Liverpool FC co-owner George Gillett has scored another PR own goal with more public criticism of reds boss Rafael Benitez, sparking renewed fears of boardroom discontent and the resignation of the club's popular first-team coach.
In an interview with Liverpool supporters' union Spirit of Shankly, Gillett heaped blame on Benitez for the club's modest recent return of major trophies.
He said that he and Hicks had injected £128 million into the club in the last 18 months and that he would have expected to see a corresponding improvement on the football field.
So if it wasn't getting better, he added, and it wasn't himself and Hicks, it was the manager.
Gillett and Hicks have hardly ingratiated themselves with the Liverpool faithful since taking control of the club in 2007. The pair were the subject of angry protests by fans during a home game against Aston Villa in January 2008 and their rocky relationship with Benitez has been widely reported.
So the last thing PR professionals would advise the owners to do right now would be to publicly undermine the manager.
By alienating the fans and the manager yet again, Gillett will bring more disillusionment across the board, which will affect performances on the pitch and queues at the turnstiles.
And if Gillett does go ahead and sells his 50% stake in the club, this particular own goal may end up costing him millions.
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