Ian Ayre interview on stadium

Can you give us an overview of the latest on the stadium?

It's been a much discussed topic for a long time now and I think of late there has been a lot in the media and a lot of pressure to make a statement on where we are. What's important to us has been finding the right solution and that's always been the case, certainly in the last nine months. We've looked at both options. One is a refurbishment of Anfield, the other is a new stadium in Stanley Park. With regards the refurbishment, the type of work that's been going on (in the last nine months) has been developing plans and drawings that look at what is possible with Anfield, and that has incorporated a study into the extension of the Main Stand and a study into the extension of the Anfield Road End. Both of these, if successful, could deliver an 60,000-plus seater, which would be great, but it comes with whole other challenges and whole other areas we have to investigate. There has been a lot of frustration around that because there are lots of other people who have to come together or be a part of the process in order for us to deliver. That's been very challenging, particularly property acquisition and other areas of red tape, as most people would call it.

On the new stadium it's been about finding the right economic model. I know a lot of our fans and other people have said to me personally - why can't we just build it? We get lots of people who are desperate to come and watch Liverpool, but what people don't think of a lot of the time is that we don't get 60,000 new seats when we build a stadium - we only get the difference between Anfield currently and whatever we build. The economics of that difference don't really stack up in the medium term for a return for Liverpool. It would be a huge investment with very little financial gain. On its own that doesn't look like a viable proposition, so what we're having to do is explore an opportunity for naming rights. Naming rights is something that's been in the media recently for a number of reasons and it's something we're very actively looking at but it just takes time. Our deal with Standard Chartered, which was a ground breaking deal, took over a year to put together, and other similar types of deals we've been involved in have taken time. The pressure is there with people wanting an answer, but it's not an answer we can give right now.

Is it fair to say there is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to progress the naming rights if you do go with the new stadium model?

Yes, absolutely. We have a big team, a big partnership team at the club and we also utilise the services of Fenway Sports Management, our ownership group, who have a sales team in that category as well. Many, many people are working on it but it's not just about finding a partner, it's about finding the right partner - somebody who fits with the football club, as our other partners do. While our business development has been strong, we've been very selective, and that would also be the case with naming rights. It just takes time. It's a big world, there are a lot of brands - we just have to find the right one.

Video: Ayre on the stadium

You mention the frustration, but since the new owners have come in, do you feel like significant progress has and is being made?

Yes, absolutely. In a way it's been a little bit disappointing for them because they've come in and done a fantastic thing in the first place by bringing the club back together. Their first few months was about getting feet under the table, understanding what they'd bought and the direction we were taking. There were all manner of things going on, like changes in managers and all kinds of things. So the real work in earnest probably was six or seven months ago when we started looking at this. Anyone out there who has ever been involved in a major construction project would, I think, pretty much determine seven months to be a very short time. That's all it's really been, because if you go buy a new house, you don't look at what the previous owner had in terms of his ideas for it. They are their own people and so they should be. They'll do what they think is right for Liverpool Football Club. While a lot of people, particularly residents, feel a little bit aggrieved that it's been a long process, and we understand that, for these people who are now trying to make this happen, it's been a very short time.

Whenever we hear about a new stadium project we always hear about the redevelopment of Anfield. What's Liverpool's view of the regeneration project?

Regeneration is a much wider issue, I think. It's wider than just Anfield and wider than Liverpool Football Club, certainly. We've always been committed to playing our part in it but I think some people think our part is a bigger one than it really is. Our commitment is to make sure we provide something in the area and make sure that whatever we do is commensurate with the development of that area. Whether that's bringing more jobs because we're bringing more people, whether it's bringing a better facility that attracts more people - this is all in our mind. We've made a huge investment with everyone else in regenerating Stanley Park itself - many millions were invested into that. We are committed to the regeneration but it's important that people understand what Liverpool's part is, what small part Liverpool plays in that big opportunity.

You mention there is always a clamour for answers in terms of when is it going to happen and disappointment over the delay so far but in terms of making this decision, how important is it to get it right, to make sure it's the correct one for Liverpool going forward?

It can only be the right one. No amount of pressure will force Liverpool Football Club to make a decision quickly for the wrong reasons. We've all seen and felt and discovered how the wheels can come off if you make the wrong decisions at a football club, particularly this one. So we'll make the right decision at the right time, whatever that is and whenever that is. It has to be in the long-term interests of Liverpool Football Club. That's what everybody here is focused on.