Soccer: Liverpool have started their search for a successor to Gerard Houllier, despite not yet having formally told the Frenchman he is to be relieved of his duties at Anfield.
Houllier has privately resigned himself to the fact that his six-year stay on Merseyside is to end over the next few days, the decision to part company having been taken somewhat reluctantly by the chairman, David Moores, and chief executive Rick Parry despite the potential salvaging of Champions League football for next season.
Two of England's most highly regarded young managers, Alan Curbishley of Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough's Steve McClaren, are believed to feature strongly on the board's shortlist. Yet with the club maintaining their silence yesterday Liverpool have left themselves in limbo having failed even to deliver confirmation to Houllier he is to leave.
The Frenchman was at Melwood yesterday, attempting to make it appear like business as usual alongside his assistant, Phil Thompson, and the rest of his coaching staff as he busied himself with plans for a pre-season in which he will not be involved. Moores has since departed on a family holiday to Scotland, though Parry may be moved to meet Houllier and make an announcement before leaving on a holiday of his own next week.
In the meantime, transfer negotiations, aside from the completed £14.1 million signing of Djibril Cisse from Auxerre which will go through on July 1st, have been suspended. Yet the board's recent deliberation over Houllier's future has effectively priced them out of luring their first choice, Jose Mourinho, to Anfield.
Sources close to the Porto manager confirmed last night he will be named as the successor to Claudio Ranieri at Chelsea next month following the Champions League final against Monaco. Mourinho had previously suggested that, if given the choice, he might prefer Anfield over Stamford Bridge and a tentative inquiry from Liverpool as to his availability is believed to have been made.
However, the ambitious Portuguese has since been enticed to Stamford Bridge by Roman Abramovich's generous contract offer - he is likely to earn around £3.5 million a year in west London - and intends to bring several members of his backroom staff with him upon signing a four-year contract.
Instead, and with the Valencia coach, Rafael Benitez, having stated his desire to remain at the Mestalla, Liverpool are likely to look closer to home for a successor.
There is support for Curbishley, not least among the playing staff, with the club's directors impressed by his achievements at the Valley and with the style in which his team have played since establishing themselves in the Premiership four years ago. The only reservations surround his limited experience in Europe, with Liverpool facing a qualifier to reach the Champions League group stages in August.
Those same doubts would surface over an approach for McClaren, though the club's England contingent would welcome his arrival having been coached by him at international level.
Furthermore, it is thought neither McClaren nor Curbishley would object to working with Kenny Dalglish in his anticipated new role as technical director at Anfield.
Any formal approach to another manager will have to wait until Houllier has left the club. The Frenchman may have privately accepted the inevitable, but he will not resign and risk forfeiting a financial settlement that could amount to as much as £1.5 million to cover the final year of his contract.
Meanwhile, Kevin Blackwell will be appointed Leeds United manager within the next 24 hours. The club have decided to promote their highly regarded first-team coach after interviewing him on Wednesday and then having talks with the Rotherham manager, Ronnie Moore, yesterday.
Blackwell was headhunted from Sheffield United during Peter Reid's tenure last year and remained part of the backroom staff in Eddie Gray's six-months as caretaker manager. Now, Leeds chairman Gerald Krasner and managing director David Richmond have decided to give him his first stab at management.
But Blackwell's appointment will go only a short way to easing the disappointment of Leeds fans bracing themselves for Alan Smith to join Manchester United. They can also expect virtually a full team to leave this summer.
Cynics will suggest Blackwell is merely a cheap option, although the 45-year-old has a growing reputation and there were even rumours that Alex Ferguson was considering offering him a coaching role at Old Trafford earlier this season.
Everton lodged a £7 million offer for Smith yesterday, although by trying to convince the 23-year-old forward to choose them ahead of United they are wasting their time.
Leeds are tempted by Everton's offer, but Elland Road director Peter Lorimer said: "Alan's preference is Manchester United. We're happy for him to go wherever he wants as long as the fee is right."
Everton privately concede there is little chance of getting Smith, although theirs is the highest offer so far, outbidding United, Newcastle and Middlesbrough.
Galatasaray, meanwhile, have failed with an offer to take Mark Viduka on a season's loan, with Leeds receiving a £1.5 million fee.
Guardian Service
