Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks dashes fans' hopes of quick sale

[the count]

May 6 2010 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post


TOM HICKS believes there are “plenty†of people willing to invest in Liverpool – but has hinted it may be up to another 18 months before the club is sold.

And that could impact on the future of Rafael Benitez with the manager poised for showdown talks with new chairman Martin Broughton in the next 48 hours.

Hicks, along with fellow co-owner George Gillett, appointed Broughton last month to oversee the sale of the club after the pair expressed a desire to completely cut ties at Anfield.

Benitez is seeking assurances over significant funds in the forthcoming transfer window which is likely to only come from the cash injection brought by a swift takeover.

Speaking yesterday, Hicks confirmed a number of parties have expressed an interest in investing in Liverpool during the past two years, the most recent of which was the New York-based Rhone Group.

But the American – who took control of the club along with Gillett in February 2007 – intimated there is unlikely to be any imminent change of ownership, which could push Benitez closer to a move to Juventus.

“From discussions we’ve had over the last two years, there are plenty of those people (to invest in Liverpool) out there,†said Hicks. “We’ve owned it three years. We won’t own it for five.â€

Both Hicks and Gillett have met with strong opposition from sections of the Liverpool support for much of their tenure, with demonstrations held both inside and outside Anfield on each of their recent visits to the stadium.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2010/05/06/liverpool-fc-co-owner-tom-hicks-dashes-fans-hopes-of-quick-sale-92534-26386899/

 

[Ryan]

I read this earlier, and thought it such a shite article that it wasn't even worth posting.

 

[the count]

Yea.
Having gone through it again it seems that whole article is built aroud Hicks saying that they wont own LFC in another two years ergo it will take up to two years to sell.
Perhaps though the journo is just going with the same rumours that we have heard, that the sale of the club is not imminent.

 

[spider-Neil]

if rafa reads that he'll definately leave. I knew broughton was talking out of his arse when he said a 'few months'. I think we'll start the new season without rafa and torres.

 

[Hansern]

It's one of the worst articles I've read for a while. The headline and essence of the article is taken from Hicks statement, "we won't own it for five".

Jeezzess to fuck how lazy can some journous be.

 

[etchy]

shite headliner to sell papers. but how the FUCK is Hicks on to again, talking to the press? I thought Martin Broughton was brought in to stop these fuckers from making more noises and ruining everything.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

More bluster.
It goes hand in hand with the we won't sell for less than £800m business.
They know that everyone knows that they are going to be in a position that they have to sell forced on them by RBS and how that affects their bargaining position, and are now trying to say not only do they want stupid money, but they are in no hurry.
Where is Gillett in all this, he has not, as far as I am aware, uttered a peep for months.

regards

 

[Buddha]

Sky Sports has the same interview ending with this...

"I can still be a fan. But I've paid a terrible price. I'm 64 years old. I don't want that any more.

"Jerry Jones [the Dallas Cowboys owner] is a good friend of mine, but his life and his family's life is the Dallas Cowboys. Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks are his life. This isn't my life."

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=40109.msg1099995#msg1099995 date=1273132080]
It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.
[/quote]

Now you're talking

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

[quote author=Rosco link=topic=40109.msg1100223#msg1100223 date=1273148194]
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=40109.msg1099995#msg1099995 date=1273132080]
It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.
[/quote]

Now you're talking
[/quote]

'kinell.
I hate these two fuckfaces as much as the next bloke, but that's a cunt thing to say RPM.

 

[Vlads Quiff]

[quote author=Dirty Sanchez link=topic=40109.msg1100228#msg1100228 date=1273148774]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=40109.msg1100223#msg1100223 date=1273148194]
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=40109.msg1099995#msg1099995 date=1273132080]
It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.
[/quote]

Now you're talking
[/quote]

'kinell.
I hate these two fuckfaces as much as the next bloke, but that's a cunt thing to say RPM.
[/quote]

I don't think he was being serious

 

[manwithnoname]

Yes, he really does want to hire an assassin and pay him to kill our owners

You fucking hysterical divvy

 

[Holle]

[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=40109.msg1099995#msg1099995 date=1273132080]
It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.
[/quote]

Nah. Bad idea. Hicks Jr is going to inherit Hicks Sr. shares.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

[quote author=Doped White Mouse link=topic=40109.msg1100242#msg1100242 date=1273150366]
[quote author=Rafa4PM link=topic=40109.msg1099995#msg1099995 date=1273132080]
It seems that we can't get the funds together to buy our club, but maybe we can all chip in, and get the money in place to pay for a hit on these 2 cunts.
[/quote]

Nah. Bad idea. Hicks Jr is going to inherit Hicks Sr. shares.
[/quote]

Good shout!

I was just in the process of getting quotes from Léon and Snoop (i'll phone them back and tell them it's a non starter)

 

[Karl Hungus]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=40109.msg1100040#msg1100040 date=1273136999]
Sky Sports has the same interview ending with this...

"I can still be a fan. But I've paid a terrible price. I'm 64 years old. I don't want that any more.

"Jerry Jones [the Dallas Cowboys owner] is a good friend of mine, but his life and his family's life is the Dallas Cowboys. Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks are his life. This isn't my life."
[/quote]

I would take either of those 2 he mentioned in a heartbeat, especially Jerry Jones.

 

[Hansern]

These quotes were apperantly made before the club was put up for sale.

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Karl Hungus link=topic=40109.msg1100388#msg1100388 date=1273162887]
[quote author=Buddha link=topic=40109.msg1100040#msg1100040 date=1273136999]
Sky Sports has the same interview ending with this...

"I can still be a fan. But I've paid a terrible price. I'm 64 years old. I don't want that any more.

"Jerry Jones [the Dallas Cowboys owner] is a good friend of mine, but his life and his family's life is the Dallas Cowboys. Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks are his life. This isn't my life."
[/quote]

I would take either of those 2 he mentioned in a heartbeat, especially Jerry Jones.


[/quote]

Cuban would have been my preference, hence my avatar.

 

[Hansern]

Hicks angry at two-year sale claim

Reports on Thursday quoted the Texan as saying he and fellow American George Gillett had been owners for three years but would not be in charge for a total of five.

That was interpreted as him claiming it would take two years to sell the club he and Gillett bought back in 2007.

However, it is understood Hicks has reacted angrily to the publication of the remarks, which he does not deny making but which were part of an interview with American magazine Sports Business Journal in late March.

The Texan has pointed out the comments were made before he and Gillett officially put the club up for sale last month.

He also clarified a quote in which he said he had paid a "terrible price" for ownership of the club - he claims that referred to his American-based sports interests in the form of Texas Rangers baseball team and Dallas Stars ice hockey franchise.

His request for balance and perspective is, however, unlikely to cut much ice with the majority of supporters who are keen to see the Americans' reign come to a swift end.

That still seems some way off with the sale ongoing, with newly-appointed chairman Martin Broughton overseeing the process.

Manager Rafael Benitez was hoping to get a better idea about what the future holds both for the club and himself personally at his meeting with Broughton.

The Spaniard is hoping to be given an idea of what transfer budget is likely to await him in the summer, although it is unlikely Broughton - as a non-executive director - has the authority to give definite assurances.

Unless a buyer is found it seems improbable Hicks and Gillett will invest any more money, which leaves Benitez with a dilemma.

He has been linked with Juventus since January but the Italian club's failure to qualify for the Champions League - similar to Liverpool - and their apparent waning interest in appointing the Spaniard makes leaving a difficult option.

But staying and having to work on a limited budget - especially when Benitez believes he needs four of five players to at least get the squad back into top-four contention - also presents difficulties.

 

[Buddha]

What happened to this bandwidth rumour for the official site? I'd kinda hoped that it had something to do with new ownership.

 

[Rosco]

We got extra bandwidth on here a while back. Not because of anything interesting happening, simply an MSNbot was using up a massive amount of bandwidth.

Could be something similar maybe ?

 

[Squiggles]

It could have been for our shirt launch today. In the flesh it looks cheap and shit.

 

[Buddha]

Oh. Bollocks.