Pointing the finger: Rafa Benitez has slammed his
Liverpool successor Roy Hodgson. 'Some people cannot see a priest
on a mountain of sugar'. He doesn't understand.
Rafa Benitez has launched a sensational attack on his
successor, Roy Hodgson, accusing the Liverpool boss of being
clueless and rejecting criticism he left the club with a
sub-standard squad.
Speaking ahead of Inter Milan's Champions League clash at
Tottenham on Tuesday night - Benitez's first match in England since
he left Liverpool this summer - the Spaniard let rip at his Anfield
successor.
Benitez said: 'I feel that Mr Hodgson doesn't understand. Every
single press conference is worse than the last one. He's talking
about things he doesn't know.
'Some people cannot see a priest on a mountain of sugar. He
doesn't understand, maybe he has been in the job for not so
long.
'Instead of talking about the flips and the flops, he has to
concentrate on his players and do his best. He has a good (big) job
to do.'
Facing up to reality: Hodgson has endured a tough
start to life at Anfield
Benitez's latest cryptic statement comes after the Inter
Milan boss announced, 'White liquid in a bottle has to be milk'
before Tottenham lost 4-3 at the San Siro a fortnight
ago.
The 'priest on a mountain of sugar' means a person who cannot
see the blindingly obvious. A priest traditionally wears black and
would therefore stand out on top of a mountain of white sugar.
Benitez's astonishing, yet calm, outburst echoed the infamous
'Rafa rant' in which he attacked Sir Alex Ferguson in January
2009.
Last month Hodgson said Benitez had left him with an
'unbelievably overstaffed' squad with too many players who were
'not serving any purpose', but the former boss defended his Anfield
legacy.
Benitez said: 'He (Hodgson) signed nine players. I left that
squad with £10million net spending. I left that squad with £300m
value.
'He (Hodgson) has to concentrate on the job, try to do his best
and not talk about the level of his players.
'Let the new players come in and concentrate, try to do their
best, because it will be the best for the club and the best for the
fans.'
Raf in town: Benitez back on English soil, with
Inter Milan at White Hart Lane on Monday night
Hodgson, who has won just three of his 10
Barclays Premier League matches in charge, also suggested Benitez
had frozen out Kop legend Kenny Dalglish, who now has an
ambassadorial role.
But Benitez, who won the Champions League and FA Cup in his six
years at Anfield, said: '(Managing director) Christian Purslow gave
him (Dalglish) another role.
'We fought for the fans, we fought for the club and we fight for
our players. Maybe he (Hodgson) cannot understand this.'