Gerard Houllier has chosen the eve of Liverpool's departure for their next Champions League crunch to speak from his hospital bed for the first time following major heart surgery.
And the Frenchman has set his players two targets as he recovers from major heart surgery.
Houllier made clear in a statement he insisted on writing from hospital that he wants Champions League and Premiership glory.
And he pointedly praised the job done by his assistant Phil Thompson as caretaker-boss.
The Anfield chief came out of intensive care of the cardiothoracic centre at Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool at the weekend, and has issued a statement of thanks to the hospital staff, fans and well wishers, little more than a week after the 11-hour operation that followed heart problems during the home match with Leeds on October 13th.
Liverpool fly to Portugal tomorrow for what could be their deciding Champions League clash with Boavista in Oporto, where victory will ensure qualification for the next stage of the competition.
And Houllier has praised his players, and assistant boss Thompson, for the two wins against Kiev and Leicester in the past week.
PA