Gerard Houllier

[rubble-rouser]

20 years to the week since that landmark victory at OT.

[Special K]

That week from Cardiff to Charlton via Dortmund was the greatest footballing week of my life. I think I was drunk all the way through.

 

RIP Gerard. Thank you

[Section_31]

Something else about Houllier, I don't know why but he got by far the most hostile reception of all foreign managers of that era. Wenger, Vialli etc were all embraced but Ged was up against it from day one. Being labelled 'the Frenchman' by St John who wouldn't even say his name on the radio, Greaves bizarrely comparing him  to 'an owl', shitbags like Ince getting air time to run their mouths in the newspaper. 

 

I genuinely think it was because he was perceived as the architect of France's new found dominance in football, and our LMA grifters couldn't cope with the idea of Johnny Foreigner telling them how to develop footballers. When you consider they had Houllier, and we had Trevor fucking Brooking stealing a living, you can see why the fortunes of both countries diverged so wildly.

 

I also think it was because the club at the time, as run by Parry and Moores, had no balls. So above shitbags would feel there'd be no repercussions if they disrespected Houllier. He stood alone, but he handled everything with calm and confident class befitting the kind of man he was. 

 

[m0e]

Sad, sad news. Definitely made me proud to support Liverpool again after a decade of indifference.

 

Everyone I know was gutted about how it turned out at the end, but he did more than enough for us.

 

RIP

[KMD7]

Made me proud and excited to be a Liverpool supporter again. RIP GERARD

[m0e]

Just now, Section_31 said:

Something else about Houllier, I don't know why but he got by far the most hostile reception of all foreign managers of that era. Wenger, Vialli etc were all embraced but Ged was up against it from day one. Being labelled 'the Frenchman' by St John who wouldn't even say his name on the radio, Greaves bizarrely comparing him  to 'an owl', shitbags like Ince getting air time to run their mouths in the newspaper. 

 

I genuinely think it was because he was perceived as the architect of France's new found dominance in football, and our LMA grifters couldn't cope with the idea of Johnny Foreigner telling them how to develop footballers. When you consider they had Houllier, and we had Trevor fucking Brooking stealing a living, you can see why the fortunes of both countries diverged so wildly.

 

I also think it was because the club at the time, as run by Parry and Moores, had no balls. So above shitbags would feel there'd be no repercussions if they disrespected Houllier. He stood alone, but he handled everything with calm and confident class befitting the kind of man he was. 

 

I remember that too. I think a lot of it also has to do with how he treated Evans, and we had a lot of ex pros in the press at that time.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

 

[suzy]

His heart operation he had after that game was 19 years ago! Scary. At least he had 19 more years of life.

[ZonkoVille77]

Shit buzz.

Loved Ged for dragging us kicking and screaming into the modern day. Made the club professional again. Sad loss. RIP. YNWA

[Section_31]

Just now, suzy said:

His heart operation he had after that game was 19 years ago! Scary. At least he had 19 more years of life.

I read the last bit in Steve Coogan's voice if he was an undertaker. 

[rubble-rouser]

 

[RJ Fan club]

I fucking loved 2000/01 season.

 

I’d just moved back home having been at uni for 4 years. I got to go to loads of games, home, away and europe.

 

Probably my favourite season overall.

 

He loved the club, that always came across even if he didn’t always get it right. But he modernised the club and took us forward 

 

So cheers Ged, RIP

[TheBitch]

Cunt year. 

[Trumo]

[El Rojo]

RIP Gerard. His record in terms of trophies spoke for itself and in particular the last months of the 2000/01 season were just phenomenal. 

 

Lots of tributes calling him a lovely man, but important to say that he was no soft touch - one of his biggest legacies was his steeliness in terms of enforcing discipline, weeding out the jokers and generally getting professional footballers to act like professionals again. 

 

He seemed to come back too quick after his heart trouble with us. 

[Dr Nowt]

Really sad news. Brought many things back to the club, including identity, belief and pride, after a few years going nowhere in particular. Remember Carra saying of him calling Paul Ince out at Melwood - knowing to the letter how many training matches he’d won during his time in charge - “we’ve got a proper manager now”. That’s exactly how it felt in that period where we just kept improving. What a trophy haul and less importantly but another sign of what a top manager he was when he came to us, winning away at Old Trafford was the toughest gig going in that era yet he oversaw 3 in a row.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Gerard Houllier transformed the club, made it competitive again, and prepared the ground for Rafa and Jurgen to achieve success in the future. 
 

Thank you and RIP Ged. YNWA.

[rb14]

This is awful news. Bless Gérard Houllier. Thanks for so, so much. 

[Lee909]

 

[Harry's Lad]

I genuinely loved Ged, he gave us some great memories.

 

A complete gentleman with a vast knowledge of the game, he was no pushover, he stuck to his principles no matter what.

 

Rest well Le Boss.

 

YNWA.

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

There's an anecdote I heard - which I hope is true - about the UEFA Cup Final in 2001.  There were some building works going on opposite his apartment  (near Sevvy Park) and before the final the builders hung a "Good luck" banner on the scaffolding.   Afterwards, he came out to thank them... and he brought the trophy out for them all to see.

[Creator Supreme]

RIP, thank you so much for 2001!

[lebron]

RIP Gerard

[The Midnight Rambler]

The treble season was my first year at uni in Liverpool. So many great memories, Allez Les Rouges!

[Tj hooker]

RIP Gerard YNWA thanks for the memories.