Gabby: I did think about leaving.

[CJ]

Wonder why he signed that contract then?

Is he just saying what he thinks we want to hear?

Taking the focus off McLeish?

My guess is that as he signed his contract in November, when Houllier and McAllister had only been around for a couple of months, he didn't feel this way about them at the time.

[N'ZMAV]

I think the change from MON to GH was too much for some of the players in their comfort zone to handle.

[Sexual Ealing]

Yet another ingrate. It seems that some of the players, despite how close they were to the total football that Houllier had us playing last season, were just too thick to see it.

Sometimes I think that it was only a few people on here who recognised the genius of the man and the art he had the players creating every week.

[Quiet Lion]

The more I read about last season, the more I am lose faith in the Houllier regime.

[Risso]

I think the change from MON to GH was too much for some of the players in their comfort zone to handle.

There were either an awful lot of players in thir comfort zone, or Houllier was a hopeless out-of-touch boss who didn't inspire any confidence in his players.  My money's on the latter.

[Concrete John]

Maybe its our lads that have the attitude? Houllier hasn't won what he has in the game by being a mug

I'm no Houllier fan, but I think there is something in this.  My biggest gripe with him was always that I didn't think his man-management skills were up to much and he had no idea how to deal with the modern footballer.  Those years he spent away from the hot seat really showed, IMO. 

You can blame him for that or the players as you see fit, but who ever was at fault it simply wasn't going to work out.

[UsualSuspect]

And who was going to sign you, Gabby? Manchester City? ...

Nah Man City were after NRC ...... :-)

[NeilH]

I think the change from MON to GH was too much for some of the players in their comfort zone to handle.

Mine is more on the former. It would appear that life under MON became a nice, very well paid, cushy existence for too many of our players. When Houllier came he tried to break that cycle quickly and the wheels well and truly fell off.

There were either an awful lot of players in thir comfort zone, or Houllier was a hopeless out-of-touch boss who didn't inspire any confidence in his players.  My money's on the latter.

[Sexual Ealing]

A nice, well paid existence in the top 6 and the latter rounds of cups...

[TimTheVillain]

I think the change from MON to GH was too much for some of the players in their comfort zone to handle.

There were either an awful lot of players in thir comfort zone, or Houllier was a hopeless out-of-touch boss who didn't inspire any confidence in his players.  My money's on the latter.

Mine too.

The appointment of Houllier turned out to be a dreadful one.

There was no 'comfort zone' under MON either !

[kippaxvilla2]

The problem with Gerard was that the game had moved on so much even since he managed 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' a mere 7 years ago.  The players we had were very 'Britishified' on the whole and his coaching methods were literally foreign to them.  Had he applied them at Chelsea he might have had a different result. 

In addition to this, I have a feeling that someone behind the scenes told him they all needed a proverbial kick up the arse and he took this literally and just ended up changing things far too quickly and pissing people off.  I just have a hunch about this, but Darren Bent strikes me as being an ultimate professional and someone who would readily warm to someone like Houllier but not necessarily someone like McLeish.  So it works both ways.

[jonzy85]

MON's so-called "comfort zone" had players like Gabby, Young, Milner etc. playing at the very best of their abilities. Only Young now with Man U has performed to that level since.

Houllier was a clown. We were a laughing stock when we appointed him and it got worse the more the season went on.

Gabby is Villa through and through. It would have been a travesty if he had to leave because of that clown.

I couldnt be more indifferent to the English international team, but I would absolutely love it (in a Kevin Keegan way) if Gabby got into the Euro 2012 squad, love it!!!

[darren woolley]

Gabby's got Villa blood in his veins so for him to come out and say these things last season must have been a nightmare for him I'm just glad Gabby is still here I really like him and he is showing this season that he is back to his best the way he is playing he will get into double figures this season.

[kippaxvilla2]

He'll always be in my heart for his many goals against Small Heath and his funny sssshhh finger to mouth sign at the end of the 1-0 a couple of seasons back.

[pauliewalnuts]

I think the change from MON to GH was too much for some of the players in their comfort zone to handle.

There were either an awful lot of players in thir comfort zone, or Houllier was a hopeless out-of-touch boss who didn't inspire any confidence in his players.  My money's on the latter.

Mine's on both.