Liverpool first team coach Alex Miller could soon become the new manager of Japanese J-League club JEF United Chiba.

Officials of the J-League side announced that they had made an informal decision on appointing the 58-year-old Scotsman.

"We have drawn up a list and are hoping to make an announcement either tomorrow or the next day," JEF United's Kentaro Shiga said.

"Miller is one of our candidates. 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."

Japanese media reported that the struggling J-League side, who sacked Croatian Josip Kuze in midweek, have offered Miller (pictured, left, with manager Rafael Benitez) a salary of £500,000 a year.

Chiba are currently rooted firmly to the bottom of the J-League first division without a win in 11 matches this season.

Miller, 58, managed Scottish clubs Hibernian and Aberdeen before joining Liverpool's backroom staff in 1999 as chief scout under then manager Gerard Houllier.

The Scot was promoted to first-team coach after Spaniard Benitez's arrival as manager of the Premier League side in 2004.

Reuters