Lee should have kept schtum - Sam

Published: 24 Apr 2009 - 12:30:00

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Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has told Liverpool assistant Sammy Lee there was no need to get involved in his dispute with Rafa Benitez.Last week Allardyce joined forces with Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson in accusing Benitez of failing to show a lack of respect to rivals.The accusation came as a result of hand gestures made by the former Valencia manager during Liverpool's 4-0 victory over Rovers on 11th April.Benitez chose not to respond to the allegation but Lee on Monday defended the event and described Allardyce and Ferguson's comments as "quite sad".Those comments have upset Allardyce, and he told Sky Sports News: "There was no need for Sammy to get involved."It wasn't a situation I was going to get him involved in. It was a situation that was between me and Rafa Benitez."If anyone should have spoken, it should have been Rafa Benitez and not Sammy Lee."Allardyce, who is fighting a Premier League relegation battle with Rovers, has also rubbished Lee's claims he did not attempt to confront Benitez immediately after the heavy setback at Anfield."My situation was that, as I repeat, there was the situation to speak to him in his room and he wasn't there," he concluded.