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Following Stewart Downing's claims Brendan Rodgers liked to play favourites, departed striker Fabio Borini has made his own complaints about the Liverpool manager. Saying he did everything he could but wasn't given a fair chance, it's obvious who he's upset with even if he doesn't mention Rodgers by name.
"It feels good to be back," the 24-year-old Italian Striker told local reporters during a break from preparations for his return with Sunderland, who face Tottenham on Sunday. "I can feel the love and support from the fans, and it's important to feel those emotions as soon as you arrive at a club. It makes it easier after a very difficult time."
Borini arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2012 for £10.5M, one of the two signings—along with midfielder Joe Allen—pushed through by Rodgers before the scouting team and transfer committee were installed. While Allen remains at the club and in Rodgers' favour, it seems fair to say neither has exactly lived up to their price tag.
In three seasons at the club, Borini spent a largely successful year out on loan with Sunderland and two seasons mostly injured or watching from the stands, often showing a commendable work-rate but little end product. He feels quite certain, though, that the hard work he did deserved more than the limited chances that in the end he got.
"It didn't work out," he added. "Not because of me, but because of someone else. Everyone knows, within the club and outside, that I have been working hard. I gave everything for the club. That's why I stayed at Liverpool, because I thought I could help the team, and every time I was asked to play I did that. That's the thing."
With his injuries and limited goal return, many fans would likely disagree. Yet it's true Borini did put in a lot of work, and he certainly didn't do any worse than most of Liverpool's striking options not named Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge have during Rodgers' tenure. And perhaps, on the wing, his industry would have helped last season.
In the end, whether it was down to the manager's unwillingness to reconsider his place in the team once he'd decided to move on or simply down to Borini not offering enough on the pitch, it simply didn't work out. Hopefully, whatever the case, returning to Sunderland allows Borini to get his once promising career back on track.
