League managers slam 'deplorable' threat to Houllier

League Managers Association vice-chairman Frank Clark insisted the death threat received by Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier was “deplorable” after having to cope with the same experience himself in the past.

Clark insisted the LMA could offer support if necessary but believed Houllier preferred to handle the matter within the club and with the help of Merseyside Police.

“There is less patience and less tolerance around now than there has ever been but this kind of thing has been going on for years,” Clark told the Press Association.

“When I was the manager of Nottingham Forest I received letters threatening my youngest daughter. This was at a time when she used to go out in Nottingham quite a lot so it was very worrying. I talked to the club and I talked to the local police commander and it seemed it was a one-off.

“As a manager it is something you have to deal with, and whether it is a crank or someone who is more serious you have to deplore their actions.

“The fact that Gerard has had his heart problems as Liverpool manager doesn’t accentuate the stupidity or nastiness of it.”

Liverpool revealed last night that Houllier had personally opened a threatening letter at the start of February. It preceded the vandalism of the club’s Melwood training ground, where anti-Houllier graffiti was sprayed on a wall.

Houllier and his players were booed after they adopted defensive tactics to cling on to a 2-1 win over Manchester City last month and the club’s FA Cup exit at the hands of Portsmouth increased the pressure, though the fans did get behind Houllier as the Reds beat Levski Sofia 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Cup third-round clash.

“Criticism goes with the job, but it has become far too intense and personalised. Gerard is labouring under the weight of expectation because of the tradition of the club,” Clark added.

“They carried all before them in the 1970s and 1980s and they haven’t achieved that success in a while, but what people have to understand is that football is cyclical.

“Not only that, they’re still challenging for the fourth spot in the league and they’re still in the UEFA Cup but for some people that’s not enough.”