How Liverpool's dream team transformed into a bitter soap opera
By David Anderson 11/04/2008
So much for those who thought there would be no soap opera in Liverpool when Brookside was axed.
The very bitter civil war at Anfield has provided almost as much drama as Channel 4's defunct soap, even if they've yet to find a body under the patio.
The club which was once held up as the model for all others to follow in the days of John Smith and Peter Robinson, now has more fractures than the San Andreas fault.
How Rick Parry must rue the day he advised David Moores to sell his controlling stake to Tom Hicks and George Gillett in January 2007.
It was launched amid harmony and excitement but has disintegrated to a point where Anfield has more broken relationships than Relate. The biggest, and most damaging, split is between co-owners Hicks and Gillett and they are no longer on speaking terms. Hicks is also at loggerheads with Parry and has demanded his resignation as chief executive because he feels he has sided with Gillett.
Ironically, Hicks, after clashing with Rafa Benitez, is now on better terms with the Liverpool manager and has even championed his cause in recent weeks.
Benitez's relationship with Parry has become strained and it was the Spaniard's shot across his and the Americans' bows which signalled the start of hostilities back in May.
Benitez chose the morning after Liverpool's Champions League Final defeat to AC Milan in Athens as the moment to challenge his bosses to make sure they delivered on their promises that summer.
The Reds boss got his way and Hicks and Gillett stumped up the £21.5million fee to make Fernando Torres the club's record signing. However Benitez was humiliatingly put down when he tried the same trick in November.
He was told to "concentrate on coaching" when he put pressure on Hicks and Gillett to provide him with his January transfer kitty.
Benitez's defiance almost cost him his job and Gillett sounded out his pal Jurgen Klinsmann to see if he fancied the Anfield job.
A crucial Champions League win over Marseille to book their place in the last 16 and the vociferous backing of the Kop meant Benitez survived, only for another fissure to open up at Anfield.
Hicks and Gillett's relationship was only ever a marriage of convenience and Gillett turned to the owner of the Texas Rangers because he needed someone with deep pockets to come in with him on the Liverpool deal.
After googling Liverpool - so the story goes - the Texan, who counts George Bush among his pals, decided to buy David Moores out.
Their relationship has since become broken beyond repair and Gillett claims he won't sell his 50 per cent stake to Hicks. It has frustrated DIC to the point where they have shelved their interest in trying to take over Liverpool.
The Dubai group had always been confident of buying Hicks and Gillett out and had been seen as the club's saviours by unhappy Liverpool fans.
But their plans have been dashed because of Hicks' refusal to sell. Their announcement yesterday that they were pulling out while the cold war between Hicks and Gillett rages has plunged Liverpool into the deep freeze.
The club has now been left permanently broken and until there is a thawing in relations between the major players at Anfield, the Reds will be left shivering from the effects of this new Ice Age.
By David Anderson 11/04/2008
So much for those who thought there would be no soap opera in Liverpool when Brookside was axed.
The very bitter civil war at Anfield has provided almost as much drama as Channel 4's defunct soap, even if they've yet to find a body under the patio.
The club which was once held up as the model for all others to follow in the days of John Smith and Peter Robinson, now has more fractures than the San Andreas fault.
How Rick Parry must rue the day he advised David Moores to sell his controlling stake to Tom Hicks and George Gillett in January 2007.
It was launched amid harmony and excitement but has disintegrated to a point where Anfield has more broken relationships than Relate. The biggest, and most damaging, split is between co-owners Hicks and Gillett and they are no longer on speaking terms. Hicks is also at loggerheads with Parry and has demanded his resignation as chief executive because he feels he has sided with Gillett.
Ironically, Hicks, after clashing with Rafa Benitez, is now on better terms with the Liverpool manager and has even championed his cause in recent weeks.
Benitez's relationship with Parry has become strained and it was the Spaniard's shot across his and the Americans' bows which signalled the start of hostilities back in May.
Benitez chose the morning after Liverpool's Champions League Final defeat to AC Milan in Athens as the moment to challenge his bosses to make sure they delivered on their promises that summer.
The Reds boss got his way and Hicks and Gillett stumped up the £21.5million fee to make Fernando Torres the club's record signing. However Benitez was humiliatingly put down when he tried the same trick in November.
He was told to "concentrate on coaching" when he put pressure on Hicks and Gillett to provide him with his January transfer kitty.
Benitez's defiance almost cost him his job and Gillett sounded out his pal Jurgen Klinsmann to see if he fancied the Anfield job.
A crucial Champions League win over Marseille to book their place in the last 16 and the vociferous backing of the Kop meant Benitez survived, only for another fissure to open up at Anfield.
Hicks and Gillett's relationship was only ever a marriage of convenience and Gillett turned to the owner of the Texas Rangers because he needed someone with deep pockets to come in with him on the Liverpool deal.
After googling Liverpool - so the story goes - the Texan, who counts George Bush among his pals, decided to buy David Moores out.
Their relationship has since become broken beyond repair and Gillett claims he won't sell his 50 per cent stake to Hicks. It has frustrated DIC to the point where they have shelved their interest in trying to take over Liverpool.
The Dubai group had always been confident of buying Hicks and Gillett out and had been seen as the club's saviours by unhappy Liverpool fans.
But their plans have been dashed because of Hicks' refusal to sell. Their announcement yesterday that they were pulling out while the cold war between Hicks and Gillett rages has plunged Liverpool into the deep freeze.
The club has now been left permanently broken and until there is a thawing in relations between the major players at Anfield, the Reds will be left shivering from the effects of this new Ice Age.
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