Ged on his way to Villa

[Unrighteous]

I think he's lost his shit, and wasn't very convincing after his illness.

[kdub]

He won't be using English anywhere near as much as he would have during his time as manager, hence the little stutters and nervous mannerisms. I'm sure he'd come across a lot different if the interview was in French. I wonder what Rafa's English will be like in six years time?

[llego]

He won't be using English anywhere near as much as he would have during his time as manager, hence the little stutters and nervous mannerisms. I'm sure he'd come across a lot different if the interview was in French. I wonder what Rafa's English will be like in six years time?

 

Itll be fine- the english press still wont have stopped bothering him...

[silverlining]

Loved Ged. Had to laugh at the report of a player revolt at villa if he gets the job. Turns out to be just friedel and warnock.

 

Tough shit boys, eh!?

 

 

He'd be a great appointment for them, and as for the "player revolt", both Warnock and Friedel are far better players now than when Houllier jettisoned them from Anfield (and Villa isn't as big a club) so why would they worry?

 

No real surprise that Carra and Gerrard both spoke highly of him, they had a great rtelationship with Houllier, and he looked after both.

[silverlining]

I think calling Roy Evans, his old colleague, 'weak' was pretty bitchy, actually.

 

 

Pretty accurate too

[gkmacca]

Oh, he was loved by some forums, it's true. And he sounds really endearing now. I agree he's in a great state of mind for a new challenge.

 

 

Evening Standard

 

Gerard Houllier could not be happier for his close friend Roy Hodgson. The two men got to know each other while serving on several UEFA and FIFA technical committees, and now they also have Liverpool Football Club in common.

 

There have been suggestions that Hodgson might bring Houllier to Anfield following his appointment as Liverpool manager and it is clear from talking to the 63-year-old Frenchman that the bright lights of the Premier League still beckon.

Houllier is careful not to bad-mouth Liverpool over the way they got rid of him in 2004 but the incident still clearly irritates him.

 

After winning six trophies he felt he was building a legacy on Merseyside — one, he believes, has been destroyed by Rafael Benitez.

 

According to Houllier, it is now down to Hodgson to restore the Boot Room mentality that made Liverpool the force they were in the Seventies and Eighties. Bringing in English talent like Joe Cole will only be the start of what Houllier hopes is a successful revolution.

 

“After Rafa Benitez left this summer, one of the players sent me a message,” Houllier tells me. “He said, Boss, he hasn’t beaten you.’”

 

Houllier refuses to name the player concerned but relishes telling another story that emphasises the respect his old squad had for him.

 

It came in the aftermath of Benitez’s greatest moment of glory in winning the Champions League in 2005 against AC Milan, coming back from 3-0 down at half-time to win on penalties.

 

Houllier takes up the story. “When I came into the changing room in Istanbul some of the players said: Boss it’s your team.’

 

“Twelve out of 14 in Istanbul were players I had signed or developed. I left Liverpool with a team and in the Champions League. But when you finish seventh with Torres and Gerrard . . .”

 

His voice tails off. Houllier does not need to spell out the very different legacy Benitez has left Hodgson.

 

“Before I arrived Liverpool had a Boot Room tradition,” Houllier adds. “Bill Shankly was followed by his assistant Bob Paisley, then Joe Fagan, then Kenny Dalglish, then Graeme Souness, then Roy Evans. My arrival was greeted with, Gerard who?’”

 

It was Peter Robinson, then Liverpool chief executive, who broke with tradition. “Robinson came to see me in Paris in 1997. We went to a restaurant. But it was not possible for me to leave my job as technical director of the French FA one year before the World Cup.”

 

But after France ‘98 he was able to move and, initially, he was put in joint charge with Roy Evans. “I insisted on joint management with Roy,” he says.

 

“I was coming from outside and thought that it was good to work together. It didn’t work for many reasons. Roy was too soft, nice but weak and, when there was a decision to take he would, well, Peter Robinson will tell you, leave me with a hot potato.

 

“Roy would have been a fantastic number two, not a number one.”

 

Although Houllier will not be drawn on this, one of the problems was the freedom Paul Ince, the captain, was given by Evans as to when he could train. When, after a year, Houllier got rid of Ince, the first call he received was from Sir Alex Ferguson. The United boss had experienced his own problems with Ince and was quick to congratulate Houllier. By then the Frenchman was in sole charge and he still believes his pioneering tenure made it easy for Benitez to follow.

 

“One, the pattern of getting a foreign coach was already accepted. Two, he had a Champions League-winning team. Three, the team were already in the Champions League. Four, we had built new facilities. And five, it was a different training routine, different attitude and mentality.

 

“I claim that we — Phil Thompson, Sammy Lee and the staff — definitely turned it round. The chairman, when I left, said: You put the club into the 21st century.’” So why did Liverpool get rid of him and the fans applaud his departure? “Because they wanted the title,” he confesses.

[Best Believe It]

That Mihir Bose interview was a cunt's trick. He should have more humility than that. No one can take away 2001 from him, there's just no need to start laying claim to Istanbul.

[gkmacca]

Prepare for more cynical gainsaying.

[Salte]

“One, the pattern of getting a foreign coach was already accepted. Two, he had a Champions League-winning team. Three, the team were already in the Champions League. Four, we had built new facilities. And five, it was a different training routine, different attitude and mentality.

 

Shouldn't that be "Two, he made them a Champions League-winning team".

[gkmacca]

They're now saying Thommo is lined up to be his assistant again. I can't really see Thommo having the appetite these days for a non-LFC job, and it seems a bit of a retrograde step at Villa. McDonald is hugely popular - why not use him? Maybe Ged doesn't want a potential competitor.

[silverlining]

They're now saying Thommo is lined up to be his assistant again. I can't really see Thommo having the appetite these days for a non-LFC job, and it seems a bit of a retrograde step at Villa. McDonald is hugely popular - why not use him? Maybe Ged doesn't want a potential competitor.

 

What is a retrograde step? Being an assistant manager at a fairly big club with a man you've worked with before is a step down from being "Shouty Buffoon No2 on Sky's daytime football show"?

 

Agree that McDonald would be the obvious choice as a number 2 though

[Trumo]

Do Villa have a song that Ged can quote lines from in interviews when struggling to explain just why they are going through a 12-match winless streak?

[silverlining]

Do Villa have a song that Ged can quote lines from in interviews when struggling to explain just why they are going through a 12-match winless streak?

 

UEFA cup

FA cup

League Cup x 2

2nd in the league

 

There were bad times under Houllier, yes. But lots of good times. It's a shame that so many cretins can't ackowledge that. But we're seeing exactly the same myopic, vituperative idiocy regarding Benitez's tenure, so it's no real surprise.

 

Houllier was the best thing that could have happend to this club after the amortisation of expectations that the disastrous reigns of Souness and Uncle Roy brought about.

 

He won us trophies, and gave us back our respect and stature. He weeded out the lazy, smug, slothful tendencies that bred under Roy's avuncular gaze.

 

He merits respect, because he's a better, and more successful manager than most Premiership bosses.

[goatboy59]

Evans, disastrous?

 

Like fuck.

[Trumo]

UEFA cup

FA cup

League Cup x 2

2nd in the league

 

There were bad times under Houllier, yes. But lots of good times. It's a shame that so many cretins can't ackowledge that. But we're seeing exactly the same myopic, vituperative idiocy regarding Benitez's tenure, so it's no real surprise.

 

Houllier was the best thing that could have happend to this club after the amortisation of expectations that the disastrous reigns of Souness and Uncle Roy brought about.

 

He won us trophies, and gave us back our respect and stature. He weeded out the lazy, smug, slothful tendencies that bred under Roy's avuncular gaze.

 

He merits respect, because he's a better, and more successful manager than most Premiership bosses.

 

I hope that wasn't a dig at me. I'm grateful that we had some major success under Ged, but there were times when he was absolutely at a loss to explain why things were going pear-shaped. Quoting from YNWA after yet another Anfield draw was really clutching at straws. I'm certainly not sweeping his achievements under the carpet.

[silverlining]

Evans, disastrous?

 

Like fuck.

 

We spent a lot of money. Broke several transfer records. And won......one league cup.

 

yep. That's pretty disastrous.

[silverlining]

I hope that wasn't a dig at me. I'm grateful that we had some major success under Ged, but there were times when he was absolutely at a loss to explain why things were going pear-shaped. Quoting from YNWA after yet another Anfield draw was really clutching at straws. I'm certainly not sweeping his achievements under the carpet.

 

It wasn't a dig at anyone in particular. I juts find it hugely frustrating that two very good managers in Houllier and Benitez attract so much hatred and scorn.

 

Christ knows I wanted Benitez sacked last season, but that doesn't mean he wasn't an excellent manager who won trophies and gave us so many great memories. He deserves better than some of the incredible abuse he gets on here. Ditto Houllier.

[dave u]

I didn't see anything wrong with that interview he did (the tv one, the written one where he had a go at Evans is a different story), and I'm really not arsed about him sitting on the bench either. It was a testimonial, not a cup final! How is GH being in the dug out any kind of issue here?

 

And I say all this as someone who is not a fan of his at all. The point is, Carra wanted him there and invited him. He wanted to be there for Carra, and he's mates with Hodgson. I don't see what the fuss is myself.

 

Funny seeing he still does that little thing where he briefly stands up on his tip toes any time he does a tv interview.

[redfromtubebar]

Houllier can go and fuck himself after reading that interview.

 

He's absolutely deluded.

[JohnnyH]

UEFA cup

FA cup

League Cup x 2

2nd in the league

 

There were bad times under Houllier, yes. But lots of good times. It's a shame that so many cretins can't ackowledge that. But we're seeing exactly the same myopic, vituperative idiocy regarding Benitez's tenure, so it's no real surprise.

 

Houllier was the best thing that could have happend to this club after the amortisation of expectations that the disastrous reigns of Souness and Uncle Roy brought about.

 

He won us trophies, and gave us back our respect and stature. He weeded out the lazy, smug, slothful tendencies that bred under Roy's avuncular gaze.

 

He merits respect, because he's a better, and more successful manager than most Premiership bosses.

 

I had to look up 3 of the words in the above post. Just thought I'd point that out.

[silverlining]

I had to look up 3 of the words in the above post. Just thought I'd point that out.

 

 

So did I

[Il Fenomeno]

He deserves better than some of the incredible abuse he gets on here.

 

So does Lucas.

[gkmacca]

So does Lucas.

 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[gkmacca]

What is a retrograde step? Being an assistant manager at a fairly big club with a man you've worked with before is a step down from being "Shouty Buffoon No2 on Sky's daytime football show"?

 

Interesting that you made that association. I certainly didn't. As far as I'm concerned the last time he was in football was when he was assistant manager at LFC.

[Cantrell20]

Although that's just childhood blur memory, it still flashes in my mind - France last 2 games in 1993 to clinch qualification to the World Cup. Needing to draw at least one, playing against Israel I guess and Bulgaria surely. Surprisingly, they lost both of them, dramatically against Bulgaria having safe draw until 91st minute, when Kostadinov kicked them out of the World Cup. To this day, even several months ago in L'Equipe he confirmed it, he blames Ginola poor delivery for Bulgarian counterattack and denting France hopes. Similar to 1999-2000 and our defeats in a row at the end of the season, Bradford and so on. He couldn't blame Fowler though, cause he didn't play him in any of them:) I think it's quite self-evident, that our inspirational motivator and great coach until he lost his temper in 2001 is famous for two strings of defeats at the end of the season, one of the worst comeback ratios in Premier League and poor turnaround record in tournaments with some exceptions (Arsenal 2001), while the one with no managerial and motivation skills created Comebacks Kings here and made us famous for never giving up until the final whistle:)