Archangel

I dont believe so, since the infamous fall out in December and the clear the air talks, Hicks has consistently backed the manager and appears to be genuinely supportive. Gillette on the other hand never did. Don't know exactly what to make of it all but I don't want to fall into the habit of accusing every bit of positive news I hear as some sort of pr stunt from the Hicks camp. I think Hicks knows he's screwed up whether through ignorance or incompetence and is now desperately trying to sort management of the club out. As of yet there's been no obvious sign that the club is going down the tubes just a great deal of speculation and rumour mongering from well placed sources, but certainly Benitez seems to be more relaxed than he's been for ages which is strange when you coonsider our current predicament Whether Hicks can actually make the finances stack up now is a different arguement, he obviously feels he can which explains why he is so desperate to keep control otherwise like Gillette he would have taken DICs 30 pieces of silver and run I'm really not sure about Hicks but I can see quite clearly that there's alot of negative spin coming out against him as there is positive spin coming out from his camp

I understand this but what are the chances that he'll be able to draw in another backer from the US. I've not been happy with suggestions that we should mount a boycott of the clubs commercial interests but i could see it having an impact on warding off potential support for Hicks

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What.......where's that come from Seems not only the press are guilty of spin Cant see anything out of kilter with stuff thats been mentioned/rumoured in and out of the public domain

I know I'm thick and I know I'm probably pissing everyone off at the moment but isn't that type of boycott more of a risk to the future of the club not to that of Hicks Surely, if an economic boycott is successful and the club falls into financial difficulty, Hicks parachutes out as he's done before and we go a la Leeds united. Possible that we would get rescued though realistically what new potential owner would take a gamble on a club already in heavy debt because its supporters took against the management in such a militant style If the boycott is just a threat Hicks will simply bluff it out I'm trying to look at this problem as logically as I can, perspective has gone right out the window here and on RAWK. The owners are businessmen not baby murderers. There have been undoubtedly some huge c**k ups by the Americans but in the end success of the Club must be central to their own ambitions of maximising revenues and hopefully profit. At the end of the day although I cant prove it, Hicks has done nothing that other investors would'nt have done or would have had to resort to in the end. In Hicks case the credit crunch may well have forced his hand Essentially I believe what drives this hysteria at the moment is disatisfaction that the Americans arent as wealthy as we'd like and the club is struggling on the field (for which there are other reasons) everything else is just a manifestation of that I'm passionate about this club as everyone else is and I understand why some people feel the way they do but I'm also aware that unleashing a backlash against the owners as purely an emotional response is very unlikely to acheive its objectives and will possibly only make things worse.

Hicks may be unpopular, he might be upsetting alot of people by refusing to sell his shares but to say that he's dragging us through the mud is a bit melodramatic

What is it with Benitez and Uniteds back line It'll be Gary next you see

I wont say DIC are bullet proof and I'm sceptical as you are about the future But I'll give them credit in one respect, the Arabs are taking an awful lot of trouble to buy us so that must be fairly comforting in a way As for Hicks.... you have to admire him, he's probably a great poker player

Oh good, that'll be two owners at war with each other Wonderful - just what we need Anything other than a 100% takeover is going to be a bloody mess for us

Yeah he's obviously a complete failure if he cant raise 150m

BBC source = DIC

a 50% stake each for Hicks and DIC now thats not going to work is it its the evans/houllier scenario in the boardroom never a dull moment these days at Anfield

Usually aided and abbetted (sp) by sycophantic englishmen I would point out I think you're reading too much into this, I take much of what happened at face value I think it was more likely to have been a touch of arrogance by the texan 'fronting it out' than part of a calculated pr exercise and pr for what - us? DIC? cant see the point there really

Couldnt imagine a less likely partnership though even if temporary Hicks and DIC with Hicks as the majority shareholder Must be complete b******s unless the minority share is with someone other than DIC

I see your logic when its put that way, but Tom Hicks presence over here and his fathers statements doesnt give the impression that they are about to bail out nor do I believe its all part of their negotiating stance - like DIC would be fooled by that one Perhaps they have sold now and Tom Hicks is over here to put club officials in the picture, maybe something is iminent. Things have to be cleared up one way or the other so we can all move on. One definitive statement, the americans in or out. Its the lack of stability which is strangling this club more than who owns it. Leadership at the moment is a bloody mess

Looking for a cyber punch up? why not open a thread which openly challenges the perceived wisdom about Hicks Well what exactly is the problem 1. After alot of miscommunication (in both directions) Hicks has publically stated that he wants Benitez to see out his contract 2. Benitez has revealed that he receives constant support and emails from Hicks (not Gillett interestingly) 3. The accusation that Hicks sought to destabilise Benitez by speaking to Klinsmann could just be as the american said down to protecting the club 4. The stadium plans are progressing, some hitches along the way, but still close enough to the originally reviewed plans to excite me at least 5. Record money made available for players chosen by Benitez. Torres a record signing for a striker, Skrtel a record signing for a defender and Mascherano (i think) possibly a record signing for a midfielder depending on rumours and interpretation Ok so its a positive gloss and I'm not completely convinced myself but they are tangible points which makes some of the extreme criticism of the owners look over the top The financing issue is a big negative but for me the culprit on that is more Parry and Moores fault. Debt is a factor of life, its how its managed that the key and if Hicks can manage it it shouldnt be a concern of the fans Tw other small points to throw in For all the guff and bluster never has there been talk from the americans of groundshare or hiking ticket prices which are of more significance to me There's been a carefully constructed campaign of hatred against Hicks, the American may have played fast and loose but does he deserve the outright vilification he and his family get There is a change of culture going on at anfield and like it or not most of us wanted it when Moores was at the helm. Performances on and off the park will be increasingly more critical and pressure greater due to Hicks intervention Is this something to fear necessarily or could it be in the interests of the club in the long term? and would DIC care more about being custodians Not being funny, just challenging a few ingrained perceptions, its my way

I completely agee with you............. for once

As long as they have faith in the incumbent manager of course And you are in danger of succumbing to their pr there

Is it just not possible that the americans were telling the truth about Klinsmann being insurance oh and the point about Rafa being more secure with hicks than DIC I'd say is absolutely spot on DIC wouldn't necessarily cut him loose but neither would they feel any particular loyalty towards retaining him, he's not their man

Missed my point entirely mate

Not going to take too much trouble in responding to you and the others as it would be a clear waste of time but I've seen enough mindless violence in my life to realise that it changes nothing Funny thing is what scares me more is not the numbskulls who get involved but those who sit back in the cold light of day and rationalise it Whats even more ironic, but barely discussed, particularly for everyone who wants Rafa to stay, is that Hicks is his best option but hey, lets beat the t***s son up and show everyone just how much we love the club Clueless and classless

Yeah just like those italian fans kicking off at hysel I mean nothing would of happened if they had'nt bought tickets for the enclosure at our end would it Simple minded apologists for thuggery - hey but what do i know Nah i'm wrong its completely different - sure it is Oh yes and what the f*** will it acheive. Do you really think these guys care They can blow DIC out and bleed us dry just for the hell of it - they'll be ok Sometimes, just sometimes will people please use their brains not their arses

Again and again and again, this fascination with the need to bring in new world class players. Thats not been the failure here. The failure has been getting the most out of the existing players. Madrid's lame performances of recent years has blown apart the mythology of the galacticos or the world beaters as you have put it. Picking the right players for the squad, sticking to a settled system, and playing players to their strengths is more than half the battle not acquiring world beaters What was it about not getting the best table leg but the one that fits the table wise words from a good manager, but thats where Rafa has deviated from his own perspective. Can someone remind him where the f*** Jamie Carragher plays - how did that table leg fit the f***ing table Its the players fault.......... b****x

Yeah but life's a bitch If we'd got Anelka we'd have leaked goals like a sieve and everyone would have complained about us not getting cover for Agger Still not convinced its the players to blame could be more the system perhaps