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On-loan Portsmouth winger Jermaine Pennant has revealed that half the players at Liverpool do not understand boss Rafael Benitez.
The 26-year-old has switched Anfield for Fratton Park for the rest of the season after being frozen out of the Reds side.
Pennant had been limited to just five games for Liverpool this term, a stark contrast to 25 he notched up last season and the former Arsenal and Birmingham man has even trained alone during match days this campaign.
After remaining tight-lipped about his torrid time in Merseyside until now, Pennant has claimed many of the Liverpool players struggle to get to grips with the thinking of tactician Benitez.
Pennant, who is line to make his Pompey debut in front of the home fans in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Swansea, told the Daily Express: "I felt like my career was rotting away at Liverpool.
"I found it strange that I had been linked with a move to both Real Madrid and AC Milan, but couldn't even get on the Liverpool bench.
"Some people were asking me why I was not getting a sniff, even on the bench. But Rafa was the manager, and had his team, so I suppose I could not have a lot of argument.
Confusion
"I don't know what it is between him and me really, but I have to say half the players at Liverpool can't seem to work him out."
Pennant, whose Liverpool contract runs out this summer, accepts his Reds career may be finished, but the right-winger is looking forward to being valued at Pompey.
"Rafa didn't speak to me very much. I think the last time was in 2006... only joking," Pennant said.
"Seriously, though, he hardly ever spoke to me apart from saying, 'Good morning, how are you?' and I sensed I might not have a future at the club.
"I was training on my own on a Saturday when the rest of the boys were playing and you can only put up with that for a certain amount of time before you have to decide what to do.
Mentality
"I don't know if foreign managers don't like the mentality of English players and the way we work.
"Peter Crouch was moved on, and now I have. You can't really knock Benitez because he has won the Champions League and a load of other trophies, but I wasn't part of his plans and it will be nice to be appreciated again."
Pennant is now relishing the prospect of resurrecting his career at Portsmouth, where he believes boss and former Gunners team-mate Tony Adams will get the best out of him.
He added: "Tony is just the same as when we were together at Arsenal, that's the great thing about him. He is just like one of the players, and it's easy to forget he's the gaffer."
The 26-year-old has switched Anfield for Fratton Park for the rest of the season after being frozen out of the Reds side.
Pennant had been limited to just five games for Liverpool this term, a stark contrast to 25 he notched up last season and the former Arsenal and Birmingham man has even trained alone during match days this campaign.
After remaining tight-lipped about his torrid time in Merseyside until now, Pennant has claimed many of the Liverpool players struggle to get to grips with the thinking of tactician Benitez.
Pennant, who is line to make his Pompey debut in front of the home fans in Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Swansea, told the Daily Express: "I felt like my career was rotting away at Liverpool.
"I found it strange that I had been linked with a move to both Real Madrid and AC Milan, but couldn't even get on the Liverpool bench.
"Some people were asking me why I was not getting a sniff, even on the bench. But Rafa was the manager, and had his team, so I suppose I could not have a lot of argument.
Confusion
"I don't know what it is between him and me really, but I have to say half the players at Liverpool can't seem to work him out."
Pennant, whose Liverpool contract runs out this summer, accepts his Reds career may be finished, but the right-winger is looking forward to being valued at Pompey.
"Rafa didn't speak to me very much. I think the last time was in 2006... only joking," Pennant said.
"Seriously, though, he hardly ever spoke to me apart from saying, 'Good morning, how are you?' and I sensed I might not have a future at the club.
"I was training on my own on a Saturday when the rest of the boys were playing and you can only put up with that for a certain amount of time before you have to decide what to do.
Mentality
"I don't know if foreign managers don't like the mentality of English players and the way we work.
"Peter Crouch was moved on, and now I have. You can't really knock Benitez because he has won the Champions League and a load of other trophies, but I wasn't part of his plans and it will be nice to be appreciated again."
Pennant is now relishing the prospect of resurrecting his career at Portsmouth, where he believes boss and former Gunners team-mate Tony Adams will get the best out of him.
He added: "Tony is just the same as when we were together at Arsenal, that's the great thing about him. He is just like one of the players, and it's easy to forget he's the gaffer."
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