Gillett Vote of Confidence for Benitez

Liverpool's co-owner George Gillett has defended his and Tom Hicks's reign at Liverpool and pointed the finger at the manager, Rafael BenÃ*tez, after a disappointing start to the season.

Liverpool's defeat at Chelsea on Sunday was their third in the Premier League this season and followed a 2-0 reverse at Fiorentina in the Champions League. Gillett pointed to the investment he and Hicks have made when saying the owners were not responsible for any shortcomings.

"We have invested more money than our competitors, in keeping with the history of the club," he is quoted as telling a representative of the fans' group Spirit of Shankly last week. "In the last 18 months, we have invested £128m on top of what has come in.

"That means it should be getting better. Now if it's not getting better, it's not Gillett and Hicks; it's the manager; it's the scouting. You have to make sure you balance out your analysis. There was plenty of money, so if you have any complaints, take a look at the ins and outs."

Gillett said the £30m from Xabi Alonso's sale to Real Madrid "went straight back" into Bénitez's kitty and added to funds of "£22-23m as part of our budgets".

The American also claimed that Liverpool are "in an extraordinarily good financial position. Far better than Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal."

:lol:

Where's phantom these days?

he bailed not long after the arsenal game at anfield last season, as soon as it became clear that liverpool had ****ed up their chances :lol:

liverpool fans on this forum make me laugh, none of them have the heart for it when their team is doing shit

unlike me for example, who's been around since the dark days of 2003-2004 onwards :)

nice try at getting a rise!!! ;)

gillett is just trying to divert the flak. he not exactly gona say ' yer were greedy cunts and have ****ed things right up, we admit it '

benitez can't be happy with those comments though, surely

dont believe what you read in the papers. if there is concreate proof that he said that then yer its out of order. however i seriously doubt he did.

hes a succesful businessman and he didnt get there without some common sense. saying something like this would be ridiculous, and bad business.