Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has warned fans that it could take him two years to sell the club.
The news will come as a bitter blow to Liverpool fans who want the Americans Hicks and Gillett out of the club as soon as possible. Hicks’ valuation of the club stands at £800m but he believes that there are still plenty of people that could buy the club.
Hicks has said: “From discussions we've had over the last two years, there are plenty of those people (possible investors in Liverpool) out there, we've owned the club for three years. We won't own it for five.” Hicks went on to discuss his feelings about the club saying: “I can still be a fan, but I've paid a terrible price. I'm 64 years old; I don't want that any more. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys owner) is a good friend of mine, but his life and his family's life is the Dallas Cowboys. Mark Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks are his life, this isn't my life.”
The American owners’ time at Liverpool has been a complete disaster. When they gained control of the club in 2007, they promised heavy investment and that they would take the club forward and make them competitive again. Whilst some money has been there for Rafa Benitez, according to the Spaniard, it hasn’t been anywhere near the amount he was promised to get. Also there were big plans drawn up for Liverpool to move from Anfield to Stanley Park by 2011, however the financial mess at the club has left the plans up in the air as to what exactly is going to happen.
The fans aren’t the only ones who are worried about the goings on at the club, Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Pepe Reina believes the club needs to sort itself out quickly so they can hang on to players like Fernando Torres. Reina has said: “It is important that players like Fernando see the club moving forward. Let's see how it goes with the owners and the sale of the club and those kind of things that are not in our hands.” Reina added: “Once we are done with that, let's build a proper team, a proper squad, a competitive squad and one that can help us fight for bigger targets.”
Reina’s words could also not come at a worse time for Liverpool with the club cruely losing the Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid and also missing out on 4th place in the Premiership. Liverpool fans will surely be hoping that despite the disappointing season players like Torres and Gerrard will stick with the team because of its prestige and honour over Champions League football.
Nobody knows when the good times will be back for Liverpool ,and sadly the football world as we know it is dominated by money and there is no way that Hicks and Gillett will sell the club for less than they think it’s worth, regardless if it would be for the good of Liverpool. Hopefully someone soon will meet their valuation because this great club deserves so much better and I’m sure everyone would like to see Liverpool being able to compete for the Premiership once again.