Source: Daily_Mail
We'll give Rafa Benitez cash to splash, says new Liverpool chief Martin Broughton
[LNB]Cautious: Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez [LNB]Rafa Benitez gavea cautious welcometo a potential changeof ownership atAnfield yesterdayand revealed he wantsurgent talks with newchairman MartinBroughton.[LNB]After being installed to supervisethe eagerly awaited end of TomHicks's and George Gillett's Liverpoolreign, Broughton sought toreassure Benitez over his futureand made a bold pledge that transferfunds would be available. [LNB]With a £16million, four-yearcontract awaiting his signature atJuventus, the Liverpool managerintends putting both issues to thetest in the next few days. [LNB]'I have not met the new chairmanyet or spoken to him, but I will,' hesaid. [LNB]'I don't know exactly when,but it will be sooner rather thanlater, because it is important for amanager and chairman to talk. [LNB]'It is clear we have to get togetherand talk about everything. It isnormal to want to cover allsubjects and it can be good to havejust one person on hand to answerall your questions. [LNB]'I don't know whether money willbe available at the end of theseason. I don't know his agenda yet but I hope that is the case and it issomething that will be part of ourconversation. [LNB]'If he has said hewants me to stay and there will bemoney, that is good. But I need tomeet him to find out.' [LNB]Benitez produced a plate of cakesand pastries to mark his 50thbirthday and was in a jovial moodas he smiled: 'I'm an old man now it's official.' [LNB] Selling up: George Gillett (L) and Tom Hicks [LNB]It could almost have been anunintentional admission thatworking for Hicks and Gillett hadput years on him, but he was waryof celebrating the end of a troubledchapter, just as he remainedguarded about Juve's efforts toprise him away. [LNB]Mindful there could be a long gapbetween confirming the arrival ofBroughton and Barclays Capitaland bidding farewell to Hicks andGillett, Benitez said: 'Always, wehave to be positive and believethings will improve. [LNB]'I would like tothink it is true when people say thisis good news, but my experience isthat it is better to wait and see. [LNB]'All our fans agree that we need tosee signs of progress. There hasbeen talk of new investment for awhile but now there is one personeverything can be channelledthrough. [LNB]'When I sit down with him,I will explain my ideas and see if wecan go forward quickly. [LNB]In the hotseat: Martin Broughton[LNB]'Everyone sees this as a step in the right direction but the nextstage must be completed as quicklyas possible. Stability is always akey word in any business, andfootball is no different. [LNB]'It wouldhelp us all if a satisfactoryconclusion can be reached soon.' [LNB]Asked if he would be dishing outslices of birthday cake at Melwoodin 12 months' time, Benitez gave aknowing grin and said: 'Hopefully, Iwill still be here on Monday whenwe play West Ham. [LNB]'I don't want tosay too much about my future,because there has been a lot ofspeculation already. [LNB]'My agent is supposed to havemade an admission in a Spanishpaper (about meeting Juventusofficials). But if you talk about thepress here or in Spain or Italy, theyare not always the same. [LNB]'Sometimes things are said that arenot true. Even if there were quotes,you cannot always believe them. [LNB]'I wanted to be Liverpoolmanager in the past, and I stillwant to be. I actually want to manageuntil I'm 70 or even 80. Where?You never know in football.' [LNB]Chelsea fan Broughton, whoadmitted horse-racing was hismain sporting passion, backedBenitez and insisted there wouldbe no cashing in on Steven Gerrardor Fernando Torres at the end ofthe season. [LNB]Staying? Fernando Torres [LNB]He said: 'I can't see anyreason for any forced sales. In fact,there will be money available fortransfers, though I am not goinginto how much. [LNB]'What's best now is for somebodyor bodies to come in and build thenew stadium, make sure the club isproperly financed and that there isenough money available to take theclub forward. [LNB]'I have looked at thestadium project, and any buyerwould be crazy not to proceed withit. Any bid wouldn't be a winningone without that commitment.' [LNB]Hicks and Gillett paid around£220m for Liverpool in 2007 andinitially set an asking price of£500m, which now looks like havingto be lowered. [LNB]Broughton insisted there was nodeadline for repaying £100m of theclub's £237m debt and that RBSwere prepared to wait for the saleto go through. [LNB]He said the Americanswere seeking a 'reasonableprice' and added: 'Rafa is a goodmanager. We want him to stay andhe's under contract.' [LNB]Torres is still waiting to return toSpain for a verdict on his kneeinjury after flights were grounded,because of the Icelandic volcano.[LNB] Liverpool will not be forced into Torres and Gerrard sales, insists chairman LIVERPOOL v West Ham: Rafael Benitez to avoid risking Fernando Torres Kop out! Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett confirm club is for sale Javier Mascherano: I refuse to be a failure at Liverpool by not winning trophiesPremier League could demand proof of funds to avoid repeat of Portsmouth [LNB]
