'He was terrible': Ryan Babel delivers scathing assessment on former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez

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Liverpool have been lucky enough to have some brilliant managers over the years.

The Reds have had unrivalled success in English football, with some of the game’s most decorated coaches leading them there.

From Bill Shankly right the way through to Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool’s history is littered with fantastic leaders who gave their all to the football club.

As he aims to emulate those who have gone before him, current Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is on the right path to putting his name amongst some of the greats.

One man who sits firmly in that mix is Champions League-winning manager Rafael Benitez.

Benitez was not as successful as the likes of Klopp, but having put the Reds back at the pinnacle of the game between 2004 and 2010, he is rightly celebrated at Anfield. However, according to Ryan Babel, who played under the Spaniard for three-and-a-half years, Benitez was not all he was cracked up to be.

Ryan Babel slams ‘terrible’ Rafael Benitez

Benitez was unlucky not to win a Premier League title with Liverpool. The Reds went mighty close in 2009 but couldn’t get over the line.

Nevertheless, the glorious and unexpected nature of the Champions League success in 2005 ensures that his legacy will always remain strong at Anfield.

But although he was well known for being incredibly tactically astute, Benitez has had accusations of under-delivering as a man manager. And speaking on the SdS podcast, Babel says that was very much his experience of Rafa.

“Tactically, incredible coach. But in terms of managing, helping players, like people, he was terrible in my opinion,” the Dutchman laments. “I knew I wasn’t crazy when even guys like Gerrard and Carragher would say the same. He didn’t help at all.”

READ MORE: Ryan Babel says there was a striker who impressed him even more than Fernando Torres at Liverpool

“He told me I need to shut up and work hard, but I was like ‘what does that mean?,'” Babel added, as he recalled challenging Benitez over his lack of playing time.

“Finally he told me I need to track back because the team can’t trust me, I’m not helping in defence.”

“So, I was trying to sprint back. I put so much energy into tracking back and getting the job done that I had no energy to show up front, so he would still put me on the bench.

“It was so confusing at the beginning and it was tough.”

Babel deserved a better Liverpool career

As Babel alludes to, he is far from the only former player of Benitez’s who has had this gripe about the 64-year-old.

Although Benitez was a top coach, perhaps he could have won even more if he’d have just tweaked his approach to some of his players.

Certainly Babel was one who he never got the best out of, and had he been able to, then the Dutchman could have been a superstar.

Only 20 when he made the move from Ajax to Liverpool in 2007, Babel needed an arm around the shoulder to get the best out of him. Benitez couldn’t provide that.

Ultimately, the pacy forward could never quite deliver at Liverpool. And although he must take responsibility for that, it’s clear that he was not the only guilty party.