Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner backs overseas game
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Werner pledges trophies and wants match abroad
By Dan Roan
BBC sports news correspondent
Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner is keen on exploring the concept of playing a competitive Premier League game abroad.
A similar idea was discussed before, for a '39th game' abroad, but stalled after meeting opposition from clubs, fans and world governing body Fifa.
But Werner, who will succeed Martin Broughton as the Merseyside club's chairman, is a fan of the proposal.
"Pre-season matches are great but why not have an actual match in season?" Werner told BBC Sport.
Playing a competitive match abroad could help clubs cash in on television markets in overseas territories where the Premier League is popular, like Asia and the United States.
"I think first of all the Premier League is the strongest league in the world and its reach is global," added the 60-year-old American.
"It's been very impressive to me, the number of people globally who watch, and we hope to expand that imprint. I think the more important the game the more excitement."
I have no problem at all with Roy Hodgson... he didn't build this team, so the fact we got off to a slow start, I'm not sure you can lay that at his feet
Reds co-owner John Henry
British Airways chairman Broughton was appointed in April to oversee the sale of Liverpool, a process which concluded in October when Werner and John Henry's New England Sports Ventures bought the club for £300m.
The Reds were struggling near the foot of the table at the time of the takeover, but have won their last two Premier League encounters to move out of the bottom three.
But despite their improving league form and Thursday's 3-1 win over Napoli in the Europa League, speculation still surrounds the future of manager Roy Hodgson, who succeeded Rafael Benitez on 1 July.
That speculation intensified following this week's appointment of Damien Comolli as the club's director of football strategy.
Henry, 61, insists the move will benefit the club and dismisses suggestions it is divisive.
"I don't think it undermines his [Hodgson's] authority at all," he told BBC Sport. "I think a manager can only do so much.
"If it [the model] works in the US, if it works in other places in Europe, I see no reason why it can't work here. In Roy's case, he was very happy and encouraged this to happen."
Henry, who also runs the Boston Red Sox baseball team, added that he no plans to replace Hodgson and thought he would still be in charge this time next year.
"That's what I expect but again I know so little it's hard for me to make assurances of any kind on almost any subject," said Henry.
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Henry backs Hodgson to stay
"But I have no problem at all with Roy Hodgson. He didn't build this team, so the fact we got off to a slow start, I'm not sure you can lay that at his feet.
"Our history in Boston is we don't change managers or general managers very often. I believe it is up to me to support Roy, to make sure he has the tools he needs to be successful.
"I never had a lack of confidence in him."
As well as speculation surrounding the manager there will also be pressure to keep the club's top players, such as Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, if the Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League.
But Werner insists the new owners want to build a team around their inspirational duo.
"It's very important. It's our intention to keep them, make them happy, supplement around them and increase the talent in the club," said Werner.
Like other Premier League clubs, Werner feels Liverpool have great potential to increase revenue by raising their profile in the emerging markets of Asia to help boost the transfer kitty.
"We are planning to make a trip to Asia in the summer. Liverpool is a great club in Asia but we plan to expand our reach there," said Werner.
"We've got potentially millions of fans there. I think we'll grow revenues in the UK but it's a great opportunity globally."
Henry refused to divulge how much the club would have to spend in the January transfer window in an effort to improve the squad.
He did not rule a out a major signing but said it would be "dangerous to borrow money to buy players".
Henry added: "We are definitely in the market for the highest calibre of players but age is an issue.
606: DEBATE
With a couple of victories racked up now morale should be being rebuilt within the squad
Stephen
"We are not the youngest team in the league, so we need more depth and we need more youth, so that will be a focus of Damien's [Comolli]. "
Werner urged the fans to remain patient and not to expect a quick fix to the issues that developed under the previous owners and have hampered progress.
"I think fans are impatient and they should be. But it's important for us to build a system and to bring in more players than we have in the recent past to develop from within but it isn't something you can fix immediately," he added.
"But we need to improve the squad for this year and do what's best for the franchise long-term."
He refused to put a timescale on how quickly the team can win silverware but insists Premier League success will come.
"I don't want to be quoted about the time but we're going to make steady progress. We're in a very competitive league but we won't settle for anything less than first," he insisted.
"To be at Anfield and to feel the intensity of these fans and be part of something special - that's a great feeling. There will be trophies in that trophy case, that's a pledge. I don't know when we'll honour that pledge but we will honour it."
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Subject: Liverpool co-owner Tom Werner backs overseas game 
Sat Nov 06, 2010 1:38 pm
