Dave Whelan
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan has hit out at Liverpool's American owners and lamented their lack of empathy for the English game.
Whelan's Wigan dealt Liverpool a serious blow in the race for the fourth Champions League spot with a 1-0 victory at the DW Stadium on Monday night.
Whelan bought Wigan Athletic in 1995 and has overseen their remarkable progress to the Premier League. He feels that Liverpool's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks lack the necessary passion and understanding of English football's traditions.
Whelan told Sky Sports News, "The big sympathy I have is for the Liverpool supporters because they are a fantastic lot.
"Liverpool are in a mess. The owners, being American, I don't think they feel what we (British club owners) feel.
"I'm really, really sorry for their supporters. We went to Anfield earlier in the season and there's absolutely no atmosphere and no heart at all at present.
"The supporters feel that and I think the players are starting to feel it."
