Blackburn Rovers boss: I don't like Rafa Benitez (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn Rovers boss: I don't like Rafa Benitez

7:30am Friday 12th March 2010

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SAM Allardyce is out to do managerial nemesis Rafa Benitez a favour tomorrow but admits their feud will continue until one of them leaves the Premier League.

Liverpool’s Benitez will be hoping Blackburn Rovers help the Reds’ quest for Champions League qualification by denting Tottenham’s bid at White Hart Lane tomorrow - but Allardyce does not expect their relationship to ever improve.

The Rovers boss said: “I was very disappointed we did not get a result last week.

"An outstanding performance was overshadowed by the tit for tat between Rafa and myself, which will be the order of the day until one of us is not managing in the Premier League.

“He got personal with me and he has done for years and that is why I don’t like him and the feeling is probably mutual.

"I get under his skin and into him but not personal.

”I’ve managed to psyche out one or two here and there and that’s how the Premiership has evolved over the last 20 years.”

Allardyce also believes Liverpool’s result at Wigan leaves Benitez’s side unlikely to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

He added: “The last time one of the big four didn’t finish in the top four it was Liverpool - Everton got that spot - and I think this time it looks pretty difficult having lost against Wigan.

”They are having to rely on other teams slipping up now.

”They have a wealth of experience and that may be a telling factor when the nerve ends start jangling.

”We saw what happened to Tottenham a few years ago with the famous ‘poisoned lasagne’ scenario - which was obviously never the case - and they let it slip.

”But I think it might be more difficult for Liverpool this time around because there are more teams involved.

”There’s Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham in there and if Everton keep rolling on you might be surprised to see them making a late run.”

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