Reds' fury over Houllier Australia link
Liverpool have rubbished claims that manager Gerard Houllier has been offered a job setting up a football academy for the Australian FA.
And they have also revealed that they will be taking legal advice over a newspaper report that Liverpool directors have already sounded out Martin O’Neill to be Houllier’s successor at Anfield.
This is the latest twist in the long running saga over claims that the Celtic manager is heading for Anfield.
The club have also revealed that they are nearing a conclusion to legal action over newspaper claims earlier this season that O’Neill had already signed a pre-contract agreement with the Merseysiders.
On the claims involving the Australian FA, Liverpool spokesman Ian Cotton said: “It is nonsense to suggest Gerard has been offered a job to run their academy.
“What has happened is that the Australians have approached him asking for advice in setting up their new academy. That does not involve the offer of a job.
“Gerard has said that they must approach Liverpool first before he can take it any further, and so far that has not happened.”
Cotton added: “Bearing in mind the success Gerard had running the French academy, who better could the Australians turn to for advice?”
The Aussies have also approached Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry for further help and advice over the structure of the game Down Under, wanting to tap into Parry’s experience of setting up the Premier League before he joined the Anfield club.
The constant speculation involving O’Neill has increasingly angered Liverpool and Houllier.
The Frenchman even resorted to making jokes about the situation, recently saying “I suppose it will be O’Neill again” following the home defeat by Manchester United.
