Houllier: I can handle the stick

Gerard Houllier arrived for work to see slogans being scrubbed from the walls of Liverpool’s training ground and remained insistent that he can withstand the waves of abuse and criticism engulfing the club.

The French coach, under pressure following Sunday’s disastrous FA Cup replay defeat at Portsmouth, must now channel the frustrations and anger of his own players into UEFA Cup success this week to give Liverpool’s distraught fans their pride back.

Bulgarian side Levski Sofia visit for the third round first leg at Anfield with Houllier defiant, yet protective of his under-achieving players.

He said: “The slogans were not very tasteful – but you can rely on us to be strong enough and to roll our sleeves up.”

Only a victory against Sofia – beaten just once all season in domestic competition – will appease many Liverpool fans.

And Houllier said: “We will keep strong and finish even strong, I can assure you of that. I trust my players – that is the main thing.

“They are upset and hurt by what has happened. And at some stage a team has got to pay for our frustration.

“We will make sure that what is said and what is written does not affect us, because this is a big club.

“When you work you are not really bothered about criticism.

“Obviously the result was not what we expected at Portsmouth, but I do not accept we did not deserve to go through. We will live with that.”

And Houllier, who will be without Emile Heskey (back), Florent Sinama-Pongolle (ankle), Vladimir Smicer (Achilles) and Salif Diao (calf) against the Bulgarians, believes his players can bounce back.

He said: “There are two sorts of fans. Those that understand what we have been doing at this club and those who do not.

“When I leave, and at sometime I will leave be it two years time, three years time or next year I do not know, all that matters is the progress of the club in the last few years. The board know that.

“We started to change things around in 1999 and picked up six trophies, one the UEFA Cup.

“We are not happy about last season, or this, and we have 13 league games now to play this time around – and the UEFA Cup.

“There are a lot of young players with promise who have come to this club, and they do have European experience.

“It is not the right time to finalise an assessment of our record, some fans know that. Others don’t.

“What is going on off the pitch we are aware of, but we must make sure it does not affect what is happening on the pitch.

“This is our last chance of silverware, and I know we will give it our best shot right to the end of the season, as well as in the league.

“We are obviously disappointed after Portsmouth. Beforehand we had lost only one of the previous 12, we were improving and playing better.

“But I am still confident, we have got Milan Baros back fit now and I think that second half performance from him at Portsmouth showed how much we had missed him.”

The Frenchman added: “I understand the frustration around the FA Cup result, and it is shared from within our camp.

“What the fans say is part of the territory – but I sometimes think things which are written are a bit unfair and unjust.

“But we can live with that. A lot of people understand what we have done at this club in the last few years.

“We have changed things around, we have put the club in a different direction in terms of expansion and facilities.

“But I am not the only one involved in that, it has been a team thing with the board, the staff and the squad.

“People forget we have reached the Champions League twice, and we aim to get back into it.

“We have been hurt by injuries and results have not mirrored the performances. But I am still confident and very hopeful for the future.

“We will not be as unlucky next season as we have been this. Sometimes you have to go through adversity to improve.

“The team and squad remain together, we celebrate together and we suffer together. Sometimes that is the incentive.”