Former Liverpool striker El Hadji Diouf has launched a scathing attack on 'egotistical' Reds captain Steven Gerrard, and although Diouf's comments are crass and uncalled for, Gerrard has no one to blame but himself for the outburst.
In an interview with L'Equipe yesterday, Diouf was asked about negative comments made by Gerrard in his 2007 autobiography. Barely able to contain his irritation, Diouf barked:
"Steven Gerrard's words? It is jealousy. I was the most important man at that time and I had everyone at my feet.
"I was committed to the Senegal national team. I took them to the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup. I was in the 100 best players of the century list by Pele not him.
"I respect him as a footballer, but there is no one more selfish than he is. He prefers that Liverpool loses and he scores. He doesn't care about anyone. I've talked to Liverpool greats and no one can stand him."
I have no doubt that Diouf's comments about Gerrard are nonsense, and it's wrong for him to publicly slag off a fellow professional in such a personal manner. However, you reap what you sow, and Gerrard created this situation with ill-advised and arguably unprofessional decision to criticise Diouf in his 2007 autobiography. He wrote:
"I wasn't Diouf's number one fan.
"Being around Melwood and Anfield I knew which players were hungry, which players had Liverpool at heart. Diouf was just interested in himself.
"His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn't really arsed about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top."
For me, it doesn't matter how you spin it, Gerrard's criticism of Diouf was unprovoked, out of order, and arguably betrayed an unflattering level of hubris, a flaw that seems to afflict many elite footballers.
Clearly, Liverpool's captain had no respect for Diouf, and - worryingly - felt no compunction about publicly trashing his reputation.
Gerrard's view of Diouf may be right, but he shouldn't have said what he did in public, let alone commit it to print, especially whilst Diouf was still a working professional.
Imagine the furore if the roles were reversed, and it was Diouf who made an unprovoked attack on Gerrard back in 2007? Liverpool fans would've been burning effigies of the reviled striker outside Anfield (!), but when Gerrard attacks someone in public, it's seemingly okay, and fans applaud him for doing so. #hypocrisy
Ultimately, I find it very hard to believe that 'no one can stand' Gerrard at Anfield; there's no evidence to support that, and you'd be hard-pressed to find any published statement from anyone connected with football that is anything but positive about him.
What goes around comes around though; it took five years, but Diouf is perfectly within his rights to defend himself against Gerrard's unprovoked attack.
Admittedly, Diouf's comments are more extreme than Gerrard's, and I wouldn't be surprised if he/the club respond, though it would (IMO) be unwise to do so.
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REMINDER: Any post containing personal insults/derogatory comments about Diouf will be deleted, and the poster will be banned. Make your points in a civil manner.
Jaimie Kanwar
In an interview with L'Equipe yesterday, Diouf was asked about negative comments made by Gerrard in his 2007 autobiography. Barely able to contain his irritation, Diouf barked:
"Steven Gerrard's words? It is jealousy. I was the most important man at that time and I had everyone at my feet.
"I was committed to the Senegal national team. I took them to the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup. I was in the 100 best players of the century list by Pele not him.
"I respect him as a footballer, but there is no one more selfish than he is. He prefers that Liverpool loses and he scores. He doesn't care about anyone. I've talked to Liverpool greats and no one can stand him."
I have no doubt that Diouf's comments about Gerrard are nonsense, and it's wrong for him to publicly slag off a fellow professional in such a personal manner. However, you reap what you sow, and Gerrard created this situation with ill-advised and arguably unprofessional decision to criticise Diouf in his 2007 autobiography. He wrote:
"I wasn't Diouf's number one fan.
"Being around Melwood and Anfield I knew which players were hungry, which players had Liverpool at heart. Diouf was just interested in himself.
"His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn't really arsed about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top."
For me, it doesn't matter how you spin it, Gerrard's criticism of Diouf was unprovoked, out of order, and arguably betrayed an unflattering level of hubris, a flaw that seems to afflict many elite footballers.
Clearly, Liverpool's captain had no respect for Diouf, and - worryingly - felt no compunction about publicly trashing his reputation.
Gerrard's view of Diouf may be right, but he shouldn't have said what he did in public, let alone commit it to print, especially whilst Diouf was still a working professional.
Imagine the furore if the roles were reversed, and it was Diouf who made an unprovoked attack on Gerrard back in 2007? Liverpool fans would've been burning effigies of the reviled striker outside Anfield (!), but when Gerrard attacks someone in public, it's seemingly okay, and fans applaud him for doing so. #hypocrisy
Ultimately, I find it very hard to believe that 'no one can stand' Gerrard at Anfield; there's no evidence to support that, and you'd be hard-pressed to find any published statement from anyone connected with football that is anything but positive about him.
What goes around comes around though; it took five years, but Diouf is perfectly within his rights to defend himself against Gerrard's unprovoked attack.
Admittedly, Diouf's comments are more extreme than Gerrard's, and I wouldn't be surprised if he/the club respond, though it would (IMO) be unwise to do so.
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REMINDER: Any post containing personal insults/derogatory comments about Diouf will be deleted, and the poster will be banned. Make your points in a civil manner.
Jaimie Kanwar
I think if you compared the two egos, Diouf's would actually be larger. Which, when you compare the ability levels of the two, is very disproportionate.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, who cares.
unprovoked? steven is captain, he is entitled to comment anyones dedication to the club. and he did it in a civil, normal manner, unlike el hadji...
ReplyDeleteWhy is he entitled to make derogatory comments about a fellow professional in a *book*, especially someone who is still playing.
ReplyDeleteYou just show your extreme bias; defend Gerrard yet villify Diouf, even though Gerrard slagged him off publicly first.
Diouf is a thug. I'm sorry but when you spit at people on the pitch, taunt someone who lays on the ground with a broken leg, and are a general all around a$$ to everyone around you, you can expect some critisism to come your way.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because he's not even a good player! When i saw him spit at a person wearing the liverpool red i never respected him again. hated watching him step out on to the pitch every week and i was glad when we were rid of him.
dispicable human being. nuff said.
you may delete my post and ban me now. i have said my piece
how can we listen to comments made by spit the dog he is a total disgrace look were he is now
ReplyDeleteSORRY, EL HADJI ( top 100 list player ) DIOUF, - JUST WHO ARE YOU PLAYING FOR NOW ???
ReplyDeleteenglish, from liverpool, captain. and it wasnt that much derogatory, if that is all he wrote. he just said, what we all knew, diouf does not care about the club, he only cares about personal career. which is all right if it is not causing problems to the team. and it obviously did. and we should be bias, he is our CAPTAIN.
ReplyDeleteI really do like reading your posts from time to time but my lord God Jaimie!! Are you for real?? He said exactly what everyone says about the ''Rat''... why has he moved from club to club? Incident after incident! A bit like Joey Barton! Gerrard has every right as Captain of the club to critise who he wants to about the work put in on the field. He is right.. Diouf wasnt arsed! Diouf didnt care! Oh and his comment about being in Pele's top 100? Pele may have been one of the greatest footballers but he is severely wrong when it came to that list! The one thing that annoys me most is that this was published in the first place... Z rating journalism!
ReplyDeleteJaimie, how long have you been a Liverpoll "Fan" because you are certainly NOT A SUPPORTER !!!
ReplyDeleteI bursted out laughing when Diouf said "... It is jealousy." You crazy, homeboy. Even tho, I do not doubt Stevie having a big ego.
ReplyDeleteWe all know the books need to stir up controversy to sell. El Haj however is a prick of the highest order.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure Diouf is far off. During the summer North American tour the players all came over to the fans to sign autographs after training was over. Every other player stayed and signed a lot of autographs, in Boston Gerrard signed THREE before running off while in Baltimore I didn't count but it wasn't any more.
ReplyDeleteI don't respect Diouf or his opinion, but these events soured my opinion of Stevie.
diouf is not half the player STEVE GERRARD is
ReplyDeleteBest bit from Stevie G's book is his criticism of players' diving. That gave me a giggle.
ReplyDeleteDiouf isn´t very well liked himself, is he? :)
ReplyDeleteI think actions speak louder than words, and Gerrard was probably right about Diouf´s attitude. It´s pretty obvious he has had a bad attitude throughout his career. I´d give examples, but I´m sure I don´t have to remind you.
But yeah, Gerrard probably deserved the response he gave. He clearly doesn´t like Diouf though, so I´m sure he´s not bothered. And he called it as he saw it. He´s the club captain, and I´d say he´s well aware, which players put their life on the line for the club. And sorry, Diouf, Gerrard has done that time and again for Liverpool, and I´m sure if you asked Pele now for the greatest 100 players, the roles would be reversed.
I also think Gerrard has grown up a lot since then, but at least he was being honest in his autobiography. I´m sure Gerrard isn´t the only player Diouf has had a personality clash with. On the other hand, Gerrard is clearly respected and well liked by his peers, and I think Diouf´s comment was just a reaction and well off the mark.
Jaimie..
ReplyDeleteYou talk of extreme bias, yet you are the tormentor - in - chief of Rafa Benitez. You are hypercritical of everything LFC and have little or no loyalty towards the team. Diouf's current boss called him a "Sewer Rat"....his words so you can't ban me. Diouf fights, spits and drives like a lunatic. He shouldn't be mentioned in the same paragraph as the legend Stevie G.
Ah give it a rest! You fall into that idiotic supporters category who slate anyone who is slightly or in anyway critical of anything to do with our club! You're just a small notch in the large organisation of glorified ass kissers and those who regularly don those rose tinted glasses!
ReplyDeleteI don't like Dioufs personality but then again I'm not too keen on players who say "DO you kno who I am?" before unleashing a barrage of uppercuts at night club owners.
ReplyDeleteLike any human all players have the flaws
In a way I agree with you, in a way I don't. Gerrard's words weren't that harsh, and it was obviously true. Yes it's not nice to slag off a fellow professional, but imo as long as one doesn't have an agenda (like Fergie for example) they are entitled to their opinion. Look what Fergie's "diving all over the place" comment did to Suarez's reputation - we all know he's not the only diver in the league! LFC is the only team NOT to benefit from their diver, unlike Manu, Chelsea and Spurs
ReplyDeletecannot belive this is a lfc site you print posts from people like diouf and then try and say it is alright and diouf is entitled to his opinion but if you try and defend the lfc players your comments are stopped or you are banned its a sad day when you would post some comments from someone who would spit in your eye about a true anfield ledgend ps if i had wrote what i really think about you latest vendette against a lfc player i would be barred again jaimie before you reply why dont you run a poll on as kanwar got a vendette against some lfc players eg gerrard suarez any of the defenders but never says anything about his pets eg allen and rodgers who imo done naff all
ReplyDeleteNah, that's fair enough. My reminder is for those who come out with stuff like 'he's c**t' type of responses.
ReplyDeleteFor the people who are from liverpool and have family playing for the youth team then they may have heard the numerous stories about gerrard refusing to sign autographs for kids...I know I have so I can understand diouf's point, this is coming from staff who work at liverpool f.c.
ReplyDeleteThe issue is not about what Gerrard said; I'm sure most people agree with him. That doesn't give him the right to slag off a fellow professional in public though, completely unprovoked.
ReplyDeleteLet's say Diouf wrote a book in 2007 and slagged off Gerrard; you and I both know that most fans would attack him for doing that. Why should Gerrard get away with it?
It lacks class to criticise fellow professionals that way, irrespective of how hated they are.
Jason - if you don't like this site then go to some other site where the views posted match your own.
ReplyDeleteAnd once again, you're talking nonsense about comments being 'stopped' etc. Stick to the comment policy and you won't have a problem. Insist on sniping/slagging off the site, and your comments will not go live.
99% of comments here disagree with me; why do they stay live? Simple: they're civil.
Some people just can't debate without resorting to playground tactics, and their comments will continue to be deleted/held back until they start debating in the proper way.
Sorry, that's the way it is. If you want slanging matches and abuse-fests, then go to TIA, LFCReds or one of the many other FC sites out there that allow personal abuse t go unchecked.
To Diouf - Arrange these words into a well known saying ...................Black Pot Kettle The Calling !!
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, Diouf is not the most likeable footballer. However, that has nothing to do with the issue of whether Gerrard has the right to slag him off in public.
ReplyDeleteBoth are fair points, and both although maybe the comments are exhaggerated in both cases, there is likely some element of truth in them. I agree with Gareth though - who cares. Diouf was sooooo long ago, and I think the fact that his name is making it on a LFC forum after so long is giving a mediocre footballer too much respect, especially given the lack of significance of his time at LFC.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one that remembers Diouf saying all this stuff a good couple of years ago now??
ReplyDeleteyes but jaimie you never highlight the possatives and you carry on with the same players over and over again comments policy ive read but still seem to fall foul at my most constructive yet ive seen posts on here that are damm right unacceptable mybe not for long but yet they have been passed and later deleted
ReplyDeleteA bit like kos slagging Suarez off this week eh jk? You couldnt wait to stick ur ten pence worth in and agree with the arsenal player.
ReplyDeleteIf this attack came in 07 with us looking at our 2nd euro final in 2 seasons. He wouldnt have been vilified. Hed have been laughed at all the way back to Senegal. Just like now really. Comments are irrelevant and quite amusing. An insight into a strange and troubled mind. Has diouf spat on more people than Gerrards scored own gls???? )))))
ReplyDeleteI don't see how the FA can take action against players for stating their opinions in public, especially when the opinion is true. It's not only opposing players who are tired of Suarez's antics; ex-LFC player have also labelled him a 'cheat' in public.
ReplyDeleteI am not a LFC fan but doesn't this statement totally kill your opinion that fellow pros shouldn't talk in public???
Wow, all of a sudden you have become the voice of reason, knight of morality? This site is littered with articles which are unprovoked attacks on Liverpool players and managers alike, most prominently Luis Suarez. Back on topic, the truth should never be hidden nor should people hold back on speaking it. Diouf has made his own reputation by behaving the way he did and does. No one needs to read Gerrard's book to come to the conclusion that Diouf is an egotistical narcissist. Personally I haven't read it and I came to that conclusion all by myself. Diouf's response has done nothing than to prove Gerrard and all of us who think just as little of him, absolutely right. Oh and before Joe Hart's memoires of everything he's lived through at the wise old age of 25 hit the shelves, I think Balotelli is a right nutter. Just so as no one gets confused about whether I came up with that all by myself or not.
ReplyDeletehad pele been on the piss ?
ReplyDelete