Liverpool legends line up to slam running of football club

Feb 18 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

FORMER Liverpool legends were lining up last night to bemoan Liverpool’s exit from the FA Cup.

Striker John Aldridge claims the club has “imploded” and believes the departure of Rafael Benitez’s assistant this season is a major factor in the team’s plight.

Aldridge admits on-going confusion off the field is adding to problems on the pitch.

“It’s not going too well on and off the field at the moment,” he said. “The club’s imploded over the past couple of months and it can only get better.

“You can look back to when Paco Ayesteran went a couple of months ago, Rafa’s right-hand man, I think that’s got a massive bearing on it.

“He’s holding the fort on his own without a right-hand man. He’s working very hard on his own and under very difficult circumstances and I think he needs a bit of help right now.”

As for matters upstairs, Aldridge added: “There’s so much speculation going on off the park regarding the American owners that we don’t know who’s going to be the chairman next month.”

And former defender Tommy Smith, who captained Liverpool to the 1971 league and UEFA Cup double, has criticised Benitez’s controversial rotation policy and decision to rest several key players for the visit of the Coca-Cola Championship side.

Smith said: “In the programme for the game, Benitez said cup competitions are always dangerous if you think you can beat teams easily. So why on earth didn’t he put a strong team out against Barnsley?”

Smith fears fans may finally start to run out of patience with the Spanish manager.

He said: “Bill Shankly used to tell us you’re only as good as your last result. How on earth does Benitez think he’s going to win stuff if he puts a second-class team out?

“Liverpool’s squad is not as strong as I think he thought at the beginning of the season. I don’t think he’s even got a strong first XI.

“How could he leave (Jose) Reina, (Steven) Gerrard and (Javier) Mascherano out?

“The first person you put on the team-sheet is Gerrard. How on earth could he sit on the bench for 75 minutes and watch that . . . then he (Benitez) talks about chances. Well, they’ve gone. You can’t score after the game finishes.”