Liverpool chief denies Curbishley approach

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry (L) insisted the club had not approached Charlton's Alan Curbishley or anyone else about succeeding Gerard Houllier (R) as the Anfield club's manager.

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry insisted the club had not approached Charlton's Alan Curbishley or anyone else about succeeding Gerard Houllier as the Anfield club's manager.

As well as Curbishley, Valencia boss Rafael Benitez and former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish have both been linked with the job.

But Parry, on holiday in Barbados, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme Sunday that it was only since Houllier's exit last week that the club had started looking for the Frenchman's replacement.

"We did not want any of the muddying of the waters or the indignity of clandestine talks taking place while Gerard was still around, so we start now," Parry said.

"One of the advantages of spending a few days away is that I get a clear head and perhaps a bit of time away from the phone to think it through.

"The criterion has to be who is most likely to help us become a challenger."

Asked if Liverpool had "sounded out" a manager, Parry replied: "Not at all. It is one step at a time and the process starts now."

Parry then rubbished reports he had had a secret meeting with Curbishley at Anfield following Charlton's 1-0 win away to Liverpool on April 12.

"That is probably the most bizarre story of the week, and there have been some pretty bizarre ones.

"I don't think I saw Alan Curbishley at all that day, apart from looking down at him on the touchline with some dismay."

Parry added he expected Liverpool to have a new manager in place by next month. "Around middle to late June, I would think. It is urgent to get it right. We can't rush into making the wrong appointment.

"We don't have a lot of time on our side, but I think within that sort of timescale we will be a few steps along the way."

He explained that senior players such as England duo Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen would be consulted about the new manager.

"I think there will be some dialogue with senior players," said Parry. "That's not letting the players pick the manager at all, but it strikes me as being immense common sense for the senior players to have a degree of input as to where they see the club is going. You earn respect for that.

There have been widespread fears that both club captain Gerrard and Owen could quit Anfield if the club do not start challenging Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United for the English title and appear regularly in the Champions League - they only qualified for next season's European showpiece by finishing fourth this term.

"Top players, like Michael and Steven want more than anything to be winning trophies. But if Liverpool are trophyless, it is less appealing for them and understandably so," Parry said.

He added he was "quite confident" that England striker Owen would sign a new deal.

"I think Michael wants to stay," he said. "I think he will re-sign and am comfortable, after a difficult week, we are going in the right direction. I am very hopeful Michael will be with us next season."