' s ▁comb ative ▁and ▁committed ▁style ▁of ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Premier ▁League ▁attract ed ▁criticism ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 ▁at ▁a ▁time ▁when ▁Black burn ▁had ▁been ▁critic ised ▁rout in ely ▁for ▁their ▁ag gress ive ▁play . ▁ ▁He ▁broke ▁the ▁leg ▁of ▁Liverpool ▁def ender ▁Jam ie ▁Car rag her ▁when ▁his ▁trailing ▁leg ▁caught ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Liverpool ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁fifth ▁game ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 ▁season ▁in ▁a ▁tack le ▁at ▁E wood ▁Park . ▁Car rag her , ▁a ▁popular ▁home - g rown ▁Liverpool ▁player , ▁was ▁s idel ined ▁for ▁six ▁months ▁and ▁the ▁incident ▁spark ed ▁a ▁war ▁of ▁words ▁between ▁G ér ard ▁H oul lier ▁and ▁Gra eme ▁S oun ess ▁after ▁Ne ill ▁and ▁his ▁manager ▁did ▁not ▁apolog ise ▁for ▁ 4 8 ▁hours . ▁ ▁Johan ▁Ne esk ens , ▁who ▁became ▁assistant ▁to ▁Barcelona ▁manager ▁Frank ▁R ij ka ard ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 – 0 7 ▁season , ▁said ▁that ▁Ne ill ▁" could ▁play ▁for ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁clubs ". ▁On ▁ 4 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁announced ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁sign ▁a ▁new ▁four - year ▁contract ▁for ▁Black burn ▁Ro vers . ▁The ▁player ' s ▁agent , ▁Peter ▁Harrison , ▁said ▁" He ▁has ▁enjoyed ▁his ▁time ▁[ at ▁Black burn ], ▁he ▁lov es ▁the ▁club ▁and ▁the ▁fans , ▁he ▁just