Interview de Hicks

Quote :

TOM HICKS ON RAFA, DIC AND HIS FUTURE
Paul Hassall 27 January 2008

In an interview with Radio 5 live's 'Sportsweek' programme, Liverpool co-chairman Tom Hicks has spoken about his future, the DIC rumours, Rafa Benitez and much more. Read the full transcript now.



How do you feel now that you have finally completed the refinancing of the club?

Well we are happy to get it behind us. It should have happened weeks ago but these things take longer. But it's all done, we are pleased and we are going about our business.

What are the implications of this refinancing deal?

Well it refinances the original loan we took on when we bought the club and more importantly it provides the capital for the next year and a half to take the stadium forward and as soon as we complete approval process and our judicial review we'll start digging in Stanley Park and get it going.

So you can confirm that you want to be involved with Liverpool for the foreseeable future?

Absolutely. I'm learning a lot about the club, I'll learn even more over the coming years but I think it has the most fantastic fan base and I'm very excited about the future of the club. People will come to realise that the new stadium will be the finest football stadium in the world and everybody in Liverpool should be very proud of it.

In the past fortnight you have insisted you do not want to sell the club. Is that still 100 per cent the case? You can confirm that you won't sell to DIC or anyone?

Absolutely not. I've learned a lot about British tabloids and I'm sure people already know about that. That was never a serious possibility.

So even if someone like DIC came in and offered a huge amount for the club, you would still say no?

My answer would be that I can't think of a price for which I would want to sell and I have no interest in selling at all. The DIC people are professional and wouldn't do that anyway.

Have you ever thought about selling Liverpool to DIC?

No. I never have.

So you have never negotiated with them at any point?

Well I did talk to them once about a 10-15 per cent participation but that was months ago and we gave them a valuation for which we would accept a minority investor and they thought the valuation was too high. We've had no conversation of substance since then.

So that 10-15 per cent would have been as part shareholder in your business?

Yes they would have been a minority investor and we would have used that capital to help build the new stadium. But we'll find other ways to capitalise the new stadium in a couple of years. Right now we've got the capital and I've put in a lot of money. We will put in more if we need to and we are going to design the best football stadium in the world and we'll end getting permanent capital for it when we need to further down the road.

Having spoken to the Dubai investors regarding a 15 per cent share, would you still be interested if other investors came in?

Well I can't predict the future. I know what we are doing right now and we'll let the future unfold. The fans should know we are building the best football ground in the world in Stanley Park and we've got a great manager in Rafael Benitez who has our support. We had a lot of consternation about Rafa. But after our meeting on December 16 with Rafa, where he really showed his strong intent to do the right things with us and by the club, he's been a gentleman ever since and we've had much better communication. He's got our total backing. I've made that very clear. We've funded transfer requests in January and we are talking about things for the summer. Rafa's going to be our manager. He's got a contract here for two more years and hopefully longer than that.

As someone who has been successful both at Valencia and Liverpool - do you think Rafa is doing a good job this season?

Well we can do better. The club knows that, the players know that and Rafa knows that. That's what it's all about - the players and what happens on the pitch. The tabloids like to have lots of fun with other issues but it's all about how we play and it's time for this club to win.

So you will definitely be honouring Benitez's contract for the two years that it has to run?

As far as I'm concerned Rafa Benitez will be here for at least the length of his contract.

But you have admitted to approaching Klinsmann. Can you honestly say you have no-one else lined up for the job of manager of Liverpool Football Club?

No. That was then and it was a long time ago. He's got a contract in Germany so he won't be part of our plans ever again.

What about your partnership with George Gillett. There have been suggestions you do not get on?

George and I get along fine. Sometimes we don't agree but that's what business partnerships are all about.

You're certain that there's no chance he will split from you and do a deal with DIC?

No that was never a possibility.

So in five years time you expect to still be the owner of Liverpool FC?

There is no question in my mind. I want to win the support of our fans with my actions. I want to get out of the tabloids, out of the blogs. I just want them to watch my actions and not read somebody else's words.

Why do you want to own Liverpool?

Well I own three clubs and I have a real passion for all three of them. I think it's a great way to invest my money. I believe in what is going to happen with global television and internet growth for teams. I love it. I'm a big fan and I watch all the games on television. I couldn't watch the Havant game because it wasn't on TV but I got the reports on the website. I wish I could come over for every game but it's a long way. I plan to come to more. I love baseball, I love hockey and I love football.

In terms of money for the players, do you anticipate any further additions to the squad before the end of January?

We have never turned down Rafa's request for money on any player he has asked for. If you look at the signings last summer and this month it shows that. We are already having conversations about the summer. You'll have to ask Rafa about that but we've never turned him down.

There's a lot of speculation about whether you will complete a £17million deal for Javier Mascherano. Are you prepared to endorse that transfer?

Absolutely.

And finally, what is your message to Liverpool supporters today?

Well we are on our way. We are going to build the greatest football stadium in the world. We've got a great manager, great fans and it's time to put all the press frenzy behind us and move down the road.

There's no question you will be selling the club then?

There's no question in my mind.

Source : OFFAL

Pas mal de points sur lequels on été sceptiques je pense que l'on peux etre rassurés...Et c'est tant mieux

Quote :

So you will definitely be honouring Benitez's contract for the two years that it has to run?

As far as I'm concerned Rafa Benitez will be here for at least the length of his contract.

There's a lot of speculation about whether you will complete a £17million deal for Javier Mascherano. Are you prepared to endorse that transfer?

Absolutely.

c'est tout ce que je voulais entendre

Attention de ne pas sombrer dans l'attitude inverse non plus: ce mec n'est pas aussi bon qu'il le prétend et on ne doit juger que dans les actes.
Il à l'air de focaliser les attentions sur le stade et n'exclut pas l'idée de partager les actions avec d'autres investisseurs...wait and see donc.

Après avoir obtenu le nouveau prêt, ce qui lui permet de réaffirmer sa position de propriétaire, je le voyais mal dire autre chose.

C'est clair que c'est du positif, mais ce genre de déclarations publiques, après ce qui a été fait, ne sert qu'à essayer de recoller les pots cassés. Je le vois mal arriver et dire: "Rafa sera viré au plus tard en fin de saison et Mascherano est trop cher, qu'il se barre!". Bref, tout ça pour dire que cette fois il reste dans le politiquement correct (ce qui est déjà une amélioration), et que la langue de bois est une fois de plus de mise (à mon avis).

J'ai très peu de confiance en lui, but wait and see! J'espère que l'avenir me donnera tort!

Malgré ces déclarations de président cherchant à reprendre la main, je ne vois toujours pas comment Rafa pourra rester à la fin de la saison.
Il faudrait au moins fairre le "treble".

Déclarations rassurantes, à suivre, faut voir...

I believe every word he said. Aren't we lucky to have such a nice genuine guy as our owner.

I believe the fans of the other sports clubs that he owns feel just the same.

What a really nice guy he is.

Oh by the way did I miss the bit about who is going to be paying the interest on the loan he has negotiated?

I think I missed the part about where the finance for the stadium is going to come from too?

Silly me, I obviously haven't read between the lines as I should have done. Still it is a skill I am aquiring since Uncle Tom took us over.

Oh and what was the name again of the other guy who owns half the club?

Don't seem to have heard much from him for a while? Still I suppose I should not read too much into that, should I?

After all Uncle Tom is the silent partner after all.

Well said youhknowwho but nobody knows what's really going on out there...I think that journalists should work a bit more in invetigation to tell us what's happening.

il fait de la comm là.J'ai beaucoup de mal à le croire sincere dans ses propos...

Reds will pay £30m a year interestJan 29 2008




by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo




LIVERPOOL Football Club will have to come up with around £30m a year to pay the interest on loans taken out by its American owners.

In an astonishing announcement that confirms the worst fears of many Reds fans, a spokesman for Tom Hicks admitted for the first time that the club will be responsible for servicing the £350m loan package.

The loan taken out with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia was divided in two. with £105m being loaded onto the club’s book, and the remaining £245m going on to

the books of Kop Holdings, the parent company set up by Hicks and George Gillett when they bought Liverpool last February.


But today’s bombshell news that it is the club, and not Hicks and Gillett, which will have to meet interest payments on both sections of the loan will put huge financial pressure on Liverpool to qualify for the lucrative Champions League every season.


A spokesman from Financial Dynamics, the City PR company representing Hicks, said: “The holding company debt is supported by the assets it acquired and should there ever be any shortfall in cash flow at the club or anywhere else in Kop in any given year, Kop’s ownership, under the terms of the financing package, is prepared to fund whatever is required.


“The debt is being handled exactly as it is handled at the vast majority of professional sports teams.”


John Mackin, of fans group Reclaim The Kop, admitted he now feared for the future of the club if Hicks and Gillett remain as owners.


He said: “We are looking at a level of debt, or the interest payments at the very least, which could sink the club if we have a couple of bad seasons.


“I’m just hoping that this admission by Hicks is part of an exit strategy which would allow him to sell the club because of the outrage this announcement will cause.


“A meeting has been called for Liverpool fans at the Sandon pub on Thursday night, and I’ve got no doubt that these interest payments will be one of the main talking points.”


Anfield sources today indicated that Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry and life president David Moores would continue their opposition to the club having to make any interest payments on the acquisition debt.


But such opposition could ultimately lead to the pair being removed from the club’s board

Comments
Somebody save my beloved club from ruin. DIC SAVE US PLEASE
Posted by Matt on January 29, 2008 3:46 PM
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In the end, the extra ticket sales from larger and better stadium will cover the interest payments. Most players that Rafa has wanted have been bought. My main disappointment is that there has been no personal investment by the owners.
Posted by Gautam on January 29, 2008 2:10 PM
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Moores and Parry will forever be remembered as the two jokers who sold Liverpool FC out to Tom and Jerry.

Making Liverpool into a laughing stocks for the whole world to see.


Posted by PatrickB on January 29, 2008 2:07 PM
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Parry is the one who brought these two cowboys through the front door. Parry is the one who wrote his own contract with a £2M pay off, got his lad a job at LFC!
Niether he or his son have special skills. Run the pair of them out of town, the club is getting bled dry, by two yankie cowboys and a nounce Parry.
Posted by Paul McMahon on January 29, 2008 2:03 PM
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I do not see how Hicks personally has any credible future at Liverpool given the animosity he has generated both within and without the club. He is intending to attend Liverpool's Champion's League fixture at Anfield on Feb 19th, this will be a chance for the fans to display their feelings. Let's hope he doesn't realise what he's in for.
Yes David Moores and Rick Parry are to blame, they have been very naive but to be fair there was nothing to suggest that they were dealing with a con man when they negotiated the sale of club.
I have a feeling that this sorry saga has some way to run.
Posted by John Adkins on January 29, 2008 1:46 PM
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Has anyone figured out where the money for the stadium will come from because I don't think Hicks and Gillette have. Hicks is talking about having this ready for 2011. According to above the current level of debt is barely sustainable let alone another 300to600mill. These guys don't have deep enough pocket so they must be looking to sell. Also, if we don't make the champ. league spot we're in big money trouble.
Posted by Niall on January 29, 2008 1:34 PM
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I am getting so sick of the British media's treatment of this whole situation. I actually feel sorry for Hicks, because in the States none of this would be cause for concern.

On the one hand the Americans are criticized for "only being in it for the money" and on the other hand they are criticized for "risking bankrupting the club". You can't have it both ways - if they make money it's because the club is making money, and if the club is making money it's because it's being managed properly on all levels and presumably winning things.

They own the club. They want to make money with it. Let's (us Liverpool fans) hope they do. All this "news" is about is that in the event of the business going badly the club will be saddled with debt.

Americans know how to do business and there's no reason to believe that Hicks and Gillett won't make the club profitable. On-field success is another issue, and maybe the club captain should stop making excuses about off-field events affecting his performances.

As for Liverpool fans, so much for holding our heads up high when we walk through a storm. Everyone is just buying into the media's lies and sensationalism.
Posted by John on January 29, 2008 1:28 PM
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As a lifelong Liverpool fan I just hope the campaign to get these 2 out, along with Parry, keeps the momentum it had last week before Hicks flashed some fancy photos of a stadium that nobody is yet building. Also paranoid LFC fans blaming the "southern" "london" or "manchester" media should shake off the chip and grow up.
Posted by bob on January 29, 2008 1:27 PM
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None of this would have happened had Moores accepted the original proposal from DIC instead of favouring the American bid, purely through personal greed. Had he made the right decision from a club and fans point of view, we might still have a club we can be proud to support as opposed to the laughing stock it appears to be rapidly becoming.
Posted by Vernon Pool on January 29, 2008 1:18 PM
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Parry and Moores should be held accountable for what has happened to Liverpool FC. Shame on them for not having the sound judgment to sell to a more credible investor.
Posted by Derwin on January 29, 2008 1:07 PM
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Parry and Moores are to blame for this.
Playing poker with DIC and not having th e right hand forced them to take the Yankee dollar. I have experience of the men from Dubai and know that they are 100% commited to anything that they undertake, and ensure that it becomes a success. Unforgivable.....
Posted by Big Al on January 29, 2008 1:05 PM
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Its simple really. Liverpool will be in the exact same position as my team, Man Utd , apart from the small fact they dont generate as much income.
Both United and Liverpool will now be heavily reliant on increasing TV deals and on the pitch success.
We all know what will give if theres no money for the debts - the players.
I dont feel sorry for Liverpool as Im a United fan but i know how they feel.
A once stable club has been horribly unbalanced.
Posted by N Sutcliffe on January 29, 2008 1:01 PM
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Football is a global business, get over it. Go and find something new and interesting to report.

Other shock-revelations this week include:
The earth is round.
Politicians lie. (But not as much as the press).
Posted by Bored with Press Spin on January 29, 2008 11:16 AM
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So that is what the money available for transfers was - it will be needed for the club to makehte interest payments.
Posted by Mickey on January 29, 2008 10:16 AM
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SOCCER SOCCER SOCCER RA RA RA!

Lets all fall for the Hicks PR.
Posted by F. Hills on January 29, 2008 9:55 AM
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Rob Hall: what this means is that if LFC doesn't have enough cash to service the interest payments, and assuming the interest isn't rolled over, then they will have to raise further debt to pay off the interest, thus raising debt, raising interest payments, consequently lowering cash avaialble for Rafa to spend on players....
Posted by FB on January 29, 2008 9:38 AM
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Ok so the actual quote was "The holding company debt is supported by the assets it acquired and should there ever be any shortfall in cash flow at the club or anywhere else in Kop in any given year, Kop's ownership, under the terms of the financing package, is prepared to fund whatever is required".

What that means is that IF needed, Kop and its assets are liable to raise finance for the loan.

I am just struggling to understand how this affects Rafas plans, and I am struggling to understand why the press feel the need to take the slightest comment and put a more sinister spin on it.

This is the kind of story I would expect from the Sun to be honest.
Posted by Rob Hall on January 29, 2008 8:57 AM
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ONE ASSUMES THAT ADMISSION PRICES WILL NOW SKYROCKET TO PROVIDE A BIGGER BOTTOM LINE. AS WAS AND IS THE CASE WITH MAN UTD. A DARK CLOUD NOW HANGS OVER LFC, ONE WONDERS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THERE ARE NO LIGHTS AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL UNLESS SOMEONE WITH MORE CASH THAN THE AMERICANS TAKEOVER WITH A LONGER TIMESPAN, AMERICANS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR CASH REGISTER, INSTANT RETURN POLICIES.
Posted by Ken Christian on January 29, 2008 8:45 AM
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This is an absolute nightmare
Posted by illustrator on January 29, 2008 8:13 AM
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Hicks actually has a PR Company representing him! Amazing...
Posted by Tom on January 29, 2008 4:19 AM
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Hicks will stick it to you guys. He's an A-1 "terrible owner" with no heart and no morals but those that feed his pocketbook.

His other two teams suck as well.
Posted by $$$$ on January 29, 2008 2:17 AM
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Non stop negativity, with no substance or facts. Anyone would think the media were enjoying this.
Posted by Cally on January 29, 2008 2:14 AM
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Moores and Parry should fall on their swords, be men and take the blame for the fracass at the club.
Posted by Bill on January 29, 2008 1:31 AM
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Vu sur un journal canadien :

Quote :

Le mercredi 30 janvier 2008

Vers un divorce Hicks-Gillett?

Jean-François Bégin

La Presse

Les prophéties ne sont pas mon fort, mais en voici une que je me sens parfaitement à l'aise de faire: un an à peine après leur mariage de convenance, la rupture est imminente entre George Gillett et Tom Hicks, copropriétaires du Liverpool FC.

Farfelu? Pas si les informations recueillies au cours des derniers jours sont exactes, et j'ai tout lieu de croire qu'elles le sont. En fait, la question n'est plus d'essayer de déterminer si le propriétaire du Canadien et celui des Stars de Dallas sont encore sur la même longueur d'onde (la réponse semble clairement être non). Il faut plutôt se demander lequel de ces deux multimillionnaires héritera de Liverpool, ce joyau du football anglais.

Les styles de Hicks et Gillett ne sauraient être plus différents. Pendant que Gillett maintient depuis des mois le silence radio le plus complet au sujet de son club de soccer, Hicks, directement ou par l'intermédiaire d'une boîte de relations publiques de New York, multiplie les déclarations péremptoires dans les médias.

Au cours du week-end, Hicks a donné sur les ondes de la BBC un étonnant vote de confiance au manager Rafael Benitez, «dont le contrat est valable pour encore deux ans, et plus encore je l'espère». Oui, le même Benitez que Hicks avait remis à sa place en novembre. Celui en qui Hicks et Gillett avaient tellement confiance qu'ils ont flirté en douce avec l'ancien entraîneur de l'équipe d'Allemagne, Jürgen Klinsmann...

Le riche Texan s'est aussi dit disposé à compléter le coûteux transfert du milieu de terrain argentin Javier Mascherano, présentement prêté à Liverpool. Une décision qui plaira assurément aux partisans des Reds si elle se confirme, mais qui donne un peu l'impression que Gillett s'est fait peinturer dans le coin.

La semaine dernière, Gillett était étrangement absent du communiqué de Liverpool expliquant les détails du plan de refinancement de 700 millionsde dollars négocié par le duo américain. Pas le moindre commentaire de sa part. Que Gillett ait laissé tout le plancher à son partenaire à propos d'une affaire aussi cruciale pour l'avenir du club et du stade qu'il entend construire n'était pas normal - et même franchement suspect.

Hicks a nié les rumeurs de conflit avec Gillett. «George et moi nous entendons bien. Nous avons parfois des désaccords, mais c'est normal entre associés», a-t-il dit à la BBC. Malgré tout, il s'en trouve pour croire, et je suis du nombre, que la mésentente est désormais très vive, au point où le divorce semble la seule avenue possible. Il ne faudrait pas se surprendre si la conclusion d'un accord de rachat est annoncée très bientôt.

Il est surprenant que Hicks et Gillett aient choisi d'acheter Liverpool ensemble. Certes, les deux avaient déjà été associés dans Swift Company, une entreprise de transformation de la viande qu'ils ont revendue pour 1,5 milliard l'été dernier. Mais on ne gère pas un club de sport professionnel de la même manière qu'une compagnie qui décarcasse du porc et du boeuf. Il faut en général un peu plus de subtilité - du moins dans un environnement où le sens de la tradition et du décorum est aussi développé qu'à Liverpool.

Déjà propriétaire du Canadien, Gillett est familier avec ce genre de réalité, contrairement à Hicks, qui fait tout dernièrement pour être à la hauteur de sa réputation de Texan fort en gueule. Les fans n'apprécient guère. Les coups de sonde sur Internet laissent entendre que la quasi-totalité des partisans souhaitent aujourd'hui le départ de Hicks et Gillett.

Si j'étais un partisan de Liverpool, je préférerais de loin avoir Gillett comme gardien de la tradition du club plutôt que le tonitruant Hicks - à condition bien sûr que Gillett prouve que son portefeuille est aussi bien garni qu'il le prétend, une démonstration qui reste à faire.

À l'entendre, Hicks est là pour de bon. «Il n'y a pas de doute dans mon esprit que je serai toujours propriétaire de Liverpool dans cinq ans, a-t-il dit au cours du week-end. Je ne peux imaginer un prix auquel je serais prêt à vendre.» Ce n'est pas le genre de déclaration qu'on fait quand on prépare sa sortie. Mais Hicks n'en est pas à une contradiction près. Parlez-en à Rafa Benitez.

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