LIVERPOOL first-team coach Alex Miller is to become the new manager of JEF United Chiba in Japan. Japanese media reported that the struggling J-League side, who sacked Croatian Josip Kuze in midweek, have offered the 58-year-old Scot a salary of £500,000.
Miller, who has spent nearly a decade at Anfield, became first-team coach in 2004 when Rafael Benitez was appointed manager. "It is very positive news for Alex," said Benitez yesterday. "This is a very good opportunity for him to coach in Japan.
I want to wish Alex all the best in his new job."
Chiba are rooted firmly to the bottom of the J-League First Division without a win in 11 matches this season. The Tokyo Bayside club have lost several top players in recent seasons, Japan internationals Naotake Hanyu and Satoru Yamagishi joining the exodus before the start of the 2008 campaign.
Officials at JEF United Chiba announced early yesterday that they had made an informal decision. "Miller is one of our candidates," said club spokesperson Kentaro Shiga. "We have a match this weekend so we want to name the new manager as soon as possible. We should have more details in the next day or two."
Miller, who famously played in the 1972 Scottish Cup final for Rangers with a broken jaw, finished out his playing career in Asia with Hong Kong side South China AA.
He managed Hibernian and Aberdeen in Scotland before joining Liverpool's backroom staff in 1999 as chief scout under then manager Gerard Houllier.
His departure from Anfield is a blow for Benitez, who has come under fire from Liverpool's owners about his team's failure to mount a serious title challenge. Benitez confirmed yesterday that he would seek a replacement for Miller during the close season.
"It means we will be promoting some of the existing coaching staff and also over the summer we will be looking to bring in a replacement. We have some names and options, but need more discussion first."
Benitez has made it clear that he wants Liverpool's owners to "work quickly" in the transfer market as he plans for a summer of upheaval at Anfield. The manager also claimed that a "final solution" was close in the battle for boardroom control.
Benitez's stance came on the day that he lost Miller, slapped a £15 million price tag on England striker Peter Crouch, and confirmed that Harry Kewell would be released at the end of the season after rejecting a new contract on less money.
Former Liverpool assistant manager Sammy Lee, sacked earlier this season as manager of Bolton, is an early front-runner to replace Miller.
Benitez also revealed that he had held "private" talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill over Gareth Barry's future – Liverpool had a £10m bid rejected last week – while confirming that he would discuss John Arne Riise's future if a good enough offer was received.
