Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) The future of Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez appears in doubt as a result of his power struggle with the club's American owners.

Lyon's Kader Keita controls the ball during a training session on Monday. Lyon takes on Barcelona in a Champions League match on Tuesday night. AP PHOTO

Benitez's recent complaints that George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks have failed to back him in the player transfer market is leading to increased speculation that his time is all but up.

"They don't understand the transfer window in Europe," Benitez said after Saturday's 3-0 win at Newcastle.

It was the Spaniard's latest outburst against what he claims is the owners' refusal to let him pursue new signings in the January transfer period.

Most British newspapers on Monday said Benitez was on course to being fired.

"The word from within the club is that the American tycoons have lost all trust in him after recent challenges to their authority and that, despite his popularity with supporters, his dismissal is only a matter of time," The Times said.

Gillett, owner of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, and Hicks, owner of baseball's Texas Rangers and ice hockey's Dallas Stars, bought Liverpool in March.

On Thursday, the owners ordered Benitez to concentrate on preparing the team rather than on transfers.

The two released a statement Sunday dismissing reports that Benitez been fired and stressing that they would not discuss transfers until their visit to Liverpool in mid-December. They plan to attend the Dec. 16 game against Manchester United.

"Despite speculation in today's newspapers, there is nothing new to say," the statement said. "We had a good win yesterday and have got some very important games coming up starting with Porto on Wednesday, followed by Bolton and Reading, before Marseille and Manchester United in a few weeks.

"Both of us, together with chief executive Rick Parry, plan to meet with Rafa when we come over mid-December to make decisions on the team's requirements at that time."

Liverpool spent more than $103 million in the offseason on new players, including striker Fernando Torres, midfielder Yossi Benayoun and winger Ryan Babel.

Benitez is insistent that he needs to sign new players in January, with Racing Santander defender Ezequiel Marcelo Garay among the targets.

"It's not a draft system," Benitez said Saturday in a slap at the American owners. "We have free players available now. I'm not talking about players that cost money. We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets."

Liverpool is unbeaten in the Premier League this season and is fifth in the standings with 27 points, six points behind leader Arsenal.

Benitez's situation mirrors the power struggle between former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Mourinho left the Blues in September after long-running feuds with Abramovich. Mourinho has been mentioned as a possible candidate to take over at Liverpool next summer.

AACHEN, Germany (AP) Former Germany international Guido Buchwald lost his job with second-division club Alemannia Aachen on Monday after only five months in charge.

Buchwald and Alemannia parted company by mutual consent, the German club said.

Best known for shutting down Argentina star Diego Maradona in the 1990 World Cup final which Germany won 1-0, Buchwald had a two-year contract in his first coaching job in the country.

Alemannia has won only one of its last five games and has dropped to ninth place in the second division.

Buchwald won the league and domestic cup as the manager of Urawa Reds last season.

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