Liverpool FC Forum

[rigs]

A lifelong Liverpool supporter, I have felt my love for the club dwindle along with the results and performances since Houllier took over. I think the first inkling of a dislike for Houllier was when a very graceful Roy Evans was forced out of his job by the current man who ended our traditional and successful run of former players and boot room apprentices controlling the helm. Maybe that initial dislike was a bit biased but I think it is fair to say that my growing disdain for Mr. Houllier has been down to the man himself. With every word he utters I get madder and madder. I know it’s harsh but when he got sick, I hoped he would retire. I feel that Mr. Houllier believes he is above everyone at the club and everyone in the city. He feels he has superior intelligence than everyone else when it comes to football and that he is undertaking some sort of footballing renaissance that those with inferior knowledge couldn't possibly fathom. How he couldn't be further from the truth!

Gerard Houllier, born somewhere in France in the 50's went on to have a nothing football career. The dizzy heights of nowhere were short-lived however as the French scholar moved to Liverpool and became a schoolteacher. This is where he fell in love with Liverpool, how sweet! (How I wish he had taught in Manchester or London). A chance meeting with David Moores and the rest is history! Oh yeah, he did also get a coaching badge from UEFA but seemed to lose it a couple of years ago in the move to Liverpool. Did also manage France for a while before failing to qualify for the World Cup in 1994 by losing to those World giants Israel. Let us move onto present day. After winning what some might call an unprecedented 5 trophies in a year (I myself would call them Division 2 trophies), Mr. Houllier tipped this side to win the title over and over again, despite the fact that when it came down to it we were still close to 20 points off the Premiership winners nearly every year. When you win all but one respectable trophy (FA Cup), you cannot even mention yourselves in the same breath as the Manchester United's and Arsenal's of this world. At the end of the day we created a good cup side, one that could play well on it's day but never consistent enough to challenge for honours, right up there with teams like Tottenham and Leicester. We all know what has happened since then.

Let's look at the man management of the "Tactical Genius". He forced our best player since Ian Rush out of the club by playing him against he fans and giving them the idea that he wasn’t committed. Any other manager in the league would have given anything for a striker as good as him but because he didn't have the height of the donkey and the pace of Michael Owen he didn't fit into the plans of our counter-attacking/long ball game. He bought players such as the aforementioned Heskey and Smicer who on their best day would probably only fit into the side of a newly promoted team, not a side supposedly challenging for honours. But what a nice guy he is, as even when Heskey is assaulting fans with footballs every game our ‘Leader’ keeps telling us what to expect from this ‘rising talent’ (give it up he’s close to 26). But then when our best player Gerrard has a bad game or two even when it’s in keeping with the progress of the team, he slates him in public. But how can this be right monsieur, as for close to 4 years now our team has never had a bad game, they’ve only been unlucky. And if you want him to sign a new contract then this is not the way to go about it. You should know that as a teacher you don’t pick on one individual when he’s not performing.

I could go on for hours, and would like to, but must end this somewhere. Just to cap it off, When Jack Charlton and Joe Kinnear used to do it, it was something teams didn’t expect and it worked. Ten years later Houllier tries the same and attempts to pass it off as his own brand of football, and thus far has failed miserably. If I had a time machine I would bring back Roy Evans and put him in charge of the team now and at least we would see some attacking football and with that improved defence, a good chance of challenging. Better still I would bring in someone of the calibre of Alan Curbishley, proven with no money, or Martin O’Neill, proven at a big club.

[DAV]

quality statement, i couldnt agree more.

[gaz31]

NOT SURE ABOUT EVANS (KEEGAN WOULD BE BEST IDEA) BUT A GOOD LITTLE WRITE UP MATE

[azriahmad]

Since the only certainty is that most of us agree that it's only going to get worse with GH in charge, we should all chip in and assist him in coming up with excuses on how unlucky Liverpool were, how many chances that were created but not converted (we should count those way off-target as well since they are goal attempts, we fans should be happy that the dud squad did at least try to shoot at the opposition's goal), how Heskey's work rate justifies his inclusion in the team etc.
We know GH is incompetent but as we love the club so much, we should at least come out with more colourful excuses so that he doen not have to do all the thinking by himself and overusing that inept brain of his...

[hobbes]

I think all of us are in an agreement how bad Houllier is. I still remember what Liverpoolians said last season when interviewed about the defeats. Most of them said the club wont sack the manager. It is up to him. He may leave if he wants to. That is the club's spirit although it is being misused. But what is the Board doing. We are facing the worse season ever. Some are even predicting that we might not get into Champions League this season.  And Owen might have to move on to another club otherwise his career would be affected. But I think eventually it applies equally to all other players. We can no longer brag on the past success. If Man U  continues to win the Primiership this season, I belive we wont be the only Club to win the Cup most time. Come on  we are desperate. At least ask Houllier to take a short vacation and let Phill Thomson run temporarily. I think even the players dislike the manager. They want him to leave. Has Houllier got the message.?

[Cleman]

imagine such quality players like Owen & Gerrald, they are England National 1st team line up, and they never lift the EPL champion.... if LFC continue playing poor football....we might loss them.............