GERARD HOULLIER admits he can't join the ranks of management legends until he wins the Champions League.
The Liverpool boss arrived in Germany yesterday, cheerfully confessing to an obsession with Europe's premier competition.
Houllier has gained a reputation as being one of the most astute coaches in the game, after steering his side to five trophies in the last year.
Yet he believes it will count for little unless he adds the European Cup to his list.
Bayern Leverkusen pose the immediate threat to that ambition, with Manchester United lying in ambush if Liverpool successfully defend a 1-0 lead here in the Ruhr valley.
"The European Cup is the trophy the great coaches and managers have won - and that is a major achievement, a benchmark for quality," he said.
Achieved
"I believe to be considered a truly great manager you have to win the European Cup - that is what all the great managers have achieved.
"To me, winning the UEFA Cup was a major achievement because that's when I realised we were ahead of schedule, but I think to be considered a truly great manager then you have to win the biggest European trophy of all.
"And believe me we won't bottle it. We will win it - that's part of the vision I have for this club. We will win it this year or if not within the next three years but we will win it.
"It took Sir Alex Ferguson 13 years to win it at Manchester United, but I would say we are ahead of schedule."
Houllier has always admitted that the Champions League is special to him because it offers him the chance to pit his tactical wit against the best in the business. And the French boss knows that success on the European stage offers instant recognition as a coach.
Yet he admits too, to a certain sense of embarrassment when his name is placed alongside the great Anfield managers - the men of legend like Bill Shankly and Paisley.
He said: "The comparisons to the managers of the past make me feel very humble, and quite embarrassed and at the same time very proud of the players.
"To have my name mentioned in the same breath as Shankly, Paisley and Fagan is a very humbling experience, but it is important that we try to achieve greatness by winning the major trophies.
"The satisfaction is not only personal, it is a team thing because if we can win our remaining games, then the players will have written their names in the history books and that is an achievement for everybody." To get past Leverkusen, Liverpool will rely on their rock solid defence to defend the 1-0 lead given to them by a rare goal from defensive linchpin Sami Hyypia.
Liverpool have the second best defensive record in the Champions League, behind Bayern Munich, having conceding just seven goals in nine games in the competition so far.
Houllier said: "Leverkusen have to score at least two goals to qualify and not many sides score two goals against us. We arrive here confident that we can defend the lead.
"We were criticised after the first leg for the way we played, but 1-0 is a good result and it gives us a great chance of going through.
"The first leg is always the important game. There are three scenarios, either you put yourselves in a position to qualify, keep your chances open, or ruin your chances. We never ruin our chances and we are in a great position.
"We know we won't bottle it, we have the team here that can progress all the way."
Markus Babbel made a welcome return to the Liverpool squad yesterday, although he is still some way from match fitness. The German is recovering from a rare virus that has kept him out of action all season.