Graham Hunter told Revista why some Real Madrid "snobs" still don't like Gonzalo Higuain.
Higuain works 'too hard', says Hunter
Gonzalo Higuain was Real Madrid's saviour again at the weekend - but according to Graham Hunter his efforts are still unsatisfactory for some people at the club.
The Argentine frontman stole the headlines against Getafe as he bagged a quick-fire brace shortly after half time to secure a 2-0 win for Real in a game that many believed they had to win to preserve Manuel Pellegrini 's job.
However, while Hunter admires Higuain, he says many at the Bernabeu don't believe he fits in to the Real Madrid ethos.
Hunter told
Revista de La Liga: "The basic thing is he represents everything that Real Madrid don't want to be.
"They think they're a swan, everything should be white, long-necked and elegant - and all hard work should either be invisible or non-existent, certainly under the surface.
"He's a player who, before we talk about his skills, is unashamed of hard work and brute strength
"When he arrived he was like a little rabbit scared of the atmosphere and unable to finish.
"He's now an absolutely outstanding, world-class footballer, precisely what this club needs, yet there are snobs in the club who say they'd rather be this good but without that much evident effort."
Accomodate
Earlier in the season, Pellegrini stated that Higuain was an important part of his plans, but that he had to leave him out of the side to accommodate new players, such as Karim Benzema.
And fellow
Revista pundit Guillem Balague explained what those comments meant.
Balague said: "There were new players at the club who didn't know their colleagues and he had to try them out.
"If you've got somebody like Benzema there are obviously two explanations for it.
"One is that the club is forcing him to play the likes of Benzema and Kaka etc
"The other one is that you've got a player who last season was a major player for Lyon and who you've spent a lot of money on.
"You have to play him as much as you can early in the season when the games matter a little bit less.
"That's what he was trying to get at. Yes, it's important to play him for financial reasons - but you need to play Benzema if you want to get the best out of him.
"At the moment Benzema doesn't look good because Raul has been played with him and is not interested in making him look good and that's depressing him.
"Higuain on the other hand is willing to work with Benzema and that's why them two look good."
