SoccerFanNews.com - Soccer News » 2008

Liverpool owner reveals bad relationship

George Gillett revealed Friday that his relationship with fellow Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks “has been unworkable for some time.”Speaking to a sports radio program in Toronto, Gillett also said he and his wife have been subjected to death threats.

Gillett and Hicks are unpopular with many Liverpool fans after their disagreements with manager Rafael Benitez and their controversial re-financing of the club. StubHub.com is your place to find all Soccer Tickets, MLS Tickets, LA Galaxy Tickets, MLS Cup Tickets, US Soccer Tickets, Mexico National Team Tickets, MLS All Star Game Tickets, DC United Tickets, and all other Sports Tickets. Buy or sell your tickets on StubHub today!

“This partnership has been unworkable for some time,” Gillett said. “But not because of us - we have tried to be cooperative, we have tried to be supportive.

“But when your public persona is more important than the facts, that makes it difficult to have a rational relationship.”

Dubai International Capital (DIC) recently failed with a bid to buy a 49 percent stake in the club, which would have seen Hicks retaining a controlling interest.

As it became clear all was not well in the Anfield boardroom, it seemed likely Gillett would sell his 50 percent stake to either Hicks or DIC.

Gillett initially wanted to buy the club on his own in January 2007 but brought in Hicks’ financial muscle when he could not do the deal himself. He claimed Hicks not only failed to take up an offer to buy his share, but also tried to stop Gillett selling to DIC.

“He threatened to block me selling to Dubai,” Gillett said. “That was certainly one of the things that made the fans upset. DIC have the money; with oil prices going up every day, that’s not an issue.

“They certainly have the history and they are fans. I think they would have been very responsible owners.”

Gillett also revealed that instead of selling the club, he may try to buy out Hicks and take full control.

“We were very fair,” Gillett said. “We gave our partner (Hicks) a long period of time to try to make arrangements to buy us out. We didn’t put pressure on him, but he ultimately did not get to the finish line.

“In the meantime, because of the things he said, the fans’ reaction has been so negative towards him - and towards us if we sold to him - that has now made that an untenable alternative for us.”

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