Hodgson Taunts Rafa Over Deadwood

Roy Hodgson has aimed a dig
Rafa Benitez by saying he
inherited a squad too big and
lacking in quality when he took
over at Liverpool.
Hodgson's hands have been tied
financially in the transfer market
since he succeeded Benitez in
the Anfield hot-seat in July and
he has been forced to sell the
likes of Javier Mascherano, Albert
Riera and Emiliano Insua before
being able to spend.
However, he has also shipped
out fringe first-team players
Alberto Aquilani, Nabil El Zhar,
Philip Degen, Diego Cavalieri and
several younger players in order
to trim the playing staff and the
wage bill.
In a veiled sideswipe at his
predecessor, Hodgson said there
were too many players in the so-
called first-team squad when he
arrived and he says more still
need to leave.
"We were unbelievably
overstaffed when I came to the
club and, if the truth be known,
we still are overstaffed," he said.
"A lot of hard work has gone in
and you have to mention
managing director Christian
Purslow and chief scout Eduardo
Macia.
"They both worked really hard
during the transfer window to
do the deals I wanted to happen
- but also to do deals for quite a
few players to leave the club.
"It was just as big a job making
sure some of the players who
never feature for the first team
move on."