Liverpool FC Forum

by **THEBARON** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 9:11 pm

So he is at it again trying to use his spin to make out what a great job he is doing. In the most recent episode of Gerard Houllier talks bollox he makes the following points about his tenure at Anfield..
* He discovered Stevie G ! Well if Gerrard was only a shadow of the player he is now he would still have stood out. Any half decent manager could not have failed to spot and then develop Gerrard as a player. He is class.
* Prior to him taking over Liverpool did not really have any big name players ! Well we had a post 1998 World Cup Michael Owen, as well as Fowler , Ince , Redknapp and McManaman ( all England internationals ) as well as Berger and Riedle.
* Michael Owen has won the European Footballer of the year during his stewardship. Well this is largely due to his England achievements rather than anything Kermit has done. Have the rotation system , dropping him from Cup finals and playing dull football for long periods really helped him ?
* Under his forward thinking , revolutionary and visionary leadership Liverpool have begun plans for a new stadium. Can you believe this guy ? So messrs Parry and Moores never thought about it then ? This is tripe and just a cheap attempt to draw comparions with Shankly ( Anfield was a toilet when I arrived )
* Thanks to him Liverpool have spent heavily on the academy, a breeding ground for local talent to come through. Unfortunately this hasn't really happened recently and he still seems to prefer to raid France for young talent. Does this really equate to money well spent ?
* Although Michael Owen's future is uncertain he will do every he can to make him stay. Does Houllier want some award for stating the f##king obvious ?
* He candidly observes that Chelsea could well win the league this season and remarks that it is a bad thing if the title is won by a chequebook.So what do you call over £ 100 million spent on players ? Counting your pennies. OK he has recouped a fair amount but too many of his signings have turned out to be a waste of money.
* Liverpool has only been his team for 4 years ! So we have to conveniently forget about some of his tenure, would that be the end of 1998/ 1999 when we were cr#p ? Or you could discount the bulk of the 2001/2002 season when he was recovering from his operation. Still if you do this then you write off our 2nd place in the league as Thommo was in charge for a long period.Interesting how 5 years can become 4 years.
* The Ferguson Comparison ( ie Houllier was more successful in his 1st few years than Ferguson ) is rammed down our throats. Yes Ferguson didn't do that much in terms of silverware ( tho' they finished 2nd in his 1st full season ) but time is running out on that school of thought. After 5 years Ferguson had a team capable of winning the league ( 1991/2) and by 1993 he had achieved it. Do we hear comparisons being made with Wenger , how long did it take him to create a title winning team ? A lot less than 5 years ! Go back in time , Bill Shankly took us from 2nd division to champions of the football league in less time.
* He has been unlucky with injuries. Fair point to an extent but other teams have had injuries as well and that is what having a large squad is for.We have, apparently, been deprived of the services of a certain Bruno Cheyrou for several weeks !Well surely that "is a blessing in disguise !"
* We have really been unlucky in recent games and deserve more points than we have. You cannot harp on about what might have been . With a bit more luck Dalglish could have done 3 doubles when he was in charge. Unfortunately he didn't so end of story.It's not as if we haven't had our share of luck under Houllier....Roma , Birmingham and Arsenal to name a few.
To conclude Houllier states "I don't understand where the problem is.."
That says it all Mr Clouseau , you are the problem...

by **celticred** » Mon Nov 24, 2003 9:57 pm

think of how many players confidence he undermined...and then dumped!
Westerveld who is playing well in Spain but is still bitter
Fowler who went from one of the best forwards to disappearing
Thompson who has been great for Blackburn until his injury
and my personal pet peeve...Patrik Berger who is playing well for a manager who understands players and scored in his debut and against us!!! Why would anyone choose Smicer over Berger?

??

by **Owzat** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 9:04 am

* He discovered Stevie G !

I would think the talent scout did most of the hard work! He claims credit for a number of players but scouts do most of the work

* Prior to him taking over Liverpool did not really have any big name players !

Yeah right! Houllier turned us from a top six team into................ a top six team, spending over £100m in the process. The number of star players has increased but so has the spending. I believe Owen made his debut in 1996 which was before Houllier's entrance

* Michael Owen has won the European Footballer of the year during his stewardship.

We wonder how many awards Owen might have won BUT for Houllier

* Under his forward thinking , revolutionary and visionary leadership Liverpool have begun plans for a new stadium. Can you believe this guy ?

It isn't really down to him. No doubt he will want it named after him though. FFS you'd think he was forking out the cash. Truth is it was probably his reign that made the council think of this groundsharing nonsense

* Thanks to him Liverpool have spent heavily on the academy, a breeding ground for local talent to come through.

As you've said, he has turned to French youth, not unusual for foreign managers. Do you recall he said that he would build Liverpool around a base of English players? We have offloaded more English players as currently see first team action - Owen, Gerrard, Heskey, Carragher & Murphy vs Thompson, Fowler, Barmby, McManaman, James, Wright, Redknapp. (not mentioning other British/Irish players like Matteo, Kennedy, McAllister & McAteer)

* Although Michael Owen's future is uncertain he will do every he can to make him stay.

Winning the Premiership is what will guarantee Owen will stay, I doubt Houllier can manage that

* He candidly observes that Chelsea could well win the league this season and remarks that it is a bad thing if the title is won by a chequebook.

The fact is Houllier has spent over £100m on players and the team is no nearer winning the Premiership than it was when he started. He discards as many good players as he does bad ones and the squad has too many passengers. It is really just another "hidden" excuse for not finishing higher in truth

* Liverpool has only been his team for 4 years !

It is in his view. Excuses can be made - joint manager, first full season, having all the previous managers dead wood etc

* The Ferguson Comparison ( ie Houllier was more successful in his 1st few years than Ferguson ) is rammed down our throats.

Unfortunately comparison is always made with Ferguson because of the length of time before he won the Premiership. Most managers don't last that long and Ferguson was lucky to survive after their escape from relegation. Using the longer period of time for a comparison is convenient but what happens if we give him seven years and still no Premiership? It is one hell of a risky way to "invest" over £100m on an outsider

* He has been unlucky with injuries.

He should have spent more wisely on building the squad. At one point we had Anelka, Owen, Fowler, Litmanen, Baros and Heskey up front but he saw fit to get rid of three of them. £100m is a lot to spend and then turn round and use injuries as a near permanent excuse for failure.

* We have really been unlucky in recent games and deserve more points than we have.

He can highlight our misfortunes but rarely mentions the oppositions. Is he claiming he is unlucky? If so, we should get rid of him now, a Jonah in charge won't get us anywhere. Besides which, he conveniently forgets the "treble" season when we were lucky in the finals (Birmingham and Arsenal were very unlucky not to win) You have to make best of what luck you get and the truth is the team miss too many chances to fall back on the bad luck excuse

by **redandblue** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 12:03 pm

Did he really make those statements? Where? They are completely outrageous. He has single-handedly taken a faltering club (when he took over) into a nose-dive and made the club a laughing stock. Liverpool, under his leadership, are now a long way off Arsenal, Manure and even Chelsea now in terms of quality.

We can't beat middle of the table clubs because, under his leadership, we have become a mid table side. He is a complete clown of a manager who continues to do real damage to the club.

As for building a new stadium, the Board at Anfield should forget it. We won't be able to fill it whilst Houllier is around. Who'd pay to watch this bunch of no hopers (Gerrard and Owen excepted) drawing with the likes of Spurs and Boro.

Michael Owen may have been footballer of the year but just imagine how great he would be by playing in a really good team. He'd be getting the Golden Boot plus other awards. Instead, under Houllier's dreadful tactics, Owen has to harry and scrape for every goal. Under a good manager and playing in a great team, Michael Owen would be sensational. Because of Houllier's style, we will never see the best of Owen, and when he leaves at the end of this season, we will surely see the end of Houllier.

The saddest thing for all Liverpool fans is that Michael Owen will leave us because he is more ambitious than his manager or the Board. That is Houllier's legacy.

by **redandblue** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 12:30 pm

Yep, i forgot. He has been a very very lucky manager. As the chap above pointed out, we were very fortunate to win the treble.........couldn't beat Birmingham after 120 minutes of football and got totally outclassed by Arsenal due to Houllier's awful tactics that day. He inherited our two best players and he has bought badly, losing the club a fortune in the process.

This is the worst Liverpool team for 40 years, no question about that. It's his team and the Board and the fans have allowed him to get away with it.

by **big al** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 4:50 pm

I could comment further but that would only make me angry. 13 games 5 wins 5 losses, 3 draws. Mr Houlier is a bloody peach. lets see at this rate that'll mean all totalled
Won Lst drw tot
Liverpool 15 15 8 53

Bloody brilliant safe for another year. Well done Mr houlier you saved us from relegation.

Egotistical di**head

by **Owzat** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 7:58 pm

Take our last 38 games : -

P38 W14 D10 L14 PTS 52

Tell me that form is going to win us the championship in the near future. It is the record of a mid-table side like spurs, boro or villa - three teams we've had stalemates against this season. We have been drawing far too many games under Houllier and now we're losing as many as we're winning. His overall record reads roughly 1 defeat and 1 draw for every two wins which is basically 7 points out of 12. That isn't bad but won't win the Premiership (average of roughly 2 points per game required for that usually, 7/4 = 1.75)

by **oldredeyes** » Tue Nov 25, 2003 8:28 pm

When things go wrong GH will always find an excuse! I've yet to hear him admit to any mistake HE made - the man should take a lesson from the master.
When Shanks came to Liverpool they were in the old 2nd division and going nowhere. He bought three lads from Scotland(two of them nobody had ever heard of!) and mixed them with some local lads and a few signings from the likes of Preston, Blackpool, Scunthorpe etc. And he turned the whole bloody bunch into the best team in the world on a relative shoestring. And the reason he did it is because he had unbelievable skill, motivation, passion and wisdom. He also knew how to get the best from even the most ordinary player.
He turned average players into world class players without batting an eyelid.
I would have more time for GH if he just admitted he has got it wrong.
He goes on about admiring Shanks - and we all know he thinks he is in the same mould as the great man - but your not GH, you never will be. Why don't you apply for the Leeds job! - try telling them you have a five year plan.

by **Owzat** » Wed Nov 26, 2003 8:26 am

Even if he just said he was trying to sort it or something positive it would be an improvement on excuses. I'm fed up with seeing the same cr#p players in the side, the same mistakes, the same results and hearing the same excuses. Try a different tune Houllier

by **big al** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:13 am

I agree totally with the previous two posts well said.
I just wish someone with clout would bloody listen to the truth!

by **redandblue** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 11:53 am

Couldn't get up to the game last night but saw a couple of fans being ejected for unfurling a banner saying.....'NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR LFC. GO NOW HOULLIER' FANTASTIC. Who are these heroes. Are they on our chatboard.

I said in a previous note that we, the fans, have ended up with a mediocre mid table side and that we have the team that we deserve because we have put up with it. The Anfield Board won't sack him so it's up to the fans to get him sacked. The guys who did this deserve our gratitude. Well done, whoever you are. You are REAL fans.

by **Owzat** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 2:36 pm

Some fans reckon getting behind Houllier shows they are true fans but surely wanting what is best for Liverpool is more important than blindly sticking by one manager or player. If Liverpool would benefit from not having Houllier in charge then that is what we should all be demanding. Maybe if Houllier goes all his cr@p buys will go with him........ Houllier has brought us some trophies and turned the side around for which we are grateful but now it is time for a fresh start

by **redandblue** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 5:41 pm

Yep. Those who stand by the manager are doing the club a great disservice. Those guys with the banner last night deserve our gratitude. They are the only ones who have shown real principles unlike the clowns who chant his name.

I think that the Houllier fans are Evertonians and Manure agents. No wonder Ferguson says that Houllier has done a good job at Anfield. He is having a laugh. He'd never say that about Wenger because he knows that it's true.

by **REDTILLDEAD** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 5:57 pm

Yep, untill this lfc board "wake up! and smell the coffee"! we will become also rans. GH is fooling no one with his pathetic excuses every wk, he has probably got one written for sundays game? mind you, he doesn,t need to think one up cos, he can use the same drivel he spouts every wk....we were unlucky,we should have had a penalty,some of our players were tired, er...we were the better team, the pitch was bad same old boring speil... please just GO!!

by **redandblue** » Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:14 pm

If we don't beat Birmingham on Sunday the excuse is..........'we were tired after our midweek victory against Steau who of course are a very good team and it is disappointing that we don't have a full strength team to choose from. Emile today worked very hard and was unlucky not to score. Playing at this level in Europe is very tiring. Much more tiring than the Champions League where they play the ball around casually, unlike the UEFA Cup which is like 22 schoolboys chasing the ball. That means that the players get tired quite quickly. Our record in Europe over the past few years is excellent and we are trying to become the first team in Europe to win the UEFA Cup four times which would represent a major achievement. I of course have already won the UEFA Cup with Liverpool and many other big trophies. When we won the treble a few years ago, we were campaigning on many fronts and I said to my players.......guys, I will always support you, even if we can't beat Birmingham over 120 minutes of the Worthington Cup. I will also support you even if we get outclassed in a cup final by Arsenal, and when I took off all my strikers in the last UEFA Cup Final against Alaves with five minutes to go and defend our 4-3 lead, it was my brilliance which enabled Gary to get the free kick and then the own goal. So, yes, we are disappointed with a 0-0 against Birmingham today, but we will go forward and we have every chance of qualifying for the Champions League. We have learned from today's match and the team is still developing. Still in transition. I am very pleased with the attitude of the boys. They are very positive and never give up. This will give us a platform for the future and we aim to win the league in the next few years or so. And don't forget when we won the treble, everyone was writing us off...........'

Or something like that.

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Houlier talks bollox again

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