RAFAEL BENITEZ has revealed that Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is now ‘very supportive’ of him and contacts him several times each week with good luck messages.
Hicks incurred the wrath of many Liverpool supporters when he disclosed that he had entered into discussions with Jurgen Klinsmann in November with a view to offering him the Liverpool managers manager’s job despite Benitez still being in the position.
The talks occurred after the Spaniard fell out with the club’s American owners over his role in recruiting players and infamously declared “I’m concentrating on coaching and training my players” – a sentence he repeated at least 10 times in his pre-match Press conference for the Newcastle United away game.
Benitez, who usually wears a shirt and tie for matches subsequently donned at tracksuit for the trip to St James’ Park to seemingly emphasise his point and with the battle lines drawn between the owners and manager many fans sided with the Spaniard who brought the European Cup back to Anfield for the first time in 21 years in 2005.
Many fans remain unhappy that Hicks and George Gillett retain ownership of Liverpool and there have been demonstrations both inside and outside the stadium plus various supporter schemes to try and purchase the club but Benitez insists that his relationship with the Texan billionaire is now a positive one.
He said: “After the meeting we had, everything was clarified.
“The misunderstanding was clarified and after the meeting I have had the support of Tom Hicks.
“Almost every week, not every day but before or after a game, he contacts me. He sends me e-mails saying ‘come on’, ‘well done’ and ‘you can do it’ – very positive. I e-mail him back saying ‘thank you’.
“He does it for different games. Before this game against Middlesbrough he e-mailed me saying ‘come on.’
“Before and after the Inter game he e-mailed me.
“After Barnsley he said ‘come on, keep focused on the Champions League’ – he’s very supportive.”
Benitez insists that he has had no such contact from the club’s other co-owner George Gillett in recent weeks or his son Foster, who is believed to be back in the USA, but would not comment on whether he thinks Liverpool fans should stop their protests against the Americans.
He said: “No. (I do not have any contact with Foster Gillett or George Gillett).”
“I haven’t seen Foster Gillett (for a long time). I was not doing anything different (before the fall out in November).
“I was just trying to keep in contact with them through Rick (Parry).
“After the meeting, communication has been much better.
“I cannot say anything to our supporters in terms of what they must do or not.
“My relationship with Tom Hicks is good and I don’t have any problems because I’m professional.
“It was a misunderstanding and I think he understands now all the things I was telling him before.”
Benitez insists that it is his will to do well in his role as Liverpool manager that has spurred him on in this difficult period and he prefers to concentrate on football matters rather than the off-the-field issues at Anfield.
He said: “I am a fighter, I have always been a fighter so when we had the problems I was fighting. When everything was much better I was really focused.
“I like to do my job, I am a professional and I try to do my best – always. I don’t have any concerns (that he will approach another manager in the future).”
Benitez added: “I don’t know the situation (over ownership/possible sale of the club) so I am trying to concentrate on football. The communication with Tom is through e-mail, it’s just talking about games or business for the future with players but nothing really serious because we go through Rick to do the other things – it’s just to support me and the team.”
With Jamie Carragher suspended today, Benitez must decide who to pair Sami Hyypia with in central defence.
New boy Martin Skrtel has been declared fit but while Daniel Agger is also finally back in contention, the Dane is not believed to be ready to play 90 minutes yet.
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