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