Parry keen for talks with Benitez

[Jack]

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry is likely to have talks with manager Rafael Benitez to clear up any problems between the pair.

Benitez was unhappy after further revelations about the meetings with Jurgen Klinsmann last year regarding succeeding him as Anfield boss.

Parry said: "I am more than happy to sit down and talk to Rafa about this."

Benitez is said to have made contact with owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks on Sunday to clear up the issue.

Benitez is thought to have exchanged emails with Hicks and Gillett after the 3-1 win over Blackburn.

In his post-match press conference Benitez admitted he was unhappy after reading Hicks' claims that Gillett and Parry spoke with Klinsmann last year about becoming manager.

It was originally thought only Hicks talked with the former Germany coach.

However, reports claim Parry also attended the meeting in New York - but only after after being told to so by the American co-owners.

The chief executive is understood to have had serious misgivings about the meeting and its potential effect on the club if news of it leaked out.

The reports prompted Benitez to say: "I will talk with the board about this as soon as possible. I am really calm - but I want answers.

"I am surprised at things I have read. I want to clarify the situation, not just about the meeting but the people who were in that meeting.

"I will ask some questions; I will talk about things with them. That means as soon as possible - days, maybe hours."

Benitez's future was the source of constant speculation prior to Christmas as the Reds struggled in the league and looked unlikely to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage.

In January Hicks admitted he had held talks with Klinsmann in November.

The American said the talks were an insurance policy in case Benitez was to leave or the relationship between owners and manager suffered a further break down.

But Hicks added that the relationship between boss and board had been mended.

Since then Benitez has steered the club to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

But the club's off-the-field problems have spiralled almost out of control, with Hicks and Gillett not even on speaking terms.

The internal wrangling between Hicks and Gillett took a fresh twist on Thursday when Hicks demanded the resignation of Parry.

Benitez insists off-field problems are not proving too distracting.

"It is not affecting the players," said the Spaniard. "They are winning and they know we must finish in the top four and progress in the Champions League. We must stay focused on football."

Liverpool forward Fernando Torres has backed Benitez to remain at the club "for a long time".

"Rafa has coached in Spain and England and his ideas are the same," he told Spanish radio station Marca FM.

"The difference is in Spain he was a coach and here he is a manager.

"He is in charge of signings, in charge of the youth teams, the man who chooses the coaches he thinks are right for the reserve team.

"Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger are the examples that show that in England even when you're not winning trophies clubs give time to their coaches.

"I think that Benitez is going to be at Liverpool for a long time."