Mutual respect for mediocrity spawned this fine bromance

[Royal Family]

I understand the snide digs at Hodgson, but I’m not sure why the author extends this to Houllier. As unlikeable as he became in his final year (plus ca change, huh?), it’s nonsense to bracket him with Roy as ‘mediocrity’: either at Liverpool, where he won 4 major trophies in 6 seasons compared to Fanny-ing’s beloved Rafa’s record of 2 in 6; or indeed at Lyon since. And what about his (and Danny Murphy’s) record at Old Trafford, given Fanning brings this up – to say the least, it was rather better than rafa’s, even allowing for the historic 4-1 win in 2009. Houllier’s record stands up to scrutiny, and so I don’t see what the author is trying to achieve other than a few snide asides. But given the author could previously write – tongue firmly in cheek presumably – that Rafa’s legacy including bequeathing Riera, Benayoun and Mascherano (all clamouring to leave, and two already half out of the door), then I don’t think his views count as anything other than one-eyed.

Of course, the subtext is that Rafa rescued the club from mediocrity, into which it is now plunging again. But unfortunately, as I’ve pointed out above, Houllier’s record is little different to Rafa’s, so the argument doesn’t work. All Fanning achieves is making himself look like an Evertonian...

[Section_31]

I understand the snide digs at Hodgson, but I’m not sure why the author extends this to Houllier. As unlikeable as he became in his final year (plus ca change, huh?), it’s nonsense to bracket him with Roy as ‘mediocrity’: either at Liverpool, where he won 4 major trophies in 6 seasons compared to Fanny-ing’s beloved Rafa’s record of 2 in 6; or indeed at Lyon since. And what about his (and Danny Murphy’s) record at Old Trafford, given Fanning brings this up – to say the least, it was rather better than rafa’s, even allowing for the historic 4-1 win in 2009. Houllier’s record stands up to scrutiny, and so I don’t see what the author is trying to achieve other than a few snide asides. But given the author could previously write – tongue firmly in cheek presumably – that Rafa’s legacy including bequeathing Riera, Benayoun and Mascherano (all clamouring to leave, and two already half out of the door), then I don’t think his views count as anything other than one-eyed.

Of course, the subtext is that Rafa rescued the club from mediocrity, into which it is now plunging again. But unfortunately, as I’ve pointed out above, Houllier’s record is little different to Rafa’s, so the argument doesn’t work. All Fanning achieves is making himself look like an Evertonian...

 

The fuck's going on with that font? I know it's the festive season but there's no need to go all Dickensian on a brother.

[chauncey]

,.

[lyricallylethal]

Whatever people think of the ''balanced, well written article'' from Fanning and the implication that GH was mediocre by tarring him with the same brush as Hodgson the facts are he still won more trophies than any other manager in his spell since Dalglish so why would Fanning slyly insinuate the GH reign here was so mediocre? Absolute cunts trick that.

 

Nice to see he continues his anti-Carragher line ''in decline, won't be missed''. So this Fanning guy doesn't have an agenda then considering the manager who he is closest to and his relationship with Carragher?

 

Why hasn't he done a article yet about the transformation of Inter into a Barcelona style total football dream team yet? Oh yeah, 6th in the Italian league at the time of typing that is why. Totally skirt round that issue as well why don't you? Oh I forgot, it isn't about Benitez is it Dion?

 

Nice little skirt over the 9m agents fees as well there, I haven't seen or read anywhere that it was solely down to Benitez. Not Rafa's fault it screams. But everything is all Hodgsons fault he screams. Not about Rafa though is it Dion?

 

There may be eight players left from the side that beat United but there are also even more that finished in the side that finished 7th and lost 19 times in all competitions last season. Not about Rafa though is it Dion?

 

Who is this ''young talent'' we disposed of in the summer then? Also if Rafa Benitez would have remained here Aquilani would have still been out of the door. Not about Rafa though is it Dion?

 

He is probably going to be right about Hodgson and that is the sad thing he has to do it in such a cuntish snidy way to prove the point.

 

Oh what a surprise your usual anti rafa rant, face facts you BACKED A LOSER and ROY IS SHIT, there is nothing else to say.

 

By the way are you still sticking by your prediction of 8 league away wins for Roy that you made on RAWK? hahahahahahahahahahaa you are a fucking joke and gobshite with it.

[Phoenix]

Houllier's involvement in this artilce is is for claiming credit for Istanbul 2005 when he really shouldnt be.

 

I dont care who signed the players. Rafa was the manager when we won.

[Tony Edwards]

Houllier's involvement in this artilce is is for claiming credit for Istanbul 2005 when he really shouldnt be.

 

I dont care who signed the players. Rafa was the manager when we won.

 

Exactly this.

 

I've got some fantastic memories of Houllier's time at the club, but he's made himself look absolutely foolish with his comments about Istanbul and the player's text about comparative trophy hauls.

[Royal Family]

Houllier's involvement in this artilce is is for claiming credit for Istanbul 2005 when he really shouldnt be.

 

I dont care who signed the players. Rafa was the manager when we won.

 

I agree fully with the latter sentiment - Houllier's involvement stopped at the point when he actually secured us CL football [something rafa didn't bequeath to Hodgson, not that Fanny-ing admits that!]

 

But what has Istanbul that got to do with the 'mutual respect for mediocrity'? Nothing at all - Fanning is saying that Hodgson and Houllier are alike mired in mediocrity. It's unnecessary but also, as I mentioned, Houllier's record is hardly 'mediocre' aside from in his last season [and where have we heard THAT since?]. If Houllier was a mediocre manager, then so too was Rafa - on both fronts plainly absurd. Maybe we should send Fanning the 2001 Season DVD because he plainly believes Liverpool football club was founded in the summer of 2004?

 

He doesn't need to do it - Hodgson's record stands on its own. All Fanning is doing is pretending that the Benitez years stand alone in a sea of mediocrity, no doubt dating back to Shankly and Paisley. And it just cheapens his argument, makes him look petty and obsessive.

 

Maybe he should do a piece on how Mourinho left a legacy of mediocrity at Inter - i mean, they didn't even have a Riera or Benayoun in their squad, did they?

[Menc]

Good article in my opinion. We’re in severe danger of allowing Hodgson and the press talk us into believing we need another 5 year rebuilding plan. This team is nowhere near as bad as Roy’s making us look.

[Faustus]

The part about Houllier in the article is well below the belt, in my opinion.

[Anubis]

[Guest the boy]

Superb article.

[G Richards]

The general point of the article is well made. Gift everyone three points when you are on the road and you will be well liked.

 

We need better than Hodgson. It is not a time issue. It is all about correcting a mistake. No amount of time will make Hodgson the right man for the Liverpool job.

[PiranhaBill]

I understand the snide digs at Hodgson, but I’m not sure why the author extends this to Houllier. As unlikeable as he became in his final year (plus ca change, huh?), it’s nonsense to bracket him with Roy as ‘mediocrity’: either at Liverpool, where he won 4 major trophies in 6 seasons compared to Fanny-ing’s beloved Rafa’s record of 2 in 6; or indeed at Lyon since. And what about his (and Danny Murphy’s) record at Old Trafford, given Fanning brings this up – to say the least, it was rather better than rafa’s, even allowing for the historic 4-1 win in 2009. Houllier’s record stands up to scrutiny, and so I don’t see what the author is trying to achieve other than a few snide asides. But given the author could previously write – tongue firmly in cheek presumably – that Rafa’s legacy including bequeathing Riera, Benayoun and Mascherano (all clamouring to leave, and two already half out of the door), then I don’t think his views count as anything other than one-eyed.

Of course, the subtext is that Rafa rescued the club from mediocrity, into which it is now plunging again. But unfortunately, as I’ve pointed out above, Houllier’s record is little different to Rafa’s, so the argument doesn’t work. All Fanning achieves is making himself look like an Evertonian...

 

Well done on missing the point of the article i.e. the way Hodgson is viewed and the manner of his management. You've picked on the side issues and reached a nonsense conclusion. He's spot on about Hodgson.

[Guest the boy]

Appreciate that Royal Family and Hermes can only perceive posts in the colour of Rafael Benitez.

[Wee-bey]

Superb article.

 

So, you think Houllier was a mediocre manager for us?

[Faustus]

Also, I'm not sure of the relevance in mentioning that Houllier has a good relationship with Alex Ferguson. Houllier had a very good record against United and is the only Liverpool manager to finish above one of his sides in the League in 20 odd years.

[zico]

Im very greatful of everything Ged did for us, brought us all some great memories.

 

But im getting sick and tired personally of him constantly carping on about Istanbul. That is not his team, they didnt play in his style and wouldnt have made the final under his tenure.

 

Its one of the most ridiculous things ive ever heard.

 

I agree 100% with the above....

 

The article probably hit home on the away record and wine bit... Who wouldn't want friends like that?

 

And Hodgson and his comments about how everyone respects his job at Liverpool and that they are not surprised the team struggles - you poor excuse of a manager, just go..... NOW

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Is the article good because it talks about Rafa in a good light or because it slags Roy off?

 

It's another article that didn't really need to add to the divide.

 

I don't see the point in it myself.

 

And I think the tag is a bit out of order as well.

 

We all bemoaned negative articles about the club over the years, but it seems to now be acceptable because they are mostly about Roy now. I'm not a Roy fan but it's getting beyond ridiculous and tedious now.

[PaulMcC]

I'm glad some journalists are criticizing Roy.

 

It's weird how little grief he's got, especially when compared to other managers.

[lebron]

I agree with the Hodgson criticism. I disagree strongly with linking Houllier to mediocrity. 2001 was a great year. Carragher is still our best CB, so that's a dumb agenda driven comment by Fanning.

 

When/if Agger finally gets back to fitness I'd have Carra as 4th choice CB. There are quite a lot of Liverpool supporters outside Liverpool that feel the same way. I know he has done a lot for the club, but to me he is becoming a liability, both because of his ever-decreasing pace and his clearances. The "experts" up here have been on his back for about a decade (huge Mancs love-in in the media though), grudgingly giving him some credit for Istanbul.. While I almost never agree with them, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to defend his inclusion. I compared him to the post-Blackburn Henning Berg on another thread, in my view he's only getting by on determination, the use of his lungs and positional play these days. The hoofing has always been there, but you kind of accepted it as you knew he'd be there to clear the ball away when the opposition got their chance. These days there's a positional error (due to lack of pace?) for every block or challenge:-(. The fact that he's the highest scorer against Liverpool of any active player is another fun fact the Norwegians love to bring up, as is his own goal to goal ratio (both facts are quite stunning to be fair...).

 

Skrtel isn't much better tbf, but at least he gives the opposition attackers some problems due to his direct style and recklessness, he's also a fair bit quicker... I'll happily take a free kick against us now and then if it means the attackers aren't able to just stand still and trap the ball/lay it off for fun. If we had a header in our back four those freekicks wouldn't be a big problem either. As it is, neither Carra nor Skrtel can head the ball, which is why we'll never climb the table with that partnership (even if Hodgson is the biggest culprit). Personally I'd play Soto + 1 against all teams but Arsenal away I think (huge pitch and quick and smallish opposition players maybe not the best mix for the Greek).

 

To me, Carra is going to be Hodgson's Lucas, only this time you know there's no hope of it ending happily.

 

PS! I know this is controversial as Carra is one of our most respected players of the last years (ever in some peoples eyes), I'm trying to look only at the sporting qualifications here, and in my view he comes up well short nowadays. To follow in the footsteps of my great visionary fellow countryman Code, I think I'd be able to name at least 10, perhaps as much as 15 CBs in the Premier League that would be better suited to us than Carra at the moment.

 

Takes cover....

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Though linking Houllier with mediocrity is wide of the mark, and completely stupid, I do agree with one point...

 

Who gives two fucks if it was Houlliers team? All that does is show that Rafa was a better manager than Houllier. Rafa won us the cup with the same team, GH couldn't even get into a semi with the team HE assembled after six years.

[Jose Jones]

I used to think Fanning was a good writer, but he's absolutely terrible these days.

[Juan Galonso]

The thing is Fanning snidily turned it into ''competition'' between the two managers when he didn't really need to to big his friend up and find another way to stick the boot into Hodgson and what better way than to use Hodgson's friendship with GH to think of a way to do it. Who is the better manager between Rafa and GH really isn't important. Both have their merits to claim that to be fair.

 

Rafa won the European Cup but GH is trophy wise our most successful manager since Kenny. It doesn't need a snide like Fanning to use his usual shitstirring platform to do it. As Skidfingers said, totally pointless and unwarranted.

 

When Ian Ridley was doing the same when GH first left here we were apoplectic over it. Crazy how things have changed in six years.

[chauncey]

It's weird how little grief he's got, especially when compared to other managers.

 

Not really - you only have to look at his place of birth for the answer... Epping Owl Sanctuary.

 

Ruthless as they may be with exposing players' mores and extra-marital indiscretions, football journalists are a soft, nurturing breed at heart. They love wildlife. I have it on good authority that Patrick Barclay volunteers at Miss Tiggywinkles and of course Rory Smith is dating a shrew. You think it's just a coincidence that the FWA Awards resembles something out of the Animals of Farthing Wood? Get a grip, pal.

[RED.DUB]

hes high lighting how shit hodgson is,who gives a fuck about his agendas.

rafa is gone,hes no longer our manager,move on and deal with it,lets just appreciate a journo not taking the piss out of us by claiming were all being unfair to a gentleman manager.

a journo has called out hodgson for being out of his depth,great i wish they all would.