[Archived] Houllier

[FourLaneBlue]

Nothing that I have seen since has suggested that he was wrong to get shot of Robbie Fowler. 

Anyway even if he stiill 'had what it takes' Fowler is far too slow to complement Houlliers tactics.

Well you are correct in that Fowler has done nothing since getting pushed out of Liverpool.

But the converse of that arguement is.. if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Fowler and Owen were working well together and the team had won three trophies that season.

It was a big risk to change things up front, and Liverpool have never been the same since.

Anyway, that's what my scouser mate says... and I tend to agree with him.

pg- It was Owen and Heskey who were the two main strikers during the season that Liverpool won the three cups. Fowler usually just came on as sub, which is why he was haappy to leave for Leeds the season after.

[American]

The Guardian are doing a good job in convincing themselves that Mourinho will be sufficiently wary of Abramovich's dealings to shun the hundred millions transfer budget to be spent by his new boss to tens of millions he can spend himself.

Rumor is he's a bit miffed that Roman won't let him spend less on players who would help him actually win. I was reading he wanted a few players from Porto to come with him, but Roman didn't want them. Guess the fact that they won the UEFA Cup and are in the finals of the Champs League wasn't good enough for him - they weren't "name" enough.

[78]

- they weren't "name" enough.

Abit like some of the Rovers supporters.

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

The thing that got on my nerves about Houllier was that he always insinuated anyone who criticised his record was in some ways a traitor and not a true supporter of the club.

Yes, I think that was part of Houllier's problem Rev.

The Frenchman was convinced that he was always right and everyone else was wrong.

When fans or media pundits made (perfectly legitimate) criticism of his style of play or transfer signings, Houllier would get on his high horse.

I don't like to kick a man when he's down....but

In my view, Houllier only has himself to blame for some of the shocking signings he made in the transfer market.

The millions that were blown on the likes of Diouf, Barmby, Biscan and Diao probably convinced the Liverpool hierachy that old Gerard simply couldn't be trusted with a further injection of money that may come about this summer.

The Frenchman was a man of frequent excuses, continuously blaming injuries, while forgetting that most other sides have to deal with the same problem. One thing that he refused to acknowledge was his own inadeqaucies.

When he took over at Anfield he said: "Give me 5 years and I'll bring back the title back."

The reality this season has been a massive 30 point gap between Arsenal and themselves, and they've never in a million years looked like title contenders.

RFW yesterday came out in support of Gerard, ridiculously suggesting that Houllier has been as successful a manager as Arsene Wenger in terms of winning trophies. Fergie is placing the Charity Shield on the same level as the Premiership!

In the last couple of seasons, Liverpool fans have been disgusted with the style of play adopted. The sterile tactics from Houllier of getting men behind the ball and launching the odd counter-attack have often been the norm. As Ian St John said, Liverpool fans were turning into zombies having to put up with such a lack of entertainment.

The club has two world class players in Steven Gerard and Michael Owen, who've been let down by their team-mates and the manager's tactics.

At Cardiff on Saturday, Owen was asked on the BBC by Gary Lineker about the possibility of Houllier going. The smiles and grins from the tanned Liverpool striker said it all. Clearly, Michael wasn't too upset at the prospect of the Frenchman leaving, and who could blame him?

For years, Owen has had to put up with Emile Heskey as a patently inadequate strike partner, and although the big striker has now left for Birmingham, some of the other players that remain at Anfield are simply not of sufficient quality to challenge for the Championship. £115 million has been blown by Houllier, and apart from a small handful of quality players, the vast majority of them have been disappointments.

For me, the Frenchman's arrogance was best summed up when George Burley was given the 'Manager of the Year' award in 2001, after the ex-Ipswich boss achieved a highly commendable 5th place in the Premiership with the Suffolk side.

Instead of congratulating Burley, Houllier threw a big hissy fit, complaining that he himself should have been named 'Manager of the Year'. He went on to claim that the only reason he wasn't given the award was that he was French.

His comments, which you can see in the link below, have been rightly condemned by journalist Alex Montgomery as being "breathtakingly arrogant".

http://www.4thegame.com/features/feature/80172/.html

Along with all his various excuses, Houllier has been quick to play the race card - saying that he hasn't been accepted by many Liverpool fans purely because he's French. He conveniently forgets that Wenger is loved by the Arsenal supporters, irrespective of his French nationality. The prime problem that Houllier had was the arrogance and large chip on his Gallic shoulders.

For Fergie to claim that Gerard's been just as successful a Premiership manager as Wenger is ludicrous. While Arsene was out spending £10m in the transfer market on Thierry Henry, Monsieur Houllier preferred at the time to splash out £11m on Heskey.

I'm sure most of the good folk in Liverpool have breathed a collective sigh of relief that both Houllier and the lumbering Heskey have now departed and will thankfully never darken the shores of the River Mersey again.

Just before Emile moved to St Andrews, he was pictured on the Liverpool training ground - collapsing to his knees after again missing the barn door from a few yards out....

Edited June 7, 2005 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[American]

Good post, but MAN, you have too much spare time...

Edited June 1, 2004 by Alan75

[roversWASmylife]

The thing that got on my nerves about Houllier was that he always insinuated anyone who criticised his record was in some ways a traitor and not a true supporter of the club.

Yes, I think that was part of Houllier's problem Rev.

The Frenchman was convinced that he was always right and everyone else was wrong.

Well said. Houllier thought he was right and was the only one right. Take the game at Ewood between Rovers and Liverpool. Lucas Neill challenged Carragher for the ball, in my opinion Neill challenged wrongly for the ball with Neill approaching Carragher and the ball with both his feet off the ground.

Resulting sadly in Carragher`s leg being broken, Neill was professional afterwards and apologised even so visiting Carragher. But Gerard couldn’t accept it and like his rightful self even had the courage to say along the lines of that you wouldn’t see one of my players committing a challenge such as Neill`s.

Did Gerard forget about the challenge in the Merseyside Derby that Steven Gerrard committed on Naysmith? For me that was a more career threatening injury than Neill`s tackle, simply Gerrard didn’t go for the ball what so ever. Gerrard jumped into the challenge and was deseveradly sent off.

After all Houllier comparing Cheyrou to Zidane says it all really.

[thenodrog]

Good summary AESF. Unfortunately Lpool can now only get stronger.

[blue phil]

Just before Emile moved to St Andrews, he was pictured on the Liverpool training ground - collapsing to his knees after again missing the barn door from a few yards out....

Good post, but MAN, you have too much spare time...

The time was well spent just for that final picture alone

[T4E]

Breaking news on SSN - Rafa Benitez has just quit Valencia.

[Billy Castell]

Interesting news T4E. No doubt he'll almost sign for Spurs by tomorrow .

[SuperStella]

<< Link here >>

[American]

Breaking news on SSN - Rafa Benitez has just quit Valencia.

Great line on the front page of f365:

"Rafael Benitez broke down in tears as he announced that he would be leaving Valencia. Will he cry again when he arrives at Liverpool and sees Igor Biscan and Bruno Cheyrou in training?"

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Yep, a good line American.

Apparently, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard are both having a full say on who the next Liverpool Manager will be. "Player Power" seems to be getting out of control these days.

Whatever next - Ballot papers dished out to all the squad for them to decide who the next boss will be?

BTW American - quoting a full length post from yours truly tends to take up a lot of board space!

Edited June 7, 2005 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[Ricky]

Which is why I have just edited it AESF. Americans comments still read in context but take up a lot less space.

[Blue blood]

Apparently, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard are both having a full say on who the next Liverpool Manager will be. "Player Power" seems to be getting out of control these days.

Whatever next - Ballot papers dished out to all the squad for them to decide who the next boss will be?

If they did that Houllier would be staying with the club. All the donkeys he's signed would like to ensure their place in the squad.

Can't find the link but read the other day on the BBC website that Hesky backed the sacking of Houllier. A bit ungreatful that, considering he kept the misfiring inept muppet in the team despite constant poor performances.

[Dr Rich]

He did play Heskey completely out of position on the left-wing and make him look even more inadequate than he actually was though.

Rafa Benitez is similar to Martin O'Neill in management style and is exactly the sort of manager Liverpool need at the current time, will bring through skillful but hard-working players who will die for the club, and more importantly make them play far better than they actually are, and can also make some inspired signings.

[Oklahoma]

It has been reported that Benfica are interested in Houllier.

[Dr Rich]

And that Houllier applied for the Monaco managers job, they aren't looking for a new manager or anything, the arrogant sod just decided to go tell them he was interested.

[philipl]

Liverpool Thai deal about to collapse

Good

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Lyon fans are not happy bunnies. (or should I say froggies...)

Paul Le Guen, who won the last two French titles in a row with Olympique Lyonnais, announced last month that he was leaving the club.

Lyon fans were hoping for a decent appointment to replace him. (Names such as Giovanni Trappatoni and Didier Deschamps were mentioned as possibles.)

Instead, the appointment of former school teacher Monsieur Houllier has not gone down well with most Lyon supporters.

It's not just the fans who are upset. Last week, when rumours of Houllier's appointment first began, striker Sylvian Wiltord publicly declared that he hoped the next Lyon boss would be "anyone but Houllier."

Frenchmen recall that when Houllier was in charge of the national team (he was the Gallic equivalent of Graham Taylor) - France needed just a point from their last two matches against Bulgaria and Israel to book a place in the 1994 World Cup. They lost both games and Houllier blamed everyone apart from himself.

But that's long been the story with old Gerard.

Houllier's feeble excuses - he'd rather blame the weather or the green grass for a defeat rather than accept responsibility himself - tends to alienate supporters.

Last season, as well as winning the French title, Lyon reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, losing to PSV Eindhoven on penalties. Lyon fans were hoping to go even further in the Champions League next season - but are understandably not too happy with the appointment of a failed former French national coach.

Houllier of course went on to blow over £100m quid at Liverpool on players like Igor Biscan, the spitting cheat El Hadji Diouf, Bernard Diomede, Emile Heskey, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou (who Houllier ludicrously described as "the new Zidane".)

read the other day on the BBC website that Hesky backed the sacking of Houllier. A bit ungrateful that, considering he kept the misfiring inept muppet in the team despite constant poor performances.

It was ungrateful from Heskey - but is also probably illustrates just what a poor man-manager Houllier was at Anfield.

Unfortunately Lpool can now only get stronger.

I expected Liverpool to get stronger too Gord - but I don't think even the most optimistic of Reds fans last summer would have anticipated them winning the Champions League the season after Houllier left.

Link: Why the hell did Lyon appoint this man?