RAFAEL BENITEZ could walk away from Liverpool at the end of the season if the club’s American owners do not allow him complete control over transfers.
The Spaniard has rejected the offer of a new contract at Anfield after failing to be granted the wide-ranging powers he was seeking as part of a new deal.
Co-owner Tom Hicks believes the problems can be ironed out and was yesterday confident Benitez will be Liverpool manager for the next five years. But unless Hicks and George Gillett meet Benitez’s demands of autonomy regarding transfers, the Spaniard, who has 18 months remaining on his present contract, is likely to leave Liverpool in the summer.
The length of the contract and the financial terms of the deal had already been agreed last month, with the scope of Benitez’s responsibility the sticking point.
The Spaniard, who insists he has no quarrel with the owners, does not want to depart and the Americans are keen for him to stay.
But Benitez demonstrated at Valencia in 2004, when he fell out with the club’s director of sport Jesus Garcia Pitarch over the failure to buy the players he had singled out and subsequently left, that he will not compromise on his stance.
Benitez has long been unhappy at the speed in which Liverpool deal in the market, but the desire for control over transfers stems from the failure to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa in the summer after the club refused to match the £18m asking price.
The Liverpool manager also wants greater influence over the Academy than his present contract allows.
With Premier League leaders Liverpool facing neighbours Everton on Monday and possibly usurped from top place by Manchester United later today, the timing of Benitez’s decision to reject the deal has surprised the Anfield hierarchy, as did the manager’s outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson last week.
Explaining his decision to reject the deal, Benitez said: “My relationship with the owners is better than people think. I have regular contact with them and especially with Tom Hicks who has always been very supportive.
“The talks between my agent and the advisers of the owners have been very positive and friendly and our differences are about my responsibilities.
“I have to say again that this is not about financial gain. This is solely about being allowed to manage Liverpool Football Club to the best of my abilities as I see them.
“I will continue to do my job as manager and concentrate on the thing that our fans want me to focus on – winning trophies for them.
“From the first day I came to the club I have only ever given 100% and I will continue to do this. We have a very important game coming up against Everton on Monday night and now I just want to be able to concentrate only on this.”
Hicks has revealed a meeting will take place later this month with Benitez in which the owner hopes an agreement can be thrashed out. And he said: “As Rafa says, we have a strong working relationship and are united behind the team. We understand his frustrations and are committed to working with him and his advisors to find a solution here, and we will keep talking. I am coming over for the Chelsea game. We already planned to get together on the 30th and 31st to talk over a number of issues and we will clear up everything we need to.
“Rafa’s been frustrated for a long time about the length of time it takes for certain things to happen. I think he’s trying to position himself to do the job better but there are balances that have to be done in English football, and we will work through this. We can fix that and we will.
“I do think it can be worked out. There are no issues between Rafa and the owners in any way. There are issues he wants to work out to make it better for this club.
“Rafa will be coaching Liverpool for the next five years and we will work through all these lawyer issues.”
However, it is understood Gillett was unhappy that, after a joint statement was put out from the owners concerning Benitez’s contract, Hicks held a further, separate interview.
Gillett is worried that the perception will be Hicks and Benitez are siding against Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry, which is not the case.
The Spaniard has rejected the offer of a new contract at Anfield after failing to be granted the wide-ranging powers he was seeking as part of a new deal.
Co-owner Tom Hicks believes the problems can be ironed out and was yesterday confident Benitez will be Liverpool manager for the next five years. But unless Hicks and George Gillett meet Benitez’s demands of autonomy regarding transfers, the Spaniard, who has 18 months remaining on his present contract, is likely to leave Liverpool in the summer.
The length of the contract and the financial terms of the deal had already been agreed last month, with the scope of Benitez’s responsibility the sticking point.
The Spaniard, who insists he has no quarrel with the owners, does not want to depart and the Americans are keen for him to stay.
But Benitez demonstrated at Valencia in 2004, when he fell out with the club’s director of sport Jesus Garcia Pitarch over the failure to buy the players he had singled out and subsequently left, that he will not compromise on his stance.
Benitez has long been unhappy at the speed in which Liverpool deal in the market, but the desire for control over transfers stems from the failure to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa in the summer after the club refused to match the £18m asking price.
The Liverpool manager also wants greater influence over the Academy than his present contract allows.
With Premier League leaders Liverpool facing neighbours Everton on Monday and possibly usurped from top place by Manchester United later today, the timing of Benitez’s decision to reject the deal has surprised the Anfield hierarchy, as did the manager’s outburst against Sir Alex Ferguson last week.
Explaining his decision to reject the deal, Benitez said: “My relationship with the owners is better than people think. I have regular contact with them and especially with Tom Hicks who has always been very supportive.
“The talks between my agent and the advisers of the owners have been very positive and friendly and our differences are about my responsibilities.
“I have to say again that this is not about financial gain. This is solely about being allowed to manage Liverpool Football Club to the best of my abilities as I see them.
“I will continue to do my job as manager and concentrate on the thing that our fans want me to focus on – winning trophies for them.
“From the first day I came to the club I have only ever given 100% and I will continue to do this. We have a very important game coming up against Everton on Monday night and now I just want to be able to concentrate only on this.”
Hicks has revealed a meeting will take place later this month with Benitez in which the owner hopes an agreement can be thrashed out. And he said: “As Rafa says, we have a strong working relationship and are united behind the team. We understand his frustrations and are committed to working with him and his advisors to find a solution here, and we will keep talking. I am coming over for the Chelsea game. We already planned to get together on the 30th and 31st to talk over a number of issues and we will clear up everything we need to.
“Rafa’s been frustrated for a long time about the length of time it takes for certain things to happen. I think he’s trying to position himself to do the job better but there are balances that have to be done in English football, and we will work through this. We can fix that and we will.
“I do think it can be worked out. There are no issues between Rafa and the owners in any way. There are issues he wants to work out to make it better for this club.
“Rafa will be coaching Liverpool for the next five years and we will work through all these lawyer issues.”
However, it is understood Gillett was unhappy that, after a joint statement was put out from the owners concerning Benitez’s contract, Hicks held a further, separate interview.
Gillett is worried that the perception will be Hicks and Benitez are siding against Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry, which is not the case.
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