The Liverpool co-owner wants Rafa Benitez to stay as manager for a few more time. Tom Hicks have now requested Benitez to stay with them for at least the next five despite having rejected a new contract that did not guarantee enough control over the club’s transfer policy.

The Spaniard has agreed to accept the length of the deal and salary offered by American co-owners Hicks and George Gillett Jr. But at the same time has plainly refused to commit to the Premier League leaders as he was not given enough power to sign new players.

Hicks on Friday said that the owners will meet with Benitez

by the end of January. He expressed confidence that everything will be resolved soon. He also added that there is no space for any differences with the Spaniard suggesting that they could be about to comply with his demands. Benitez is in attempts to avoid a repeat of the situation before the start of this season, when Liverpool refused to meet Aston Villa’s valuation for England midfielder Gareth Barry.

Hick stated that Rafa is frustrated for a long time about the length of time it takes for certain things to happen. He was speaking at an interview with a sports channel. He is trying to position himself to do the job better. There are balances that need to be done in English football that will be worked out jointly. Hicks also added that he and Gillett will meet with Benitez on Jan. 30 or 31 to talk over the detail of the manager’s demands that also include more input on the running of the youth academy.

Hicks is the owner of the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars. He said that the fans should be confident of a positive outcome. Hicks stressed again and again that Rafa will be the manager.

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Ramon Calderon, the Real Madrid president has announced his resignation. He has decided to quit following a vote-rigging scandal. The decision was announced by him on Friday. Calderon is a 57-year-old lawyer, who was elected in the summer of 2006. The main reason behind his stepping down is the allegations of assembly voting manipulation. A section started cross firing him of manipulation of a general assembly vote, effectively a vote of confidence in December. The replacement will be done soon. It is expected to be vice president Vicente Boluda, who will replace Calderon.

Calderon said at a news conference on Friday that he has decided to quit because of the opinion of all of the members of the board. He stressed that he has committed errors, but not irregularities. Boluda becomes Madrid’s 18th president and will be in charge until the next election that will be held at the end of the season.

Calderon’s turbulent tenure came to an abrupt end after a report by sports daily came out on Tuesday saying that his budget was only passed because his directors admitted non-members into the assembly and denied entry to about 200 members. The budget had got passed by 47 votes at the tense assembly.

Calderon after reading the six-minute statement denied the accusations. He was not prepared to take questions from the press. Calderon as an attempt of disaster management fired two of his close aides. Calderon was seen in agitating mood at the press conference, when he blasted the press for its “vulgarity” and lack of “moral code”. He also accused it of persecuting him since his election. Calderon said that he is leaving with clean hands clean, clear conscience and a lot less money and worsened health. Calderon also added that he is very proud to have served the most important football club in the world.

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