Shanghai Shenhua coach Gus Poyet has taken fresh aim at former club Real Betis.

The former Sunderland and Brighton manager was sacked in the first-half of the season at Betis.

Speaking with AS, Poyet barked: "Yes, that was my worst experience. First of all, I went to Seville exclusively because of what I knew about Betis of the 90s. And I was wrong, because Betis and the fans of Betis are not the ones at the time. Not even close.

"Many things have happened since I left Spain: relegations, internal complications, and leaders, and change of president, and a number of things that have greatly influenced the daily of the bética aficionado. In the end I blame myself, because I went for a reason and that reason was no longer there."

Poyet insisted Betis and the fans couldn't handle his straight talk.

"Nowadays few people like being told the truth, they want you to be politically correct; It is more, if you can lie to them, then better. And I have the luck to choose the life I want to live.

"I am honest and explain my reasons, but I do not lie to them. And I do not think that was there. In the first game of the championship people booed the team in an incomprehensible, unexpected, unacceptable way, and they asked me if I agreed with the fans, and I said no. And that I said no and was upset I realised they prefer me to lie to them."