The Quiet One

[9emfire]

Throughout the crisis that has engulfed Liverpool since late October, there has been one man who has stood out and hasn’t said a thing, hasn’t done his best to look out for the best interests of our club. That man is Rick Parry.

 

The Chief Executive was kept on by the Americans presumably to be an experienced Liverpool head amongst the new kids on the block, to guide them through their first year or so of English football. Now it seems that Parry has abandoned the Liverpool Way himself and joined the band of American mercenaries, hell bent on destroying everything that this football club holds dear.

 

As CEO Parry has a huge say in what goes on in the running of the football club. He is also highly experienced in football, having been at Liverpool since 1998 and also being the first CEO of the Premier League. So to say that ‘he doesn’t have a say’ is a ludicrous claim to make. He is at Liverpool for the same reason that Roman Abramovich brought Peter Kenyon to Chelsea, because the owners don’t have a clue, and he is extremely experienced.

 

The defining moment in this conflict has obviously been the approach to Jurgen Klinsmann. The fact that Klinsmann was approached is one thing, but that Hicks went and told the media? Totally incomprehensible. There was and is nothing to gain by saying this to the media, and if anything what it did do is drop our respect for the Americans straight down through the floor.

 

My complaint about this moment is ‘What did Parry do?’ Bugger all. He should have come out to the fans, explaining properly why the Americans did what they did, explaining what the Americans are trying to do with the football club. He has let Liverpool and indeed the Kop down. Also, why didn’t he advise Hicks and Gillett about the Media, and what they do with any statement? It seems now that he is just looking for a bigger pay-cheque off the Americans and is abandoning the views of the football club.

 

Also to say that Parry didn’t know of the Jurgen affair is again naive. The owners and the CEO obviously discuss the manager when they do talk, so to say that Gillett and Hicks just forgot to mention they had asked Klinsmann if he wanted the job is just plain stupidity.

 

Gillett, Parry and Hicks The other main turning point of the conflict has been finances, ie restructuring the finances onto the club rather than the individuals. Now Parry should have spotted this happening and nipped it in the bud, saying ‘Whoa, not on my watch’ and suggested keeping the debt on themselves until Liverpool is fully established as one of the best in England, which it clearly isn’t. So at this time, to secure the finances against the future earnings of a football club whose league position isn’t safe is a very risky thing to do. Why not secure it against one of the established NHL franchises that they own, which seems to be the avenue that Gillett is looking into. The interest payments alone could wipe the club out in less than 3 seasons if we finish outside the top 4 – which this season looks increasingly likely.

 

The thing with the Americans though is the fact that now we can see that they truly are mercenaries with little respect for the footballing institution of Liverpool Football Club. And while the bulk of the blame lies squarely on the Americans shoulders, I want to know more of Rick Parry’s part in this whole farce.

[muleskinner]

He's not blameless but he can only say what they let him, short of writing his own P45. He is probably more useful in situ if rumours of who is behind press briefings over the last fortnight are to believed.

[muleskinner]

9emfire - presumably you are Shaun Daley or did you just lift this from his article on soccerlens? If you aren't him then maybe you should quote him or link to it?

 

If you are, then carry on, obviously.

[Guz]

Parry will do and say what he is told to do. Expecting anymore from him is completely unrealistic.

 

Gillet is the one that I am curious about and I do not understand the perceived sympathy that seems to be going his way just because Hicks does all the talking in public.

[Cunny]

the rumour I heard at the match last night that he has been told he is on 'gardening leave' and not to speak to the media at all whilst the deal is being negotiated. He attends the matches for appearances sake.

[madaboutlfc]

probably sucking yanks balls

[Gomez]

  Cunny said:

the rumour I heard at the match last night that he has been told he is on 'gardening leave' and not to speak to the media at all whilst the deal is being negotiated. He attends the matches for appearances sake.

 

Sounds like bollx to me, but I guess we'll find out for sure tomorrow. If the stadium plans are being announced. If remains silent it will be obvious.

[Tosh]

I am incredulous at the crap Parry gets on here (and no doubt elsewhere)

 

When things are going well, he's right where we want him - out of the limelight and quiet. None of us would want Kenyon, for example. Similarly, with the "better merchandising and marketing" that some claim he should have lead, others seem quite pleased we don't have LFC branded peppers in Tesco....

 

You can argue he may not be the most astute at some things (ticketing, for example), but despite swanning off to barbados, managed to get Rafa in. He has the sort of experience (with us, setting up the Prem League, working with GH and RB) that while valuable to G&H (on paper at least) would likely mean that most clubs would want him working for them. Someone, somewhere in football would employ him on a very juicy package. So why would he, for example, opt for the G&H deal cos it kept him in his job when an alternative would look like a big payoff from G&H AND a job elsewhere?

 

I very much hope the truth will not out, but I am sure that if it did, world hunger, pestilence and disease, along with every other thing that may or may not ail our club would NOT be laid at his door.

[David Hodgson]

I sat 2 seats down from Parry at the new Echo Arena at the 2008 launch thing, two Saturdays ago.

 

I could tell from the look on his face that he knew he'd sold the club down the river. I could also tell from his particularly crap mauve shirt with flecks on it (no tie) that he wasn't very good at his job, and was, in fact, a bit of a w*nker.

 

Hope this helps.

[budgie]

  Tosh said:

I am incredulous at the crap Parry gets on here (and no doubt elsewhere)

 

When things are going well, he's right where we want him - out of the limelight and quiet. None of us would want Kenyon, for example. Similarly, with the "better merchandising and marketing" that some claim he should have lead, others seem quite pleased we don't have LFC branded peppers in Tesco....

 

You can argue he may not be the most astute at some things (ticketing, for example), but despite swanning off to barbados, managed to get Rafa in. He has the sort of experience (with us, setting up the Prem League, working with GH and RB) that while valuable to G&H (on paper at least) would likely mean that most clubs would want him working for them. Someone, somewhere in football would employ him on a very juicy package. So why would he, for example, opt for the G&H deal cos it kept him in his job when an alternative would look like a big payoff from G&H AND a job elsewhere?

 

I very much hope the truth will not out, but I am sure that if it did, world hunger, pestilence and disease, along with every other thing that may or may not ail our club would NOT be laid at his door.

 

Hmmm....... Let me see - he is the Chief Exec of the club overseeing the day to day running of the club (during it's most farcical period ever) but you seem to see that he has no responsibility for what has gone on.

 

He should be actively working with Foster Gillet as the middleman for the last year. I see no evidence of that. He should of been explaining how to operate with the media etc. In fact I think he has been a bystander for the last year.

 

The fact that other clubs would hire him on a juicy package is irrelevant in my mind. This is Liverpool football club - since when have the poor standards of other clubs been our benchmark?

[Guest Snorky]

I take no joy in knowing that I saw through this shyster years ago.

[9emfire]

I think it's a prerequisite for CEOs to be thick-skinned and ability to switch off their conscience.

 

Yes, the article was lifted off soccerlens...wasn't sure if it was allowed to linky to there.

[boohog]

  9emfire said:

As CEO Parry has a huge say in what goes on in the running of the football club. He is also highly experienced in football, having been at Liverpool since 1998 and also being the first CEO of the Premier League. So to say that ‘he doesn’t have a say’ is a ludicrous claim to make. He is at Liverpool for the same reason that Roman Abramovich brought Peter Kenyon to Chelsea, because the owners don’t have a clue, and he is extremely experienced.

 

Given that they can fire him wiith a click of their fingers, I think its fair to say that he doesn't have any say in what is going on. If anything it would probably improve their reputation with the fans after all....

 

  9emfire said:

My complaint about this moment is ‘What did Parry do?’ Bugger all. He should have come out to the fans, explaining properly why the Americans did what they did, explaining what the Americans are trying to do with the football club. He has let Liverpool and indeed the Kop down. Also, why didn’t he advise Hicks and Gillett about the Media, and what they do with any statement? It seems now that he is just looking for a bigger pay-cheque off the Americans and is abandoning the views of the football club.

 

So you think Parry should jeopardise his job just because the fans are unsure what is going on? Perhaps he thinks he can do more good be staying in the role and trying to keep as even a keel as possible rather than let G&H put a puppet in place?

 

Regarding Gillette, it seems to me that he is wise to keep quiet through this. Anything he does say will be analysed to kingdom come and he would be likely to be criticised whatever the case.

[downunder]

I talked about the stick Parry gets on the long thread yesterday, he is no hero but he is even less the villain most say he is.

[woodman]

I'm with Tosh on this, he gets far too much stick imho.

 

Fact is that RP has told the Yanks not to attend any more games, so he can't be a total idiot eh? Oh and Foster ain't been around for a while.....

[Flight]

  Tosh said:

I am incredulous at the crap Parry gets on here (and no doubt elsewhere)

 

 

 

  woodman said:

I'm with Tosh on this, he gets far too much stick imho.

 

 

I'm gobsmacked. Please feel free to list the extensive list of things we can be thankful to him for, without mentioning the PL a decade ago (when he sold the TV rights on a long term deal at rates that turned out to be laughable) or bringing Rafa in. Because obviously Rafa came in because of Parry. It had nothing to do with the team, its history and its legacy, the fans or the fact we sent him a load of free gear when he was a young struggling coach for his team. No, it was down to Parry.

 

 

As a CE his first reponsibility is to formulate and implement a proper management structure. He is so incompetent and insecure he never has. Zero marketing department and no-one else responsible for ticketing. Its laughable to pass over the decade long ticketing fisaco, because it is the only high profile indication we have as fans of how efficient he is. we'll ignore what players mates have said about his incompetence when it comes to transfers.

 

 

He didn't have to jeopardise his job - over the last year he has many opportunities to diffuse situations or act diplomatically, but he never has.

 

The bottom line is Rafa doesn't suffer fools and Parry is one. If parry had anything like the level of professionalism being suggested he and Rafa would get on well. They most certainly don't.

Edited January 23, 2008 by Flight

[matty]

Frankly, the fact that we've been talking about a stadium for aeons and it hasn't happened, that we still make nowhere near enough from merchandising etc, that we lag behind commercially, that the organisation of the club seems a shambles, that we've been sold down the river by the previous owners and the present ones, all points to poor leadership and management. We were the last club in the entire football leaghue to get a website, FFS. That still makes me shudder.

[Euphrates]

  9emfire said:

Yes, the article was lifted off soccerlens...wasn't sure if it was allowed to linky to there.

It's encouraged (required? copyright laws and that) to give credit to the source for any article you link to/quote.

 

Personally think Parry's more incompetent than sinister, still see him as culpable though.

[Ostrich Man]

  matty said:

We were the last club in the entire football leaghue to get a website, FFS. That still makes me shudder.

is this it?