Liverpool: Media Needs To Stop Blaming Benitez For Roy Hodgson's Flub

Former Liverpool boss once said that he was  “blamed for everything, for global warming to high petrol prices”. 

A few days earlier he came up with the famous cryptic defence of his own in "White liquid in the bottle has to be milk" which was actually more of an attack on the previous owners and the Liverpool MD Christian Purslow.

"Some people can't see a priest on a mountain of sugar," was, perhaps, the best Rafa could come up with to defend himself, again, from Roy's claims of wasting money in transfers. The war of words, and essentially to not blame themselves for Liverpool's mess, will continue between Roy and Rafa.

However, it is time for Roy Hodgson to stop blaming the former manager, Rafa Benitez, for the worst start to the season in recent memory and start soul searching for the future of himself.

Even Benitez's most ardent supporters, like me, would concede that the current Inter boss made a few blunders in his six years reign at Merseyside club. He made a few not-so-good signings, but he also made some great signings.

But to continue blaming Benitez, even after 6 months of him leaving the former club, for Liverpool misfiring this season is outrageous.

The squad Hodgson inherited from Rafa had more than 7 or 8 players responsible for demolishing Man United 4-1 at Old Trafford in 2008. We have been fed by the English media to hate Benitez for everything and anything. We were taught how to blame him for all things related to the club in his last 18 months of reign at Liverpool.

The most important match Benitez lost was the game against the English media. He forgot the fact that we are living in a world of imprudent journalism and prejudiced reporting. Consistent and constant reminding of  a misguided truth will result in a true belief over a period of time.

The Spaniard, actually, endured a stark criticism for when he guided the club to it's record breaking points tally of 86 and within the inches of reaching the title in 2008.

All that Hodgson has done is dragging the team into the relegation zone for the first time over 50 years. And that to me sums up the reality.

It is not Rafa Benitez's fault for the dismal performances so far this season, and he shall not be responsible for that.

Regressive tactics on the pitch, submissive press conferences and playing players out of the positions are not responsible for the poor start. But if you believe what you read in the newspaper, you will conclude that Benitez's poor transfer policy is responsible.

Last week, Mr. Hodgson was quick to blame Rafa for the £20 million signing of Alberto Aquillani. In his own words he said "I think you can pay an awful lot of money for poor players and you can pay not very much money for very good ones — it is all to do with how good your scouting and your eye is."

Really? Then who's responsible for Konchesky and Poulsen? Liverpool would have not gone into relegation zone if Hodgson was as quick to respond on the pitch as he is to criticism off of it. 

It is a very bad habit of feeble human beings to point out at your predecessor for the failing of the company. But, when you blame your previous boss for his mistakes in a particular field in which you are a master, then you only look foolish. 

Benitez's mistake was he signed a good player, but not at a very good time. Aquillani was only available at the end of the season and when he was fit to kick start his career, he was loaned to Juventus by Mr. Hodgson.

Benitez actually made some profit in his last a year and a half tenure, but according to the media he is to be remembered who destroyed Liverpool.

The xenophobic and patriotic nature of English media is the core of this argument.

I am so much convinced now that Rafa would have gone on to become a legend of the game and media would have compared him to the great Scott, Sir Alex Ferguson, if he was English. The Spaniard should be remembered as a Liverpool legend for the 2005 Champions League trophy, for the 2006 FA cup, for making Liverpool the No. 1 European club, and most importantly for making Liverpool stand up against the likes of Fergie and Harry Redknepp.

It sends chills down my spine just to imagine the thought of media bashing. Roy Hodgson would have received a rude awakening if he was not English. He definitely would have gotten the sack, not sympathy.  

The last thing Hodgson would have wanted was to criticise the Champions League winner Frank Rijkaard. It shows the Liverpool boss is making completely jibberish statements only to prove that he is indeed a bit scared of for his position.

Thanks to the bigoted English media, a bunch of Liverpool supporters still believe that Benitez needs to take all the blame for the club's nightmares. Perhaps it is time to stop the nonsense and let the reality swirl in the right direction. I hope NESV and John Henry have beautiful brains within the organisation to foresee the troubles Roy Hodgson will bring to the club and make a final phone call to either Chile or Holland before Liverpool becomes the history of English football!