Reds reject and all-round football clown El Hadji Diouf has astonishingly hit out at former Liverpool team mate Steven Gerrard...
In a sudden and stinging attack, Senegalese forward El Hadji Diouf has accused current Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard of being jealous of him during their time together at Anfield.
Diouf was signed for the Reds back in 2002 by the then boss Gerard Houllier in what would prove to be one of the poorest pieces of transfer business ever seen at the club.
Seemingly based exclusively on a handful of impressive performances at that summer's World Cup, Houllier took a staggering 10m punt on the flamboyant African in preference to turning Nicolas Anelka's loan deal into a permanent signing.
The decision, along with the misguided purchases of Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou in the same year, proved pivotal to the Frenchman's demise from the Anfield helm.
After successfully following a trophy laden 2001 by finishing Premier League runners up the next season, Liverpool slumped to 5th with Diouf and co in the line up.
A season later and Houllier was gone, quickly followed by Diouf, who new manager Rafael Benitez wasted no time in packing off to Bolton Wanderers. As for Gerrard, the midfielder would soon lead the team to Champions League glory and continue to develop into one of the finest players in the world.
Diouf's dissparaging comments, published in today's L'Equipe, are not without some provocation however. The diatribe is a clear retaliation to criticism of him in the England star's autobiography.
"I wasn't Diouf's number one fan. Being around Melwood and Anfield I knew which players were hungry, which players had Liverpool at heart. Diouf was just interested in himself," wrote Gerrard in 2007.
"His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn't really a***d about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top."
In addition to jealousy, Diouf's bizarre and strangely-timed rebuke in the daily French newspaper also claims that 'no one can stand' the Kop legend.
"Steven Gerrard's words? It is jealousy. I was the most important man at that time and I had everyone at my feet," said Diouf.
"I was committed to the Senegal national team. I took them to the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup.
"I was in the 100 best players of the century list by Pele not him.
"I respect him as a footballer, but there is no one more selfish than he is. He prefers that Liverpool loses and he scores.
"He doesn't care about anyone. I've talked to Liverpool greats and no one can stand him."
For the record, Diouf's tally on Merseyside was a lethal six goals in 79 appearances and the controversial front man, now plying his trade at Leeds United in the Championship, has also been embroiled in several spitting incidents plus accusations that he taunted a fellow player whilst they lay on the ground with a broken leg.
Gerrard is not alone in criticising the Senegalese via print with veteran centre-back Jamie Carragher famously writing in his 2009 autobiography: "He has one of the worst strike rates of any forward in Liverpool history. He's the only no. 9 ever to go through a whole season without scoring, in fact he's probably the only no. 9 of any club to do that. He was always the last one to get picked in training."
Vital Verdict
El Hadji who? The guy clearly needs help if he genuinely thinks anyone is jealous of him, let alone Steven Gerrard. He was one of the most frustrating players to ever wear the famous red shirt because behind the poor attitude Diouf actually had a tiny bit of talent. Nowhere near as much as he thinks, clearly, but some none the less. Quite why he is dragging this all up now we're not sure but even if there was any truth in the remarks, his lack of credibility makes it all null and void.
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