Former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has admitted that he left the club because of his constant arguing with Brendan Rodgers.
The Denmark captain spent eight years at Anfield but rejoined Brondby in August for €4 million after finding himself out of favour under Rodgers last season. He opened up about his rift with Rodgers on Danish TV programme Onside.
Let me put it this way: me and the manager were perhaps not on the same page for all of last season. For most of last season at least.
There was some distance between us and for me that was enough. I didn’t feel that he appreciated the things I contributed. And when I feel that, then it is time to move on.
Agger added that he was confused over being regularly omitted from the Liverpool starting XI when he thought he was one of the more consistent performers in the squad.
When you are a part of the starting eleven for several games in a row and the team have performed well, and you feel that you have played well, then you are left out of the team and don’t feel appreciated, it starts to get pray on your mind and you wonder.
Then at the same time you see the statistics from your game – which are so important all around the world of football – and you don’t understand why you weren’t used more often.
The defender put Rodgers' dislike of him down to a difference of opinion. He confessed that there was a clash of personalities between himself and the Liverpool boss.
Maybe where it went wrong between me and him is that I am very direct. I say things as they are, and also expect that people are (that way towards) to me. Maybe it’s wrong to expect that.
Despite feeling forced out of the club by Rodgers, Agger was very complimentary towards his abilities as a manager.
I think he is an incredibly talented manager. You can’t take that away from him. He’s good in the way he trains and he is clever in the way he sets the team up.
He’s an extremely, extremely competent coach. The things that went wrong between us is that I say things the way they are and I expect others to treat me the same way. Maybe it is wrong to always expect this.
Hat tip: Telegraph
