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Gillett's vote of confidence.

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Squiggles

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George Gillett last night responded to growing pressure on Rafael Benítez by assuring the Liverpool manager that he retains the unequivocal support of the club's American owners.

Benítez is experiencing the most fraught on-field period of his six seasons in charge of Liverpool after a run of four successive defeats, the club's first since 1987, left them seven points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and under serious threat of elimination from the Champions League group stage.

Gillett was at Anfield on Tuesday as Lyon inflicted a stoppage-time defeat on Liverpool and faced angry remonstrations from several fans after César Delgado's winner. His co-owner, Tom Hicks, is expected to run a similar gauntlet on Sunday when Sir Alex Ferguson's champions arrive at Anfield. Despite the despondency around Liverpool and the first serious stirrings of discontent towards Benítez among the club's support, Gillett, who once sought to replace the Spaniard with Jürgen Klinsmann, insists there is no question of the manager's position being under threat.

Asked if his support for Benítez remained intact, Gillett said: "Absolutely. We have just entered into a long-term agreement with Rafa. Our family is extraordinarily pleased with him, we think he is absolutely as good as there is in the business and I am sure the Hicks [family] feel the same way. We just extended his contract."

Benítez signed an improved contract in March that committed him to Liverpool until 2014 and, though Gillett insists his backing is based purely on coaching ability, it would cost the club over £20m to pay up the remaining four and a half years of the manager's deal. Hicks and Gillett are also unlikely to risk fresh instability at Anfield at a time when they are independently seeking to attract new investors.

"I think the run of results disappoints everybody," Gillett added. "Certainly, it disappoints the fans and it disappoints Rafa. I know he is disappointed. We are all disappointed but we are in this together. I think we all saw the same thing [that Benítez looked downbeat following the Lyon defeat] but that's not something I am going to comment on publicly."

Gillett claimed he and Hicks are allowing for improvement through "being supportive. Which I am and which Tom is." He refused, though, to indicate whether new investment is on its way to assist Benítez in the January transfer window. "I don't think that is something I am prepared to comment on at the moment," the Liverpool co-owner said.

Benítez's preparations for the United game have also been undermined by a succession of injuries to key players, with Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Albert Riera all missing the Lyon game through groin and hamstring problems and Steven Gerrard limping out after 25 minutes having aggravated an adductor strain. All four will continue to receive intensive treatment ahead of Sunday with Gerrard and Riera the main doubts.

"I think I will be all right for Sunday," said Johnson. "We haven't tested it today, just soft tissue work and massage, but it seems a lot freer than it did." The England defender added: "I think Nando [Torres] might be all right for Sunday but I am not too sure about Stevie."

There was one important injury breakthrough for Benítez last night, however, when Alberto Aquilani made his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt since his £20m summer move from Roma. The Italian midfielder, signed to compensate for the loss of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, has not made a senior start as a result of ankle surgery in May. He last made a competitive appearance for Roma in March.

Aquilani came off the bench for Liverpool's reserves in the 75th minute of their 2–0 win against Sunderland reserves at Prenton Park, but is unlikely to feature on Sunday. The midfielder's rehabilitation may continue with a first senior appearance next week when Liverpool face Arsenal in the Carling Cup fourth round.
 
I think we all saw the same thing [that Benítez looked downbeat following the Lyon defeat] but that's not something I am going to comment on publicly."

What?? ???
 
[quote author=gkmacca link=topic=36634.msg968632#msg968632 date=1256204972]

I think we all saw the same thing [that Benítez looked downbeat following the Lyon defeat] but that's not something I am going to comment on publicly."

What?? ???
[/quote]

ha ha george 'king of contridiction' gillett
 
magritte.jpg
 
[quote author=gkmacca link=topic=36634.msg968636#msg968636 date=1256205445]
magritte.jpg

[/quote]

Ha
 
As well as being a not particularly effective businessman another string to Gillett's bow is that he is a pretty terrible communicator.

Just like that radio interview the other week when he told us 'the club is in great shape' about 30 times in 5 minutes, here he overuses the word 'disappoints' to almost comic effect and ruins any attempt to reassure fans that he and Hicks are behind Benitez (again by TWICE in one sentence saying they have given him a new deal) by essentially confirming there is no more money

At worst he sounds shifty and dishonest, at best a bit of a blithering idiot
 
[quote author=Richey link=topic=36634.msg968641#msg968641 date=1256205871]
As well as being a not particularly effective businessman another string to Gillett's bow is that he is a pretty terrible communicator.

Just like that radio interview the other week when he told us 'the club is in great shape' about 30 times in 5 minutes, here he overuses the word 'disappoints' to almost comic effect and ruins any attempt to reassure fans that he and Hicks are behind Benitez (again by TWICE in one sentence saying they have given him a new deal) by essentially confirming there is no more money

At worst he sounds shifty and dishonest, at best a bit of a blithering idiot
[/quote]

url]


I say that Gillett bloke is a bit of a blithering idiot!
 
Bah why can't i get my Terry Thomas pic up? This new fangled upgrades damn confusing.

Oh and thanks for Blithering idiot, its so 50's and Ealing Comedy it made me smile!!
 
[quote author=Asbo link=topic=36634.msg968686#msg968686 date=1256209263]
Bah why can't i get my Terry Thomas pic up? This new fangled upgrades damn confusing.

Oh and thanks for Blithering idiot, its so 50's and Ealing Comedy it made me smile!!

[/quote]

*calculates how much biofuel he could make from Asbo and Pesam*
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36634.msg968706#msg968706 date=1256210867]
[quote author=Asbo link=topic=36634.msg968686#msg968686 date=1256209263]
Bah why can't i get my Terry Thomas pic up? This new fangled upgrades damn confusing.

Oh and thanks for Blithering idiot, its so 50's and Ealing Comedy it made me smile!!

[/quote]

*calculates how much biofuel he could make from Asbo and Pesam*
[/quote]

Don't tell me you know about biofuel? I had a job interview today and had to give a presentation about renewable energy, I was racking my brains trying to think of people that I could have milked for info...
 
[quote author=refugee link=topic=36634.msg968720#msg968720 date=1256212610]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36634.msg968706#msg968706 date=1256210867]
[quote author=Asbo link=topic=36634.msg968686#msg968686 date=1256209263]
Bah why can't i get my Terry Thomas pic up? This new fangled upgrades damn confusing.

Oh and thanks for Blithering idiot, its so 50's and Ealing Comedy it made me smile!!

[/quote]

*calculates how much biofuel he could make from Asbo and Pesam*
[/quote]

Don't tell me you know about biofuel? I had a job interview today and had to give a presentation about renewable energy, I was racking my brains trying to think of people that I could have milked for info...
[/quote]

Well I was your man. With the impending situation where we have more old non-working people than the working poulation, and the forthcoming energy/food crisis, I have thought of a scheme where we use old people as a foodsource and biofuel.

You'd have been a cert for the job.
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36634.msg968733#msg968733 date=1256214258]
[quote author=refugee link=topic=36634.msg968720#msg968720 date=1256212610]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=36634.msg968706#msg968706 date=1256210867]
[quote author=Asbo link=topic=36634.msg968686#msg968686 date=1256209263]
Bah why can't i get my Terry Thomas pic up? This new fangled upgrades damn confusing.

Oh and thanks for Blithering idiot, its so 50's and Ealing Comedy it made me smile!!

[/quote]

*calculates how much biofuel he could make from Asbo and Pesam*
[/quote]

Don't tell me you know about biofuel? I had a job interview today and had to give a presentation about renewable energy, I was racking my brains trying to think of people that I could have milked for info...
[/quote]

Well I was your man. With the impending situation where we have more old non-working people than the working poulation, and the forthcoming energy/food crisis, I have thought of a scheme where we use old people as a foodsource and biofuel.

You'd have been a cert for the job.
[/quote]

Now I'm going to be depressed for the rest of the day, at least 3 members of the panel would have loved that idea
 
In the NFL(and generally all American Sports) a vote of confidence is a death wish. It means your so close to the end of your rope you should probably win your next game if you don't want to get fired. So a vote of confidence from GG makes me extremely nervous about them squandering what little money we do have on firing Rafa in the middle of the season and leaving us with one of the hardest fights ever to maintain CL play next year.
 
[quote author=Assulin link=topic=36634.msg968767#msg968767 date=1256218067]
In the NFL(and generally all American Sports) a vote of confidence is a death wish. It means your so close to the end of your rope you should probably win your next game if you don't want to get fired. So a vote of confidence from GG makes me extremely nervous about them squandering what little money we do have on firing Rafa in the middle of the season and leaving us with one of the hardest fights ever to maintain CL play next year.
[/quote]

I wouldn't worry. He can't do anything without Hicks agreeing to it and they don't speak do they?
 
Plus Hicks is in Rafa's corner, whereas Gillett hasn't been since he and Parry allied themselves against the other two earlier on.
 
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