The days of the old school yard

“Disrespectful and humiliating”.

No not Susan Boyle’s walk on stage at last weeks Britian’s Got Talent but the words used by Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce to describe the behaviour of Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez.

But unlike the virginal Boyle who has had thirty six million hits on YouTube this week, Big Sam’s men were subject to a spot of stage fright at Anfield last Saturday as the red juggernaut sent them back to Lancashire with urine trickling down their shaky legs.

As Fernando Torres put Liverpool two nil ahead, Benitez is alleged to have made a “cut” gesture in the direction of Allardyce.

Watching it back, the movements although maybe suggesting that the game was over was hardly a terrible incident.

There is little evidence to suggest it was made with malice let alone even directed at the Rovers boss and it’s hard to believe a man as big as Allardyce has such sensitive skin.

Maybe he’d forgotten to apply his Oil Olay but to bring that up a week later seems quite petty.

Big Sam then got worse as he morphed into some Bridget Jones style character, complaining about how upsetting it was that Benitez stood him up in his room after the game like some whiney, love-less spinster.

If Benitez had followed David Haye’s example and ripped his shirt open to reveal a beheaded Allardcye on his t-shirt then maybe he’d have a point.

Although many believe that Alladyce was merely applying the rules of the Old Pals Act, opening the way for his friend Sir Alex Ferguson to rip into the Spaniard.

This would make sense, Big Sam is known to dislike Benitez, calling him a “whinger and a moaner” before last weeks game, while Sir Alex will take any opportunity to play mind games with Rafa.

Now it seems the Fergie has become a Malcolm Tucker style Spin Doctor, but with more venom.

During his press conference, Ferguson said that Rafa was arrogant, contemptuous and lacking in humility.

He brought up the incident himself and continued his attack on Benitez despite attempts to divert him.

If Sir Alex is creating his own ammunition then it shows Benitez has become his most fierce rival to date.

Ferguson has duelled with his closest opponents for as long as the afore mentioned Boyle has been waiting to pop her cherry.

In comparison, the rivalry once shared by Fergie and Arsene Wenger seems tame.

Although wait until the two clash in the Champions League Semi Final, Sir Alex will be battling on more fronts the Hitler.

Like a couple of G20 policeman, the team of Allardyce and Ferguson seem to have formed a partnership resembling that of a pair of school bullies by lashing out at the weird goateed kid.

What’s next? Micky Phealan flicking bogeys at Benitez from the dugout? Steve Bruce kneeling down behind Rafa while Mark Hughes pushes him over? Anything’s possible in this fight for supremacy.

It seems Ferguson will doing anything in his power to equal Liverpool’s haul of league titles this season.

It would certainly be some feat for the master of the mind games to eclipse the Anfield club’s record before he retires.

Let’s all just hope nobody buys Sir Alex a catapult and a spud gun for his 68th birthday.