Came across this article today...
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/426703.html
He somewhat conveniently leaves out certain details, such as G&H lying about placing debt on the club, lying about supporting the manager in the transfer market, ****ing up on the stadium front, and Hicks' shooting his mouth off, and contributing to the media fiasco surrounding the club.
Any comments would be appreciated. Also, as you can see, the author conveniently placed his e-mail and phone number at the end of the article.
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/426703.html
Liverpool fans see Tom Hicks mucking up their way of life
By GIL LeBRETON, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
When he stood before the Liverpool home fans for the first time 12 months ago, Tom Hicks was showered with cheers and appreciation.
Little did Hicks know, it seems, that after that glorious day at Anfield, he was expected to drop from sight, leaving behind as his only visible presence his fat American checkbook.
This is the British way, and the learning curve is enormous.
British soccer isn't sport as much as it is passion, family and religion, all rolled into one.
"There is a big percentage of fans," Hicks acknowledged Tuesday, "for whom the football club is truly their life."
Hicks and partner George Gillett, owner of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, purchased the British Premier League's Liverpool club in February, 2007, for a reported $432.9 million.
As John Thompson wrote in the Liverpool Echo that day, "What walked into Anfield yesterday looked, sounded, smelled and felt like very rich, very warm, very talented and very decent family people who love sport to their core and who see the chance to become -- in George Gillett's words -- custodians, rather than owners, of something unique and special which is a rare privilege for them."
Almost 12 months later, during Monday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, the same fans howled for Hicks' and Gillett's heads, calling them "liars."
Carrying banners -- like the one that read, "If it ain't broke, don't Hicks it" -- and chanting through much of the night, the Liverpool faithful called upon the North American owners to sell, sell, sell.
According to the Liverpool Daily Post, "Such was the animosity towards the Americans at Monday night's game against Villa, it is hard to see -- due to security reasons -- how they can ever appear again in the Anfield directors' box."
As someone close to the situation described it, the Liverpool tabloids have created a feeding frenzy designed for Hicks to take the blame for the club's current disappointing, fifth-place performance.
Liverpool has an old, inadequate stadium, which Hicks and Gillett have pledged to replace. And when original architectural estimates came in $200 million more than expected, and the new owners sought additional financing, the newspapers fed fans' hysteria with stories of broken promises and massive debt.
There hasn't been anything seen in Britain like it since... well, since Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer bought the storied Manchester United club in 2005.
In England, if I'm reading this correctly, Americans -- especially rich Texans -- are expected to pay cash for sports franchises and to purchase new stadiums with their American Express cards. To do anything less, British soccer fans feel, is to compromise the player purchasing power of the local football club.
In the United States, of course, what Hicks is doing is not at all unusual.
Jerry Jones borrowed liberally to purchase the Cowboys. San Francisco Giants owners built a waterfront stadium with private funds, then still had $126 million to spend on Barry Zito.
Owners going into debt and still signing free agents, we realize here in the States, are not mutually exclusive options.
The latest Liverpool headlines had a group of Dubai investors waiting in the wings for Hicks and Gillett to desperately sell.
Hicks has flatly denied it.
In fact, when asked Tuesday how much of the recent tabloid speculation was true, Hicks replied, "None of it."
Hicks admits that he didn't help things, though, when a disagreement last November with Liverpool manager (coach) Rafael "Rafa" Benitez turned into a public spat.
Benitez thought Hicks should be spending more money to buy players. Hicks more or less told Rafa to do a better job of coaching the ones he's got.
Fans sided with Benitez. They were inflamed further when Hicks admitted talking to Germany's Jurgen Klinsmann about the possibility of coaching Liverpool, should Benitez resign -- as he's threatened to do often, it seems, over the past 2 1/2 years.
Hicks called the talks with Klinsmann "an insurance policy." The Liverpool fans have made Rafa a martyr over the incident.
Hicks wouldn't discuss the latest rumors Tuesday, fearing that his words would only be turned around by the British press.
"It will all work itself out on Thursday," he told the Star-Telegram. "There are no problems."
A source close to the Liverpool situation said that it likely means that there will be an announcement Thursday that Hicks has secured financing for the revised new stadium. Hicks had asked both proposed architects to go back to their drafting boards and submit revised designs using more "value-engineering."
The new stadium -- the original plans were dazzling -- will allow an additional 30,000 Liverpool fans to see their beloved team.
The additional revenues would be used to pay off the stadium debt, as well as allow the club to compete with its Premier League rivals.
It isn't broken, in other words, but he is trying to "Hicks" his soccer team.
Somehow, that's been getting unfairly lost in the translation.
Gil LeBreton, 817-390-7760
[email protected]
By GIL LeBRETON, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
When he stood before the Liverpool home fans for the first time 12 months ago, Tom Hicks was showered with cheers and appreciation.
Little did Hicks know, it seems, that after that glorious day at Anfield, he was expected to drop from sight, leaving behind as his only visible presence his fat American checkbook.
This is the British way, and the learning curve is enormous.
British soccer isn't sport as much as it is passion, family and religion, all rolled into one.
"There is a big percentage of fans," Hicks acknowledged Tuesday, "for whom the football club is truly their life."
Hicks and partner George Gillett, owner of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, purchased the British Premier League's Liverpool club in February, 2007, for a reported $432.9 million.
As John Thompson wrote in the Liverpool Echo that day, "What walked into Anfield yesterday looked, sounded, smelled and felt like very rich, very warm, very talented and very decent family people who love sport to their core and who see the chance to become -- in George Gillett's words -- custodians, rather than owners, of something unique and special which is a rare privilege for them."
Almost 12 months later, during Monday's 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, the same fans howled for Hicks' and Gillett's heads, calling them "liars."
Carrying banners -- like the one that read, "If it ain't broke, don't Hicks it" -- and chanting through much of the night, the Liverpool faithful called upon the North American owners to sell, sell, sell.
According to the Liverpool Daily Post, "Such was the animosity towards the Americans at Monday night's game against Villa, it is hard to see -- due to security reasons -- how they can ever appear again in the Anfield directors' box."
As someone close to the situation described it, the Liverpool tabloids have created a feeding frenzy designed for Hicks to take the blame for the club's current disappointing, fifth-place performance.
Liverpool has an old, inadequate stadium, which Hicks and Gillett have pledged to replace. And when original architectural estimates came in $200 million more than expected, and the new owners sought additional financing, the newspapers fed fans' hysteria with stories of broken promises and massive debt.
There hasn't been anything seen in Britain like it since... well, since Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Malcolm Glazer bought the storied Manchester United club in 2005.
In England, if I'm reading this correctly, Americans -- especially rich Texans -- are expected to pay cash for sports franchises and to purchase new stadiums with their American Express cards. To do anything less, British soccer fans feel, is to compromise the player purchasing power of the local football club.
In the United States, of course, what Hicks is doing is not at all unusual.
Jerry Jones borrowed liberally to purchase the Cowboys. San Francisco Giants owners built a waterfront stadium with private funds, then still had $126 million to spend on Barry Zito.
Owners going into debt and still signing free agents, we realize here in the States, are not mutually exclusive options.
The latest Liverpool headlines had a group of Dubai investors waiting in the wings for Hicks and Gillett to desperately sell.
Hicks has flatly denied it.
In fact, when asked Tuesday how much of the recent tabloid speculation was true, Hicks replied, "None of it."
Hicks admits that he didn't help things, though, when a disagreement last November with Liverpool manager (coach) Rafael "Rafa" Benitez turned into a public spat.
Benitez thought Hicks should be spending more money to buy players. Hicks more or less told Rafa to do a better job of coaching the ones he's got.
Fans sided with Benitez. They were inflamed further when Hicks admitted talking to Germany's Jurgen Klinsmann about the possibility of coaching Liverpool, should Benitez resign -- as he's threatened to do often, it seems, over the past 2 1/2 years.
Hicks called the talks with Klinsmann "an insurance policy." The Liverpool fans have made Rafa a martyr over the incident.
Hicks wouldn't discuss the latest rumors Tuesday, fearing that his words would only be turned around by the British press.
"It will all work itself out on Thursday," he told the Star-Telegram. "There are no problems."
A source close to the Liverpool situation said that it likely means that there will be an announcement Thursday that Hicks has secured financing for the revised new stadium. Hicks had asked both proposed architects to go back to their drafting boards and submit revised designs using more "value-engineering."
The new stadium -- the original plans were dazzling -- will allow an additional 30,000 Liverpool fans to see their beloved team.
The additional revenues would be used to pay off the stadium debt, as well as allow the club to compete with its Premier League rivals.
It isn't broken, in other words, but he is trying to "Hicks" his soccer team.
Somehow, that's been getting unfairly lost in the translation.
Gil LeBreton, 817-390-7760
[email protected]
Any comments would be appreciated. Also, as you can see, the author conveniently placed his e-mail and phone number at the end of the article.
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