Rafa on Liverpool "White liquid in a bottle has to be milk"
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Rafa Benitez hits back at Tom Hicks to insist Liverpool's downfall was made in America
This isn't Anfield: Benitez looks relaxed while addressing reporters in Milan on his "White liquid in a bottle has to be milk" statement.
Rafael Benitez laid the blame for Liverpool's downward spiral on the ousted American owners and their decision to appoint Christian Purslow as managing director.
In a cryptic attack that bore more than a passing resemblance to Eric Cantona's infamous 'seagulls and trawler' speech, Benitez compared the reasons behind his old club's alarming decline to a bottle of milk.
Speaking ahead of tonight's Champions League clash with Tottenham, the Inter Milan coach defended himself against former co-owner Tom Hicks' claim that Liverpool's disastrous start had been down to him wasting money in the transfer market.
'I feel really sorry for the fans,' said Benitez, who watched his former club's Merseyside derby defeat on Sunday.
'I was really sad after the defeat. We have a saying in Spanish, which is, "White liquid in a bottle has to be milk".
'What does this mean? It means that after 86 points and finishing second in the league, what changed? The Americans, they chose a new managing director and everything changed.
'So, what changed? The managing director is involved in all the decisions: new lawyer, new chief of Press, new manager, nine new players, new medical staff, and new fitness coaches - they changed everything.'
Benitez was referring to the changes implemented by Purslow since he was appointed by Hicks and co-owner George Gillett in June 2009, effectively taking over from former chief executive Rick Parry.
Benitez had fallen out with Parry and his power battle with Purslow is believed to date back to a row over whether Liverpool should sign Joe Cole or the manager's preferred option Marouane Chamakh.
Benitez left in June after six years in charge and joined Inter, taking most of his backroom staff with him, and believes Purslow's recruitment policy has contributed to the problems at Anfield.
He added: 'At the beginning, they changed the managing director who was talking with some players, and they changed everything that we were doing in the past.
'So, if you want to ask again what was going on, it's simple: they changed something and, at the end, they changed everything. So, white liquid in a bottle: milk. You will know who is to blame.'
Que, Rafa? The Inter Milan manager, pictured in training with Samuel Eto'o, had a cryptic message
Pressed to clarify his comments, Benitez would only add: 'White liquid in a bottle. If I see John the milkman in the Wirral, where I was living, with this bottle, I'd say, "It's milk, sure".'
Harry Redknapp believes Benitez was given all the financial support he could have wished for from the Americans.
'Tom Hicks has had terrible criticism,' said Redknapp. 'Liverpool were never short of spending money. If it went wrong here I couldn't blame Daniel Levy. It wouldn't be his fault, it would be my fault. I'm the one who brought the players in.'
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IT'S ALL GONE SOUR ... Benitez has likened Reds' troubles to milkRAFA BENITEZ is as crazy as ever - after comparing the current Liverpool crisis to a bottle of milk!
The ex-Reds boss was often accused of speaking in riddles during his six-year reign at Anfield. And the Spaniard has kept it going now he is in charge at Inter Milan.
Former Kop owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett blamed Benitez for Liverpool's decline after he wasted millions in the transfer market. But he hit back in bizarre style, holding Anfield managing director Christian Purslow responsible for the mess that has seen the club slide into the bottom three after their worst Premier League start.
Benitez, whose Inter side face Spurs tonight, insisted: "We have a saying in Spanish, which is 'White liquid in a bottle has to be milk'. "What does this mean? It means that, after 86 points and finishing second in the league, what changed?
"Well, the Americans went for a new MD and everything changed." Purslow took over from long-serving Rick Parry in the summer of 2009, after Liverpool finished as Premier League runners-up with those 86 points.
Benitez attempted to explain just what a devastating effect the appointment of Purslow had on decisions made behind the scenes. But it came out much like Manchester United legend Eric Cantona's 'seagulls and trawlers' epic as he added: "So, what changed?
"The managing director is involved in all the decisions: new lawyer, new chief of Press, new manager, nine new players, new medical staff, new fitness coaches - they changed everything.
"At the beginning, they changed the managing director who was talking with some players and they changed everything that we were doing in the past.
"So, if you want to ask again what was going on, it's simple: they changed something and, at the end, they changed everything.
"So, white liquid in a bottle: milk. You will know who is to blame."
Benitez's side go into tonight's Champions League clash at the San Siro with skipper Javier Zanetti admitting caution will be Inter's byword.
The Argentine, 37, said: "Spurs have fast players and play very well on the counter-attack, so we'll have to be very focused.
"We respect Tottenham in the same way as the other teams in the group."
Asked about the differences between Benitez and ex-Inter boss Jose Mourinho, Zanetti added: "There are no regimes here.
"They are two coaches with different ideas but the same desire to win. The sooner we develop Benitez's ideas, the better. We have made progress."
