Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says he will not be distracted by boardroom turmoil as he prepares for a massively important Premier League game against Everton tomorrow.
Off-field matters are grabbing the headlines after co-owner George Gillett described his relationship with Tom Hicks as "unworkable".
Gillett said Hicks' admission that they had courted Jurgen Klinsmann as a possible replacement for Benitez at the end of last year, was a key reason why he had received death threats.
"This partnership has been unworkable," Gillett said. "We have tried to be co-operative, we have tried to be supportive but when your public persona is more important than the facts, which make it difficult to have a rational relationship.
"We were very fair. We gave our partner a long period of time to try to make arrangements to buy us out. We didn't put pressure on him but he ultimately did not get to the finish line. Because of the things he said, the fans' reaction has been so negative towards him and towards us if we sold to him, which has now made that an untenable alternative for us.
"He threatened to block me selling to Dubai - that was certainly one of the things that made the fans upset.
"Lord knows, DIC have the money with oil prices going up every day, that's not an issue. They certainly have the history and they are fans. I think they would have been very responsible owners."
Ahead of the derby, Benitez said: "There is nothing I can do but concentrate on the game and prepare properly. I will just be thinking about Everton."
Benitez also said that Javier Mascherano, who has admitted a charge of improper conduct for his reaction to being sent off on Sunday, has been fined £20,000 by the club, with the money going to charity. Mascherano yesterday asked the FA for a personal hearing which is expected to take place in London next Friday.
Benitez said: "Javier knows he made a big mistake, he apologised to his team-mates and the supporters and he has now apologised to the referee. He accepts he lost control after the sending-off."
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