Saying?
Indian takeaway
Last updated: 26th April 2009
Wallace: stadium still an issue
I don't believe things are stable; it's clear that George Gillett would like to get out that both he and Tom Hicks have both got financial issues with things they are doing in other parts of their empires.
* Indian group eye Reds move
How will prospective new owners handle Benitez?
Reports that Liverpool are the target of a £500m takeover by an Indian consortium is further proof that the club is far from stable, Sam Wallace told The Supplement.
Billionaire Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao is the latest businessman linked with a possible buyout at Anfield as speculation over the future ownership of the Reds continues apace.
According to Wallace, of The Independent, the central issue with any prospective takeover is its impact on manager Rafael Benitez and his standing at the club.
"The last one (takeover bid) we had was the Kuwaitis who pulled out almost as soon as they were involved," said Wallace. "It's very hard to predict what these huge, international businessmen are going to do.
"Try and look at it from Rafael Benitez's point of view; he's signed a new contract, seen off Rick Parry who he's been at odds with for a while now and he's formed this alliance with Tom Hicks, one of the American co-owners.
"Things seem to be going quite well, in that respect, there seems to be some kind of stability at the club. He's got what he wants in terms of control of the academy and his new contract.
"If you were a Liverpool fan what you'd be worried at is - who is this guy and is he going to be the kind of owner who is going to leave Benitez to get on with it.
"This is the whole thing that is crucial to any takeover at Liverpool. They have got a very talented manager but one that is famously fractious, who wants to do things his own way, which is completely understandable.
"Yes, there is an issue as to whether he's got money to spend. These are all rich people we are talking about so we assume that they will but how do you handle Benitez?
"That is the key issue. This is his fifth season and he has gradually chipped away and got rid of the people that he considers a threat - just as Mr. Ferguson did at United.
"He's got the club running as he wants it, they've had their best season ever in the Premier League; is this guy going to come in and in Benitez's eyes undo all that?"
Machine
Even though Benitez may appear far more content with the current set-up, Wallace believes rocky financial times may still lie ahead for Liverpool.
"I don't believe things are stable; it's clear that George Gillett would like to get out that both he and Tom Hicks have both got financial issues with things they are doing in other parts of their empires and therefore I think that instability will always be there.
"That therefore means that Benitez can say next season 'well, hang on a minute this isn't quite how it is in the brochure, it's not quite as I was promised in my contract'. I don't think Liverpool have anything like the stability that Arsenal or Chelsea have. They have the same owner that they have had for the last five years.
"They do need to build this new stadium and it keeps getting put back and put back. There is the old story that Liverpool is a huge club run like a corner shop. It doesn't have the commercial might that Manchester United have had for years.
"He wants that sort of United machine; Liverpool are off on tour to Asia this summer but United have been doing that for years.
"Of course the whole megastore culture is unpalatable to some but it is part of what makes United the great goliath that they are."
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