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Benitez has pop as Purslow over manner of Liverpool dismissal

Rafael Benitez was disappointed with Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow's handling of his departure from the Merseyside club earlier this month. The Spaniard agreed to end his six-year tenure at Anfield by mutual consent following a below-par season that saw the Reds finish seventh in the Barclays Premier League table while they also crashed out of the Champions league at the group stage.

The 50-year-old has admitted his sadness at leaving the club he famously led to Champions League glory in 2005, but blamed Purslow, who joined Liverpool last June, for prompting his exit.

"It was really sad," he told Radio City.

"I was on holiday so it was a surprise that everything was going on in this way, but at the end of the day it has to be like this because Christian Purslow is now in charge and he decided to do it in this way. That is it.

"It is really sad but you have to move forwards. I said to my family that we cannot stay talking too much or complain too much, we have to move forwards.

"The people of Liverpool are fighters and I was fighting from the beginning until the end. Now I have to do the same and I have to be thinking about the future.

"I was really pleased here, the fans were amazing, but I can't stand around complaining. I have to move forward and do my best for my new club."

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