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Parry´s reign at Liverpool ´a disaster´ claims Hicks
LONDON (AFP) - Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks stepped up his attack on Rick Parry on Thursday, the Texan tycoon branding the chief executive's reign at Anfield as "a disaster."
Hicks also took a fresh swipe at George Gillett, warning his co-owner that the stalemate over the club's future will continue until he agrees to sell his stake.
But in a statement issued later Thursday, Gillett, a supporter of Parry, said: "Tom needs to understand that I will not sell my shares to him and that we need to find a way forward that is properly funded and truly in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club."
As Americans Gillett and Hicks each own 50 percent of the club, the present stand-off looks like continuing for sometime yet.
"I am saddened at this latest outburst from Tom Hicks," Gillett said. "If Tom wanted a serious discussion on the issues to help the club move forward, he should bring his views to the board and not to Sky Sports.
"Here we are, a few days away from a vital Champions League semi-final match and Tom has once again created turmoil with his public comments.
"Tom should stop. He knows that Rick Parry has my support and that airing his comments in this way will not change my position."
Hicks, who has insisted he was not behind the approach to Jurgen Klinsmann that unsettled Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, revealed he had plans to rid the club of all debt by heading up a group of financial backers willing to invest in the club.
Hicks blamed Parry for Liverpool's failure to compete commercially with their Premier League rivals.
"Look at what's happened under Rick's leadership. It has been a disaster," claimed Hicks.
"We have fallen so far behind the other leading clubs. We should have the stadium built three or four years ago. We have two or three major sponsors when we should have 12 or 15.
"We are not doing anything in Asia, the way that Manchester United and Barcelona are, and we have a tremendous number of fans in Asia.
"Rick needs to resign from Liverpool FC. He has put his heart into it but it is time for a change. You have to be able to work with the manager and Rick has proved he can't do that.
"At the first meeting we had with Rafa he talked of the number of players he had missed out on because he (Parry) was too slow."
But Parry, in an interview with BBC Radio Four, insisted he had no plans to leave Anfield. "It's for the board to ask me to resign - and they haven't."
Hicks and Gillett took over the club in February 2007 but Hicks admitted their relationship has now completely broken down.
"At this point it is unworkable," he stated.
"We started this as friends but 50-50 is a difficult business proposition because you cannot do anything without your partner's approval."
The stand-off between the two Americans has led Dubai Investment Capital, agroup bankrolled by the ruling royal family of the United Arab Emirates to put on hold its interest in buying a stake in the club.
On the infamous meeting in New York last year about Klinsmann becoming manager Hicks added: "George became good friends with him (Klinsmann) a year ago.
"He and Rick set up the meeting in New York. I did go to the meeting along with my son Tom.
"Rick Parry had already met with Jurgen alone for a couple of hours when we arrived. We all then spoke to him for another four hours."
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