With Michael Owen's protracted contract negotiations evoking unwanted memories of McManaman's move in 1999, Gerard Houllier has sought to assure Reds fans that such a move will never again take place under his leadership.
Houllier said: "Bosman has changed a lot of things and you have to take that into consideration as a manager these days.
"Macca had decided to leave, that's why he didn't sign the year before. When I arrived it was his final year and I didn't want to punish him in any way for that, although I might have done with another player.
"It was not my fault Macca left. You never want your top players to leave the club. He went on a free under a new rule at the time and you have to live with that sometimes. I would have tried hard to sign him before he was able to leave, that's why I was fair to him.
"I wasn't going to prejudice the matter by not playing him; he played until the end of the season and I asked the fans to give him a great send off in the final game against Wimbledon."
