Murphy almost left - Houllier

Murphy was loaned out to former club Crewe in 1999 after failing to make an impact at Liverpool and Houllier was ready to offload the player, who is now a mainstay in The Reds team.

"In the summer of 1999 we sent Danny back on loan to Crewe and when he came back he said he wanted to play on a regular basis," Houllier told the club website. 

"I told him I couldn't promise that and late in 1999 we tried to advertise for him to go, but no club would take him.

"So I said to the board 'Well, we will keep him then - he is still young and I will talk to him'.

"Only then did Danny realise he was not helping himself. Once he decided to focus and go the right way, I gave him a chance in the team against Chelsea.

"We won that game 1-0 and ever since then he has never disappointed me. I am pleased Danny started to do things the right way because then I knew he would become a great player for Liverpool. "

Murphy has since gone onto become a firm favourite with the Liverpool fans, who label him 'Super Dan' after scoring in successive seasons at Old Trafford, and only missed out on going to the World Cup with England in the summer due to injury.   

Houllier also added that he would never consider selling Murphy and pointed to his goals return as proof of his value to the team.

"In the year we won the treble he scored ten goals, another eight last season and this season he has three already," added the ex-PSG coach.  

"He has improved as an all-round player and in no case now would we sell him to any other club. He is a Liverpool boy and a Liverpool player."

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