Source: Team_Talk
Rafa disrespected me - Allardyce
For total clarity, Allardyce has reviewed footage of the incident several times after initially witnessing it following Liverpool's second goal of a 4-0 victory at Anfield last Saturday.
Although Benitez is well-known for his hand signals from the technical area, Allardyce insists the gesticulations following Fernando Torres' 33rd-minute header were directed towards him and his team.
Allardyce's understanding is that Benitez crossed his arms over dismissively as if to suggest 'that's it, game over, job done'.
The Rovers boss also believes Benitez showed a further lack of respect by not showing up in his own office for a post-match drink, leaving Allardyce seeking an explanation.
"I think if everybody has a look back at his gestures you will see them as pretty dismissive to me and the Blackburn Rovers team as a whole," fumed Allardyce.
"I was hugely disappointed by those gestures. I think they were disrespectful and quite humiliating.
"Having looked at them again this week, I think I'm right and everybody will see why I'm complaining.
"The feeling was that he had written us off. It was open arms and then a crossover of the arms as if to suggest that was it.
"I admit it was a hard game, a difficult game for us, and we were well beaten by an outstanding Liverpool side.
"But in terms of respect, you don't expect those sort of things to happen in a game of football. I was very, very upset by it.
"The game is hard enough as it is without a fellow manager doing what seemed to be an undermining gesture.
"I then waited to have a word with him after the game in his room, but as usual and unfortunately, he didn't turn up.
"Not explaining himself by not turning up in his office really shows what he is like.
"The only people I saw were Sammy Lee and a few of the staff, but he never showed his face.
"That was just as disappointing as the gesture, and it typifies the man."
There has never been any love lost between the two men in the past, with Allardyce's outburst merely serving to add fuel to the fire.
Allardyce has made no attempt to contact Benitez this week to try and clarify the matter, insisting: "Why should I?
"If he can't come into his own room and have a drink with his fellow manager, why would I want to pick up the phone and speak to him?
"I gave him the opportunity by being courteous enough after being beaten 4-0 to go and have a drink in his room.
"There was no need for those sorts of gestures, and my opinion as to whether I'm right is obviously going to be speculated upon by other people, but I think I'm right.
"He would have had the opportunity to have explained himself if he had turned up in his room, but didn't, so that's why I'm talking about it today.
"It's in the past now and I'll move on, but I just want to make everybody aware of what I consider to be a lack of respect for me, the Blackburn Rovers players and the football club as a whole."
Allardyce maintains he will not use it to fire up his players, nor does he feel the best response would be to keep Blackburn in the Premier League.
Ahead of a crucial relegation clash at Stoke, Allardyce added: "It doesn't matter what Rafa Benitez does, or doesn't do.
"In the end, in terms of us wanting to stay in the Premier League, that is what we've been after from day one.
"What I expect is a little more respect from a fellow manager."
For the game with Stoke, striker El Hadji Diouf and winger Morten Gamst Pedersen return after they missed the defeat at Liverpool with a throat infection and calf injury respectively.
