Liverpool‘s big money summer signing Christian Benteke has been a bit of a bust this season. Benteke has suffered from injuries and his form this year has never come remotely close to being on par with his exorbitant transfer fee. There have already been plenty of rumors indicating that he might be leaving the Reds this summer.
We can save those discussions for another time and space. Meanwhile, Benteke and the manner in which he’s been handled by Manager Jurgen Klopp has caused a bit of controversy.
Klopp benched Benteke again this past weekend and Liverpool fell 3-2 to Southampton. The match included a very public back and forth between manager and striker that appeared to be very contentious.
Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day 2 Klopp denied criticizing the Belgian: “I’m not going to go to him and ask, ‘Why don’t you use the chance?’ Sometimes I have to talk to the players — that’s my job.”
“They are going out to their national team and I don’t want to make phone calls with them all. I had a few words to say, that’s OK, nothing else.”
Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer felt that Klopp’s confrontation with Benteke was the absolute wrong thing to do.
“I understand that he’s not his player, I don’t think he fancies [Benteke],” said Shearer.
“He didn’t sign him. I understand all of that, but I wouldn’t take too kindly if I was a player and he came on to the pitch in front of 32,000 and let his feelings be known.”
“No problem if he wants to give him a telling-off, or whatever it is, but do it in the dressing room, in the four walls in front of the rest of the players, not in front of all the fans.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
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