When newly-appointed Wales boss John Toshack announced the names of his assistants, most people were surprised to see that of Roy Evans in the list. Apart from a brief stint helping out at Fulham and as Director of Football at Swindon, he had been out of the game ever since resigning from his post as joint-manager to Gerard Houllier at Liverpool. Evans, once the holder of one of the more prestigious jobs in the game, had become something of a forgotten man. Paul Grech has more...

"I wasn't expecting a call as such, but John did call me before he got the job," Evans explained in this interview, indicating that perhaps he was equally as taken aback about getting the job.

"Part of his application for the post was to show that he had a team put together. He asked if I would be interested in working as an assistant and I said I would be."

This lack of 'fancy titles' is hardly going to bother one of the most down-to-earth men in the game although, in hindsight, such an attitude might have worked against him in the past.

"No, there were no qualms about it at all," he said. "As I said I'm not the assistant boss as such but just an assistant. I don't have any great ego about fancy job titles. Maybe that's what cost me the job at Liverpool!"

Still, it is evident that Evans is happy just to be back in football.

"I'm there to help John in whatever capacity is necessary. I don't have great experience of international football but it's great that you can always learn new things in this game and I'm looking forward to it very much."

Such statements are typical of Evans' characteristic to play down his abilities. For over 30 years he was a member of the legendary Anfield bootroom, working behind the scenes to ensure the club's continued success, which included four European Cup triumphs.

By the time the Liverpool board decided to appoint Evans as manager, however, they had been surpassed by Manchester United. Evans was expected to guide the club back to the top of English football.

Despite going mightily close on a couple of occasions and never finishing out of the top four during his reign as manager, the League Cup won in 1995 was the only trophy success for him.

When Houllier was brought in to be his co-manager, it was the beginning of the end.

A couple of months into the new season, a tearful Evans bid farewell to the club that had been part of him most of his adult life.

Surprisingly, there's no bitterness as Evans looks back 'with great enjoyment' at his time at Anfield.

"I had a great 35 years with lots of success and I worked with some of the greatest people who have ever been in football," he said.

"As far as the managerial spell goes I was disappointed we didn't have more success but we did our best and I still feel my league record was a good one."

In his recently released autobiography 'Ghosts on the Wall', Evans admits that he tried to sign Teddy Sheringham before the striker moved from Tottenham to Manchester United, a player who would have certainly given them the experience that Evans feels they lacked "at the crucial time and that would have made a difference to us."

Evans said: "You can only do your best and I felt that's what I did. Some things go for you and some things don't. But overall I was in charge of a great bunch of lads which was contrary to the press opinion at the time by the way."

Such a defence of his players is perplexing seeing that many feel that their indiscipline and lack of determination led to Evans' downfall.

"I don't agree with that," he re-iterates.

"We all pulled in the same direction and it was a case of just trying to get the right mix and balance. Perhaps one or two players may look back and say they let themselves down but overall I feel we all worked well together.

"It was very difficult trying to pull Manchester United down from the top of the tree because they were so strong but we were only just short and failed in a great way."

The fact that Liverpool haven't managed to win the league since Evans left further strengthens his arguments, although he'd much rather see the club being successful.

To paraphrase what his successor Houllier had to say on his final press conference, he may have left Liverpool but Liverpool never left him.

"I always remained a fan. There was a little bitterness for a short while after I left but basically you have to get on with your life and snap out of those things. I feel just as much a fan as anyone else and I go along to Anfield whenever I can nowadays," Evans said.

And, like most fans, he's enjoying the football that they've played this season.

"I follow the club very closely and Benitez is doing a great job. We're a lot easier on the eye this season and I'm pleased to see us playing in a more attacking style.

"We've lacked a bit of steel away from home but you have to remember Benitez has only been in the job a short while - it takes time to find your feet, and he's had to deal with a fair amount of misfortune with injuries and so on."

For the man who doesn't like titles, being called a true Liverpool fan is perhaps the biggest compliment of all.