Liverpool chief Parry tells warring Americans to sort out their issues quickly

George Gillett revealed in an interview on Friday that his relationship with co-owner Tom Hicks had long since broken down, and Parry admits that he sees no way in which they can carry on as a partnership.

With Dubai International Capital reportedly keen to launch a full takeover of the Anfield club, Hicks has so far refused to do business unless he can retain a controlling share, while Gillett appears more amenable - claiming DIC would be "responsible" owners.

Parry is keen to sort the issue out as soon as possible but insists the club have to take correct decision and not the most expedient.

"My plea is that something happens this week," he said.

"There is a need for a degree of urgency but it is urgent to get it right, not urgent to come up with the wrong solution.

"To move onwards and upwards we need a resolution but I don't think this is going to have a direct bearing on the players, that is pretty unlikely.

"It is certainly not conducive to long-term planning and managing the club.

"Over time, if we fail to deliver and fail to perform, that is when star players become dissatisfied but that is not an immediate fear from where I sit."

Striker Peter Crouch revealed the boardroom fiasco was not something which really concerned the players, who were focused on getting results on the pitch.

Liverpool's recent form has been good but a number of slip-ups earlier in the season mean they are still a long way from challenging for the Barclays Premier League title.

They do, however, have a Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal coming up which is crucial to their season, and Crouch claimed things like that were what occupied the players' thoughts, not who was in charge.

"It is not great when you hear things about the club changing hands but as players we are paid to play and we can't use that as an excuse for our bad form," he said.

"When you are on the pitch you are not concerned about who is running it at the top end, you are concerned about the team in front of you."

Parry admits if the club is to be successful in the future they need a settled structure where everyone knows their role and objectives.

But until the ownership wrangle with Gillett and Hicks is sorted out that cannot happen.

"I think George was pretty clear in stating the relationship between the two of them had broken down and, as a result of that, an alternative solution needs to be found," Parry told Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.

"There is no question that to succeed you need unity at the top, unity at the club and everyone pulling in the same direction.

"Without that it is extremely difficult to progress and it is clear from what George said the unity is not there.

"It looks really difficult (to patch things up) - if they had been able to do that it would have been done by now. George has been pretty unequivocal in what he has said.

"You have to think he has thought long and hard before coming out with the statement he made on Friday, it did not leave room for doubt.

"I think it brings it to a head. The hope will be it is resolved quickly, it has dragged on for long enough.

"It is clear to carry on with the status quo would be pretty difficult.

"All things are possible at the moment. Someone has to sell, that is clear if they are not able to co-exist.

"But there is plenty to focus on and a lot to play for in the next few weeks and that is what the players and (manager) Rafa Benitez are focusing on."

Former Liverpool centre-back Tommy Smith believes the situation has badly damaged the club's image.

"It is a bit of an embarrassment because Liverpool don't hang their washing in public," said Smith, who won every honour while playing for the club in the 1960s and 70s.

"I think there was always going to be a problem with the two of them (Hicks and Gillett) getting involved.

"In an ideal world, if Hicks wants to buy Gillett out, so be it, if the other way round, so be it."