Will Hicks and Gillett rise to the bait?

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is playing it cool just now. After vocal interest from Juventus, the Spaniard was quick to display his modesty, but also his commitment to Liverpool, on his terms. Benitez shrewdly used the opportunity to stress the need for “progress”. “It is important for everyone at the club and for all the fans to see these things happen,” he said, giving a sly message to owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr that if they don’t appreciate him, and won’t let him spend their moolah how he wants, there are other pretty clubs out there who will. But will Hicks and Gillett rise to it?

Whatever they do they’re unlikely to be thought of any better by the fans. Benitez however is in the luxury position of having overwhelming support from the Liverpool faithful despite a run of unimpressive results and a 3 year spell without a trophy. The heroics of Istanbul have bought him a large cachet and the huge unpopularity of the owners have provided a damaging sideshow readily available to absorb the blame. However some are starting to doubt Benitez. His penchant for making defensive substitutions when games still need to be won are irking certain sections of the Kop. Further more the owners are starting to feel that he isn’t doing enough to stop the rot on the field and, as such, is attracting them far more publicity than they’d like. A serious or successful challenge for honours would, for the most part, distract all but the hardcore from the goings on in the boardroom and the opinion that Benitez isn’t the man to do this has been building steam for some time now. The owners know that sacking him would result in a large pay out, as much as £16 million based on some reports, and they aren’t likely to want to shell out for that, but if he left of his own accord, they’d be spared such a burden. If Rafa were to walk out on Liverpool the owners would get the outcome they secretly desire whilst not having to brave the public onslaught they would face if they ousted him.

They’d still undoubtedly face strong criticism for pushing him towards the door, but they’re likely to face that anyway whatever they do with such is the huge swell of animosity against them on the terraces. Rafa has long claimed that he wants complete control over the comings and goings and the debacle that was Robbie Keane’s brief stadium tour has caused irreversible rifts between the boardroom and the dug out. If Rafa doesn’t get his way on investment he can no doubt claim his position is untenable, whilst the owners can point, for the meantime, to Liverpool’s disastrous season. Everyone saves face and no one loses, except that is, possibly, for the fans. But they’re always the ones who lose out in these situations anyway.