Itagaki's never badmouthed VF afaik. He lays into Tekken because it's shit but c'mon... Tekken *is* shit. :P

Itagaki has been taking pop shots at most fighters (even his past works now) for years.  He's plainly stated that Virtua Fighter was his insperation for Dead or Alive, yet following this, he always tried to state DOA was better than Virtua Fighter (and all other 3D fighters) that followed his series (DOA).  He even seemed to do this in his last statement, though it didn't seem to get posted here.  I found more of his statements in another forum.

'No hint at genres or anything. He did however find time to take a swipe - as he so often does - at the fighting genre he left behind at Team Ninja.

"At my previous company, I made the best fighting game in the world, Dead or Alive. Fighting games have once again reached a dead end, although to be honest, if there was no Dead or Alive, fighting games would have ended a long time ago," said Itagaki.'

Source: http://forums.gametrailers.com/thread/itagaki-says-fighting-games-ar/1028566?page=1

If I remember correctly, he also liked to take jabs at Virtua Fighter 4 specifically, calling it a 'dead end' for the series.  Though, his hate for Tekken is well known.  I mean just look at this...

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3144194

What I don't understand is, while he mocks other 3D fighting series, he actually hired people FROM the Virtua Fighter series for his new company, Valhalla.  He's either the worlds biggest Troll...or a very confused and complicated man.