Night time protest marches through the streets. The burning of the American flag. Liverpool fans are angry and they blame Liverpool's American owners for their woe. Liverpool are currently $516 million in debt.
Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool for $293 million making false promises on building a new stadium and providing a big transfer fund.
With Benitez stepping down, after agreeing a severance payment, Liverpool will now have to find a manger that will provide stability to a club that is on the verge of a crisis. The new manager will have to persuade stars like Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard to stay, otherwise Liverpool's hopes of finishing in the top four will again fade.
Taking on the Liverpool job is not as attractive as it was when Benitez agreed to be their manager back in 2004. Today, the football world is a lot more ruthless. The gap between the "haves" and the "have nots" has widened. You can't stay out of the Champions League for too long, otherwise you will be left behind with the Europa League hyenas - desperate to break into the top four.
A couple of years ago, Jose Mourinho would have taken the Liverpool job. Not now. A manager like Mourinho demands a lot money to buy players, otherwise he won't sign. Liverpool cannot guarantee a big transfer fund.
Instead of being a buying club, this summer Liverpool will probably start being a selling club - a major problem but understandable if you're in the amount of debt that Liverpool are in.
Unless a new mega-rich owner arrives soon - paying off Liverpool's massive debt and also pumping millions into building a new team and stadium - then I can only see decline.
Usmanov and his Red & White Holdings now have a 27% share of Arsenal. Let's hope that they don't borrow money in order to wrestle control of Arsenal. Saddling a club with your own private debt is criminal. You only have to witness the protests by Liverpool and Manchester United fans on that subject to make you realize what a good job Arsenal have done financially. Let's pray that Kroenke and Usmanov don't do a Glazer or Hicks/Gillett and put Arsenal into mega debt.
Last Word:
Chris Waddle has heavily criticized Theo Walcott. True, Walcott hasn't progressed in the way that many thought he would. Injuries haven't helped but Theo hasn't blamed injuries for his poor season. Walcott though can walk with his head held high on one thing though - his England hat-trick against Croatia in Zagreb. What did Chris Waddle do in his career at aged 20? He certainly didn't score a hat-trick in Croatia for his country. People forget how old Walcott is. Perhaps his England rejection will do him good. I think it will.
Keep it Arsenal
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