John Carew has slammed Gerard Houllier's management style in a bitter parting shot at the Aston Villa boss.
The Norwegian forward has had the final say on a long-running dispute with the Frenchman after his career at Villa Park came to a close.
Carew, who was last season's leading goalscorer, was axed by Houllier and allowed to leave Villa to seek a fresh challenge with Stoke City.
The prospects of a happy relationship between the pair were slim from the minute the club's new boss took over four months ago.
Carew had rated Houllier as the worst manager he played for while at Lyon. For his part, Houllier made his feelings known by swapping the forward for Milan Baros.
And Carew, 31, has indicated the writing was on the wall for him as soon as Houllier was appointed as Martin O'Neill's successor.
He said: 'In all my clubs the manager has wanted me, except for the last three or four months.
'But that is only three or four months out of 14 years playing.
'It's a long story with Houllier. There are personal problems you cannot control, but I find no motivation in (playing for) Houllier.
'I could have stopped playing and I would have had a fantastic career and done everything I wanted to. But I didn't really want to stop. I'm inspired by this.'
Carew is out-of-contract in the summer and will be hoping to secure a fresh deal with the Potters between now and the end of the season.
He added: 'I have nothing to prove.
'I had a fantastic relationship with the Villa fans more or less from the start, but that's now over.'
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Explore more:People: John Carew, Gerard Houllier Places: Lyon
Source: Daily Mail
Source: Daily Mail