Gerard Houllier

[Creator Supreme]

21 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Sometimes it just feels like things snowball for us and we seem unbeatable - the below being my first memory of such an event.
 

Doesn’t always work out (08/09 & 13/14) but it’s literally incredible when it does. 

 

Fuck me, what a run that was!!

 

I just wish he'd been a little less conservative at home in later seasons against the Southampton's and Bolton's of the world, I'm sure if he had he'd have won the league with us!!

[Scott_M]

13 minutes ago, Creator Supreme said:

Fuck me, what a run that was!!

 

I just wish he'd been a little less conservative at home in later seasons against the Southampton's and Bolton's of the world, I'm sure if he had he'd have won the league with us!!

The 2002 summer was when it went wrong. Not signing Anelka & a quality winger (Duff was linked for ages) for Diouf, Diao & Cheyrou was the beginning of the end. 
 

The best part of £25m on nothing at all. 
 

He definitely lost something after his illness. The way he’d go on that “Finishing 4th was like a trophy” and dislike of radio phone ins was bizarre.

 

Such a shame it ended that way because our progress the previous few seasons was great, with some truely unforgettable moments I’ll treasure forever, that I’ll always be thankful for. 

[Red_or_Dead]

6 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

The 2002 summer was when it went wrong. Not signing Anelka & a quality winger (Duff was linked for ages) for Diouf, Diao & Cheyrou was the beginning of the end. 
 

The best part of £25m on nothing at all. 
 

He definitely lost something after his illness. The way he’d go on that “Finishing 4th was like a trophy” and dislike of radio phone ins was bizarre.

 

Such a shame it ended that way because our progress the previous few seasons was great, with some truely unforgettable moments I’ll treasure forever, that I’ll always be thankful for. 

I think people have forgotten that at the start of 02/03 we were playing some really open attacking football, but then we had two 2-2 at home (Birmingham and Newcastle I think) and then he went back to safety first football of the previous two seasons.  I know people cite his illness as a factor in never winning the league but losing Patrice Bergues as a coach didn't help as well.

[Creator Supreme]

16 minutes ago, Red_or_Dead said:

I think people have forgotten that at the start of 02/03 we were playing some really open attacking football, but then we had two 2-2 at home (Birmingham and Newcastle I think) and then he went back to safety first football of the previous two seasons.  I know people cite his illness as a factor in never winning the league but losing Patrice Bergues as a coach didn't help as well.

Yeah I was at both of those 2-2 games, I walked out after Newcastle equalised, felt like fucking daylight robbery (I think they missed a chance to win it just after their equaliser too).

 

Next game was away to City, he played on the break again, we won 3-0, Owen scored a Hat-Trick and the die was cast! It all fell apart after losing away to Boro, then came that game against United (fucking hell Jerzy, why you?).

 

Still won the League Cup that season, but we were fucked and we knew it, I remember us beating West Ham 2-0 at home and it was fucking dire to watch, it was painful, we were so negative and poor - even in victory. I packed it in after drawing with Blackburn on Boxing Day, I still went occasionally, but I just couldn't face watching regular anymore, it was so bad to watch.

[VladimirIlyich]

40 minutes ago, Creator Supreme said:

Yeah I was at both of those 2-2 games, I walked out after Newcastle equalised, felt like fucking daylight robbery (I think they missed a chance to win it just after their equaliser too).

 

Next game was away to City, he played on the break again, we won 3-0, Owen scored a Hat-Trick and the die was cast! It all fell apart after losing away to Boro, then came that game against United (fucking hell Jerzy, why you?).

 

Still won the League Cup that season, but we were fucked and we knew it, I remember us beating West Ham 2-0 at home and it was fucking dire to watch, it was painful, we were so negative and poor - even in victory. I packed it in after drawing with Blackburn on Boxing Day, I still went occasionally, but I just couldn't face watching regular anymore, it was so bad to watch.

Thanks for the happy memories after all the bad stuff already posted! Please,let's remember the good he did over all else.

[Harry Squatter]

On the left, 2nd row from the bottom. Gérard Houllier, teacher at Alsop Comprehensive School 1969-70. During his time working at the school he first stood on the Kop In September 1969 to see Liverpool beat Dundalk.

 

 

[Dr Nowt]

Christ the tribute video on the offal is an emotional watch. 

[VladimirIlyich]

6 minutes ago, Doctor Troy said:

On the left, 2nd row from the bottom. Gérard Houllier, teacher at Alsop Comprehensive School 1969-70. During his time working at the school he first stood on the Kop In September 1969 to see Liverpool beat Dundalk.

 

 

Looks like Tommy Lawrence to Houllier's left.

[Total Longo]

9 minutes ago, Doctor Troy said:

On the left, 2nd row from the bottom. Gérard Houllier, teacher at Alsop Comprehensive School 1969-70. During his time working at the school he first stood on the Kop In September 1969 to see Liverpool beat Dundalk.

 

 

Brilliant that, Rob.

[El Rojo]

31 minutes ago, Doctor Troy said:

On the left, 2nd row from the bottom. Gérard Houllier, teacher at Alsop Comprehensive School 1969-70. During his time working at the school he first stood on the Kop In September 1969 to see Liverpool beat Dundalk.

 

 

Great stuff. Had never seen that. 

[Scott_M]

1 hour ago, Red_or_Dead said:

I think people have forgotten that at the start of 02/03 we were playing some really open attacking football, but then we had two 2-2 at home (Birmingham and Newcastle I think) and then he went back to safety first football of the previous two seasons.  I know people cite his illness as a factor in never winning the league but losing Patrice Bergues as a coach didn't help as well.

Even after those games, we continued to do well that season. We went about 4 points clear late October & early November (think it was linked to Rooney’s winner v Arsenal).

 

But then we went to ‘Boro for a point and were awful. Knocked out the CL in Basel days later, didn’t win another league game until late January & never recovered.

 

Everything up to that point though was great!

[thegreatelephant]

"Olé, Olé, Gerard Houllier "Olé, Olé, Gerard Houllier.

 

merci for those good times

[Stickman]

He was unlucky not winning the league in 01-02 as it was only a fantastic run by Arsenal 18 wins from the last 21 games that stopped us. In fact it was a  horrific run over Christmas/New Year when we went 5 games without a win that ultimately came back to bite us

[Creator Supreme]

1 hour ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Thanks for the happy memories after all the bad stuff already posted! Please,let's remember the good he did over all else.

I'm just putting what I remember, no offence meant. It was great first few years, 2001 was immense, and he was so close, so close you could smell it, to getting us back on our perch! I was never lucky enough to go to the cup finals, but I remember the bus parade, fucking awesome. 

[Section_31]

This is class from McNulty.

 

Gerard Houllier: 'A fine decent man, destined to manage Liverpool' -

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55219725

 

[Mathewbet1]

Bad thing about this cornavirus is that im sure he would have got  a great tribute and mural from the kop, he deserves that, and still think it should happen when allowed.

[m0e]

4 hours ago, Creator Supreme said:

Yeah I was at both of those 2-2 games, I walked out after Newcastle equalised, felt like fucking daylight robbery (I think they missed a chance to win it just after their equaliser too).

 

Next game was away to City, he played on the break again, we won 3-0, Owen scored a Hat-Trick and the die was cast! It all fell apart after losing away to Boro, then came that game against United (fucking hell Jerzy, why you?).

 

Still won the League Cup that season, but we were fucked and we knew it, I remember us beating West Ham 2-0 at home and it was fucking dire to watch, it was painful, we were so negative and poor - even in victory. I packed it in after drawing with Blackburn on Boxing Day, I still went occasionally, but I just couldn't face watching regular anymore, it was so bad to watch.

It wasn't just the 2 all results, I think in both we were clawed back from winning positions - possibly even 2 nil in both.

[No2]

I listened too a couple of podcasts today and they made me feel a little guilty of my lack of warmth to Houllier. I'm among the many that under appreciated his role in where we are now. I was 18 when he took over so too young to know or care about goings on in the background. I was old enough to know that joint managers sounds like a shit idea but I wouldn't have been aware that the owners were just pussys afraid to make a decision. The fact that the club was rudderless would have escaped my attention. 

 

I would obviously have been aware we had some absolute shit stains within the squad but I wouldn't have known just how much they were holding us back and proactively trying to undermine him. The right man and the right time has been said a lot, while that is undoubtedly true I think on reflection that isn't quite fair. He would have been the right man at any time, a good guy who knows what he's doing is welcome at Liverpool always.

 

Rest in peace Ged. 

[TheDrowningMan]

It’s staggering to me that Bob Paisley died less than three years before Gérard Houllier took charge of our club, and that he was only 77 when he passed. It’s quite startling that so much time has passed since his arrival.

 

As for GH that manager, 1999-to summer 2002 was brilliant. In hindsight, it might well have been best for all involved had he stepped back into the sort of technical, behind the scenes role he was clearly so brilliant when 01/02 came to an end, but it’s easy to be wise after the event.
 

For all of his flaws, and speaking as one who thought at the time that he was so obviously diminished when 02/03 went wrong that his tenure should have come to a close a year earlier than it did, the first half of his reign was magical, and the sight of an overjoyed - sometimes seemingly awestruck - Gérard Houllier celebrating another magic moment from the touchline is one that will endure as long as I think about football.

 

A nice piece from a Villa journalist:

 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rest-easy-uncle-gerard-touching-19453388

 

I don’t pay much attention to other clubs, but I was quite surprised to see quite a few of their fans retrospectively view him in a good light - it seems he aimed to instil a professionalism that was somewhat lacking at Villa Park, just as he did Anfield all those years earlier.

[Creator Supreme]

34 minutes ago, m0e said:

It wasn't just the 2 all results, I think in both we were clawed back from winning positions - possibly even 2 nil in both.

You're right, we were 2-0 up in both of those games!

[Creator Supreme]

21 minutes ago, TheDrowningMan said:

It’s staggering to me that Bob Paisley died less than three years before Gérard Houllier took charge of our club, and that he was only 77 when he passed. It’s quite startling that so much time has passed since his arrival.

 

As for GH that manager, 1999-to summer 2002 was brilliant. In hindsight, it might well have been best for all involved had he stepped back into the sort of technical, behind the scenes role he was clearly so brilliant when 01/02 came to an end, but it’s easy to be wise after the event.
 

For all of his flaws, and speaking as one who thought at the time that he was so obviously diminished when 02/03 went wrong that his tenure should have come to a close a year earlier than it did, the first half of his reign was magical, and the sight of an overjoyed - sometimes seemingly awestruck - Gérard Houllier celebrating another magic moment from the touchline is one that will endure as long as I think about football.

 

A nice piece from a Villa journalist:

 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rest-easy-uncle-gerard-touching-19453388

 

I don’t pay much attention to other clubs, but I was quite surprised to see quite a few of their fans retrospectively view him in a good light - it seems he aimed to instil a professionalism that was somewhat lacking at Villa Park, just as he did Anfield all those years earlier.

Lovely piece by the Villa journo. Funnily enough that game he talks about were we humped Villa 3-0 in December 2010 is one of my more recent sojourns to the game, that one sticks in my memory because walking back to my mates car that night I slipped on Oakfield Road and fractured my arm. Worst 3-0 win I've ever been too!

 

I actually forgot that Ged was in charge of Villa that night, even madder is the fact that Woy was in charge of us!

[RedHeadedRed]

I didn't know that he worked for the red bull teams, every time I'd hear about Salzburg and Liepzig from people in the know they would always talk about how well run they are about how good their setups are and how professional and forward thinking they are.I think a large reason for that is down to Gerard Houllier and that's a great testament to the man.

[Duff Man]

Nice little tribute by the Fiver (especially the bit from Gregg Bakowski at the end).

 

Quote

RIP GED

Gérard Houllier never did win the league with his beloved Liverpool. Not technically. But he did win the FA Cup. And the League Cup. And lift Euro Vase after the Greatest European Final Ever. And the Super Cup and Charity Shield. And another League Cup. And he built a team that only required the addition of Xabi Alonso and Luis García, plus moving Jamie Carragher over a bit, there you go son, stand there, to win Big Cup in the Greatest European Final Ever II. And without his root-and-branch philosophical rebuild of the club, there’d have been no chance of Rafa going close, of Brenny going closer, of Jürgen going even closer before finally, at long last, getting there. Ged, who has died at the age of 73 after a heart operation, set Liverpool’s title ball rolling in the right direction again, all those years ago. History will mark his contribution. We’re chalking one up for him, put it that way.

 

 

Ged’s greatest signing was Sami Hyypia; his most romantic, Jari Litmanen; his cleverest, Gary McAllister. All played their part in that 2000-01 treble season packed with memories. Safe Hands Sander lifting the League Cup with a 1950s-style Tiger-comic cry of “hooray”; Stéphane Henchoz performing octopus tricks on the goalline to set the scene for Michael Owen running away giggling, what was rightfully Arsenal’s tucked under one arm; Robbie Fowler wandering about Dortmund with Euro Vase while dressed as the title character from Gilligan’s Island. Oh, and that McAllister free kick against Everton, to which Ged reacted with a perfect mix of disbelief, delirium and delight, the football-loving little boy sparkling in his eyes once again. Beautiful scenes.

 

Houllier could well have won the league in 2002 in any case. His team were more than good enough, and full of confidence after the treble-winning season, but their campaign was derailed by the aortic dissection that nearly took him, then aged only 54, way too soon. He was never quite the same force of nature after that huge scare, though that didn’t stop him going on to win a couple of French titles with Lyon, adding to the one he’d secured for PSG back in 1986, the first in the club’s history. Throw in his contribution to the great France teams of 1998 and 2000, developing the likes of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet, and that’s some body of work to leave behind all right. Merci, gentleman Ged, et adieu.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“My mate, my colleague, my boss. One of the greatest moments of my life was when we come together in 1998. Just to be in his company was an absolute treat. So loyal, so passionate and extremely fierce. Since we finished, at the end of every conversation we had, I told him I loved him and would always be grateful for him giving a wonderful partnership. RIP Boss” – Phil Thompson with a heartfelt tribute to the man he assisted in the Liverpool dugout.

FIVER LETTERS

“Back in the days before I worked on Big Website, my best mate had to undergo major heart surgery at Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool and was understandably bricking it. It turned out the surgeon was the same man who repaired Gérard Houllier’s heart a year earlier. I wrote to Liverpool, more in hope than expectation, to ask if Houllier would perhaps pen a short note wishing him well as I thought it would help ease his nerves and do him the world of good. A few days later who turns up at his bedside to talk about all things Liverpool with him? Yes, Géd. What a man!” – Gregg Bakowski.

[Trumo]

1 hour ago, RedHeadedRed said:

I didn't know that he worked for the red bull teams, every time I'd hear about Salzburg and Liepzig from people in the know they would always talk about how well run they are about how good their setups are and how professional and forward thinking they are.I think a large reason for that is down to Gerard Houllier and that's a great testament to the man.

 

I think it was more of a consultancy role rather than hands-on. But being someone who has worked at both federation and club level - in both technical directing and coaching roles - meant that he could provide some very useful advice on how to set up and manage the structure, knowing what all the sides need from the other to work well.

[suzy]

29 minutes ago, Duff Man said:

Nice little tribute by the Fiver (especially the bit from Gregg Bakowski at the end).

 

That’s a brilliant story, so many lovely stories coming out now.

Even saw Moyes earlier saying when Gerard became manager he invited him (of course Everton manager then) to dinner and they went out with their wives.