Tom Hicks is 'undermining' Rafa Benitez, says Alan Hansen

Jan 14 2008

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’ admission that he held talks with Jurgen Klinsmann can only “undermine” manager Rafael Benitez.

That is the verdict of former Liverpool star Alan Hansen, who is at a loss as to why Hicks went public on the situation.

In his column on the BBC Sport website, Hansen said : “I haven’t got a clue why he has come out and said this.

“Maybe the story was going to come out and he thought he’d be better off making a statement first.

“Whichever way you look at it though, these events cannot do anything but undermine manager Rafael Benitez.

“His position is not untenable, but for one of the owners to come out and publicly say he had talks with the man who was heavily linked with Benitez’s job - well, it puts even more pressure on the Spaniard.

“Insurance policy or whatever Hicks wants to call it, the fact is he met Klinsmann and offered him the job if Benitez went, which is remarkable.”