Liverpool fury over Houllier Aussie link

LIVERPOOL manager Gerard Houllier has dismissed as “absolute rubbish” newspaper claims that he has been offered a job setting up a football academy for Soccer Australia.

And Liverpool have revealed 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.

The constant speculation involving O’Neill has increasingly angered Liverpool and Houllier and the Frenchman has moved swiftly to scotch suggestions of a job offer from Down Under.

Houllier said: “To suggest I have been offered a job out there is absolute rubbish. I took a phone call from someone in Australia asking me for my advice, and even asking if I would go out there to give my help.

“My reaction was that I would go only if they invited the team as well. I told them to contact Liverpool and ask for them to give their permission for me to offer the advice they wanted.

“There has been no job offer and there will not be one. I have a job here.”

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, wanting to tap into Parry’s experience of setting up the Premier League.

The Australia link is the latest twist in the long running saga over claims Celtic manager O’Neill is heading for Anfield.

The club have also revealed they are nearing a conclusion to legal action over newspaper claims that O’Neill had already signed a pre-contract agreement with the Merseysiders.

Houllier has 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.