Dave Whelan Calls Liverpool "A Mess," and Sadly, He's Right

Rafa Benitez has reacted angrily to comments made by Wigan chairman Dave Whelan on Monday night after Liverpool were defeated at the DW Stadium.

Whelan spoke to Sky Sports, saying, "Liverpool are in a mess. The owners, being American, I don't think they feel what we [British club owners] feel.

"I'm really, really sorry for their supporters. We went to Anfield earlier in the season, and there's absolutely no atmosphere and no heart at all at present.

"The supporters feel that, and I think the players are starting to feel it."

Benitez reacted this morning when he told a press conference, "I do not talk about Wigan. I prefer to concentrate on my team. He should talk about his own club."

Benitez is of course correct to criticise Whelan for speaking about other clubs in this way. But the sad thing is, Whelan is partially right.

Anfield has been different this season, but it's not through a lack of heart. The supporters are as fully behind their team and manager as ever, perhaps even more so.

Only the tiny minority of short-sighted fans has been calling for managerial change.

There is an underlying belief, though, that without a change in ownership the club will face an ever-increasing battle to get out of this difficult time. George Gillett and Tom Hicks have long been a problem at Liverpool, and their presence at the helm is a growing irritation.

Whelan also said it's down to the issue of foreign ownership. I'm sure that Randy Lerner and Aston Villa would beg to differ.

Lerner has overseen a period of great success with Villa, supporting the manager's transfer policy, not getting in the way of the running of the club, and getting the chequebook out when he needs to. This American owner has been great for his club.

It's not down to the nationality, but the nature of the owner.

Wigan have been blessed with a chairman that isn't afraid to invest heavily and without fear; Whelan has brought more success to the Latics than their fans could ever have hoped.

If Liverpool found an owner with a similar vision, perhaps this whole sorry mess could have been avoided.