“Disaster” Parry stands firm

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has continued his defiance of the criticism of him by the club’s co-owner Tom Hicks, after the American tycoon labelled Parry’s reign at Anfield as ‘œa disaster’.

Hicks is trying to force Parry out of the club, blaming him for not capitalising on the commercial opportunities of modern football and thus having a bad effect for Liverpool FC.

But Parry’s contract cannot be terminated without the say of the whole board at Liverpool Football Club, including Hicks’ business ‘œpartner’ George Gillett, who back Parry to stay in the job.

Parry told BBC Radio 4 this afternoon, “It’s for the board to ask me to resign – and they haven’t.”

It’s clear it’s a matter for the board – I’m accountable to the board and this is not something the board has discussed with me,” added Parry.

“There’s a Liverpool way, which I think I will understand and I will stick to, and clearly there’s a different way.

“I think I have a responsibility, indeed a duty, at the moment to try to keep things on an even keel when there’s a degree of turmoil off the pitch.

“I just want to do my best for the club. The club will survive, we’ve got a Champions League semi-final coming up, there are a lot of important things to be done at the club and that’s our focus.”