Not only did the Chelsea supporters hate Rafa Benitez, remaining unforgiving of his scathing attacks on the club in the past, but there was even a player in the dressing-room who was presumably disgusted at his appointment. By all accounts, the only reason Yossi Benayoun was at Chelsea was to escape the Spaniard, so one can only imagine the thoughts that were going through his mind when news broke about who Chelseas interim boss would be. Having played under Benitez for three years at Anfield, the Israeli international clearly was not too enamoured with the Spaniards distant approach, claiming that he tried to destroy my confidence.
''Everyone asks me why I left Liverpool. There is only one reason - Rafa Benitez. If I played well, I never felt he gave me credit. When I scored, I still expected to be out of the team the next game. You cant treat a player like this and expect him to be happy. Benitez tried to break me like he broke Riera. Chelsea made an offer, and the deal was done before Benitez left. - Yossi Benayoun, July 2010.
Unperturbed by the diminutive Israelis comments from the past - possibly because he had to instead contend with Stamford Bridge booing him every other week - Benitez claimed the he was prepared to re-integrate Benayoun into the Chelsea side, after a loan spell at West Ham.
''Benayoun is part of the team and is training with the squad. Yossi can play in the wide areas so he can help and I know about his game intelligence. No doubt, he can give us something. - Rafa Benitez, January 2013.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
