Friedel holds no grudge against the Frenchman, however, and has only warm words for a man who he feels has given his all to revive an ailing Merseyside giant.
Friedel said: "When I was there what he was doing was absolutely correct. The club needed to be revamped. I was amazed when I signed that a big club like Liverpool was run the way it was. They had the attitude that 'this is Liverpool and we are always going to be the best'.
"I am not privy to what Arsene Wenger or Alex Ferguson do, but I would think they grind away every single day just to stay on top. Liverpool just hit on the name. We are Liverpool.
"That is not the case anymore. Houllier is an absolute workaholic and changed the mentality of the club. Now it is run like a top professional football club."