Houllier article.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

But it is hard to recall any manager messing things up so much so soon.

I can recall some, would you like their names ?

[Eigentor]

I post this piece here as the Beye in bust-up thread has developed/descended into a thread about whether MON left a squad of ageing dross behind or, just simply, a squad of averagely aged dross.

Anyway, Houllier does seem to hint that not every player is happy with his methods ("we are changing a lot of things and that upsets the comfort of some players"), but that is their problem, not his.

From Sky Sports:

HOULLIER - PLAYERS MUST ADAPT

Villa boss plays down rumours of dissent in ranks

Gerard Houllier has played down reports of major rebellion at Aston Villa, but insists players must 'adapt or die' under a new manager.

The manager has shrugged off rumours of dissent over the training methods he has implemented since succeeding Martin O'Neill at the helm of Villa three months ago.

The former Liverpool boss is adamant there was "no incident" involving replacement captain Richard Dunne, who was dropped for last Saturday's home encounter with West Brom.

And Frenchman Houllier also stressed playing some of his out-of-favour senior players in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Leicester was not intended as a punishment but to help them maintain match fitness.

Dissent

He said: "I've read about dissent in the squad over training methods but it is not true. I know it is different to what it was before but it is not true and the players will adapt gradually.

"We do a lot of work with the ball, we play a lot of games, we do some tactics as well.

"Do people have to adapt to a new manager and methods? In a way, yes. You adapt or you die.

"We are changing a lot of things and that upsets the comfort of some players."

Houllier added: "I am not going to talk about the players who are dissenting and not happy. Any manager who runs a team knows the players who are playing are happy, and the players who are not playing are not happy.

"They think the methods are not good and they think the manager is not the right person but we have to live with that.

"We know that we are changing things, we know that sometimes people are whingeing and moaning but they have a fantastic job.

"They are paid high wages to play and enjoy football. This is a fantastic job and sometimes you forget that."

Houllier confirmed that Dunne's replacement, Carlos Cuellar, will again start in Saturday's clash at Wigan.

He said: "There was no incident with Richard Dunne. Not at all. I took a football decision not to play him and Cuellar came in and did extremely well and he will be playing against Wigan."

Reaction

Asked about Dunne's reaction to being axed, Houllier said: "It is not a punishment when you play a behind-closed-doors game to help players keep their fitness.

"It is a punishment when you don't play at all, when you are left out, but I had a lot of players who either had not played for a long time or needed a game to restart like Nigel Reo-Coker.

"We wanted to have that game. We would probably have done it a week or two earlier but because of the snow we couldn't do it so it was an ideal opportunity to have it with Leicester."

[Villa'Zawg]

"Hopefully there will be at least one signing or two. Is that enough? We are surviving this year and also we have got some young players coming up," Houllier said.

I don't get it, this is the second time he has said this season is about survival.

[dave.woodhall]

"Hopefully there will be at least one signing or two. Is that enough? We are surviving this year and also we have got some young players coming up," Houllier said.

I don't get it, this is the second time he has said this season is about survival.

Maybe it's 'surviving' as in coping with the injuries and depleted squad, as well as with the assorted bollocks that has been aimed his way. 

[Pete3206]

If anyone's been talking bollocks lately, it's the Villa manager.

[hawkeye]

Houlier would not get a job as a diplomat based upon his serial PR disasters since joining us. If you look at Fergie and the way he handles the media, GH could take note. I like a lot of what he does but I worry that he is concerned more about himself than he is about The Villa

[VillaAlways]

for fucks sake how long has Fergie been charge of manu wasn't he one game from a sacking 20 odd years ago Give GH a chance

[TheSandman]

Does Fergie handle the media well?

He hasn't spoken to the BBC for five years for fuck sake. It's a bit like someone saying I handle women well.

[Simba]

What you do with your microphone is really no businesss of ours. I mean. Really.

[eastie]

Houllier is quoted in the press today confirming that Stephen Ireland has told him he wants to leave and also saying he hopes to get £8m back for him.

Also houllier quotes as saying 'it's a huge shock to come from Manchester city to here' - what exactly does he mean by that? Is he saying we are a huge step down , I don't think we will get our money back but now houllier has confirmed Ireland will be going at least we know why he is nit in the squad- interesting houllier quoted in mirror as saying there may be other players not in the team will probably be leaving in January as well as Ireland.

[Toronto Villa]

I really am not seeing what the issue is with what GH is saying. The manager is the boss, and the players need to follow in line. That's how it is at other major clubs like Man U, Arsenal, Barcelona etc so it should be good enough for us. The senior players, instead of moaning about it need to take a leadership role in the new direction. Unless I'm missing something we haven't won much in a good while, so we don't have room for passengers. Every player has to pull their weight for us to be successful. They should leave if they're not interested.

[Eigentor]

Houlier would not get a job as a diplomat based upon his serial PR disasters since joining us.

I agree that his actions at Anfield were unfortunate, but taling about "serial PR disasters" is wrong. He should avoid washing dirty laundry in public, but he cannot behave like Comical Ali either. He would look ridiculous if he claimed that everyone was happy if the press knows that several players are not. Instead, he admits that some doesn't like him and his methods ("but we have to live with that"), but refuses to name names and plays downs specific (reported) incidents like the Dunne episode. I think this is the right approach.

My guess is that Houllier has put some players out of their comfort zone. Some of them has reacted badly to this, and Houllier perceives this a lack of competitiveness (or a willingness to adapt to get better) and professionalsm.

[Bosco81]

Houllier is doing his job, being the manager. He is exerting his authority and it's up to the players to adapt to it, hopefully when the injuries clear we will see the results on the pitch a bit more.

[Shay]

Houllier is destroying our club, he is clueless, doesn't practise what he preaches and has his favourites. under him we wil never achieve a top 6 finish, never mind a top 4 one!

[Villa'Zawg]

Houllier is destroying our club, he is clueless, doesn't practise what he preaches and has his favourites. under him we wil never achieve a top 6 finish, never mind a top 4 one!

Welcome Shay, I hope you've got your tin hat on.