Hicks set to sell stake?

Now you can take this anyway you want especially after the last weeks "in depth reporting"
But this piece is in todays Mirror by a respected journalist (aren't they all?)

I for one could see some truth in it as I think having two big owners is similar to when we had two managers, what happens if they disagree on a major financial issue? and who would have the casting vote?
If it is another load of rubbish some of these papers must have Hans Christian Anderson writing for them.


Hicks set to sell stake
Exclusive by Martin Lipton 30/11/2007

Rafa Benitez's war with Liverpool owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks took a stunning twist last night as it emerged one of the two American millionaires is looking for a way out of the club.

City sources confirmed last night that Hicks, who has been at the forefront of the battle with Benitez, is preparing an exit strategy. Barely nine months after arriving at Anfield in a blaze of glory after the £219million takeover, it is understood Hicks has placed a guide valuation of a staggering £1billion on the Merseyside club.

And while that price is seen as ridiculous by City analysts, it emerged last night that Dubai International Capital, the investment group headed by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and who were jilted at the alter by Liverpool 12 months ago, could be ready to make a new bid.

Hicks' relationship with Benitez reached almost total breakdown last week, when the Spaniard was ordered to "quit talking about new players" in the January transfer window.
Benitez expected to be sacked as the row intensified, although a fragile peace was forged ahead of Wednesday's vital Champions League win over Porto, which kept the Reds in the competition.

Hundreds of fans marched on Anfield before the game to show their backing for Benitez.

Daily Mirror Link

TBH it sounds like it could well be a load of bollocks. They've had to give up on the story of Rafa getting sacked as we have made it perfectly clear we won't let it happen and it seems they're clutching at straws now.

If it is true though I would call a taxi for Mr Hicks personally, I'm not quite sure how it could work if Gillett shared power with DIC though. I would be much happier if Gillett bought the club outright, he seems a lot more sensible than Hicks & definitley a lot more media savvy.

This is worry but these two have had business joint business acquisitions previously so I'm sure they know how to deal with the situation where the manager disagrees with them.

I think we should just wait until they have their meeting and stop getting carried away with tabloid speculation.

If it is true though I would call a taxi for Mr Hicks personally, I'm not quite sure how it could work if Gillett shared power with DIC though. I would be much happier if Gillett bought the club outright, he seems a lot more sensible than Hicks & definitley a lot more media savvy.

Quite right Eddie I would prefer this too.

Well, another thread was running suggesting this very thing...doesn't seem all that farfetched, be it factual or not. It could boil down to the ol' 'this town aint big enough for the two (three) of us'...should be interesting.

I posted last week regarding the Americans return on capitol!! It just goes to show how they view our club and what they true motives are!!! they want one billion pounds for us, cheeky cu*ts, and they were deigning Rafa a few quid for bosmans and other odd signings.  If DIC interest is true and infact the whole Mirror article has some substance then lets hope and pray that both sides can pull it of cause it the answer to all our dreams, and they would deffo F**k Parry off after the up hauling way he treated them nine months ago.   Still thinking this one through!!!

interesting! but i  just cant see this. For one point why float the club at 1 billion, he knows that cant be the right price our club is F***ing priceless, so is rafa so that adds up to this being bollox as eddie said..

interesting! but I  just cant see this. For one point why float the club at 1 billion, he knows that cant be the right price our club is F***ing priceless, so is rafa so that adds up to this being bollox as eddie said..

They are not floating it they are selling it!!! A DIC is one organisation with the cash to do it and Messrs H & G know it.  They don't expect to get 1 billion for it but 1/2 bill would be nice!!!   Again lets see if anything more comes of this today (denials from DIC etc.)

The same story is also reported in the Telegraph

Sorry. but I'm not taking any bullshit from the ****ing Mirror as truth.

Sorry. but I'm not taking any bullshit from the ****ing Mirror as truth.

It could have been the red top who must not be named!

It could have been the red top who must not be named!

Sure, but it's still the Mirror.

Sure, but it's still the Mirror.

Yes and it is still a national paper they all come out with crap now and again but they aint THAT bad.

Someone pls. ask that Mr. P***k or Hicks or whatever you may call him to stop f*****g around with LFC, you don't buy a club and 6 mths later decides to dump it and cash-in maximum. That goes to show that he doesn't have any passion at all for the club. Conservatively, if going by what the media says is half - true, that goes to show that 1/2 that partnership has began to rear its ugly horns. Before we sold it to the Yankees, we should have known too well what is their ulterior motive. Mr. Parry, if you still have passion for the club, you just don't simply sell your club to someone who does not have passon for the club, let alone whether they understands the game. Apparently you don't. I would say if he wants to chicken out, let him be, good riddance and let's get in another joint owner whom has true passion for the club. Besides that, that Mr. P***k should know too well that we are heading in the right direction, judging from the results so far, we just need some fine tuning in certain positions by means of investments and we would be on our away.     

Damn these dramatic Yankees.

P/S : Those scums should not be too happy, they could be next on the line and by the time they do cash-out they may have destroyed their club big time and by the time the fans knows it it'll be sayonara.

The more you assess the situation, the more glaring it is that this whole mess could have been avoided. There is nothing wrong with a manager wanting to strengthen the Squad. you dont undermine a team manager and expect him to still hold his head up without first putting up a fight first. Rafa proved that money doesn't always have the last say; Respect & Dignity talks too.

I think Hicks has relised he isnt going to make money in Football stick to your yankie games Mr Hicks.

If there are new contracts to be drawn up then the first clauses should read:

1. Do not interfere with the Manager's ideas on new signings 

    2. Remain in this country to discuss potential signings/or have representative available

    3. Do not underestimate the fanbase of LFC !! 

They are not floating it they are selling it!!! A DIC is one organisation with the cash to do it and Messrs H & G know it.  They don't expect to get 1 billion for it but 1/2 bill would be nice!!!   Again lets see if anything more comes of this today (denials from DIC etc.)

Umm I think your missing the point there mate my post wasnt meant to taken litterally I think I made that obvious with me comments.
But I would agree sometimes the emotion can be lost in the written word hey!!

If there are new contracts to be drawn up then the first clauses should read:

1. Do not interfere with the Manager's ideas on new signings 

    2. Remain in this country to discuss potential signings/or have representative available

    3. Do not underestimate the fanbase of LFC !! 

Totally agree 100% smigs  mate something needs to be drawn up.

I heard from people in work this morning that it had also been reported on Radio City although their source may also have been the redtops.

The recent Rafa saga raises some interesting questions.

Don't the Americans understand how football soccer in the Premier League and Europe works?

If not why hasn't Parry explained it to them?  (Mind you given Parry's demonstrated incompetence in the StevieG fiasco when we nearly lost him to Chelski I wouldn't be surprised if he had done and said nothing.)

Has the recent economic problems with markets in America, the dive in the value of the dollar and the escallating cost of the stadium put the skids on any further money being spent?

I don't think losing Hicks and Parry would be a bad thing especially if we could get someone in who have a passion for the game and the club and does not only view it as an investment or a cash cow.

But as EddieC has observed it it probably just a load of b*llocks.

But as EddieC has observed it it probably just a load of b*llocks.

Hot off the official website

Chief executive Rick Parry today laughed off newspaper speculation about the ownership of Liverpool Football Club. 
A report this morning claimed co-owner Tom Hicks was looking to sell his shares.
 
But Parry said: "I have seen the story, and as far as I am aware it is complete rubbish."

Looks like EddieC as usual got it right!! or it could be completely true?

Hot off the official website

Chief executive Rick Parry today laughed off newspaper speculation about the ownership of Liverpool Football Club. 
A report this morning claimed co-owner Tom Hicks was looking to sell his shares.
 
But Parry said: "I have seen the story, and as far as I am aware it is complete rubbish."

Looks like EddieC as usual got it right!! or it could be completely true?

Parry jumps right into that argument, yet keeps schtum when the Rafa business was going on! What a pr**k!

Parry jumps right into that argument, yet keeps schtum when the Rafa business was going on! What a pr**k!

Yeah, thats weird. So they immediately jump to deny rumours involving Hicks and yet remain silent when the same press claim Rafa's going to be sacked?

This says more about Parry than Anything- what a hypocrite and how inconsistent. Either you respond to the tabloids or keep quiet!

If Parry said it's bollocks I now believe it's true

It's normal for G&H to run a valuation on their new asset.

Doesn't mean they are going to sell it - maybe it's to underwrite further loans...

Just because you ask for a valuation on your house, doesn't mean you want to sell it ffs.

This Hicks chap though does concern me. Gillette who had to go to Hicks to joinly buy the club, seems a lot more passionate about the club, has a better relationship with Parry and probably with Rafa too. But Gillette on his own cannot rairse the funds to buy-out Hicks.

I think this last week has seen a lot of positioning of G&H, Parry and Rafa - they are learning to work together... although, I repeat, for me the weakest link is middle-man Parry - who before this week (and the Pako episode and his crap handling of that) I actually had a lot of time for... not now.

 just seen new report in telegraph online, basically saying thats it untrue!!  looks like the only problem the Americans are having is the re-financing they need for the new stadium.  managed to time needing more money when the cost of getting it has gone up so much! (credit crunch in global loan markets)  don't know about you but the whole things pissing me off.  thank god we are winning and scoring loads of goals at the moment.  if this gossip and stuff had gone on when we were playing sh*te the other month, i might have been to much to bear.

Just because you ask for a valuation on your house, doesn't mean you want to sell it ffs.

Don't I know it

Why's Hicks selling steak anyway? Has he got a job on the deli counter at Morrisons?

Why's Hicks selling steak anyway? Has he got a job on the deli counter at Morrisons?

Parry jumps right into that argument, yet keeps schtum when the Rafa business was going on! What a pr**k!

I know Joey.  What a F***ing pr**k indeed.

It's been, less than 4 hours that the story hit the streets and he's running to the Owners rescue. What a F***ing kiss arse he really is.

When Rafa needed the man in the middle throughout the week to break down the speculation and all the sh*t that has been going on he was no where to be seen.

Cock end.  Why is he still at LFC?  Or in a job at all?

He is one of the most ineffective, arrogant, ignorant w**ker that LFC have had in our history.  F**k off Parry.

He is one of the most ineffective, arrogant, ignorant w**ker that LFC have had in our history.  F**k off Parry.

Always so vague... do you like him or not?

I personally think he is so far up Hick's arse that I'm beginning to think he is going to start speaking with an american accent soon.

If the americans didn't have the money to properly fund the stadium why did Parry chose them above DIC.

DIC are mega-huge, I have personally been to their offices in Dubai, they basically own the bloody country!!

Funny how we never got to see the DIC valuation, only have Parry's word that it was inferior to what the Americans bought the club for... and DIC basically called Parry a liar at that time... remember?

More like DIC would have wanted their OWN CEO's in place (as they do with all their buy-outs) and Parry would have been collecting his P45 soon after... all makes sense now.

Parry jumps right into that argument, yet keeps schtum when the Rafa business was going on! What a pr**k!

Exactly my thoughts mate.

To be honest when I first heard this news this morning I wasn't surprised. The Rafa v Owners story has gone stale so there had to be a 'new twist' sooner or later.
I reckon Oldred raised an interesting point about the economic problems in America and the rise of the stadium costs, which is bound to put a strain to original money plans from the owners. Add that to Rafa being eager to get things in place sooner rather than later and a severe lack of communication from Parry, then you can see why the media have had a field day blowing all sorts of things out of proportion.

I'm just wondering if it was a Liverpool fan who ordered the arrest of Harry Redknapp so there was a fresh scent of meat elsewhere for the media vultures...

It's all bollocks! I said they'd tire of trying to get Rafa fu**ed off and turn to someone else! I said Sam Allardyce would be next actually, so seems I was wrong!

If he's in place here, he should be dispelling all bollocks stories such as this and the Rafa debacle! It was clearly a load of hot air and yet he won't come out and shoot that one down before it gets out of hand? Tosser, get shut of him!

What I find most interesting about the reaction to this latest piece of 'journalism' is that Liverpool were so swift to make an announcement. 

Last week Rafa was worrying about the sack and they gave some half arsed response not even denying it. 

We've said time and time again on this forum that Hicks was only brought in last minute because he had the finance and two weeks before he bought the club he had probably never heard of us.

City sources confirmed last night

Those good old 'city' sources eh!

Barely nine months after arriving at Anfield in a blaze of glory after the £219million takeover, it is understood Hicks has placed a guide valuation of a staggering £1billion on the Merseyside club.

And while that price is seen as ridiculous by City analysts, it emerged last night that Dubai International Capital, the investment group headed by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and who were jilted at the alter by Liverpool 12 months ago, could be ready to make a new bid.

Really? 'It emerged' - where from? Behind a bush?

DIC are hardly likely to pay £1 billion for a club that they haggled so much over for £200 million nine months ago are they. And they weren't 'jilted by Liverpool' - they pulled out of the deal.

Even if there is the smallest inkling of a story in this article - the enormous whiff of bullshit overpowers it.

Worst. Article. Ever. (even worse than Bascombe's)

Even if there is the smallest inkling of a story in this article - the enormous whiff of bullshit overpowers it.

Worst. Article. Ever. (even worse than Bascombe's)

Bang on!!

Like the detailed analysis JD exposing the weasel words that show this 'article' is all speculation.  Don't let the facts get in the way of a good (but in this case crap) story.

Tom Hicks: I'm not selling my half of Liverpool

Dec 1 2007 EXCLUSIVE by John Thompson, Liverpool Echo. Link to article here

LIVERPOOL Football Club co-owner Tom Hicks is not interested in selling his half of the club, he revealed today.

In an exclusive interview with the ECHO, Hicks also rubbished claims of a rift between himself and co-owner George Gillett.

The Dallas-based multi-millionaire spoke after attending a two-day National Hockey League owners’ conference in California with close friend Gillett.

Both men have clearly been taken aback by recent stories in the British media, including one that Rafael Benitez is facing the sack, which as far as they are concerned have no foundation in fact.

Another report claimed Hicks had instructed financial brokers to get him out of Anfield and stated there was renewed interest from Dubai.

But, speaking to the ECHO from his private jet, Hicks said last night: “I just want to clear up with you that I am not selling any of my shares to anybody.

“I have no idea why anyone would think that. It was just rubbish.”

Regarding the furore over Benitez’s job and the fans who marched in his support on Wednesday, Hicks said: “The fans are very passionate and that's what we love about them.

“It's been a big misunderstanding blown very much out of proportion. George and I are happy to see that it has settled back down.

“We've a big game on Sunday against Bolton, a big game against Marseilles and a big game with our neighbours to the east and the main thing is the team is playing better.”

He addressed Liverpool fans’ concerns that the owners were in danger of being unavailable to communicate with Anfield as often as is necessary, and stressed Foster Gillett, George Gillett's son and an Anfield director, would be their hands-on representative.

Hicks said: “I guess we are absentee owners – there's no question about it. But Foster returned to Liverpool last week. He’s our day-to-day person to help facilitate communication – and we come as often as we can.”

On talk of a split with Gillett, Hicks laughed: “George and I have never been closer. We both were very disappointed and confused as to where that inaccurate information came from.

“It's a new experience for us because the UK media is very different. The ECHO has been great. But we're disappointed fiction has been treated as fact by others.

“Owning Liverpool has been great, we're still enjoying it.”

He said he and Gillett are looking forward to seeing Benitez when they go to the Manchester United game.


Well, if you leave the papers to speculate and give them a voice while you's are silent, what do you expect?!!!

I was very surprised at this when i came across it so it was a shock. i saw the souce and it was the mirrow so i wont be true. hell reasure us soon that he isnt gonna sell the stake