Didi Hamann has slammed the delicate egos of his former Liverpool teammates in reaction to criticism aimed at new Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard has been sniped at in the past for failing to praise his players enough, often dropping star names without offering an explanation and his demanding nature have proven too much for some.

"Some players didn't get on with him, but I wasn't the sort who needed to have my ego stroked," Hamann told the Telegraph.

"I didn't need to be told how wonderful I was all the time. There are some players these days who always want to be told how great they are, but you won't get that from Rafa.

"The biggest vote of confidence a manager can give you is picking you, because if you're in the team you're doing something right. I thought he was brilliant, one of the best. He didn't always explain to players why they were being dropped and some didn't like that, but it wasn't a problem for me."