Benitez slates Liverpool’s Purslow

(GSM) – Internazionale boss Rafael Benitez has blamed Liverpool’s decline after 2008-09 following the arrival of managing director Christian Purslow.

The Merseyside club, who finished second in the 2009 Premier League, disappointed last season with a seventh placed finish despite expectations of serious title challengers.

Following failure to qualify for the Champions League, Benitez was sacked.

And the Spaniard speaking on the eve of his side’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur said it was the appointment of Purslow in June 2009 that changed matters at the club and he believes that was the deciding factor in the collapse.

“I prefer not to talk about this because I feel sorry for the fans,” he said. “I was really sad for the fans and after the defeat the other day (against Everton).

“We have a saying in Spanish that says ‘white liquid in a bottle has to be milk’. This means that, after 86 points and finishing second in the league, what changed? The Americans. They decide and choose a new managing director and everything changed.

“The managing director is involved in all the decisions. New lawyer, new chief of press, new manager, new nine players, new medical staff, new fitness coaches. They change everything, so they change managing director then we change everything that we were doing in the past.

“If you ask me what’s going on it’s simple – they changed some things and by the end they changed everything. White liquid in a bottle – milk. You know who to blame!”

Purslow remains at Liverpool and was a key figure in helping NESV to secure the takeover against the wishes of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.