LEEDS ATTACKER EL-HADJI Diouf has called Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard “egotistical” and claimed certain figures at the club “cannot stand” him.
Writing in his 2007 autobiography, Gerrard said the Senegalese player was only “interested in himself” and admitted he “wasn’t Diouf’s number one fan”.
He added: “His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn’t really a***d about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top.”
And in a recent interview with French daily L’Equipe, Diouf hit back at these criticisms.
“What he said is only of interest to him. All I worried about was the Senegal team, I took them to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002. I was in Pele’s 100 players of the century. Not him. I respect him as a footballer, but there is nobody more egotistical than him.
“He does not care about others. I spoke to the major figures at Liverpool and nobody can stand him. And I am not talking about (Jamie) Carragher.”
In addition, Diouf sought to play down his bad-boy reputation, saying:
“I have done things but others have done worse. I am an easy target, people talk about me no matter what.
“Okay, I have hurt people and I regret that. But I have never been to prison, I have never injured anyone on the pitch.”
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