Liverpool icon Rafa Benitez’s management was horrid – he had no idea how to talk to us

Former Liverpool star Stephen Warnock has criticised Rafa Benitez's man-management skills during his time at Anfield.

The ex-Reds defender, who made his debut under the Spanish manager, has claimed that Benitez barely communicated with many of his players. One particular incident ahead of the 2005 Champions League final, when there was a mix-up over the squad announcement, left Warnock fuming.

Appearing on the Undr The Cosh podcast, he acknowledged Benitez's tactical prowess, stating: "I've said this to loads of people, [he's] tactically brilliant. Man-management? Zero. Absolutely no idea how to speak to anyone. He didn't speak to anyone. His man-management was horrendous, absolutely horrendous."

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Warnock says the incident before the Istanbul showdown with AC Milan epitomised Benitez's poor people skills. He said (via the Mirror): "Istanbul was an absolute disgrace, how he treated me and a few of the other lads, but he didn't care.

"A squad list of 18 would go up after training, your first 11 and seven subs. You knew if you were either playing or on the bench.

"I remember running in after the last training session and thinking, 'please be in'. I looked on the squad list and my name was on it. I was like, 'f****** hell, Champions League final, I'm on the bench or playing'.

"I rang the family and told them to get the plane tickets booked. I was at home getting everything ready, then my phone goes and it's Pako Ayestaran, who was the number two at the time. He goes, 'we've make a mistake with the squad, you're not in it'. I was like 'what?'."

Warnock recalled another occasion when he'd been left off the squad list and went for a night out as a result, only to be told the next morning he was due to be starting.

"I'd had a good night out, shots, the lot," he recalled. "I was fuming. I told him [about the night out] and he said I was on the bench, but I came on for the last 20 minutes. Who does that? Who puts you in that position? ".

"He respected the fact I told him and he realised he had f***** up. But with the Istanbul one, he didn't have the b******* to ring me. I thought, 'you f****** coward', I was fuming."

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Warnock didn't just miss out on a place in the squad, which famously defeated AC Milan on penalties, but also a massive payday as every player in the 18 pocketed a £200,000 bonus.

"It was hard for me because I'm a Liverpool fan who grew up standing on the Kop," added Warnock. "I was fuming, I was so angry. I didn't hate the team, I hated Rafa. I was so happy for the lads but I was also p***** off with the way things had played out."