Tom Hicks gives Rafa Benitez 'his full support'

Oct 25 2007

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez today received the backing of the club’s multi-millionaire American co-owner Tom Hicks.

Benitez came in for criticism last night after a 2-1 defeat by Besiktas in Turkey left the Reds in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

Hicks admits much is expected but is confident Benitez, whose rotation policy has also been a source of consternation, will put things right this season.

“This squad should be winning,” said Hicks, who owns the club in partnership with George Gillett.

“Otherwise, we will have to look at the circumstances and have a meeting at the end of year to try to understand what happened. But I prefer to be optimistic.

“We back Rafa. He’s the right manager. Rafa’s rotation has been his policy for three years.

“Rafa’s ability to coach and manage in the Champions League should be unquestioned.”

Hicks, while admitting he was “blown away” by the decibel level of Turkish support, said he was not unduly worried that last year’s finalists and 2005 winners were bottom of their Champions League group with just one point.

“We can never assume that we can go all the way every year,” said Hicks. “But we should win the next two at home, then we have what is obviously a vital game against Marseille. But you don’t give Rafa guidance, no one wants to win more than him.”

Liverpool take on leaders Arsenal on Sunday in a vital fixture between the Barclays Premier League’s only two unbeaten sides.

Hicks said it was an ideal opportunity to cut the gap at the top of the domestic competition to three points.

“We haven’t won the Premier League for 17 years and I know how much the fans and Rafa want it,” he said.

“I know the passion is there, that’s one of reasons we made the signings in summer, to create the depth.

“When we committed the financial resources we did, the whole idea was to compete for the Premier League. We didn’t have that depth in past years to do that.”

Hicks, attending a global sports industry forum in London ahead of Sunday’s NFL game between the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins, also disclosed that the cost of Liverpool’s new stadium, due to open in August 2011, had risen to £400million.

New funds will will be acquired shortly for a stadium that, while initially holding 60,000 fans, will be designed to accommodate an additional 10,000 whenever permission can be secured.

“Our fans are wonderful and over time we’ll be able to give them the amenities, comfort and ease of getting tickets they’ve never had before,” said Hicks.

He and fellow co-owner George Gillett had no intention, he said, of cashing in on any future revenues at Anfield.

“People get involved in sport mainly because they have a passion rather than for the money,” he said. “There are far better investments I could make than buying a football team.”