Is Fergie secretly a Kopite?

FERGIE BLASTS LIVERPOOL OWNERS

BBC Sport

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has criticised Liverpool's American owners for the way they have undermined manager Rafa Benitez.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett upset the club's supporters after admitting they had sounded out Jürgen Klinsmann as a possible replacement for the Spaniard.

"What happened was a bad piece of business on Liverpool's part, no doubt about that," Ferguson said.

"That can be very upsetting. You should let a manager get on with his job."

Ferguson is the longest-serving manager in English football, having been appointed at Old Trafford in 1986.

In that time he has become the most successful manager in British football history.

Under his stewardship, the club has won nine Premier League titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, the European Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup, the Super Cup and Inter-Continental Cup.

Since Benitez took over at Anfield, Liverpool have won the FA Cup and Champions League.

But that has not prevented him having a high-profile falling out with the club's owners, and Ferguson said their lack of backing for their man did not make Benitez's job any easier.

"At big clubs, it's absolutely paramount that the board show their class," said Ferguson.

"Arsene Wenger has had great support at Arsenal and I've had great support, too, ever since I came here. So there's a certain type of unity there."

A survey carried out by the Liverpool Supporters' network showed that many fans agree with Ferguson's criticism of Gillett and Hicks.

Around 2,000 supporters took part, and 76% said they would 'seriously consider reducing their financial commitment to the club' if the current owners stayed in charge.

When asked to choose between the owners and the manager as to who had the best interest of the club at heart, 99% backed Benitez.

"The results of this survey are indicative of the strength of feeling among Liverpool fans that the club is very much in the wrong hands at present," said LSN spokesman Neil Atkinson.

"Tom Hicks and George Gillet are not trusted."

Mind games?

Mind games? I don't think so, As much as I can not stand him, at least he's come out and supported Rafa, I don't think Maureen would have done that, and generally what he said we all agree with, OUCH that hurts. I have £50 in vouchers, now I know they have the money, but I am loathed at the present to cash them in, Just wating to see what happens, and for the new kit in the summer I guess.

Why does Fergie have to be a Kopite to back Rafa?
It's called  solidarity

Like him or loathe him it was a decent gesture to support Rafa.
Ferguson went through the mill at the start of his career with the Mancs but weathered the storm so he is well qualified to speak his mind. In a professional manner it was an honorable thing to do.

Like him or loathe him it was a decent gesture to support Rafa.
Ferguson went through the mill at the start of his career with the Mancs but weathered the storm so he is well qualified to speak his mind. In a professional manner it was an honorable thing to do.

well said , i agree

In a professional manner it was an honorable thing to do.

I agree. It also goes to show how abysmally Rafa has been treated. If Fergie ,of all people, has to come out and voice his concerns over LFC then it just highlights the dire way in which the manager and the Clubs affairs have been handled over the last 9 months

Good call, hopefully all these coments are seen by the 2 jerk offs but being the pridish americans that they are they'll just burry their head in the sand and keep thinking they know it all. Decent thing to do on fergies part, hopefully the longest serving manager in british football got the message across.

As managers of the most famous rivalry in football I felt his relationship with rafa has always been one of respect. This doesnt surprise me TBH.

Also I recall him talking highly of us in his press conference before we played them.When the press were looking  for more fuel against him Fergie refused to stick the knife in.I respect him for that.

I think its more mind games to be honest. Asif he is attempting to undermine Rafa by saying "look at me I dont have to put up with anything like that" . Its like he is giving us his pity ...im sorry but I dont want to hear it.

If it was a different manager then fair enough but I think this is typical Fergie trying to have a snide little dig at the club whilst its in chaos and play mind games. He should keep his big purple nose out of it in my opinion.