Ginola Takes Liverpool Legend To Court!

15 November 2011 15:27
Former Newcastle United hero David Ginola is taking former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier to court over the French coach's recent autobiography Secrets des Coachs.

It is one of the longest running feuds in French football that dates back to a World Cup qualifier prior to the 1994 tournament in the USA.

The then Paris Saint-Germain winger was lambasted as an 'assassin of French football' by his country's press following strong criticism by the future Liverpool manager.

Ginola played an overhit pass that allowed Bulgaria to score.

Houllier, who was the French coach at the time, described Ginola's actions as a "criminal" waste of possession and the hugely gifted winger was effectively hounded out of Ligue 1 for his alleged 'crimes'.

The animosity between the pair has remained ever since. 

Ginola was overlooked for selection in 1998, when Aimé Jacquet's side went onto win the World Cup hosted by France.

According to The Times, Ginola took exception to Houllier's recent description of the footballer turned actor as a "bastard" in his autobiography which was published last month.

Houllier was particularly critical of Ginola's pre-match comments regarding Manchester United legend Eric Cantona and France icon Jean-Pierre Pain, both of whom were criticised by the Toon hero prior to the qualifier in 1994.

Ginola famously remarked that neither were worthy of their place in the national side based on their close association to Marseille, who were PSG's fiercest rivals. The strikers were then booed throughout the game by the notoriously partisan Parc des Princes crowd. 

Houllier wrote in Secrets des Coachs: "When he says that Papin and Cantona should not play and that he should play instead...he is a bastard because every time Papin or Cantona touched the ball, they were booed,"

Lawyers acting on behalf of the 1999 Double Footballer of the Year have confirmed they are taking the former Liverpool and Aston Villa manager to court, and the 64-year-old will face charges of "public insult and defamation of character".

Source: FOOTYMAD