Robbie Keane blamed Rafael Benitez for his unsuccessful stint at Liverpool, suggesting that being played ‘out of position’ contributed to his failure.
The Irish footballer, who retired in 2018, moved to Liverpool from Tottenham Hotspur in a £19million deal back in 2008, only to return to Spurs just six months later. Keane’s run with the Reds amounted to 28 games, scoring a modest seven goals and five assists.
Benitez’s team were in a close-run race for the Premier League crown during that season, and Keane was seen as an addition to bolster their title hopes. However, despite the high expectations, they finished second, four points adrift of champions Manchester United.
Keane has been open about why things didn’t pan out in Liverpool, blaming Benitez for his tactical decisions, which saw him play an unfamiliar position on the pitch. In a discussion with journalist Graham Hunter of Pundit Arena in 2017, Keane reflected on his time at Anfield.
Keane said: “He wanted to change me to a left winger. I am clearly not a left winger, and that is obviously clear for everyone to see. The first 20 minutes he wanted me to play left wing, and obviously I had never played it before, so it was new to me.
