by stmichael » Mon Aug 02, 2004 3:05 pm
This isn't about whether it was right or wrong to allow GH to go. I was ready to see a change, but that didn't stop the sadness at his leaving. And if there are fans out there who didn't feel sadness both for his departure, and also for him, so obviously devastated by this, then we really must be a heartless bunch.
So time to put aside the ridiculously cruel press he had to suffer through the year, and remember what he did do for this club, and focus on what a lucky man Benitez is, taking over a solid club both on and off the field.
The cups speak for themselves. And ultimately, whatever people say, those go down in history, it's them that are on the official records, and won't be forgotten. And GH won more in his time here than the rest of the Premiership managers, bar the obvious two, put together. With the cups came many happy memories for the fans, especially those who went to the games. We had 5 trips to Cardiff, as well as some wonderful nights in Europe home and away.
Then there are some memorable games to recall in the league. Just to mention a few - Four wins in a row at Goodison, a great feat that made Reds everywhere happy, still for me, the derby games are the ones that mean the most, they are the ones closest to my heart. Then remember those words 'we will beat Manchester United one day, I promise you that'. We beat them 7 times of the last 10 games under Houllier's reign, including the incredible 3 away wins, 2 in Cardiff including a wonderful League Cup Final victory, as well as the memorable 3-1 'Riise Rocket' game with the GH mosaic. Then there was the away win at Chelsea FINALLY ending the jinx, and in the season when it was least likely to happen, after Chelsea had spent over a hundred million in just a few weeks that summer.
And probably the most poignant moments of his time here was of course when he was taken so seriously ill in October 2001.
By the end of his reign he had to go but some of the slagging off of the guy on here from the likes of big niall is unacceptable.
Last edited by
stmichael on Mon Aug 02, 2004 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.