PARIS (AFP) - French football federation (FFF) president Jean-Pierre Escalettes on Tuesday dismissed reports linking their technical director Gerard Houllier with the vacant Newcastle manager's job.

The 60-year-old Houllier has emerged as the new favourite to fill the vacant manager's position at Tyneside.

The odds on the Frenchman succeeding Sam Allardyce were slashed after the former Liverpool manager's representatives confirmed they had been contacted about possibly filling the vacancy.

But Escalettes told AFP that he had spoken to Houllier and been reassured that he remained commited to his current job.

"I talked to Gerard by telephone - he is on business for us in the United States at the moment - and he told me 'every time an English club is in difficulty my name comes up'. Gerard's word is enough for me. He is at the DTN (technical director) and works for us," said Escalettes.

"Gerard had an extraordinary image in England, I'm flattered to hear his name all over the place, I tell myself we made the right choice, everyone wants to have him."

Houllier is seen as having the perfect profile to form a managerial team with former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer at the struggling English Premier League club.

Shearer, 37, has no experience of coaching but that has not stopped him being repeatedly linked with the job, with reports suggesting he could serve an apprenticeship under either Houllier or Kevin Keegan.

Shearer has repeatedly refused to comment on the situation at Newcastle but, having just returned from a holiday in Barbados, he did confirm on Tuesday that he would like to be Newcastle manager "one day."

Houllier has taken over as favourite to be the next manager from Mark Hughes, the Blackburn boss who appeared to be in pole position after Harry Redknapp ruled out a move to St James' Park at the weekend.