Houllier anger at new job rumours

Liverpool's manager, Gérard Houllier, has dismissed as "absolute rubbish" newspaper claims that he has been offered a job setting up a football academy for Soccer Australia.

Liverpool have revealed they will be taking legal advice over a newspaper report that Liverpool's 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 dismiss 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."

Linking Houllier with a job in Australia is the latest twist in the long-running saga over claims that Celtic's manager O'Neill 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.