Sack Houllier in the morning

[wombat]

I had been wavering on the cusp of ranting about sacking him, on the basis of I couldn't see a viable alternative and the timing isn't great.

However, after last night I see no viable alternative other than getting shot of the man. This was compounded this morning when I actually screamed 'f**k off' at the radio when he came out with 'we don't want to be relegated' on the radio. I haven't felt this amount of vitriol since the pug nosed numpty.

The Gabby on the wing and Ash in the middle. My god, he has managed to completely nullify the effectiveness of our two best attacking players over the last few years. Could he not see it didn't work after twenty minutes??? I could and bloody hell i'm far from a master tactian. Or is he too stupid? Too idle? Or too pig headed? Frankly I couldn't believe my eyes! I wouldn't mind if we were defensively solid, but I assume the reason that he did it was that Gabby would track back more than Ash..... So now you are admitting that your team can't defend either (we has been brutally obvious all season). I see no organisation, no plan, no motivation. I don't care if they aren't your players, that you want, boo bloody sucks, work with what you've got. They may not be the most skillful bunch in the world but they are capable, we've seen it and if you can't get them to play then do the right thing bugger off and let someone else try.

I see no evidence that he can lift the team from the malaise they are in and two defeats in our next two games are a very realistic possibility. If that happens are season is shot barring a relegation fight which we seem woefully able to deal with.

I am actually quite grateful we don't have another home game for a while, because I can't take much more of watching that clueless pap!

[NeilH]

He won't go. Why? Because the board will just look like clowns if they do that not being able to swallow their pride.

This and the fact as a club we will look like clowns for sacking a manager within 4 months. We put ourselves right into a corner now and the only way I can see us getting out of it is to somehow miraculously find some form because no matter how bad it is, Houllier is going nowhere right now.

[adam#1]

He won't go. Why? Because the board will just look like clowns if they do that not being able to swallow their pride.

This and the fact as a club we will look like clowns for sacking a manager within 4 months. We put ourselves right into a corner now and the only way I can see us getting out of it is to somehow miraculously find some form because no matter how bad it is, Houllier is going nowhere right now.

Sadly I agree with you. And I think this shows major failings at the way the club is being run.

[Greg N'Ash]

Well if he goes which looks possible, I hope no-one is expecting too much of upturn.. Ignoring the disruption of a third manager in a season coming in, can you really see some of this lot upping their game?They haven't for the last two men in charge. Only option is return to the hoofball the players are used to. I'm sure Big Sam and Tony Pulis are waiting by the phone this morning

[OzVilla]

Jol is a good Manager who could bide his time and wait for offers, would he really want to join this shambles?  Players acting like spolt brats, relegation battle, little time for transfers, possibly restricted funds.

You might think that Aston Villa would be able to attract a long list of great candidates - we didn't, we attracted Houllier (who was approached and then had to be asked twice plus his notice period), Curbishley and Bradley etc.

Houllier isn't the answer and he'll take us down, i've no doubt about that now - but who realistically can we get?

It might be that RAL made his bed for the season and now we all have to lie in it?

[Greg N'Ash]

Wouldn't fancy Jol to keep us up. For a start he'd want to play football and he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who can come in and kick some arses. certainly couldn't do much for spurs before he left.

[Comrade Blitz]

Why does Houllier look like a rabbit in the headlights on the touchline.

I was watching Sky Sports news = at the end of the match it was obviously that all Houllier wanted to do was crawl under the nearest rock and hide. Spineless weasel.

Just go.

[eastie]

Jol took over a team in trouble at spurs and got them 5th twice in a row so he can manage at this level- thereay be better options but he is probably the best available option at the moment, big Sam would keep us up I'm sure but the football would be dire.

If randy is sticking with houllier then we need to sign several players now as these players ate just not doing it for him.

[richard moore]

Whilst I might want him to go right now like pretty much everyone else, I don't think he will. He will stay in my opinion.
 
So, whether we like it or not, we have to work from that as our baseline as to what then happens. And that, of course, means signing some players who are going to get us out of this mess. There is no doubt that, for whatever reason, some of those who have performed so well for us previously have reached the end of their shelf life. They may have loved MON, hate Houllier, haven't got the stomach for a relegation fight or just need to move on. Some players do just need a change of club - Ashley Young is a case in point, though I wouldn't get shot of him yet. More likely, and presuming Walker comes, he needs a LB, a CB, a midfielder and a centre forward. Maybe a goalkeeper too. Given that he does stay, absolutely every effort needs to be poured into securing the right players to get us out of this hole and into mid table respectability for now. The problem he then has is that those players also need to be able to kick on next season as we won't have the money or the appetite to then replace them yet again come the summer, regardless of whether Houllier goes. We are in a very, very difficult situation and it is going to take some real acumen to get us out of it...

[KevinGage]

There's a degree of logic to that Rich.

But any players coming in will be wondering how long GH will stay in the job. A player fancied by one manager might not suit another - as we've seen with Ireland.

That being the case I'm not entirely sure we're a particularly attractive option to good players at the moment.

[richard moore]

There's a degree of logic to that Rich.

But any players coming in will be wondering how long GH will stay in the job. A player fancied by one manager might not suit another - as we've seen with Ireland.

That being the case I'm not entirely sure we're a particularly attractive option to good players at the moment.

Not sure there is any logic in it, but I think it is what has to happen now, given that he will stay. And you are right in what you say about attracting the right players and the difficulty of that. It's also very much about getting it right in terms of who he lets go or feels has no further place in the squad...

[Archie]

Agree with Wombat, I've got the same feeling.

I keep the faith in the club and in Randy, that is the best president that we could desire, but I din't have anymore faith in GH.

It's true that he can't count on players that he has chosen, but this is becoming an alibi to justify absurd choices.
I have never seen a team running adrift  like we are doing. Every opponent score against us with trifling easiness, all the formations that he played are wrong, illogical, incomprehensible, with our best and more gifted players on the bench and at least three  players out of role (Clark, Cuellar, Agbonlahor). We don't have a team spirit.
And it' s not true that we are too big to be relegated, in the early 70's we were even in third divison. If we don't change course immediately we'll go deep in championship.
I hope that Mr Lerner sacks him asap. On a bright side, my favourite successor is Gianfranco Zola, that has  a great and successful experience to save from relegation teams in claret and blue making them to play an attaractive football  . 

[pmk1981]

Let's face it guys he ain't going anywhere no matter what we say on here ARGHHHHH. 
Ps I want an apology from all those who slated me when i went nuts about his appointment
what has hapened is what I said
FUCK OFF HOULLIER

[Legion]

Let's face it guys he ain't going anywhere no matter what we say on here ARGHHHHH. 
Ps I want an apology from all those who slated me when i went nuts about his appointment
what has hapened is what I said
FUCK OFF HOULLIER

Why should you get an apology for others disagreeing with you? If you were personally abused then fair enough, but I don't recall you contacting a member of the Mod team about such an incident.

[cdbearsfan]

Let's get Carlton Palmer in as player-manager.