Liverpool manager broke promises and told me to shut up - we haven't spoken for 15 yearsEXCLUSIVE: Ryan Babel reveals all about his contentious relationship with his former Liverpool manager, Rafa BenitezRafael Benitez (right) the Liverpool manager in conversation with Ryan Babel (left) during the Pre Season Friendly match between FC Lucerne and Liverpool at the Bruehl- Stadium (Image: Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images )This year will mark 15 years since Rafa Benitez stepped down as Liverpool manager. The Spaniard departed by mutual consent after a disappointing final season, having also fallen out with both club bosses and owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.While he would later go on to manage local rivals, Everton, he remains a Reds managerial legend courtesy of leading the club to their fifth European Cup in 2005 - famously recovering from 3-0 down to beat AC Milan on penalties in Istanbul.But while his Anfield reign was littered with plenty more good memories than bad, it has been well-documented that Benitez did not see eye-to-eye with a number of his players during his six years in charge, with his man-management skills coming under scrutiny.Ibrahima Konate absence now clear as five Liverpool players give Arne Slot boost READ MORE:Liverpool could be without four players for Man United as anxious wait continues READ MORE:Falling out with a number of players, many left the club as a result and have since gone public about their contentious relationship with their former manager . Ryan Babel might have actually outlasted the Spaniard at Anfield, but over the past 15 years, he has been one of his more vocal Liverpool critics.Benitez signed the Dutchman from Ajax when he was just 20 years old in an £11.5m deal in the summer of 2007, making him the third-most expensive signing in the club’s history at that time.The forward had also attracted interest from a number of other big-name clubs, but it was the Spaniard who personally persuaded him to make the move to Liverpool. But Babel points to broken promises for why things quickly went sour between the pair on Merseyside.“I was linked to Arsenal, I was linked to Inter, I was linked to Juventus and a few other respectfully smaller teams,” he recalled in an exclusive interview with the ECHO. “So yeah, how did I end up at Liverpool?“I think it was the conversation that my management had initially and eventually that I had with Rafa Benitez that convinced me that that would be the right place to go.“Funny enough, the way the conversation went was actually quite the opposite of how it eventually turned out to be, because Rafa Benitez promised me time. He promised me guidance. He promised to work with me, you know, and develop me as he established that, ‘Yes, you're talented, but you still have so much to learn,’ which was the truth.“And for me, it was basically also what I already had at Ajax. They were working with me on the stuff that I had to improve. And I thought that I was going to get similar treatment at Liverpool.“And that was far from the truth at that time. I was completely by myself. I had no individual training sessions or coaches that would do individual work with me.“It was completely up to myself and I had to learn and adapt how to… from coming from a classic 4-4-3, Dutch style, into a classic 4-4-2, understanding what it means to be a winger and that strategy. And that was not easy at that time.“I think people under-estimate the step from Holland to the UK, especially in football terms. Even though it's only one hour away, flying, right. For me it was an incredibly big shift in life and an impact what it had on my personality and person itself. I had to adapt as soon as possible to a new culture.“At that time I, of course, had a price tag, so there was kind of like a certain pressure on me and people expected immediately some results but I needed time. I needed time.“I've spoken a lot about Rafa Benitez in the past. I always gave him credit for his coaching style and his tactics. But I also was really honest about the way he was basically managing players, and that was not his expertise.“And also I, as a young player, was struggling with his way of managing. I wished, of course, he had more of, you know, the modern day managers like Jurgen Klopp and those guys who are able and understand younger players.”Babel would make 146 appearances during three and a half years with Liverpool, returning 22 goals and 15 assists, with 129 of his outings coming under Benitez. However, he only started 65 times with 58 of those coming under the Spaniard.When you consider that 29 of those starts came in his first season in 2007/08, it is understandable why the forward frequently felt frustrated with his manager throughout his Anfield career as he found himself utilised less and less.Babel admits he struggled at finding himself in and out of the Liverpool side, and revealed that when he went to Benitez in search of answers, he was often bluntly dismissed by his manager.“The big difference with the first season and second season was that in the first season, he was doing a lot of rotation,” he said. “And then the second season, he slowly integrated more of a fixed XI with not too many rotations.“And I was left basically outside of the boat at that time. And I had to try and come in. Like I said, it was not an easy time as a youngster, but it definitely shaped me, informed me for the player that I came to be afterwards.“It was a confusing time. And you know, often there were moments where I had, let's say, a very good training week, right?“I got all the compliments from team-mates and assistant coaches. And then at the end of the week, I would be out of the squad.“So, yeah, you imagine that can be, working very confusing for a young player and not understanding why he is out of the squad if he had a great week.“So these type of things happened a lot. It was not the easy way to deal with. But again, you know, for long after that it was easier to deal with my career.”He continued: “I tried to go a lot of times into his office and I don't think he really appreciated that often.“In Holland it's very common if you're not understanding the situation, that you're trying to understand by going to the manager and having a conversation. And I think, as far as I remember, Rafa didn’t really like confrontation.“It was kind of like constantly a little clash between us. And all he was saying was, ‘Shut up and work hard.’“Okay, but what does it mean? What does working hard mean? Right? Explain it to me. So I was kind of struggling at that time to understand what he really expected from me. And yeah, it was not an easy time.”Babel would eventually go public with his frustrations, and even posted on social media that he had been dropped from the squad for a clash with Stoke City in January 2010 - the same month that Liverpool rejected a bid from Birmingham City for his services.By this point the Reds were down in seventh in the table and had been knocked out of the Champions League, having finished second and been disappointed to only reach the quarter-finals the year before.Benitez was under pressure, ultimately navigating what would prove to be the final months of his Liverpool reign, and he would fine Babel two weeks’ wages for his indiscretion.“He didn't like it,” he recalled. “He called me into his office after. I think they didn’t win that game too. That was not a comfortable conversation.“But yeah, that was again, also one of those confusing moments. We had so many injuries upfront, we hardly had any attackers.“And then I am one of the only attackers that is actually fit and you put him out of the squad. So that was a really confusing moment in my career. So yeah, I was very frustrated.”Benitez left Liverpool at the end of that season, with Babel admitting they did not even exchange farewell text messages following the Spaniard’s departure.Now 15 years on, he has crossed paths with his former manager only once - briefly - since his Reds exit. As a result, Babel still carries resentment towards Benitez, having never been able to clear the air regarding their troubling relationship at Anfield.Babel would like the opportunity to speak to his former manager one day, perhaps in search of the answers he was never able to obtain from the Spaniard during their shared time at Liverpool. But well-aware of the reputation he obtained throughout his career as perhaps a petulant or difficult player to manage, he points the finger of blame for such a label in Benitez’s direction.“Yes, once,” he recalled when asked if he crossed paths with the Spaniard since leaving Anfield. “I remember it was very brief, when I joined Fulham, eventually we had to play Newcastle. He was coach of Newcastle, if I remember. So yeah, we did.“I would definitely think that a conversation in person would probably heal old wounds and old traumas. But for now, that hasn't happened.“So I still carry them with me. I still believe that he definitely had a lot of influence on my career and the way I was portrayed, also to the audience and to the media.“So, of course, you know, that is not something that you can easily forget. Right? And of course, years after, when you understand how football really works. Yeah, managers and football teams, they do have influence on a player's career that can make or break you.“I had a lot of… Yeah, you know. How can I say that? Based on that time, it was haunting me a lot in my career after. And yeah, that was partly, of course, because of Rafa Benitez.”While Babel has issues with how he was portrayed throughout his career, he is at least at peace with how he is remembered by Liverpool supporters - despite never living up to his full potential at the club.“Yeah, well, I still get remembered for my long distance shooting, obviously,” he said. “But I think overall, what people remember me for is, you know, the talented player who didn't really get his fair, fair shot under Rafa Benitez.“So you now always have the question mark. What if? And again, I don't want to fully blame and point fingers at others. I also take very much responsibility.Article continues below“Of course, a lot of things I could have definitely handled differently. But at the end of the day, I think I'm at peace with how they remember me at the moment today.”Ryan Babel was speaking to the ECHO to promote his short film about his career, ‘After the Whistle’, which is out now on Ryan Babel’s YouTube channel following his retirement from football.
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