HOULLIER TO COACH ZIMBABWE?
Paul Rogers 02 April 2004
Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has proved that he's still got a sense of humour despite Liverpool's terrible luck with injuries and dodgy refereeing decisions on the pitch this season.
Kop supporters on the island of Mauritius could have been forgiven for choking on their cornflakes yesterday morning when they turned to the sports pages of the island's local newspaper, Lexpress.
There, plastered across the back page, was an "exclusive" interview with the Anfield boss in which he told a reporter that he had quit the hot seat at Anfield and already handed in his resignation. The journalist who wrote the article insisted he had tracked down the former France manager to a hotel in Mauritius and conducted the interview by telephone.
A big photograph (actually taken during last summer's Far East tour) of Houllier wearing a t-shirt and shorts was used as "evidence" that the Liverpool boss was indeed staying in the hotel.
The truth, however, was slightly different. Houllier was not in Mauritius and he certainly hasn't resigned. For one thing, quitting when the job hasn't been finished is just not his style.
"I have not been in Mauritius this week," Houllier said when informed of the prank. "In fact, I have been back in France with my wife for a couple of days. It is an interesting story but they seem to have missed the fact I am due to take over as the new coach of Zimbabwe!" DEADPAN DONT YOU THINK ,CAREER ON THE STAGE IN STAND UP POSITIVELY BECKONING ,IM JUST GLAD HE CAN LAUGH AT OUR PLIGHT ARE'NT YOU
