Agger reveals Rodgers bust-up

Former Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has been talking about his relationships with some of the managers he worked under during his Anfield career.

The 31-year-old, who hung up his boots last month, heaps praise on Rafa Benitez but doesn’t speak highly of Roy Hodgson or Brendan Rodgers.

On Hodgson, Agger said: “I completely lost my desire to come to work because his training sessions were really hard to get through. Not physically but mentally. It was the same and the same and the same. Day in and day out.

“Often we had eight forwards playing against me and Martin Skrtel (according to Hodgson this was to help Fernando Torres score to regain his confidence). Skrtel and I had a really hard training session as we were defending against eight with two but the eight players attacking were just faffing around. They had hardly run a kilometre and it was so uninspiring.”

Turning to Benitez, he added: “He was, without a doubt, the best tactician I have played for. He could change formation and tactics three times in one game.

“We practised his different systems so we knew what to do in different ones. I also remember when we went 1-0 down against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Benitez was there (pushing his hands downwards meaning to ‘stay calm’).

“A few of us panicked a little bit and thought we’d get our arses kicked but he was ice cool. He just stood there on the sidelines and said: take it easy, carry on doing what you are doing – and in the end we won 2-1.”

So what about Brendan Rodgers? Were the rumours of a bust-up with him true?

Agger claims the relationship turned sour after he turned out against Southampton back in September 2013. He played despite carrying an injury and was at fault for Southampton’s goal.

“After the game he did not speak to me,” he explained.  “Something went wrong. I was the first to admit that it was my fault. I apologised but as one of the physios said there was no need to apologise as the other 50 times that I had said that I was ready and played, even if I wasn’t fit, it had been fine.

“In those games one couldn’t see it but then there was this game, where I could not keep track (of my player). “Maybe he felt that I wasn’t good enough and that Mamadou Sakho, Kolo Touré and Martin Skrtel were better then me. Then fair enough because the most important thing is for Liverpool to win football games. That’s the most important thing for me too.

“But in 42 days I went from being first choice and the club’s new vice-captain to be fourth choice centre-back. So I have thought a lot about it.”

During a game against Swansea City in February 2014, Agger reveals that he did call Rodgers out at half-time after he criticised him and team-mate Martin Skrtel for letting Wilfried Bony have too much possession.

“Everyone was quiet but I stood up and said: ‘How can you stand there and say that when we are only doing what you have been going on about all week?’

“Rodgers looked at me and muttered: ‘Whatever’.

“I was substituted 12 minutes later.”

Meanwhile, Championship outfit Wigan Athletic have signed goalkeeper Adam Bogdan on a season long-loan deal.