John W Henry called 'cowardly' after decision as Liverpool protests intensify

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John W Henry has been criticized heavily by Liverpool's supporters in recent times, and he is facing further criticism in the United States after Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora was fired over the weekendLiverpool owner John Henry(Image: Getty Images)John W Henry has been defended by FSG's CEO after being described as "cowardly" by a journalist following the organization's decision to make wholesale changes to the Boston Red Sox staff.While Henry has withstood calls to make a change at Liverpool this season — despite calls for Arne Slot to be removed — the trigger was pulled in MLB last weekend, as manager Alex Cora was fired along with five of his coaching staff.Henry released a statement via the Red Sox, but he has not spoken on the decision since, and has not spoken to the media in six years.Brittany Ghiroli, a reporter for The Athletic, criticized Henry's lack of direct communication with the franchise's supporters, describing it as "cowardly."“The owner’s silence isn’t golden; it’s cowardly and speaks volumes about how one of the sport’s most iconic franchises has become rudderless,” she wrote.READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk declares Liverpool 'will miss' Andy Robertson as reality sets inREAD MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai impact at Liverpool clear after Steven Gerrard comparisonSam Kennedy, who serves as the Red Sox and FSG’s CEO, has since come out to defend Henry, who acquired the Red Sox all the way back in 2002.“John Henry is deeply engaged with this organisation,” Kennedy said.“He has been since day one, going all the way back to 2002. For those of you who know John, he doesn’t always do it in the most public-facing way."He’s very selective in terms of how he engages with the media.

But that should not ever be confused with a lack of involvement or care.“I’ve been stating for years the level of involvement that John has. Nothing’s wavered there whatsoever, and the passion and care is there."But I think there’s this misperception because he engages with the media on a select basis, not engaging with talk radio, not engaging in a back-and-forth press conference over the last several years, I understand raises some question.Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora was fired over the weekend(Image: 2026 Diamond Images)"But I am here to tell you that he is deeply, deeply engaged in this franchise and everything across all of Fenway Sports Group.”Many Liverpool supporters would have liked FSG to act more ruthlessly with Slot earlier this season, when the team was going through a torrid run of form.Liverpool has had a disappointing season, and Slot has lost the support of a lot of fans, although the Reds are currently on a three-game winning run in the Premier League.Slot is expected to lead Liverpool into the 2026-27 campaign, with FSG remaining unwavering in its support of the head coach who led the team to the title last season.FSG accepts that there are extraordinary mitigating circumstances behind Liverpool's difficult season, which began a matter of weeks after player Diogo Jota died in a car crash in Spain while journeying back to England for the start of pre-season.