Rafa Benitez last night insisted he isn't a control freak - but reiterated that he wants full authority on transfer policy.
The Kop boss turned down a contract extension that would have kept him at Anfield for a further five years and was worth £20m as the boardroom split that has torn Liverpool apart over the last two years widened further.
Owner Tom Hicks is prepared to back the Spaniard, but he faces opposition from partner George Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry in a row that threatens to wreck Liverpool's title challenge.
Benitez, who has just 18 months left on his current deal, feels he should be allowed full control to spend his transfer budget on players he has identified.
His anger stems from Parry's failure to secure Aston Villa's £18m-rated Gareth Barry before agreeing to spend the club's £20m summer budget on Robbie Keane.
Then Xabi Alonso's proposed move to Juventus collapsed over the Italian club's refusal to pay more than £12m - leaving Liverpool with insufficient funds to buy Barry.
Benitez said: "I don't want 100 per cent control of everything, but a manager should be given a transfer budget and left to decide how to spend it.
"If he is given £20m he should be able to decide whether he brings in four players for £5m each or spends £20m on one.
"Who knows these things best? The manager. Who knows the value of players? The manager.
"The manager has to decide. It doesn't matter whether you have one chief executive or 20. It must be only the manager who decides how the budget is spent.
"I have to manage the team, so I should decide these things."
The Kop boss turned down a contract extension that would have kept him at Anfield for a further five years and was worth £20m as the boardroom split that has torn Liverpool apart over the last two years widened further.
Owner Tom Hicks is prepared to back the Spaniard, but he faces opposition from partner George Gillett and chief executive Rick Parry in a row that threatens to wreck Liverpool's title challenge.
Benitez, who has just 18 months left on his current deal, feels he should be allowed full control to spend his transfer budget on players he has identified.
His anger stems from Parry's failure to secure Aston Villa's £18m-rated Gareth Barry before agreeing to spend the club's £20m summer budget on Robbie Keane.
Then Xabi Alonso's proposed move to Juventus collapsed over the Italian club's refusal to pay more than £12m - leaving Liverpool with insufficient funds to buy Barry.
Benitez said: "I don't want 100 per cent control of everything, but a manager should be given a transfer budget and left to decide how to spend it.
"If he is given £20m he should be able to decide whether he brings in four players for £5m each or spends £20m on one.
"Who knows these things best? The manager. Who knows the value of players? The manager.
"The manager has to decide. It doesn't matter whether you have one chief executive or 20. It must be only the manager who decides how the budget is spent.
"I have to manage the team, so I should decide these things."
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