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Thursday, 22 March 2007, 09:46 GMT

Liverpool owners make Benitez vow

Full Hicks iview on Five Live Sport
1900-2200 GMT on 21 March
Tom Hicks and George Gillett Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks says manager Rafa Benitez is "absolutely" the man they want to manage the club.

Newspaper reports have suggested Real Madrid want Benitez to succeed Fabio Capello as their boss this summer.

But Hicks told Five Live Sport: "We're going to get together with Rafa the morning after the Arsenal match (on 1 April). It's now time to do that."

Benitez added: "I am completely committed to Liverpool Football Club and I'm going nowhere."

He continued: "I know there's been a lot of speculation in the Spanish media linking me with Real Madrid.

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"Any manager would be honoured to be associated with such a famous club, especially as Madrid is my home city and also my former club.

"However, I want to make it clear I am very happy at Anfield and very happy in England and I'm genuinely excited by what the future holds for Liverpool."

Hicks said he was looking forward to sitting down with Benitez and co-owner George Gillett to talk about their plans for the future.

"I'll have my whole family over and George is going to have his family there," said Hicks.

"We're all going to celebrate our first match together as the official owners. We've set aside half a day the next day to visit with Rafa."

The American duo are set to formally take control of the Anfield club next week, when the tendering process closes.

Hicks says this is the reason why he and Gillett are yet to have detailed talks with Benitez.

"I've exchanged a number of emails with Rafa and know George talked to him personally last week," he said.

"We've explained to Rafa, which he knows and I think is very comfortable with, that we don't own the team yet.

"We will officially own the team some time next week when the tender closes.

"It would be very inappropriate for us to start and have those kind of important meetings prior to being the owners."



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Related to this story:

Benitez agent cools Real rumours (21 Mar 07 |  Liverpool )
Benitez signs new four-year deal (02 Jun 06 |  Liverpool )
Reds owners suspend stadium work (14 Mar 07 |  Liverpool )
US duo complete Anfield takeover (09 Mar 07 |  Liverpool )

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