Liverpool FC Chief Executive Rick Parry said: “There has been a lot of comment today regarding our position with regards to Gareth Barry.
“This is not about questioning the Manager’s judgement or the ability of a particular player. The owners have clearly demonstrated throughout the year they are willing to back Rafa in the transfer market and will continue to do so.
“It is obviously the selling club’s prerogative to put whatever price they want on the player, but on this occasion Liverpool think the price quoted is too high.”
Haven’t the owners (Hicks) learned yet that going public doesn’t fix anything? Even now we’re not saying we will or we won’t, we’re simply whining about the price, but now in the public forum.
As for saying this doesn’t imply that they are not backing Rafa, I would have to say that that’s a load of piss. I think it’s been quite clear that Rafa wants him in the team. I also think it’s quite clear that 18 million is a bit steep, but he’s not being bought to be sold. He’s being bought to help us win a title, which would bring us an infinitely larger sum in the long run. I know that that is predicated on us actually winning the league and perhaps bringing home that 6th European Cup, but I think that now is the time to take those gambles. We have the strongest squad we’ve had in some time, our rivals have yet to seriously strengthen, and we have a manager who has shown he has a nose for winning.
Even being from America, I have to say it’s time to put up or shut up.
Otherwise, get the Yanks outta town.
*waves white flag at DIC*
Again we let our internal squabbles become public. I don’t think we are ever going to learn while all four warring participants remain at the club. I’m sure if all the fans were asked the only one thay would want to stay would be Rafa.
The American guys haven’t taken us any further and have created more havoc than anything else (still no work started on the new stadium). And as for Parry he must go simply for the reason that it was he who brought Messrs Hicks and Gillet to the club.
However, as for Barry, yes he is a good player but not worth 18 million so in that respect the club are right to baulk at that price. The strange thing is though is how it got this far before they got to the idea that the fee was too high. I’m convinced that the whole drawn out affair is a spin-off of the Carson deal that never happened between us and Villa. I’ll bet if anyone else was in for Barry and not us then he would have probably gone by now for something in the region of 12 – 15 million.
Sure enough it would be great to get Barry but at a realistic price and not at the expense of selling Alsonso and not at the expense of signing the type of player we really need – a quality winger.