It seems that Liverpool FC co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett will not learn from their mistakes. The American owners continue to air their dirty laundry in public, which is doing a disservice not only to them (as professionals), but also to Liverpool FC and its fans.
The latest episode in this real-life soap opera is George Gillett’s frank interview with a Canadian radio station where he publicly said the following things:
- “This partnership [with Tom Hicks] has been unworkable for some time.”
- “[Selling his share of the club to Hicks is now] an untenable alternative.”
- “He (Hicks) threatened to block me selling to Dubai – that was certainly one of the things that made the fans upset.”
- “Instead of thinking about selling I might think about buying.”
- “I think they (DIC) would have been very responsible owners.”
- “When your public persona (i.e. Hicks) is more important than the facts, it’s tough to have a rational relationship.”
- “We were very fair. We gave our partner (Hicks) a long period of time to try to make arrangements to buy us out.”
Historically Liverpool has always been a club that has never aired its dirty laundry in public. However, what Hicks and Gillett are doing (and have done) is to wage a petty war between themselves rather than considering what type of impact this may have on Liverpool FC and its fans.
While Gillett blabbed too many details on the Canadian radio show, Hicks is no saint either. It was Hicks’s remarks in the press that revealed how he had talks with Jurgen Klinsmann regarding the German possibly taking over from Rafa Benitez. For a chairman to publicly admit this to the press shows how clueless he is regarding football matters, and hopefully Hicks now regrets this mistake.
With Hicks and Gillett now seemingly at odds against each other in a relationship which Gillett describes as “unworkable,” the best scenario for both co-owners would be for them to cash in their chips and sell to DIC. Otherwise, the feuding co-owners will only continue to disgrace Liverpool FC and drag its name through the mud.
As a Brit who has lived in America for more than 20 years, I must admit that the actions of Hicks and Gillett – as Americans – have been embarrassing. And most importantly of all, they do little to help change the misperception among Brits that Americans know little about the game of soccer.
While it’s refreshing to hear chairmen, such as Gillett, speak so frankly during interviews, sometimes it’s better that they keep quiet. Please.
