Benitez made to wait
26 Nov 2007 - 08:03:41
Liverpool co-chairmen George Gillett and Tom Hicks have confirmed that they will not hold a meeting with Rafa Benitez until mid-December amid rumours that they have lost patience with the Reds boss.
Benitez is keen to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window, and is frustrated by a lack of urgency from Gillett and Hicks.
However, a statement on the club's official website read: "Despite speculation in Sunday's newspapers, there is nothing new to say.
"We had a good win on Saturday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.
"Both of us, together with Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid-December to make decisions on the team's requirements at that time."
Benitez has earlier reignited his simmering feud with the American duo, commenting: "They don't understand what the transfer window means in Europe.
"They need to understand how difficult it is to sign players. If they understand what the market means, they will understand we are trying to do the best for the club.
"We know what the transfer window market means, we know what it means to sign free players now. I was not asking to spend money, I was asking to do things with free players.
"They know the manager needs to manage the squad and prepare the squad for this year and for the future.
"We had a meeting the day of the Arsenal game and the meeting was really positive.
"After that meeting, something changed. I tried to explain my ideas, but they said to me 'Rafa, keep focusing on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be in charge of buying and selling players'.
"I tried to explain to them and now, it is simple, they say 'keep focussed and Mr Parry will keep working in the transfer market'."