what Liverpool needs is a long term option - that means benitez must stay and we will reap the benefits in years to come. Too many managers are moved on, leaving clubs in turmoil. It is no coincidence that the best teams, dare I say it Man U and Arsenal, have have the longest serving managers!

Benitez must stay.

steve c, Southport, england

Andrew and Ian, say what you want, but i can tell you I know nothing about everton or the aussie lge. Rafa is simply special as the silly Americans will learn

njau, kandara, kenya

"Gillette and hicks are doing a great job"...In terms of great job I assume you mean that great idea of prostituting the mangers job to any tom, dick or harry that knows a little more about football than them (and lets face it thats not a lot). Or do you may mean that fantastic job of keeping their promises when they took over about putting no debt on to the club, investment in to the squad, new stadium etc etc. Can I ask you a question Ian...What planet are you on? I am not blaming them for all that is wrong at Liverpool Football Club but everything that is wrong at club. I have to agree with Andrew's comments about being also rans. It’s an absolute disgrace to be also rans to AC Milan...

Kappa, UK,

To quote the Messiah. I'd love it, really love it if Liverpool, the media darlings. continue to fail miserably under the Benetiz and the American owners continue to take them further into debt. 'istoree in the making for the obsessed fans.

Wolfie, Mansfield,

Get Tom Hicks & George Gillett As Soon As Possible, Every Die Hard Liverpool Fan Would Want Nothing Less Than to See These Two Jerks Out Of Liverpool, To All Liverpool Fans Lets Get Behind Each Other & Support The Campaign To Get Hicks & Gillett Out.They're Run Liverpool's Good Name Through The Dirt.

Nick Moore, London, England

Get Gillet & Hicks out of Liverpool as soon as possible, every passionate liverpool fan shall want nothing less than to see those two out of Liverpool, lets all get behind each other & support the atempt to get them out.

Nick Moore, London, England

If would seem that they are not paying a significant premium just taking advantage of the escalating price of debt!

andrew, london,

Let me see - these guys are jokers who don't know football. Okay, If looking at an individual profit of about $500 million US in 12 months means you are a joker, count me in!

Charles O'Connor
Los Angeles

Charles O'Connor, Los Angeles, USA

To those who carp on about Rafa - give him time! He's in the process of building a first class team. Two Euro finals isn't bad for a start - the league WILL come if we get behind him. As for Hicks +Co. Mien Gott! Jurgen Klingfilm! What's he done? Germany got HIM to the WC semi's. They would have reached the semi's with Joseph Goebbels at the helm! Hicks has shown his complete ignorance of Liverpool FC history by this sordid episode. The sooner they go, the better.

chris munro, Liverpool, England

Sport is now at its lowest state ever . Once upon a time winning cup , was an achievement . now day`s it`s derided , Using terms like mickey mouse etc . What do you want when you support a club , if not trophies . Now I watch 20 year olds playing football at my local park and i enjoy it more than the premiership . It`s not the player`s that have turned me off the top flight . It`s the so called supporter`s

jerry hurley, Cork, Ireland

It's time to take the money and run. Tom Hicks will never be welcome at Anfield ever again. His conduct has really upset the fans and I can't see any way back.

Al, Wales, Uk

let people who knows football run the team not jokers.
LFC is an institution where things are done insde not
in public.

ismaud , london, uk

Ranj,
What is it they say on Merseyside? Calm down!
When Houllier realised his incessant tweeting about winning five trophies made the once mighty LFC a laughing stock – only Benitez has had the cheek to similarly exalt the Charity/ Community Shield/ Euro Super Cup friendly games above their curtain raiser status - the former school teacher produced more excuses than a schoolboy, who had not done his homework, when his team failed to subsequently push on.
Everyone outside of Gerard’s house, scoffed at his famous 2001 season Triple success – UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup – being nothing more than a Mickey Mouse treble.
He got more time than his record deserved because of his red Shankly scarf and the life-threatening heart complaint that he bravely overcame.
And, mate, give us a break about Ferrguson’s transfer record.
The Scot’s been at Manchester United since 1987.

sean murphy, Dublin, Ireland

Why would DIC pay a premium during the credit crunch when these guys are on the ropes?

Jordan Scalo, Austin, Texas

Its time to get rid of the Americans AND Rafa!, you know its that time when clubs like NEVERton are laughing at you...and they wont EVER win the league or CL!

Steve, Liverpool, England

Unfortunately, Gillett & Hicks are not doing such a great job as Ian from Brisbane states. I truly believe Gillett has LFC's best interests at heart but Hicks regrettably has another vision for our club. Under American ownership our club has descended into a Soap Opera, it's time for them to take the money & run. David Moores & Rick Parry had two option last year; Option 1) to sell the club to DIC, who have the financial acumen to successfully run a club of our stature or Option 2) to sell to George Gillett who had to tout for financial backing in order to scrape the money together to purchase LFC.

Here in Liverpool, we expected DIC to take over ownership from David Moores & were unpleasantly surprised when Gillett & Hicks bought the club. The past twelve months has shown that they don't know how to run a Football (not Soccer) Club.

Brian Spurgin, Liverpool, England

As shown by these two Americans (and a couple of your challenged posters), only fools underestimate LFC and it's loved ones. For 99.9% of Liverpool supporters, and in particular those that actually bother to GO to watch them, Rafa is one of ours, and will remain so. Only eternal ungrates and glory hunters seek a replacement for him,and those types have never been welcome at Anfield. Humility is our byword.

The less intelligent of our footballing compatriots can speculate and carp all they like, Liverpool Football Club was here before them and will continue long after them.

By the way, for those who want LFC to fail, why don't you concentrate on your OWN team, like I do. It's much healthier. ;)

Gareth, Liverpool, Merseyside

Help DIC! Save us from Laurel & Hardy, We can only hope H & G decide to sell up and stay the other side of the pond. The question that needs answering is why when DIC looked to be taking over, did Rick Parry let H & G steam roller in and take over? Hicks, Gillett and Parry out, DIC & Rafa to stay!

stu, liverpool, uk

bring dic in and let rafa stay.a couple of world class signings to go with the spine of the team wil bring liverpool back to where they belong,at the summit of english football.keep reina,carra,mascherano,gerrard,babel and torres and a couple of signings like torres and surely they will be lifting league titles again.yanks out,havent got a clue about football[soccer].rafa all the way

Gerard Madden, belfast,n.ireland, n.ireland

It is understandable at the moment that all Liverpool supporters are concerned at the proposal by Hicks and Gillett to borrow against the club and possibly put Liverpool in financial turmoil.
When they initially made the takeover bid they assured the supporters that the financing was not a problem, and that in no way would Liverpool be in a similar position debt wise to Manchester United.
However, recent stories are intimating that this is exactly the position Liverpool will be in if the refinancing proposal goes ahead.
I think the time has now come, what with the recent revelation that Jurgen Klinsman had been approached with the view to suceeding Rafa, for the Americans to be shown that Liverpool are not just a business,we are an institution, to many people a way of life, and the supporters of Liverpool hold the club and those who do well by it close to heart.
But Hicks and Gilett have crossed the line and need to be ousted now !
Sell up now before you have a revolution on your hands

Paul Fielding, Lancaster, United Kingdom

the table never lies liverpool are still 4th best rafa either needs more money to compete in the transfer market something the americans cant seem to finance or change tactics all the top teams put pressure right from the start of games not liverpool rafa needs to let the team go out and play they have what it takes to win especially at home dont be to negitive teams now go to anfield put 10 players behind the ball and settle for a draw even manchester united did

paul, newport, wales

Rafa has won La Liga twice - with the unfancied Valencia (against Barca and Real), the UEFA cup also. Then with a Houllier inspired team including Djimi and some other dreadful players, won the Champions League (beating Juve, Chelsea and Milan!) and got us to another final two years later. Rafa also guided us to the FA Cup... What had Klinsman ever done as a club manager? Using his own words, Hicks needs to 'shut up and start financing or sell on' leaving the football to people who understand it.

Si, Liverpool,

So all of a sudden a club that has won four trophies in as may years are considered also rans? In case your wondering the four trophies being the European Cup (Two finals in two years), FA Cup, European Super Cup and The Charity Shield.

Remember what happened to Chelski when Jose fell out with Roman and oh yeah when Fergie said he was going to retire? They same thing that is happening to Liverpool turmoil does effect the players and that is eveident for all to see at the moment. The Yanks are amatures at what they are doing, making a mockery of everything and a laiughing stock of Liverpool.

Ian let me ask you a question? Buying the title, isn't that what Blackburn did along with Utd and Chelsea?? Money makes money my friend. Everyone is going on about Rafa buying poor! Fergie hasn't the best track record and neither did Jose. Djemba, Forlon, Veron need I say more?

Rafa is the man to deliver and he will. I thank god for doing us a favour and that being Jurgen going to Byern

Ranj Randhawa, Slough, England

I can't see DIC offering £500m with that level of debt, and a dodgy manager. One thing is for sure, DIC will take it out on the fans in the form of higher ticket prices. Scousers are now copying the tactics of the United fans they so derided at the time of the Glazer takeover. Shame they didn't see it earlier. The fans' idiotic loyalty to their hapless manager is half the problem. If it was my club, they'd be a fire sale and re-invention. This is another Newcastle only with a past to fuel future expectations.

jonathan anthony, london,

let the arabs come, at least they call this game "football" and not "soccer"

khoja tansra, jahanam, uk

gillette and hicks are doing a great job. Allowing the one-eyed mob to blame them for all that's wrong at liverpool rather than sacking the manager. let it roll, rafa's doing a great job for the rest of us. And let him spend MORE MILLIONS trying to buy the premiership - you have to be a decent manager to pull that trick off.

Ian, Brisbane,

Long may Rafa stay in charge. Under his management, Liverpool will continue to be also-rans, opening up the race for the fourth Champions League spot to teams like Everton, Spurs, Villa and Blackburn.

Andrew King, Liverpool,

let the dubia by us. hciks and gillete will make a nice profit , they have tried to suceed in english football and have failed. they are not the right people for liverpool. keep benitez sign david villa and danni alves as they will come to us more likley then the other top 4 as we have a spanish manger. and we shall see what will happen next seson. BENITEZ WE LOVE YOU :D

mr G, bristol, england

good article, i hope DIC buy the dredful yanks out

john toher, galway, ireland