Roy Hodgson just doesn't get it says angry Rafa Benitez
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Roy Hodgson just doesn't get it at Liverpool, says angry former manager Rafa Benitez
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.'