Steven Gerrard retires: El-Hadji Diouf says Liverpool legend ‘was nothing at all’
Former Liverpool team-mate hits out at ex-captain and leader, saying he was afraid to look in his eyes
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EL-HADJI DIOUF has torn into retired Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard by claiming he was "nothing at all".
The former Kop team-mates have engaged in a bitter war of words that shows no sign of stopping since the ex-Anfield captain announced the end of his playing days.
And, speaking on French television last night, Diouf went so far as to claim Gerrard was afraid of looking into his eyes.
Diouf, who made 55 appearances for Liverpool in three years, said: "People told me at Liverpool, there were some guys you could not touch, but I touched them.
"That is why it is complicated for me."
Joined by Emmanuel Petit, the former Arsenal star asked: "Are you talking about Steven Gerrard?"
Diouf replied: "I do. Stevie G and Jamie Carragher. The two scousers.
"When I arrived I showed him he was nothing at all. Nothing at all."
Gerrard wrote in his 2015 autobiography that Diouf "did not care about football and about Liverpool".
Things turned frosty when Petit defended Gerrard, saying: "I cannot let you say that about Steven Gerrard, he was an immense player."
To which Diouf replied he had a problem with the man and not the footballer.
He said: "I repeat. I respect the player, very big player, but the man I do not respect. And I told him. I let him know that.
"With all my respect I let him know. For me in Liverpool, he was not just a player like anyone else. He had to work and play his football as I had to work and play my football.
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"Then as you know, there were some brown-nosers, who went to the manager to repeat what I said.
"That was the real problem. When Gerrard did that, we had an argument, like real men.
"That is why he does not like me. He knows I say what I think, that when it is not right, no problem, I am up for it.
"He could not - he was afraid of looking into my eyes. He was afraid of talking to me.
"Let's not forget when I arrived I did not ask for his shirt. He asked for my Senegal shirt for one of his mates."