Saturday, February 09, 2008

Tom Hicks Plans To Get More Involved At Liverpool As Gillett's Son Leaves

Liverpool FC co-owner Tom Hicks last night signalled that he plans to play a more hands-on roll in the running of the Anfield club.

Despite becoming the target of fans’ anger over the £100million-plus debt he and fellow owner George Gillett have placed on the club, Hicks told an American press conference he intends to become more involved at Anfield.

He dismissed suggestions he would be driven to sell up to Dubai International Capital or the growing ‘Share Liverpool’ group which aims to raise the money needed to buy out both Gillett and Hicks.

"I'm anticipating a more active role in Liverpool,'' Hicks told reporters at the Texas Rangers baseball franchise he also owns. I really don't want to comment more at this point.''

Hicks wouldn't be pressed into answering qustions about Liverpool’s financial stability.

Question marks have been hanging over how the Americans plan to run Liverpool FC since Gillett’s son Foster, who arrived to work with LFC chief executive Rick Parry after the takeover last year, went on holiday.

That was a month ago, and the Liverpool Daily Post understands he has not been back since.

The Daily Post understands that Foster Gillett and his wife have no plans to return to the city, despite having recently bought a £1m home in Woolton.

Any plans by Hicks to get more actively involved in Liverpool are likely to upset fans.

Comments by Hicks about approaching Jurgen Klinsmann as a possible replacement for Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez have galvanised public opinion against him.

In a survey carried out by the Liverpool Daily Post last month, nine out of 10 fans wanted Hicks to sell up his stake immediatley.

On the anniversary of the club’s takeover on Wednesday, chief executive Rick Parry urged all sides to start working together again.

But with rumours persisting in the financial press that the Americans may pass more of their debt on to the club’s book, that is unlikely to happen.

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