.
At a board meeting in

New York last week, the club delayed a decision on a final design for the new stadium and amid all the uncertainty there has been growing speculation that Dubai International Capital, the investment company bankrolled by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, is ready to launch a fresh takeover bid. Hicks and Gillett have already held talks with DIC about selling them a 15 per cent stake in the club last November to help bring pounds 150?million of fresh investment into the club. As first reported in this newspaper on Dec 20, that deal collapsed after DIC pulled out, claiming Hicks’ pounds 1?billion valuation of the club was unrealistic. But talks did reach an advanced stage and, despite dismissing weekend reports that DIC were set to make an offer, a deal cannot be ruled out.

Hicks continues to insist that outside forces are trying to destabilise Liverpool. But by making such naive comments about the approach for Klinsmann, it is clear the Dallas billionaire is unaware of the chaos that is actually being caused by those in charge at Anfield. Judging by the response to Hicks’ latest remarks on the Liverpool fans’ forums yesterday, there can be no doubt who the supporters blame for the latest crisis.

One online poll revealed that Gillett and Hicks now have the backing of just over one per cent of the fans, with 83 per cent calling for DIC to take over as owners.

The support for Benitez to continue as manager was equally overwhelming.
Everything now hinges on whether Hicks and Gillett can deliver on their promise to bring financial stability back to the club. If they succeed then Benitez is on borrowed time. Should they fail then the Spaniard may find he soon has new masters to impress.