Rick Parry: Time for Liverpool to pull together again

Feb 6 2008

RICK PARRY today called on everyone at Liverpool to forget about off-field politics and to focus instead on matters on the pitch.

The Reds chief executive chose the first anniversary of the club being taken over by Tom Hicks and George Gillett to issue a rallying cry to fans, players and officials at Anfield to concentrate on improving the team’s league position.

He also called for an end to the blame culture which many believe has undermined Liverpool following the recent upsurge in speculation about the club’s future amid renewed interest from Dubai International Capital in buying out Hicks and Gillett.

“It is time to look forward, there can be no question about that,” Parry said.

“The whole focus for the second half of the season has to be on football and the games we need to win.

“Everyone must pull together and there has to be a realisation that there is nothing the ownership can contribute to the winning of games.

“So my message is in the second half of the season there can be no blame and no excuses and that goes for all of us at the club.

“There is a lot still to play for both in the league and in the two major cup competitions we are still very much in, so let's just get on with the job in hand.”

In recent weeks, many Liverpool supporters have voiced their concern about a perceived drift away from “the Liverpool way”.

From being a club renowned for its privacy, in the last 12 months Liverpool's affairs have been far too public with internal matters finding their way into the media far too often.

Parry feels it is of paramount importance that the club gets back to its traditions – starting with a renewed commitment to the Liverpool way.

He said: “It is a reflection of the way fans are responding at the moment that the Liverpool way is very important to them.

“The way the club behaves and conducts itself is probably more important here than it is at any other club so let’s get back to what matters and I’m in no doubt that the Liverpool way still matters.”